Meeting date | time August 15, 2023, | 7:30pm | Meeting location GMI

Meeting called by: David Cooper Type of meeting: General Committee Facilitator: Kate Howard Note taker: Scott Peterson Timekeeper: Kate Howard

David Cooper (Chair) Kate Howard (Secretary) Scott Peterson (nominated Treasurer)

Agenda topics

Matter Arising | Presenter Kate Howard

Recognition of the need for additional board members.

The cooker was functioning during the wedding.

Kate used petty cash to purchase a new key box to replace the old box.

Need to cut an additional key for Scott to ensure access to the building when required.

Financial Update | Presenter Kate Howard

Current bank balance is £389. We should be maintaining a balance of at least £2000 to cover operating expenses. Total reserve in the bank should be maintained at £4000.

No invoices have been submitted since March.

Expecting an £880 payment from the Drama Club.

Expecting payments from the Brownies and from children’s events.

Noted that invoicing monthly may help to maintain the required cash reserves and cash flow.

Recommended to review the pricing structure to determine if sufficient to cover building costs.

Noted that we will need to audit the accounts prior to the AGM.

Received cash payment for table tennis. This will be added to petty cash held by Kate.

Noted that there are currently 6 bank accounts. The signatories are David Cooper, Anja Lyttle, Tim O’Sullivan and Sue Grant.

Recognised that we have received a £500 grant from Tesco to be used for sporting equipment.

Noted that there are fundraising opportunities that we may pursue.                                                                                                               

Agreed to schedule a committee meeting focused on financial matters and to invite Tim to participate.

AGM | Presenter David Cooper

September 13, 2023, 7:30pm

Noted that we should add an agenda item at the AGM to discuss constitution rework.

Noted that we need 10 members for a quorum.

Pool Room Update | Presenter Kate Howard

Tim Jones will remove equipment he has been storing in the pool room. This should be completed prior to the Blue Grass Festival.

Tim Jones has offered to help with graphic design needs en lieu of reimbursing for past rent for storing equipment at the institute.

Hire Pricing Strategy | Presenter Kate Howard

Agreed to move this item to the next committee meeting focusing on finance.

Cleaning day dates | Presenter Kate Howard

Kate noted that she has received some interest from members in participating in a cleaning day (where people in the community will help clean and organize the Institute beyond the normal cleaning).

Heating Update | Presenter David Cooper

Our original heating quote was dated 15.10.2021 from Nithsdale Plumbing and Heating. (Company Number SC457556). We requested that the original quote be re-visited and we subsequently received a revised quote in July, (Dated 18.07.2023) – with a slightly increased cost from £16,901 (+VAT) to £17,330 (+VAT). We also sent out requests for tender to five other plumbing companies in this region around April 2023. Only one company attended our premises and we did not receive a quote from them. During the lockdown, we were able to attend to a number of other hall improvements and it was our experience that as we are so rural, it was extremely difficult/impossible to get tradespeople to come out to provide quotes.

When we add 20% VAT to the revised quote, we arrive at the figure of £20,797. We have been awarded a Foundation Scotland (ANCBC) grant of 50% = £10,398. The Garfield Weston Foundation have also approved our application for an award of £5,000. We have therefore submitted an application to the National Lottery Awards For All – Scotland for an additional £5,000. In our recent Management Committee meeting, we agreed that we will organise a community fundraising event – A Hall Fundraiser! – with maybe £500.00 as our target to cover the outstanding £399.00.

We have been informed by Awards For All – Scotland on an email dated 24.08.23 that our application will be given consideration at their next meeting scheduled for the end of September. This may be too short a notice to schedule the work into October for Nithsdale Plumbing. David will speak to Stevie – Director at Nithsdale.

 Tool Library Request | Presenter Kate Howard

Received a request / idea to implement a tool library at the Institute where members of the community can hire or share tools (or other items).

This could be part of the Repair Café.

The tools could be available for check out online (GMI website). The tools could be stored in member’s homes or stored at the Institute (or a combination of home and the Institute).

The committee agreed to explore the opportunity further.

Action items	Person responsible	Deadline
Ask Paul Henshaw if he would be available to audit the accounts.	Scott Peterson	Aug. 27, 2023
Hang the new key box. Set and communicate the passcode.	Kate Howard	Aug. 27, 2023
Cut Scott a key to the institute	Kate Howard	Sep. 14, 2023
Create agenda for next committee meeting (focusing on finance): Bank accounts and signors.£500 Tesco grant. .Hire pricing strategy. New boiler funds. Fundraising. Audit accounts.	Scott Peterson	Aug. 25, 2023
Advertise AGM in the Gazette.	David Cooper	Aug. 18, 2023
Invite Tim to participate in the next committee meeting focusing on finance	David Cooper	Aug. 25, 2023
Organise a cleaning day	Kate Howard	Aug. 31, 2023
Work with requestors of a tool library to develop a formal proposal for a tool library for Committee consideration.	Kate Howard	Aug. 31, 2023
Check the lead time Nithsdale plumbing requires before beginning work.	David Cooper	Aug. 31, 2023

 Next Committee meeting:

August 31, 2023, at 10:30am (depending on Tim O’Sullivan’s availability)