Date, Time:     3 May 2007; 7:00 PM

Location:         Lord of Life Lutheran Church

 

President

Keith Carter

Communications

Duke Walker

Vice President

Wayne Walker          absent

Activities

Gordon Jones              absent

Secretary

Louis Medcalf

Regulatory

James Johnson

Treasurer

Ed Richter                absent

Membership

John & Maureen Fitzer

Permanent Director

Peter Smith

Education

Jennifer Eggers           absent

At Large Director

Sam Ketchum

G.R.A.S.S.

Beth Mays                 absent

 

 

Welcoming/
Caring

Loyce Smith

Other Attendees:

J. Phillips; L. Bomar

 

1.       April Minutes: Accepted by vote.

2.       Treasurer’s Report: Written report attached. Bank statements were coming, but there was a mix-up in getting them from the MABA post box. This is the first month this year showing more income than expenses.

3.       Communications: Duke received a $300 ad renewal and reports Bob Fisher is in the process of catching up on his ads from last year.

  • Louis Medcalf will send paperwork for “ghost number” to James Johnson so we can start using bulk mailing rates.

4.       Activities: Sam Ketchum requested volunteers for the MABA feature booth at the BPACC Pickin’ Picnic.

5.       Regulatory: IRS form has been sent. The Association is current with all regulatory requirements.

6.       Membership: 11 renewals plus one new member; total of 210. Will try to recruit members at the Pickin’ Picnic.

7.       Education:

  • Tentative date for John Gay mandolin workshop is 9 June.
  • John Fitzer reported that he was unsuccessful in getting Tom T. Hall for a songwriting workshop. Will contact Carl Jackson, who may be in town with Alecia Nugent for her concert at the Lucy Opry.

8.       G.R.A.S.S.: No report.

9.       Welcoming/Caring: Sent 5 cards last month. Helen Davis requests that cards be sent to their home address now.

10.   Other Business:

11.   Request to renew donation to WEVL at current level. Approved on motion by John Fitzer seconded by Duke Walker.

12.   President Carter lead discussion on possible new location for weekly picking session at Galloway Church in the Cooper-Young area. The church has a new pastor who is a member of MABA and has offered use of the building for various MABA activities. The facility is large and will have more room for more groups than the present location.

  • President Carter will arrange for the Association to have a picking session there later this month when the Lord of Life facility is not available.
  • General discussion about having weekly Friday night events like the original Lucy Opry before there was admission charge for paid bands. Jim Phillips stated he thinks it could be successful if it became a regular, dependable opportunity for 2 or 3 bands to perform, as opposed to just jamming. President Carter raised the question as to whether a Friday night event would replace the Saturday jam sessions.
  • President Carter appointed an ad hoc committee comprising himself, Larry Bomar, and Jim Phillips to tour the facility next week and meet with the pastor.

13.   The organizer of the Delta Fair and Music Festival at the Ag Center on 31 August through 9 September has asked for area bluegrass bands. There may be a stage devoted to bluegrass music, but no pay is offered.

  • There was general agreement about asking the organizer to make a donation to MABA in exchange for bands donating their participation.
  • There was some discussion about the possibility of this event replacing Riverfest. This would be a good opportunity to reach more people than Riverfest, with someone else doing the advertising. Attendance at Riverfest has fallen off each year since the first year, and we may not be able to generate enough interest for the effort to produce it this year.
  • President Carter will ask Gordon Jones to talk to the festival organizer.

14.   Next Meeting: 7 June 2007, 7:00 PM, Lord of Life Lutheran Church.

15.   Adjourned 7:45 PM.