Working Committee Meeting

May 6, 2002.

Butch & Lu LaFrances House

Attendance: John Vella, Stew Netherton, Lu LaFrance, Sean McGaughey,

Butch LaFrance, Katy Austin

• Minutes of the last meeting were viewed and accepted.
• John reported that the sound system we are interested in has arrived at Johnstones Musicland. We will start using it next Thursday on a rent-to-own basis, until we decide if we wish to purchase it.
• Food table: Since the coffee cups are small, refills will be free.

We agreed to pay Lu 25cents for each square sold to pay her costs.

Lu will put the home-made squares in paper muffin cups.

Barb Sare will continue to make the coffee each night.

• We will continue to look for more people to help out with hosting, operating the sound system, greeting at the donation table, overseeing the food table, washing dishes, and clearing the room at the end of the night.
• Sign-in book: People dont need to write in their addresses if they have already done so previously. We agreed to keep the sign-in book and donation jar at the front door.
• Signs: John will ask Gina to make a small sign to put on the door leading into the main room, saying, "Welcome to the Good Vibes Coffeehouse ($5.00 donation from those who can afford it)" and two for the sandwich board outside.
• Lu posed the idea of having electric candles on the tables, but it was voted down.
• Stage lights: Katy will ask Bob Thiffault to look into the nature and cost of lights, with the emphasis on low cost and compactness.
• Membership; the idea of selling memberships was deferred to a later date.
• Sound system:
  • Kevin Grenier is not able to be the regular sound person.
  • Katy and Stew, and others who are willing, should learn how to operate the new system.
  • We will try using one of the two speakers as a monitor for the performers. Otherwise, we may have to buy a new monitor or a used one from Don.
• Publicity:
  • John has set up a website for us with links to other similar sites. He will post the minutes of all our meetings on it. He will ask Sean and Ron Belanger for photos and invite people to submit articles.
  • Flyers: John will draft a publicity flyer. Butch will distribute them in the vicinity of the coffeehouse and others can be taken and distributed by people coming to the coffeehouse.
  • John will write up an announcement for local papers and radio stations.
  • Finances: As of today

            Income: $641

• Piano: Sean will contact a piano tuner to give us an estimate on the cost of tuning the piano and repairing the middle F key. Butch will ask permission of the owner to have these done.
• Notices : Katy will write out "Coffee Chatter" notices to be placed on the tables each night with the following information:
  • tuning of guitars can be done quietly in the kitchen.
  • no smoking is allowed in the building or on the hall property; smokers should use their cars.
  • coffee and tea refills are free.
  • when leaving at night, please speak quietly, since sound travels much farther in the country and we dont wish to bother our neighbours.
  • we are always looking for volunteers to act as host, sound person and donation jar table greeters, as well as helping with set-up, clean-up, dishwashing and supervision of the food area.

* Sean suggested and all agreed that the host for the evening has the discretion of inviting performers who intend to do a short, two-song set, to perform between two 15-minute performers as opposed to waiting until after the 10^th spot is finished.

Minutes submitted by Katy Austin

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