Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, June 26, 2016
June 4th meeting sets more rental polices, painting starts, and we consider siding for the North end
One of our main items of business was policy-making: how do we regulate the free rentals we have offered to residents and organizations from Berlin, in return for the 5-year exemption from property taxes they voted for us on March 1st? Rental Agent Merry Shernock has been conferring with our insurance agent, and proposed the following policy package, which we adopted as CCG policy: Free rentals will be standard for Berlin residents as long as they meet the following criteria:
- No previous reservation for the time period requested exists (we don’t want to jeopardize our existing rentals).
- The rental is for a Berlin resident, or an organization based in Berlin (not just that a single member is a Berlin resident)
- The event is for less than approximately 50 people (we feel that larger events imply larger costs on the Grange Hall)
- The event does not include alcohol being served (we have a pre-existing specific policy about required insurance and liability requirements for alcohol-serving events)
Another motion passed was also proposed by Merry, to purchase a QuickBooks Online Plus bookkeeping package. This will be used by new volunteer Justin Sargent to start electronic bookkeeping for the Grange; we passed this one, too.
Our third official act was approving a set of donations to traditional Grange causes: supporting the Grange Center in Brookfield (used as a camp for Junior Grange and other events–and also available for rent by anyone), the Grange Educational Aid fund (which provides scholarships to Grange members and others), State Grange Home Ec projects (our Secretary Charles Martin is co-leader)–paying for prizes for Grange contests, We also made donations to the Heifer Project and the Kelly Farm, an historic farm in Minnesota, whose original owner was one of the original founders of the National Grange.
We had a visit from VT State Grange Secretary Nancy Perkins, who served as Steward for our meeting, and took part in our singing as well! We appreciate her coming as a representative of the State Grange, which has supported our projects. She also had positive comments about our continued ability to bring in new members, and to take on the improvements to our Hall.
Joe gave us a report on his work at the meeting in June as well.
This is a special event organized by Erin Berry, who brings us “KIDS TRADE & PLAY” every month.
PLEASE RSVP (birthsinnerlight@yahoo.com) to help her plan.
You will see the risers, sheet music files and other accessories stored in the alcove next to the stage.
BTW: We have moved storage of the CDU’s fans to the Dance closet, and the step-ladders are under the stage, next to the floor-covers cart.
- Exterior Painting: As noted above, Joe & Miguel are doing the hard part–scraping and priming the peeling places. We’d love to have a couple of volunteers to put a couple of coats of “Navajo White” over those spots so they blend in and last a while.
- Fire Exit roof: We’d like to get an extended roof built over the concrete landing outside the new fire exit–to keep the snow sliding off the roof from blocking the door opening. The Fire Marshal would like it too–and so would I, so I don’t have to stop by after snowstorms to shovel it clear.
- Dead Tree removal: there is a dead stump leaning over the driveway–it would be great to get it taken down–before it becomes a barrier by falling down. Wood is free for the worker(s) taking it down!
- Articles for the Notes: I’ve been sending these out for a long time–and would love to feature writing by Grange members, renters, and friends (a set of overlapping categories).
What would YOU like to see happening at the Grange? What are we doing wrong, or right?