2019 February - Board of Directors Meeting Minutes 📝
MEETING NOTES
IN ATTENDANCE: Stephen Janes, Peter Work, Norm Yost, Laura Booras, Callie Gleason, Karen Steinwachs, Nicholas Miller (phoned in)
Item 1: Call to Order
o Meeting called to order (9:10am)
Item 2: Board of Director Update
o Nicholas Miller voted to Board of Directors with a new term
o A.J. Fairbanks is now an employee of Jackson Family Wines and we cannot have two members on the board from same organization (Katy Rogers also with Jackson Family Wines)
o Tyler Thomas of Dierberg has opportunity to be on board for remainder of A.J.’s term
o Compiling a list of possible candidates to get board from ten members to eleven
o Stephen urges all members of board to meet with candidates and look for strengths
o Encourage current members of board to speak with new members and help
o Nicholas Miller will have a press release about joining the board
Item 3: Financials
o $47,000 under due to not receiving grant from Vintners Foundation
o No coarse correction due to October & November
o $400,000 to run organization a year
o $300,000 forecasted to come in for 2019
o All events are on the P&L
o The auto report for P&L looks great, but when you look at classes by year, see full story
o Currently have $30,000 in bank
o Over $20,000 in Nightout. Will attempt to get weekly payouts
o 2020 financial outlook looks much better with Wine BID numbers from county
o A loan may be needed for 2019
o 5500 Code=Office Expenses: $29,000
§ Rent for office, Property Tax=City of Buellton
o Bon Vivant=Did not renew for 2019: Benefits were too expensive
o New membership structure for 2019 (Small Business & Corporate Level, Winery, Vineyard)
o Created a class for Cannabis (legal bills, etc)
o Events=Futures Tasting, Vintners Festival, Taste of the Valley: Easy to see costs
o Re-classify every month to make sure in correct place
o Salaries: 100% in Operations and not across events
o Three payrolls took place in January which is why a jump in that month
o AR=Real collectibles (sent in renewal form or asked for invoice)
o Jackson Family Wines and Gallo have not paid their invoices as of yet
o Current Dues Spreadsheet: Pending responses=Board members to help with check-ins
o Need as much of that 3rd column as possible.
o Must communicate with members
o A lot of members pay at/on Vintners Festival
o Wine Futures: Projecting $40,000 profit
o Marketing class will be added: Working with wineries within organization for special fund=proposal will be written
o Touring Guide included in this proposal
o PR & Advertising
o Those that contribute will not get special treatment in advertising, etc.
o Mission Santa Barbara: Operations are same as last year
o Taste of the Valley: 100% new event with $10,000 projected benefit
o Vintners Festival 2019=Ticket sales are strong, looking for a $7,500 level sponsor
o Events: Goal is to be profitable
o Federal Specialty Crop Block Grant is submitted, won’t hear until summer
o BID #’s from County: Still confirming if these are correct #’s
o 1% DtC charge: Goal to eliminate due
o Retail sales all together, no out of state or wholesale
o Civitas to help us with POS systems and how to configure
o County can collect, can pay a % to them for book keeping
o June Annual Meeting to announce these figures and models
o Civitas will establish the figures so we know how to achieve the 51% of industry
o Wine Bid Committee to meet, come up with projections, and how to communicate
o Will have to put Civitas back on retainer and pay them
o 401k for Alison and Phil: Favor equitable match
Item 4: Marketing & Events Committee
o Table Mission Santa Barbara and Taste of the Valley
o Wine Futures Tasting
o Committee of Kyle Erickson, Justin, Willett, Doug Margerum, and Stephen
§ 56 wineries, 140 wines submitted
§ 38 wineries, 78 wines selected
o Six weeks away from the event and Alisal PR firm is marketing the event
o Hitching Post II is helping with promotion
o Heather Daenitz of Craft & Cluster doing social media
o Participating wineries are marketing to their wine club lists
o Matt Kettmann of Santa Barbara Independent will do story
o Tourism boards involved
o People Helping People’s PR firm helping
o Attempting to get Wally’s in LA involved
o Will have receptions, dinners, and late night tasting and menu
o People Helping People “Donor Tables”
o Live auction for large format cuvees
o Vintners Festival 2019=Started much earlier this year
o 360View PR vetting trade & media requests
Item 5: Membership Committe
o Tabled
Item 6: Membership Morale Committee
o Tabled
Item 7: Government Affairs Committe
o Cannabis: Seeking odor abatement and grow sizes
§ Santa Barbara only one without limits
o No land use permits
o Non-conforming state licenses
o Recent Board of Supervisor Meeting: Seven recommendations for ordinance and all benefitted cannabis
o EIR may be a way to address cannabis
o 500 acres planted, 60% of California demand
o California is now taking complaints
o Wine Institute to meet with state contacts
o No cannabis infused wine on a bonded winery
Item 8: Ad Hoc Committees
o By Laws=Still need to address classes of membership
o V-BID update, Agricultural Grant Update, Conjunctive Labeling tabled
Item 9: Board Meeting Dates
o Next board meeting on April 17th
o More dates to follow based on schedules
Item 10: Meeting Adjourned
o Adjourned at 11:47am