2023 November Meeting Minutes

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Mansfield Band Parents Association

Monthly Meeting Minutes – Thursday, November 9, 2023

Attendees: Frani Spivak, Ted Ten Eyck, Sara Tomase, Justin DeJoy, Kevin Sitler, Guy Tomase, Kristen Castillo, Rick Castillo, Kim O’Neill, Matthew O’Neill, Jennifer Mulcahy, Matt Fleischmann, Christine Bellavance, Michelle MacWalter, Mat Graham, Debby McMaster, Rick McMaster, Maggie Cordero Silva, Shannon Carneiro, Gregg Spivak

Director’s Report – Justin DeJoy

  • Marching Band season has finished with the Band’s final competition earning them 2nd place with a number of caption awards (Percussion, Overall Music and Overall Visual)
  • The band had a positive experience at MetLife and the students were very happy with their performance
  • Winter Guard and Jazz Band start up next week
  • The Color Guard presented to the J/J Champs kids this week. We’re getting more support from the administration at QMS and J/J for the mini’s this year.
  • Two parades coming up (Veterans Day and Holiday Parade), the Thanksgiving Day football game and the Winter concert next month
  • There will be a Winter season info meeting on 11/21 if your student gets into Winter Percussion (not for Winter Guard or Jazz Band)
  • Box truck drivers needed for Winter Guard (no CDL license required); MBPA orders the trucks once we know what we’ll need and they’re picked up Fridays by 4pm. The Guard parents are responsible for pickup and driving to/from events. 
  • TBD whether the Band will perform if the Football team wins their championship
  • Confirmed that 8th graders can be in varsity Color Guard this year

Treasurer Report – Ted Ten Eyck

  • Account Balances as of 11/9: Checking $17,668.58; Money Market $10,958.77; Student Credits $4,007.19; Financial Aid $9,166.35; QMS Account $2,469.59 for a total of $44,270.48.
    • Gillette total so far this year: $33,262.71; the total for last year was $76,148.45. Additionally, Gillette has been slow paying us and their payments have not been accurate. 
    • Current financials from the Checking and MM accounts state we have $28,627.35. Our proposed budget for Winter season is $27,135
    • Met Life: MBPA paid $812.18 for extra costs incurred 

Bi-Laws – Frani Spivak

  • Approval will be for By-Laws with the addition of the role of Treasurer being a 2-year term as well as President shall review all financial expenditures and receivables each month in accordance with the Liability Insurance Policy and changes to page 2, article 2, paragraph 2 to “501(c)(3)”
  • Motion to approve the Bi-laws: Mat Graham; 2nd: Kevin Sitler
  • Motion passes unanimously

Swag Store – Frani Spivak

  • Store items are in; if you have not received them contact president@mansfieldbandparents.org to arrange pickup
  • New store opening on 11/21 featuring Winter Guard jackets, tank tops and all previous items from the last store
  • Items will not arrive before the holidays but should arrive before the Winter season starts
  • Suggestion for “Parent Pit Crew” shirts for store

Calendars – Frani Spivak

  • Huge thank you to all who donated and helped procure prizes
  • Winners are announced in our Facebook group 
  • Calendars made $5100 for MHS, $1100 for QMS

Lighting – Frani Spivak/Justin DeJoy

  • Thank you to everyone and the town who made it happen (getting lights on the Field Hockey field for the students to practice at night)
  • Looking into getting permanent lighting next year
  • Administration has said we will get more turf time next year for rehearsals

New Banner – Justin DeJoy

  • Will not have for the Veterans Day parade but should have it by the Holiday parade

Grants – Rick McMaster/Frani Spivak

  • Spoke to Jenn Walsh to see what we’ve applied for in the past; Jenn suggested giving a lot of detailed info when applying
  • Has looked into the Mockingbird Foundation, Instrumentl and others are in-process
  • Grants for new uniforms are top priority; if we could get half or more of the approximate $30k price, we could possibly ask administration for help for the remaining cost
  • After uniforms, Percussion floors, Color Guard floors, Winter costumes are the top needs

Fundraising – Frani Spivak/Justin DeJoy

  • The Calendar fundraiser has been helpful
  • We’ll have a table with Band Swag (stickers, car magnets and lanyards) at the Thanksgiving game as well as a donation bucket
  • Mat Graham agreed to be our monthly fundraiser coordinator to arrange for regular fundraisers with local restaurants, bookstores, nail salons and other businesses. Looking to do up to 2 fundraisers per month
  • Our next fundraiser is Chateau in Norton on 11/16; the flyer is required in order to get a portion of your purchase donated. Flyers will come home with students the day-of the event
  • We’re working on tiered sponsorship 
  • Suggestion for an un-fundraiser or non-fundraiser; our sponsorship pamphlet will address this
  • Suggestion for a show for just in-town community members to fundraise with donations, raffles, etc. This is something we can explore in the future with the new field renovations which will open up the possibility of home shows or possibly an invitational
    • We currently don’t do home shows because they’re labor intensive with not a lot of profit. Last year only 4 bands signed up; with custodians, police detail, etc. involved we would not have been profitable. We also can’t hold them in the fall because we don’t have the required amount of bleachers (which could change with the renovations)
  • We’re hoping to tap into Alumni involvement as well; looking to utilize things like the “I used to live in Mansfield” page, etc.
  • We’ll be doing a 50/50 raffle at the “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” shows in December; we’ll be asking for volunteers for this at our next meeting
  • Pies will be arriving on Tuesday 11/14; email will be sent out and people are responsible for picking up their own pies

Disney – Justin DeJoy/Ted Ten Eyck

  • Next payment due on Nov. 30
  • Credit memos were sent out Wednesday
  • Polo shirts have been ordered for Freshman and new students; you’ll see this line item in your next invoice

Gillette Update – Christine Bellevance/Frani Spivak

  • We are still looking for Stand and Kitchen Managers; Managers should be Serv-Safe certified which is good for 5 years
  • It’s suggested that volunteers do at least 3 events before working as a Manager
  • Upcoming events:
    • 12/3 – could use one more runner
    • 12/9 – need 4 more people
    • 1/7 – time tbd but need to fill the entire event

Photos – Frani Spivak

  • We’ll be getting a link to photos from MetLife soon
  • Thank you to Chris Jones and Rick Castillo who took photos for us; photos coming soon

Meeting adjourned, next meeting will be 12/7 at 6:00pm