Yahara Lakes Association, Ltd.
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, November 21, 2019 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The Yahara Lakes Association Board of Directors held its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, November 21, 2019, in the Verex Building (150 E. Gilman Street) Yahara Conference room.
The following members were present: Dick Adler, Stuart Allbaugh, Roy Carter, Eric Englund, Caroline Fribance, Carol Gillen, Nancy Peckham, Allan Levin, Eric Olson, Dick Pearson, Dan Schultz, Scott Seymour, Dave Silverberg, Joe Tisserand, Sal Troia, and Brenda Matthias
Members and advisors not present: Annette Hellmer, Eric Vieth, Bill Fitzpatrick, and James Tye
11:45 a.m. Call to Order: President, Sal Troia, called the meeting to order at 11:45 a.m.
11:45 a.m. President Items: Sal Troia
· As a Strategic Collaborator of the Yahara CLEAN Compact initiative Eric Olsen will be the primary YLA representative and Dan Schultz will be the alternate representative.
· The Marketing & Communication Committee will be combined with the Membership Committee for 2020.
11:56 p.m. Treasurer Report - Dan Schultz
· Financial report -
o Net income for the year is down $3,000
o End of the year estimated loss will be $5,500
· For the new membership year, Dan suggested that a donation option be included with the online renewal system to make it easier to give a donation to increase the donation amounts.
· Joe Tisserand made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report. Dick Adler seconded the motion. Motion passed.
12:15 p.m. October Minutes:
· Dan Schultz made a motion to accept the October 10, 2019 meeting minutes. Joe Tisserand seconded the motion. Motion passed.
12:16 p.m. Lake Levels & Flow Committee – Dan Schult
· Completed Email blast in October to members outlining current lake level conditions ad likely changes in October and November. Notice also included in fall newsletter and posted to website. A John Reimer article on 2020 dredging plan was included in fall newsletter as well.
· Allan Levin provided a recap of what was discussed at the Lakes & Watershed meeting.
o They did not receive any bids from the first request for the dredging.
o From the second request they received a bid from a company located in Texas.
o The company will begin dredging in May and will train the Lakes & Watershed employees on how to use the new dredging equipment that has recently been purchased.
· The Board suggested that John Reimer be invited to the January board meeting to discuss the future dredging plans.
12:35 p.m. Legislative & Legal Committee – Caroline Fribance
· In discussion by the committee following consultation with attorney Scholz, it seemed clear, despite not being a strictly legal matter, that the YLA board must seriously consider the amount of work entailed by setting up a separate organization. In light of this the committee recommends not moving forward with forming a 501c3.
· Allan Levin made a motion to table moving forward with forming a 501c3. Eric Olson seconded the motion. Motion passed.
12:40 p.m. Marketing & Communication Committee – Nancy Peckham
· November newsletter was completed and sent to all YLA members. The November newsletter was Carol Gillen’s last newsletter as she is retiring from the Board. The Board extended a big thank you to Carol for her efforts over the past 9 years.
· Carol Gillen will ask John Reimer to write an article about the current status of the dredging that we can share with our distribution list.
· Nancy Peckham presented the following recommendations for the 2020 marketing strategic plan –
o Defining Clear Value Proposition – to be completed by Julia Block by 1/15/19: Total investment: $1920 (one-time cost to YLA)
Deliverables:
o One hour strategy session around what the value proposition YLA is offering to its members and what benefits are included in membership
o Multi-page PDF of core messages that YLA will use throughout its marketing (web-site, FB page, brochures etc.)
o Recommendations on where the messaging needs to be implemented and how to communicate value proposition
· New Member Acquisition – Q1 2019 Membership Drive - Option 1: YLA Letter (February 1st) + CLA/YLA Letter (end of March)
o YLA Letter to be written by Julia after defining clear value proposition and developing core messages to include messaging and copywriting and strategy as to how to send the letters. Total investment (Julia): $1,720 (one-time cost) plus mailing/postage costs (2500 riparians): $1,060
o CLA/YLA letter to be written by YLA marketing committee and/or member volunteer(s) with marketing experience utilizing the messaging in the initial YLA letter. CLA/YLA letter mailing – donation consideration: $850
· Monthly Member Newsletter (replaces quarterly newsletter) – April through October (7 email newsletters). Total Investment: $320/month (messaging, copywriting, strategy) x 7 editions = $2240 ($0 for email marketing platform)
o Deliverables: Monthly newsletter with compiled articles and resources that members need to know about, copy-writing for any summaries contained in the newsletter.
· Total of above strategies including postage and mailing costs - $7,790
· Other Strategies – to be implemented by marketing committee, board members and/or volunteer administrative/marketing members
o Past member re-engagement campaign – emails to be sent out to past members
o New property owner’s campaign – find out who the new property owners are through MLS records and send postcard providing them with free membership for the first year.
o New member email sequence – welcome email plus 4 – 5 emails that reinforce member benefits, invite them to get involved and encourage them to invite neighbors
o Lakeside listening socials (May and September)
o Social media presence – posts to Facebook page/web-site content
· Estimated Investment for “other strategies”: $2,210 – includes postcards/mailing costs and food (appetizers) for lakeside listening socials, costs for additional marketing assistance (if we can’t get member volunteers). Total request for all strategies: $10,000
· Net costs over current budget: $10,000 - $3,900 (current budget: for membership drive/newsletter postage and mailing costs plus CLA budget consideration) = $6,100
· Dick Adler made a motion to approve the 2020 marketing strategy plan as proposed and not to exceed a max amount of $10,000. Joe Tisserand seconded the motion. Motion passed.
1:15 p.m. Meeting adjourned.
Next meeting date is January 9th at American Family Insurance on E. Washington.