Dear Friends,
MONTHLY MEETING FOR BUSINESS:
This coming Sunday, February 21 at 8:30 will be our Monthly Meeting for Business. Committee Clerks, can you please send me any items for the Business Agenda?!
THRESHING MEETING:
After Meeting for Worship, Sunday, February 21 at 11:45, in the Community House, we will convene for our Threshing Meeting. Please bring your lunch to eat while we meet-there will be Hospitality offerings that day as well. The focus will be the previously announced leave-taking of Greg Marsello, our current Book Fair Clerk/Coordinator and the probable shift in the Property Coordinator position currently held by Gretchen Baker-Smith.
The clerk, Betty Ann Lee, will provide direction and any additional written information needed for those attending the meeting. After summarizing the discussion the meeting will close at the latest at1:30pm.
If there is a need for childcare, it is hoped that parents and meeting attenders can take turns watching the children so that no one person misses the whole meeting.
WHAT IS A THRESHING MEETING?
The purpose of the meeting is to consider the issues in depth in a way that is free from the necessity of reaching a decision. This meeting will serve as a kind of brainstorming, an outlet for emotions and to get a feeling for what is moving and concerning the members of the community concerning the issues under discussion.
WHY HAVE A MEETING?
- Provide for all interested parties to discuss the two issues and actions that can be taken to ensure the Book Fair and the Property Coordinator tasks can continue to be accomplished with the most minimum stress on the Westport Monthly Meeting community
- To hopefully increase the number and involvement of WMM community members and attenders in the discernment of an action plan
HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR THE MEETING?
- Attend the Threshing Meeting to gain more knowledge of how these issues affect our Meeting
- Come with an open heart and mind and a willingness to listen well and share your ideas
- Read through the information listed below and any materials handed out at the meeting
Issue #1: Book Fair Clerk
Greg Marsello, the Book Fair Steering Committee clerk, will be available to manage the 2016 and 2017 Book Fairs, but will not be available for the 2018 Book Fair as Greg and Melinda will be cruising in their sailboat. After the 2018 Book Fair, Greg may be available to work on the Book Fair but most likely will not be able to commit the time he has been committing to Book Fairs.
Presently Greg spends upwards to 250 hours a year on the Book Fair. He is supported by Gretchen Baker-Smith, as Property Coordinator and Children’s Book Fair Coordinator, at 75-125 hours a year; Ken Winland as book sorting, pricing, and boxing support at 50-100 hours a year; and Buddy Baker-Smith as Tag Sale coordinator at 50-100 hours a year. All Westport Monthly Meeting Committees support the Book Fair with specific tasks and duties.
By July 2016, Greg will document everything Book Fair. Starting in July 2016, Greg will need to begin training the person/people who will be coordinating the 2018 Book Fair, by working with him on the 2017 Book Fair. The new person/team would take over the Book Fair at the conclusion of the 2017 Book Fair.
Issue #2: Property Coordinator
Gretchen Baker-Smith, the Property Coordinator, in conjunction with the Westport Monthly Meeting Clerk and Property Committee, has been managing the tasks outlined in the Property Coordinator job description. Responsibilities range from supporting maintenance/building projects; Book Fair support; rental management; property maintenance such as snow removal, heat control; and much more.
With Gretchen living 20 minutes from Westport Monthly Meeting, it is challenging to be available as needed for contractors, heat issues, and shoveling, and other important Property Coordinator tasks. After August 2016, Gretchen will not be able to handle all Property Coordinator tasks and responsibilities, thus requiring Westport Monthly Meeting to find a new Property Coordinator or provide Gretchen support, thus reducing her need to travel to Westport Monthly Meeting each and every time the Property Coordinator is needed.