Meeting of the New Coffeehouse Working Committee
April 13, 2002, at Lou & Butch LaFrances House

Present: John Vella, Lu LaFrance, Butch LaFrance, Stew Netherton, Katy Austin
Regrets: Sean McGaughey

The waiver for the use of the St. Louis Parish Hall was shown to everyone.

It is understood that we will clean up after ourselves at the end of each Thursday night. We will use the halls cups and dishes and wash up afterwards as opposed to using disposable things. Butch will have the key to the hall and will turn the heat on early in the day and open the doors for 6:30 p.m. The coffeehouse starts at 7:00.
Butch reported that the hall now has a small, carpeted stage.

Preparations for Opening Night, April 18, 2002:
* Stew called Ron Belanger. He will bring the sound system of the Orillia Folk Society for opening night and operate it for the evening. Kevin Grenier will be
asked to help him.

* Format: 10 performance slots will be posted on a sign-upboard and two songsafter 9:30. For each of the 10, the host will begin timing 15 minutes as soon as the performer(s) is (are) ready and give a visual warning
when time is up to finish the current song.

* In fairness to those who have adequately prepared, juvenile and inappropriate performances will be monitored by the working committee.

* Cover charge: "$5.00 Cover Charge for Those Who Can Afford It" will be posted on a donation jar supervised by a person at the door. Katy will bring a painted jar and sign and will ask Jeff Shawcross to be at the door on the first night.

* Lou will buy a sign-in book for people to write their names, phone #s and e-mail addresses. She will also purchase a white board for the performance times. Katy will also bring a box for suggested names for the
coffeehouse.

* Guitars and cases will be stored in the main room against the walls.
* Katy will host the first night.
* Lighting: Butch and Lu will string Christmas white lights around the wains-cotting. We can use the halls dimmer switch. We can experiment with flexible desk lights as spotlights. Katy and Stew will bring extension cords.
* Decoration: Lou has purchased small candles for the tables and has tablecloths.
* Refreshments: Barb Sare will make coffee and tea.
Lu will buy sugar and cream and sweets. Stew will buy bottled water and Dads Cookie packs. Prices will be $1 for drinks and 50 cents for food, to be placed in a bowl on the table beside the coffee urn. John will ask Gina to oversee this area.

* Set-up and Clean-Up: all working committee members will be there at 6:30 and at the end of the evening to do the jobs and will ask everyone else to help as well.

* During the course of the evening, Katy, as hostess, will
mention that volunteers are being sought for set-up, clean-up, dishes, donation jar supervisor, kitchen supervisor, etc.; that donations are being sought towards the purchase of a permanent sound system ($2300); and that smokers must smoke in their cars, not on the hall property.

* Lu will draft a letter of appreciation to Don and bring it and a large card for everyone to sign at the new coffeehouse.
Treasurer: Stew and Katy agreed to do this job.
Secretary: Katy will keep a file with minutes of working committee meetings. Sean will take the minutes on his laptop when he is there.Otherwise, Katy will.

John reported that he priced an 8-channel new sound system at Johnstones Musicland, which would best suit our needs in the long run. The price is around $1900. John has already purchased about $400 of used equipment from Don. He will ask Kevin Grenier to check out the proposed new sound system and compare prices elsewhere. In the meantime, it is hoped that we can use
the OFS sound system for the first month. We can rent-to-own the Musicland System for $170 for one month.

John will ask Gina to make a sign for the refreshment table, a sign for the door of Dons Coffeehouse giving directions to the St. Louis Hall, and a sign for the sandwich board outside St. Louis Hall.

John will e-mail an announcement about the opening night to the list of those on e-mail. The rest of the known supporters will be phoned by Lu, Butch, Katy, Stew and John.

It was agreed that the philosophy of the new coffeehouse should be that it is run by all those who come pitching in to help with all the chores.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Katy Austin