STEP Leadership Committee meeting 5/21/2012, Minutes

MINUTES
RED SPRINGS NC STEP LEADERSHIP TEAM
New STEP Building
MONDAY, May 21, 2012
6:30 – 8:30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted by Margie Labadie

Welcome: Elma welcomed everyone to the meeting.
 
Introductions were made by participants in the meeting.
 
Announcements:
 
Clean Teams will resume shortly; Bob will send out announcement.
 
REDI report – Caroline completed REDI. We will schedule a meeting with her in June to learn more details. She thanked the group for the STEP funds that allowed her to take the three part workshop.  Caroline spoke about rural communities and that we will suffer more unless we are more vocal about getting our fair share. She promises to tell the story about “Pea Soup and the Sky”.  She spoke of being inclusive. She wants to energize folks. She wants to see Red Springs as it could be, not just as it is. Caroline received a round of applause.
Elma called for any announcements or comments from the group:
Mayor McNeill wanted us to know that Caroline was ALMOST nominated as a delegate for the Democratic convention. She missed by a mere 6 votes. Caroline was given another round of applause.
 
Reports

6:35 – Management report – Margie discussed progress on the building. Repairs: The window in the back room was repaired by Tim Beasley and the door and wall repair will also be repaired to stop leakage. Internet is now active and will work for large groups or small. The internet is password protected, but anyone who comes to the building can get the password to use either on their own equipment or on the laptops when they arrive. We will become an internet hotspot for the town. Telephone: There is now a phone line at the building. It will be out and available to receive calls or make calls when a STEP person is in the building and/or when an RCC representative is there. There are two phones, one for each room. Phones should be stowed away after the building closes.  Alarm System: The alarm system will be installed and the walls will be reinforced to prevent theft when the computers arrive. There will be a cart of older laptops donated from RCC to the town for town people’s use. Floor redo: There was a discussion on the cost of redoing the floor with rubberized tiles. The cost was quoted to be around $7000. It was decided to put off the decision on the floor for the time being. So the floor was tabled.

6:45 – Strategy Committee reports

Broadening Education - Discussion on the floor should be continued with Caroline, Johnny, and Alex W.
Entrepreneurism -  Margie & Elma reported for Kim using her notes. Entrepreneurship notes to be added.
Leadership – No report. Mary Frances was not in attendance.  
Physical Design – Alex reported for his group. Some town signs may be donated. New designs approved.

7:30 – Roger Sheats – Are we clear on where we’re going?

Mr. Sheats made several points which were discussed:

1. Funding means we have to be clear about what we're funding.

2. We need to refer to our book. Where is our book? Ask Chilton what the book was supposed to look like and who she may have given it to. We need to get our book!!!!!!

3. We want to build wealth, not rely on grants.

4. Johnny was supposed to ask Art Jackson to bring Bob Mumphrey from Main Street Program. Has this happened?

8:10 – Dr. Yolanda Burwell - on ‘how we are doing”.

1. We should focus more on getting one project done.

2. We should meet as larger groups together, not separate ourselves into these different smaller groups.

3. We need to reach out. Make a flyer with information about STEP for churches that people can take info to churches.

8:20     Elma thanked everyone for attending. It was decided that Johnny and Elma need to alternate leading meetings to share the burden of the meeting leadership.

8:30  Meeting adjourned

Next meeting – June 18th