August Minutes

Maplewood Grange #662 “Draping the Charter” meeting was called to order (early) at 2:10pm, by Master/President, Dan Keeley, on Sunday, August 22, 2021 with the Opening of the Grange Ritual and Flag Salute.
 
ROLL CALL:  Members present:  9                                                                                     (Quorum = 7)
Dan Keeley, JoAnn Keeley, Don Sether, Judy Aus, Betty Chipps, Kathie Femrite, Dan Femrite, Sandy Shew, Roberta Elders

Guest::  None                         Visitation:  NONE    
 
Members acting Pro-Temp:   JoAnn Keeley, Overseer; Don Sether, Steward, Roberta Elders; Assistant Steward; Lady Assistant Steward, Betty Chipps; and Lecturer, Sandy Shew.
               


PROPOSALS for MEMBERSHIP – (None)  Dan anticipates Bill and Cindy Sanford will join.
 
MINUTES  (Secretary): 
The June 27, 2021 and the July 25, 2021 Minutes were previously emailed.  Dan confirmed members had read the minutes and asked were there any questions/corrections to either set of minutes.  Hearing none, Dan asked for a motion to approve the minutes.


Kathie Femrite moved to approve both the June and July Minutes, Don Sether seconded, motion carries, voting sign of the order (VSO)
 

DRAPING of the CHARTER (ritual):  In remembrance of Adin Alfred Hester   (1935 - 2020)
Maplewood Grange Member:  April 1,1961 -  until ‘deceased’ October  5, 2020
The Obituary for Adin Hester was shared by Chaplain Kathie Femrite.  Judi (Hester) Aus, first wife (1961-1992) and friend, shared Adin’s passions in his life:  family, Agriculture Industry (lifelong), nut and olive grower, and pilot.  In closing, Judi shared he was a good man and a moment of silence was observed during the “Draping of the Charter.”
 
 
COMMUNICATIONS  (Secretary) – None

SECRETARY Report (Betty Chipps) – Dan asked if reports to Pomona and State Grange were current.
Betty filed, in July, the State Grange Report for the 2nd Quarter ended June 30, 2021.  Third Quarter ends September and is due in October to OSG.  (No report regarding Pomona).  


 
TREASURER’S REPORT  (Vicki Pounds - absent) 
Vicki, presented the Treasurer’s Report via email on August 19th. 
The Treasurer’s Report, for date ended August 22, 2021, reflected an ending balance of $13,444.61. 
Hearing no questions, the report will be ‘filed for Audit’.  



COMMITTEE REPORTS


HALL ( Dan Keeley) –  Still waiting for occupancy limit signs.  Dan will remind the Fire Marshall (again) if signs don’t arrive next week.  Septic evaluation is in the County’s very long queue and County advised maybe the first week in September for the site inspection - next will have to apply for the actual construction permit.
 
Four party rentals are on the books, additionally, Quilters will be using the basement twice a month this fall:  (9am - 4pm) each Thursday & Friday:  OCT 28+29, NOV 18+19, DEC 16+17.

Home school kids (Pickwick Theater) group seems to have moved on. 

The re-oiling of the Hall floor is completed - thank you Dan and JoAnn.
 
HALL PROJECTS - in priority order (Dan Keeley):
Dance hall floor re-oiled for 2021 -- Complete.
Septic tank needs replaced - Summer 2021 project -- In progress.
Parking bumpers need anchored - Summer 2021 project
Ped path to front door needs pea gravel - Summer project
Rear yard - In progress, moles need to be trapped - anyone have mulch?
Front doors are coming apart at the bottom, need glued and painted.
Entrance porch needs refinished
Northeast side roofing screws 
Kitchen needs exhaust hood and fan
Kitchen and dining hall floors need refinished
 
AGRICULTURE:  (Dan Keeley) – Harvest still happening, mostly hops in progress now and hazelnuts yet to go.  Caution needed when encountering hop wagon and trucks - harvest will be running 24/7 until crops get done - drivers often are short of sleep.  AG West Coop sold most of its business assets to N & S Tractor Company.  Poor management and labor shortages (especially skilled technicians) contributed to the loss.
 
Don Sether said, per report at the Fair, two-thirds (2/3) of Christmas Tree crop is gone (due to drought) - perhaps sales could occur as flocked trees.

COMMUNITY SERVICE (JoAnn Keeley) –  Fall work at (Meridian Road) Cemetery will resume in SEPT.  Judi and Bert visited the cemetery and were impressed with the headstones cleaned - much thanks to Grange volunteers.  Judi’s Mother (Daisy Wolfer) and Grandfather (John Shepherd) are buried at the back of the cemetery.

EDUCATION (Dan Keeley) – “For the 2021-2022 school year, schools must plan to provide full-time, in-person education for all students every school day,” according to Oregon Education Department policy document, Ready Schools, Safe Learners.  This policy is still in place but what has changed is the Governor has re-established a mask mandate for indoor gatherings, including school rooms and square dances.  The policy relied on counties to establish their own control measures locally - which has apparently failed.
 
LEGISLATIVE (Dan Keeley) –   Deadlock in Washington DC. seems to have partially fractured.
An infrastructure bill has passed in the Senate with significant Republican support and will now be debated in the House.
 
In Oregon the lobbying organizations are getting geared up for the short session in 2022. Thousand Friends and Oregon Farm Bureau are both planning to lobby for fewer non-farm uses in the Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) zones.  Traffic and other conflicts with farm practices are escalating to the point they are significantly interfering with farm management, especially near major metropolitan areas (i.e. hotels and wineries). 
 
POMONA REPORT  (Dan Keeley) – The log cabin at State Fair is still looking for volunteers.  Shifts are:  10:00  -1:00,  1:00 - 4:00,  4:00 - 7:00.  Contact is Susan Noah at [email protected]. 
 

TABLED BUSINESS

• Group photo – Completed  (pictures taken outside in front of Grange).
• Bike Rodeo - tabled till next Spring.
  
  

LITERARY PROGRAM – (tabled)
 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS  (Dan Keeley)
Septic System and rear yard restoration  – waiting on county evaluation and permits.

Discussion:  should we consider purchasing some materials ahead of getting the permit as costs keep rising?   Dan would wait for permit approval before purchasing the septic tank.
 
Don Sether motioned to purchase materials for septic supplies (drain pipe, rock, junction boxes, etc) ahead of permit, as costs keep rising, Kathie Femrite seconded, motion carries VSO.
 
 
NEW BUSINESS
 
1. Treasurer - BILLS and RECEIPTS:


Bills presented by Dan:
  Refund on Door Hardware                                                                                      $  (65.37) credit
  UPS - postage for Door Hardware                                                                               18.81
  Floor Oil and equipment rental                                 :                                                   159.15
  Address Letters                                                                                                               32.33
  Handrail materials                                                                                                          55.27                                  Sub-total:  …………………………………………………………...………$  162.57
          
Don Sether moved to pay the bills, Betty Chipps seconded, motion carries, VSO.



2.  GRANGE ReOpening  (Dan/JoAnn Keeley) – Pumpkin Carving, again?

JoAnn moved to have the Grange Re-Opening event be a community Pumpkin ‘Painting’ party at 2:00pm, Don Sether seconded, motion carries, VSO.  
Committee of volunteers:  JoAnn/Dan and Betty  (date to be decided)


MEMBERS SICK OR IN DISTRESS – Dan reported Vicki is home with cough & fever - requests a get well card be sent.
 
 
GOOD TO THE ORDER –  Thought for the month: 
On this earth there are pestilences and victims.  As far as possible one must refuse to be on the side of the pestilence.  (Albert Camus - French philosopher)
 

NEXT  Meeting:  SUN, SEPT 26 2021 at Maplewood Grange
                       
Meeting was adjourned, by Dan Keeley, at 2:50 pm with the Closing of the Grange ritual.
 
                                                                                    Respectfully Submitted
 
 
                                                                                    Betty B.Chipps
                                                                                    Secretary