Laconia Putnam Fund

Laconia Putnam Fund Tuesday, October 8, 2024 This meeting was called to order at 9:05 a.m. on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, held at Laconia City Hall, 25 Beacon Street E #1, Laconia, NH with the following in attendance: Jim Rogato, Linda Peary, Janet Brough, and Joanie Mercer along with four guests. MINUTES: The August 13, 2024 minutes were approved by Linda Peary and seconded by Janet Brough with all in favor. TREASURER’S REPORT: As of today our balance is $66,727.67. After our two remaining shows in October and November, it is estimated that at the close of this calendar year, we should be roughly around $50,000.00. The discussion among the board was that this would be a good amount to hold, before the allocations of new funds with the upcoming fiscal year. PRESENTATIONS: a. The Carter Mountain Brass Band and Granite State Ringers are hoping to do a collaboration describing it as an American Musical Journey Combined Concert. Their goal is to have a concert both in Concord and Laconia. Both groups would perform separately and then perform two selections as a combined ensemble. They are still looking for a place to hold such an event and were requesting funds for the Laconia concert. They are hoping for $600 per ensemble and $300 production of programs with a total of $1500. We let them close out their presentation and promised to get back to them after the board had time to discuss. Debbi Gibson - 603-387-6013 - treblemakerdg@gmail.com, Robin Jackman, Manager of CMBB and Joan Fossum, Conductor and Manager of GSR b. Karmen Gifford, representing NH Pumpkin Festival, was hoping the board might appropriate some funds for this year’s activities. She presented some of the performances that we might consider sponsoring. We agreed that we would discuss and also get back to her. TEMPTATIONS SHOW RECAP: Overall the board was in agreement that it was a success. Everyone did think that the group from Florida that we had in the past was better than this group from Las Vegas and will keep that in mind for any future shows. SIXTIES MANIA - OCTOBER 17, 2024: All set to go, posters and tickets handed out, hotels booked and once again, sold out! Hoping for a good turnout. TIM SAMPLE - NOVEMBER 15, 2024: Linda has booked his hotel, contract is signed and next we will have to decide when the tickets will be released. NEW BUSINESS: a. Jim will continue working with the Colonial to get a breakdown, line by line, along with personnel, to see if we can get a better understanding of these growing expenditures. b. Janet noticed the facebook name on the posters is incorrect. The name that should now be used is thelaconiaputnamfund@facebook.com. While distributing the posters to the board members, a discussion was started about the fact that the last two shows sold out before the posters even went out. This might be a time to rethink how we advertise. Pros and cons were discussed with much heart, Linda made a motion to stop having the posters printed and to look more closely at what is working stronger for our advertising. Jim seconded it with Janet and Joanie in favor. c. Still considering guest writer, David Brody, as a speaker at either the Taylor Community or the Belknap Mill. Linda has offered to check if the Mill would let us have the lecture presented there for free, as we sponsor arts in the park. d. Linda will get back to Debbi Gibson for the board. We like the idea of her collaboration but with money concerns and before we commit, we would like to know which fiscal year they will be performing in, the location and date. They require a large venue and we gave them a few places to look into. e. NH Pumpkin Festival request for funds created a lengthy discussion as to whether it fits into our mission statement. The laser show was what we kept going back to as it would reach a large crowd, a show that we have never sponsored, reach a younger demographic, and something we would like to put our name behind. Concerns are that it is only a few weeks out, not sure we want to be asked yearly, and no one had seen this show before. Linda made a motion to sponsor the laser show for $1500 with publicity through the DJ and a banner and Janet seconded with Jim and Joanie in favor. Linda will contact Karmen Gifford. f. It was brought to our attention that it might be wise to put a delay on getting tickets online for a couple of days after the box office was open. The thought that people who took the time to go in and pick up tickets were more apt to actually use them. Knowing that this is a concern for all of us, it was opened for discussion. We feel that this idea would only hurt the working public and not explain the issue of unused seats. The board decided to first try and educate the spectators. At the next show we would mention how many seats were empty even with a sold out theater and hoped that everyone would try harder to turn in their unused tickets or find someone to pass them on to. NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, November 12, 2024 to be held at City Hall at 9:00 a.m. With no further business to come before the board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Joanie Mercer Laconia Putnam Board Member 603-832-3498