September 21st 2023

AGENDA

Attendance

Board Members

• Rustin Atkeisson, President
• Aaron Rivers, Vice-President
• Gretchen Koch, Secretary
• James Lancaster, At-Large
• LaDeana Dockery, At-Large
• Michael Atherton, At-Large

Members

• Sam Richardson
• Mike Barushok
• Dean Day
• Ted McMullen
• Russell Owens

The regular monthly meeting of the MakeICT board of directors convenes on Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 7:00 pm in the MakeICT building.

Mission Statement

• MakeICT is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is operated entirely by volunteers. It’s our mission to innovate, learn, and build community at the intersection of art, technology, science, and culture.

Thanks and Recognition

• Matthew Cleary, Chris Wirgler, LaDeana Dockery, Dean Day, Patrick Hutchison, and Rustin Atkeisson for their efforts to help out and support the Maker Faire (a lot of booths run by members)
• Jeremy Blackburn, Sean ?, LaDeana Dockery, Gretchen Koch, Chris Wirgler, and Rustin Atkeisson for their efforts at the ICT Comic Con (Mike Atherton, and maybe 10 other booths run by members)
• LaDeana Dockery, Jeremy Blackburn, and Malissa Long for their continued efforts to keep up with fundraising
• Everyone who came out and helped clean up the garden
• Everyone who helped trimmed the trees back before the roof crew showed up
• Everyone who has been sweeping the classrooms as the construction progresses

Old Business

Roof Funding

• Payment is not due until the construction is complete.
• We need to raise $38,000 to keep from digging into reserves.
• Currently raised:
  • $2182 from membership
  • $4300 received in grants
  • $1900 awarded in additional grants
  • $708 pending
• We’re about $29k shy on the fund raising.
  • We still have plenty of funds to cover the roof.
  • This just means other projects like putting better A/C in the rooms will have to wait.
• Construction started 9/18/2023! (payment is due upon completion of roof)
• Construction is expected to be completed by the beginning of October.

Members are asked to please continue contributing to the roof fund.

Emporia Makerspace Summit

• Attended by LaDeana, Gretchen, and Malissa
• Toured Emporia Makerspace (in a business development building)
  • Mostly data, prototyping, and fabrication (similar to GoCreate)
• Event was organized by Network Kansas
• Approximately 15 groups attended
  • Including makerspaces, colleges, USDA, and libraries attended

Kansas Nonprofit Chamber

Kansas Nonprofit Chamber has closed, but Sarah Robinson expressed interest in joining MakeICT. She has a background in grant writing which could be really helpful, and we’d be happy to take on some of what the Nonprofit Chamber has been doing over the years until its closing.

New Business

Treasurer’s Report

• Income: $20,058
• Utilities insight: $2,814
• Instructor pay: $1,235
• Shop expenses: $2,422
• Total expenses: $10,693
• Cash positive by $9,365

Approval of Previous Minutes

• 7/20/2023: https://wiki.makeict.org/wiki/July_20th_2023
• 8/17/2023: https://wiki.makeict.org/wiki/August_17th_2023

Mike moves to approve the minutes for July and August. Aaron seconds. Approved by acclamation.

Garden Update

Aaron reports that there is a legal concern regarding the garden's unkempt status. Key points:

• A complaint was made concerning noxious weeds and high grasses etc. The city/county found it to be credible and they have given us an ultimatum. The possibilities include either legal action or hiring a private contractor to come and mediate the weeds.
• We’re going to be submitting pictures of our cleanup this coming Wednesday so we need to make a real valiant effort-- everything that’s not in our private rental plots, cleaned up to the best of our ability by this coming Wednesday.
• [The city/county] will consider dropping the investigation or at that point giving us an extension to continue the mediation, because of our contracts with the individual renters-- there is a requirement for two weeks’ notice.
• We give them two weeks after that notice has been given, and they have until October 4th. After that date, any individual rental plots that are not cleaned up, we’re just going to clear cut. That notification has been sent out, and I think we’ll get good compliance from anybody that’s still active. I don’t see there being any real problem with that.

Open Positions

Several positions have recently been vacated. The following people have been proposed as replacements:

• Visual Arts - Kristopher Paxton has expressed interest in being lead

Aaron moves to accept Kris as lead for visual art. Mike seconds.

• LaDeana - Yes
• Gretchen - Yes
• Aaron - Aye
• Mike - Yeh
• James - Yes

Motion passes.

• Jewelry - (Michael Atherton interim)
• Communications - Logan Falletti is a possibility but we’ll need to confirm.
• Fundraising -
• Inventory -

(The most recent Inventory meetings have included training on the system, but people haven't wanted to become lead.)

Updates to the Current Lists of Committee and Lead Positions

The current status of all committee positions is:

• Security Committee - Mike Atherton
• IT Committee - James Lancaster
• Membership Committee - Gemma Blackburn
• Communications Committee - (vacant)
• Finance Committee - (vacant)
• Facilities Committee - Joe Birzer
• Classroom Committee - LaDeana Dockery
• Events Committee -
• Outreach Committee -
• Fundraising Committee - (vacant)
• Inventory and Procurement - (may have a member interested, James Lancaster will follow up)
• Dispute Resolution Committee - Serena Oden-Powers
• Discrimination and Harassment Policy - Serena Oden-Powers

The current status of all lead positions is:

• Electronics and Rapid Prototyping - James Seymour
• FabLab Area - David Miller
• Gallery - Dean Day
• Garden Area - Sean Sandefur
• Metalshop Area - Rustin Atkeisson
• Ceramics Area - Russell Owens
• Woodshop Area - Aaron Rivers
• Textiles - June Huie lead/Rayna Fisher co-lead
• PrintMaking - Doug Wilson
• Jewelry Lab - Mike Atherton (interim)
• Letterpress - Doug Wilson
• Lounge / Breakroom - Gemma Blackburn (interim)
• Visual Arts - Kris Paxton
• Welcome Center - Gemma Blackburn

Moving Jewelry Lab to Classroom 1

Concerns about safety

• Potential issue of linseed oil in the paints for visual arts area
  • Flammable materials and gasses that may be in used in both visual arts and jewelry might give rise to a fire concern.
• Concerns, generally
  • 2 different classes running at the same time
    • Current area is pretty small for silver casting
• Other thoughts
  • All agree that jewelry should be in another area with more space.
  • Potentially multiple areas might move.
  • Potentially divide room 1 into two rooms with a dividing wall.

Issue tabled.

Membership Meeting Dates

• Have 4 membership meetings (one each quarter), next one will be in September)
• Next one is Sunday September 24th
• Future quarterly meeting dates:
  • December 21st (same date as regular meeting):
  • March: 24th
  • June (Annual meeting: Avoid Fathers' Day weekend): 23rd

December Maker Market Contract

• On pause for this year.
• Next meeting is October 5th
• Holding off on a motion until next meeting

Ceramics Requests a Fourth Wheel

• Requesting to spend $921 for a 4th throwing wheel.
• Ceramics (as of 9/8) has spent $4,100 of the $2,772 that was budgeted.
• This does not put an end to spending for ceramics, but gives us a better idea of how much to anticipate for ceramics next year.
• Income from ceramics by donations and purchases of clay/glazes: $2,173 since Jan 1.
• Ceramics does not see an immediate need for significantly upping the ceramics budget for the rest of the year.
• Still using the pug mill to reclaim clay and keep costs down.
• Cost to purchase glazes has gone up (may see price go up for members to use).
• Russell Owens has agreed to work with Evans to figure out the tax exemption as well as KS Revenue service.
• Rustin suggests having ceramics do a fundraiser to cover ⅓ of the cost of a new wheel with the rest coming from the MakeICT general account, approximately $300.
  • Currently one wheel is in great shape, handles 100 lbs (has most of the 10yr warranty left).
  • The other two work, but they're not as easy to clean or use (were rarely used in the past when 6 wheels were in the room), and have stalled out during use with under 25 lbs.
  • New one would handle 25 lbs, 5 yr warranty. Evans may do the repair work.
  • Four wheels will work for a decent-sized class.
  • Rustin suggests making sure that Ceramics adds the cost of 2 wheels to their budget for 2024.

LaDeana moves that we approve spending up to $625 of the general fund budget on a Shempo Light wheel contingent upon the remainder of the funds are raised by ceramics.

• Mike seconds
• LaDeana - Yes
• Gretchen - Yes
• Aaron - Yes
• Mike - Yes
• James - Yes

Motion passes.

Committee Pages on the Wiki Need Updating

Committees, please update your respective wiki pages to include at least the following information:

• The name of the committee chair
• The name of the committee co-chair
• Meeting notes (if applicable)
• A list of all active members
• A brief statement listing the goals or tasks assigned to the committee
• Links to any available owner’s manuals or technical information for all committee equipment
• Any new rules made by the committee for specific committee resources

LaDeana is willing to help those who would like or need help with setting up and using wiki pages.

(Executive Session requested by James for 15 minutes)
(Executive session ends)

Scholarships

• Person 1 - requests scholarship at a discounted rate
• Person 2 - requests scholarship at a discounted rate

Aaron moves to accept both candidates for a six month membership at $10 per month. Motion passes by acclamation.

(Executive session requested by James for 30 minutes)
(Executive session ends)

Security request for funds

Security requests $1,500 for system upgrades to provide better protection to the building and areas. Aaron moves to approve security purchasing up to $1500 in system upgrades. 2nd by Ladeana

• LaDeana - Yes
• Gretchen - Yes
• Aaron - Yes
• Mike - Yes
• James - Yes

Motion passes.

Gretchen moves to adjourn. Motion passes by acclamation