Laconia Putnam Fund

Laconia Putnam Fund Meeting August 9, 2022 This meeting was called to order on Tuesday, August 8, 2022, at 9:05 am held at 45 Beacon Street East, Laconia City Hall, Laconia, NH with the following in attendance: Charles Bradley, Jim Rogato, Linda Peary, and Betty Ballantyne. MINUTES: Jim & Members approved the minutes as submitted for the June 14, 2022, meeting. FINANCIALS: Linda reported the financials and a notification from the Trustees of the Trust Fund, Chairman Randy Haas as submitted to us. (See Attachment) The following outlines the budget set by the Trustees of Trust Funds for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the Perley and Ellen M. Putnam Free Lecture Fund: Balance carried forward from FY 2021 $93,785.72 Appropriated for FY 2022 $60,804.04 Disbursed for FY 2022 $89,911.94 Balance carried forward to FY $64,677.82 Appropriated for FY 2023 $40,000.00 Total budget for FY 2023 $104,677.82 Statement from Randy, you already have four shows booked but not paid for in the amount of $44,805 for FY 2023. This will leave you a balance of $59,872.82 for the rest of FY 2023. Per Linda, July 1st being the start of the fiscal year, we have spent the following: $350 Laconia Historical Society Programs (voted during the pandemic year) $9,500 The Belknap Mill for the Arts in the Parks located at Rotary Park. Jim has attended each program. The performances have been well attended and enjoyed by many. Cheryl, the Mill Director expressed the success of the events. $1,000 Monies due to our Agent, Julie Grant. Concerns were discussed as to the allotted monies of $40,000 FY 2023. The Trustees of the Trust Fund meet quarterly. Their next meeting is scheduled in October. Jim and Linda will reach out to them with the intention of placing us on their October agenda. Jim will secure the last three years financials so to be informed when we meet. Quality shows have become ever more expensive because of time loss due to Covid. $40,000 is only adequate because of a substantial carryover from previous years. For the next fiscal year (2023 to 2024), if the Trustees and the public expect the Putnam Fund to produce shows of comparable quality as in the past and fund increasing local requests, then the budget needs to be $70,000 plus or an amount allowed by the law based on 7% of the average of the balance of the Putnam Fund Trust for the prior three years. EVENT UPDATES: Broadway Show, September 11: We are on task as scheduled. Jim is securing pricing from the Colonial and Michael for the Tech Rider. Betty has set the marketing with the local newspapers, radio, and Posters. Charles will be out of state and Jim will be available for the show though not the day of the show. The others will be available. Motown, Oct 2nd: Confirmed. Blues, Nov 11th: Confirmed. Streetcar, October: Confirmed. Belknap Mill, Arts in the Park Summer Series: Successful and on task thus far. Horizon Band: August & December 2022 Scheduled and on task. COLONIAL SEAT: Jim was able to locate and confirm the monies collected and donated to Putnam by the public performances estimated to be approximately $2,000 to had been donated to the Laconia Colonial Theater with its own seat assignment. Jim found the seat. It is seat B4 tagged on the back of the seat “Laconia Putnam Fund”. COMMITTEE SEARCH UPDATE: At this time, we have two people who have applied for the Putnam Board. The are Joan Mercier and Don Forsberg. Jim was told it would be two to three weeks for the Committee to gather for the interviews, the committee then makes their recommendations to the Council to vote. We expect to wait another month or more. The three Councils are: Bruce Cheney, Bob Soucy and Mark Haynes. We thanked Charles for his continuation of supporting and attending the Putnam meeting although his term expired on March 31, 2022. Thank you, Charles, for a job well done! OTHER BUSINESS: Linda announced a replacement for our Media Specialist replacing Meredith Elliot. Shawnee Randlett. She is an employee of Madeira. She is their Marketing employee. She handles all their social media. Shawne and Meredith had a detailed conversation answering and advising her role with us. Shawne has accepted the position and will be paid $750 yearly for her work and expertise. Meredith has agreed to work with Shawne through this Fall’s programs. Putnam and the City Logo: A discussion was had regarding getting back to the use of original naming of the Trust. A newspaper news of the Trust with the upcoming Board Member. Setting up a consistent understanding of the Trust, its origination of the Trust, and how we can clearly market the events. Our senior citizens know of and attend many performances. We have for quite some time tried to grow our audience in the community. Julie is the Community Editor of the Laconia Daily Sun did voluntarily agree to help with suggestions. Once we have a Board Member appointed, she will meet with us at our monthly meeting. With no further business to come before the board, the meeting was adjourned at 9:38 am. Respectfully submitted, Betty Ballantyne Putnam Board Secretary