Recent Minutes
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MPC MINUTES, 5/ 20/2017
Frog and Turtle, Westbrook, Maine
Present: Dennis Camire, Anna Wrobel, Jim Donnelly,
Raymond Bouffard, Mark Sweidon
Agenda:
Financial Update:
Need to raise money soon. Will potentially get some money from the Lowry’s Lodge Anthology in the works for next year. Need to contact the Portland Poet Laureate to see if he might organize a small event to raise money for MPC.
In Verse Sun Journal series:
The series is going well and we are seeking to feature a wide range of Maine poets and styles—unknown and known poets from all regions.
Lowry’s Lodge Anthology:
The anthology is currently on hold but Anna and Jim will have time to pursue it in the near future.
Corporation Report:
Report is filled out and filed. All officers the same as last year.
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MAINE POETRY CENTRAL MINUTES, 10/15/2016
Location: Portland Pie Company, Westbrook, Me
Present:
Jim Donnelly, Anna Wrobel, Duff Plunkett, Mark Sweidom, Dennis Camire
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Agenda Items:
Finances:
Account Balance is at 180.00; need to do some fundraising in summer of 2017
Annual Report and Charitable Solicitations License:
Annual Report filed; Charitable Solicitations License mailed for renewal
Maine Places and People Poetry Series:
The project is being put in place with The Sun Journal; no compensation from newspaper; one or two MPC board members may sort through poems with Dennis; Sun Journal may have the final say on which poems are published from the poems we send to them; call for submissions will be sent out as soon as Sun Journal gets back to us with more specific details regarding the process; 12 poems already sent to journal in response to them wanting sample poems before finalizing decision to run series
Lowry’s Lodge Poetry Anthology:
Anna and Jim with grant write this fall/winter for funding; they may move ahead without finding; would like to get anthology out in a year; plans to have anthology readings throughout the state; poets in anthology may organize and emcee such events;
will discuss in future how to divvy out the proceeds from any expected profits from the anthology
Website:
Need to recruit volunteer to update website on regular basis
Maine Poetry Central Minutes, Frog and Turtle: 2/20/2016
Present: Anna Wrobel, Jim Donnelly, Dennis Camire, Pilgrim
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Financial update: current account at about 350.00; a few small donations at or after the Portland Poet Laureate Inauguration
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Bruce Spang is resigning because he’s moving to Carolina
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Motion to vote in Mark Sweidom to replace Bruce. Motion passes with all 4 of us in favor
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Discussion of MPC projects: because of our small budget and everyone being busy with other projects, life and work, MPC will just continue to curate the Portland Poet Laureate Project and will seek to continue to work with Moon Pie Press to keep the Michael Macklin Book Award going
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Dennis will contact Moon Pie in the coming weeks regarding how the Macklin Award will move forward. this spring/summer?
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Report on annual charitable solicitations license renewal and the filing of the annual report and annual fundraising report. Everything filed and in order!
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Planning next meeting over the summer
Maine Poetry Central Board Meeting: Sunday, May 10, 2015
(Arabica Cafe, Free Street, Portland)
Present: Dennis Camire, Duff Plunkett, Bruce Spang, Anna Wrobel Absent: Raymond Bouffard, Jim Donnelly
Words Matter costs vs. income: shortfall of over $600, most to be covered by Marcia Brown. Dennis will clarify exactly what is still owed Marcia.
Discussion about the nature of Words Matter and whether it was too ambitious.
Varying Poet Laureates can do whatever feels comfortable for them. No one paradigm for the program.
Inauguration – Monday, June 8th – 6:00 pm reception, 6:30 to 8:00 pm inaugural ceremony.
Inauguration needing funds (as Hoagland event did not generate income).
Suggested donation of $10 at the event, in addition to promoting fund-raising letter. Needed: Flowers, food, pen, laurel wreath (some questions about the wreath) Duff needs to be paid for the pen engraving.
Fund raising letter will be disseminated via various email group listings: MPC, Lowry's Lodge, Moon Pie Press, George Van Deventer.
City Council PPL proclamation will be on the agenda for Monday, May 18th
Michael Macklin Book Award: Dennis met with Alice Persons; the process will be delayed to Winter 2016.
Discussion regarding the integrity and longevity of MPC: City Council to receive by-laws and guidelines and to be asked for a statement regarding the significance of the PPL program for the cultural life of Portland arts (Duff has drafted a possible statement).
Ask if Council would consider an MPC link on their website.
Following inauguration, open up board to a few more members to distribute functions and responsibilities collaboratively.
Come up with job description for 'executive director' or 'president.'
Dennis will remain V.P of filings and will advise other officers with institutional memory. A new 'president/facilitator' will work with the PPL and with V.P. For filings and legal obligations.
Date to meet with Gibson Fay LeBlanc (new PPL) to discuss the organization, the PPL role and to sketch out a 3-year plan – tentative date is July 9th.
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****Maine Poetry Central Meeting of Board of Directors: Sunday, February 1, 2015 Present: Dennis Camire, Duff Plunkett, Pilgrim, Bruce Spang, Anna Wrobel
Words Matter:
- Funds for Tony Hoagland from a collaboration of MWPA, Port City Anthology (MPC),
MaineArts Commission, USM
- Currently $1500ish in MPC treasury – 100 tix sold @$25=break even; 200 sold=WOW (100 free to teachers and students)
- Contact writing programs (i.e. Stonecoast, Breadloaf, UMF, Goddard) regarding Hoagland
- Promotion: press releases, posters, MPC web-site (for tix through PayPal), Press Herald and Portland Magazine interviews, Megan article at Phoenix, 207 (?), announce at local readings: Dobra, Crowbar, Veritas, Lowry's when reconvened (also promote laureate nominations)
Portland Laureate Selection:
- Space Gallery for inauguration arranged
- City Hall announcement after May 15th
- Nominations now open until March 31st
- Selection Committee to meet before April 15th
- Seeking a City Council decree regarding Portland laureate post – Duff will create a document for Jill Duson to put before the Council (after sending it to us for review)
- Current agreement: MPC is facilitator. Seeking legal status of Council recognizing that role - Portland Laureate Selection Committee is sovereign over guidelines (MPC by-laws so authorize) – Keeley will post guidelines on MPC website
- MPC seeking legal structure to support creative ideas and programs state-wide
- Goal to have as long-term projects: laureates, Macklin Book Award, Words Matter
- Community building with Davis Foundation and Maine Community Foundation
- MPC revised by-laws approved; will be submitted to the Maine's Secretary of State
Agenda for next meeting: (early May – date TBD)
- MPC to host a gathering/colloquium of local laureates: Portland, Belfast, Portsmouth
- Creation of other local laureate positions
- Library readings for Portland laureate (7 towns) - Revised mission statement
- Core laureate involvements:
Macklin Book Award; Words Matter; plus programs of personal choice - Laureate Inauguration
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***Maine Poetry Central Board - Minutes for Meeting of December 7th, 2014 2:00 pm (Arabica Cafe – Portland)
Attendance: Dennis Camire, Ray Bouffard, Jim Donnelly, Marcia Brown, Duff Plunkett, Bruce Spang, Anna Wrobel
New members inducted: (website will be updated to reflect new officers)
Ray Bouffard: Treasurer
New position(s) of president/vice president to be considered. By-laws must be reviewed to
create these offices to work with the Executive Director. Need for web skills.
Proposed to revise by-laws to enlarge the board. Duff will e-mail by-laws to all on the board.
Current Projects:
Port City Anthology:
40 copies left / $3,333 gross -$1578 costs=$1755 + 168 (from Longfellow Books)
Words Matter - Reading and Reception:
Tony Hoagland and Peter Harris at Hannaford Hall April 16th
$1000 for hall and reception area / food $4 a head / they handle ticket sales / likely $25
Balcony for 100 Poetry Out Loud students of the Portland area
Corporate sponsors and Maine Humanities Council grant still being sought
Tony's fee shared with University of Maine
Promotion – posters, press, radio, online events calendars, interview with Tony in Maine
Sunday Telegram, publicize at area colleges, poetry email lists (e.g. Lowry's, Moon Pie, Vandeventer)
Michael Macklin Book Award:
Alice / Moon Pie in second printing – voted to allot $75 to defray her costs
Should be on Pay Pal website
New contest begins Summer 2015
Sale opportunities: when contest is announced and when winner is awarded
Port City Anthology and Macklin books (Michelle Leavitt), etc should be on sale at the
Hoagland/Harris reading at USM.
Poets and Writers – promo for contest – discussion topic for next meeting
Portland Poet Laureate:
Selection Committee: Linda Aldrich, Betsy Sholl, Jim Donnelly, Jay Davis, Mike Bove, Anna Wrobel, Jill Duson
Bruce Spang will coordinate meetings – likely two in all
January 11th meeting will review and tweak the PPL process / discuss inauguration needs
No date yet confirmed for February meeting. Need to discuss mailing list, website, new
methods of communication and promotion such as Constant Contact.
Meeting observer, Ethan Pierce, had some interesting ideas and is willing to consult:
ethanpierce13@college.harvard.edu (www.bbpgallerie.com