The MCC is in much better financial condition this year, thanks to the settlement payments. Treasurer Bob Stern reported that the annual income for 2009 amounts to $296,000. He said that $250,000 of that sum was settlement money. They have received a total of $500,000 from the settlement of the lawsuit against People Productions and Dimmick Ranch. Stern said that $225,000 has been set aside and not allocated as yet, another $50,000 has been placed at the disposal of the events and talent committee for booking purposes, and $75,000 had been set aside for savings.
A good deal of the settlement money will be used for maintenance and repairs on the building and grounds. The priority list of projects includes reconditioning the existing bathrooms and adding more bathrooms upstairs, repairing and repainting both the exterior and interior of the building, adding fencing, finishing the rock wall and enclosing the front porch.
The MCC has also received two grants this year. A $16,000 grant from the California Arts Council will be used to support the Recycled Youth program. A $5,000 grant from the McLean Foundation will be used to purchase a dishwasher for the Mateel kitchen. That grant was obtained through the Mateel Meal program.
The kitchen got an unexpected visit from the Health Department. An inspector looking for the Mateel Café came to the Mateel Community Center instead and conducted a surprise inspection while he was there. The inspector is said to have remarked that the MCC had “the cleanest kitchen he’d ever seen.”
Margaret Friedman reported that the MCC has 552 members currently.
Casandra Taliafero reported that the staff has been operating successfully without an executive director and are moving forward with diversifying their income stream instead of relying on a single event every year. They have added a youth employment program in the form of a Step-up Internship. They have hired South Fork High School students and are working with Carol Willard Clark as their liaison with the high school.
The Mateel Meal is happening three times a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. They have served about 5,000 meals this year and service providers from social service and veterans’ agencies come to the meals to contact clients and connect them with the appropriate services.
Board member Kathryn Guillette has purchased a baby grand piano for the hall. Its use is free and she said she hopes that it will encourage opportunities for musical expression. She hopes that it will be used for lessons and for choirs or other groups.
Board member Joe Hiney is seeking another term, but members Crow Gellman and Bruce Champie are stepping down from the board. A number of individuals were nominated to replace them. The election will be done by mail to all members.
The last item on the agenda concerned a poll as to how the members feel about allowing People Productions to produce shows at the hall. They were banned from the hall following the dissolution of the relationship between the MCC and People Productions. Some people stated that they felt more time for healing was needed; other people expressed support for letting go of the past and starting anew. No decision regarding the status of People Productions was made at the meeting.
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