Present were Susan Meyer, Fiona Solkowski, Phil Coleman, Tony Gregory, Juliet Port, for the Board, constituting a quorum.

Also present from the membership were Doug Becker and Barbara Cesnik


The Board met specifically to approve the contract for the Gypsy Moon Ball site for 2004, and to consider the question again of whether to have a two or three day dance.  As well as to consider the proposed terms for a new contract with the Athenaeum for the Tuesday night dance site.

Susan Meyer presented the proposed contract with the Boy Scouts of America, for the use of Camp Belzer.  She had negotiated identical terms to last year’s contract (which are considerably better than the asking price.)

a.	The board unanimously approved the contract terms.

After discussion, the Board concluded that:

b.	The membership’s and attendees’s response to whether they wanted a three day dance was non-committal.  Most who replied said that they would attend a three day dance if they could, but did not express a great desire for this.
c.	The work load for a three day dance, which would require workshops, etc., would be much larger.
d.	The amount of work required to do a two day dance was considerable, and fell disproportionately on a few members of the Board.  It would be better to get more members committed to helping with set up and tear down before increasing the work load.
e.	We’ve just gotten out feet under us with the new experience of doing this dance at the new Belzer facility.  It would be better to smooth this out for a year before making it yet a whole new experience again.
f.	Accordingly, the Board voted unanimously to maintain the dance as a two day event in 2004, and to sign the contract and deliver the deposit accordingly.

Susan Meyer wrote in suggested changes to the Athenaeum contract.  These were:
 
g.	Changing the number of permitted “bumps” from the main room from 4 to 7 (since that’s been happening anyway).
h.	Reducing the rate on the first four “bumps” from $80 per night to $50 per night.  This is because we are losing money on these dances, and we are being required to use a much smaller venue.
i.	Receiving complimentary use of the smaller room each night on a 5th, 6th or 7th bump.

Susan will contact Jim Gould and or Phil Watts to discuss the new contract with them.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned

Tony Gregory, Secretary