Meeting Minutes April 2022 – Friends of Lovers Key

FRIENDS OF LOVERS KEY, INC.

Board of Directors Meeting Agenda-Minutes

April 12, 2022 – Board Meeting – 2:00 P.M.

WDC Community Room

Welcome and Administrative Business

Call to Order / Roll call

Attendance: Jim Remis – President Chair

Karen Woodson- VP Operations, Chair Nominations Committee

Megan Allers – Vice President Donor Development & Events Committee

Kathryn Klar – Treasurer, Chair Governance Committee

Christy Hennessey-Secretary

Katie Moses – Park Manager and State Relations

Mark Generales- Building Committee

Tim Horvatich-Building Committee

Louise Kowitch- Chair Education Committee, Historian

Sandra Foreman-Events Chair

Frank Cassise-Purchasing/Print/Supplies

Tina Tyler-Donor Development Advisor

Jason Dolle-Chair Development Subcommittee

Absent: Izzy Prieto- Assistant Park Manager

Anna Kellner-Park Services Specialist

Approval of March 8, 2022, Board Minutes

Motion to approve: Karen Woodson

Motion seconded: Mark Generales

Discussion: None

Motion approved

Minutes of today’s meeting, would not be approved until the July meeting. As such, today’s minutes shared with the Board via email, will be voted upon for approval via email reply.

Reports of Board Officers

President’s Report – Jim Remis

Jim praised the Gala committee for a huge success. Submitting a request for $46,900 for the TDC grant. Tax return due May 15 for FOLKS is in process and it is required to have the Board ‘review’ before submitting. December meeting is where we introduce new board members and elect officers. January meeting is the new budget. And January 25^th appears to be the date of the Annual Meeting.

Lee County asked how they are being recognized for their $90,000 grant. Signage needs to under a separate heading because it is a grant. Should we also have signage for educational grants?

Volunteer hours are not “in kind”, but rather has to be something concrete to stay on site. Painting for example is not considered “in Kind”, unless they paid for the supplies which would qualify.

Vice President’s Operations Report – Karen Woodson

Lovers Key Resort interested in sponsorship of Beach and Brews and the Gala.

Gala tickets that were comped for people we thought might want to contribute in the future, ended up being very successful. They also donated at the Gala. We have a new Donor form for people to fill out with their contact information and as to what they are interested in contributing.

Vice President’s Donor Development/Events Report including education programs update– Megan Allers and Louise Kowitch

Sending out thank you letters for the Gala. Megan needs admin access to Salsa to further track donors.

Louise: Synopsis:

Lovers Key Eco-Arts Summer Camp is 75% enrolled and scholarships have been offered to 11

families (18 campers).

Louise: REPORT OF ACTIVITIES:

1.Grants and Fundraising

Kiwanis Club of FMB awarded $5000 to FOLKs for camp scholarships, to be accepted at April 22 meeting.
Application for Florida State Parks Foundation grant for $5000 will be announced in late April/early May;
Application for FMB Community Foundation Scholarship will to be announced in April.
Application for JS Butler Science grant for supplies for camp submitted (Snorkel masks, Secchi Disks) will be announced in summer.

2. Summer Eco-Arts Camp 2022

Current enrollment: sixty-nine campers
Will place order for rash guard with FOLKs logo (with Kat)

4. Speakers Series

March 10 “Environmental Journalism” lecture: 55 in attendance

UPCOMING: The Bald Eagle and the Gulf of Mexico – A Cultural and Natural History” featuring Jack E. Davis. April 22, 5:30 for wine.

5. Trails for Tails. Spring 2022

Signage for Butterfly Garden by Jeff Ballard received April 10; paid for by T4T fundraising
Final phase of gardens to be completed by T4T, Tony Mauriello, FOLKS and park staff April 10-13

Treasurer’s Report – Kathryn Klar

Gala generated $144,638 but it cost us $103,890 to put on the event. Our net was $40,748, but

yesterday, Kathryn picked up $5,000 worth of checks. Christy’s friend’s check for $1,000 just

came in and we still have auction items that have not been paid for yet. Probably end up around

$48,000 profit. We only had a net profit of $2,000 in the budget.

Cost of Linga, we pay $599.88 per year. Additionally, our credit card numbers from using

Square is an additional 3.5-4%, costing us around $2,200….. Eventbrite is 7-8-9% credit card

fees. Kathryn asked if we should amend the budget because we allotted ourselves $2,000 for

credit card fees. Jim recommended we amend the budget once the dog watering station and

other expenses are in. Amend the budget in the July meeting.

Video Stream is not in the budget, but is an annual fee. Purchased the copier for Katie. We

have $165,000-$170,000 approximately in the budget, from nothing. In next year’s tax

return we are going to have to show how much it cost to raised the funds.

Report of the Park Manager

Park Managers Report – Katie Moses

Exhibit for the month of April is “Keep Lee County Beautiful” art contest. They get a $200 scholarship as well. Had a nice reception and also sold $500 in the Nook. Attendance is normalizing now for the time of year. Peggy who works at the ranger station, is now going to be Katie’s administrative assistant beginning April 18th. Looking for someone to replace her position. Working towards being fully staffed. Trish and Anna are putting together a Earth Day celebration with activities all day. April 30^th Bonita Springs High School Track Team is putting on a 5K here. They pay admission fees and provide insurance. Anna is going to be leaving us. Her last day is April 30^th and moving up to the Panhandle to a new park. Full time Rangers make $27,000 a year with great insurance and housing. Anna makes $29K but everyone is getting a pay bump in that pay range because of minimum wage going up.

The Board directed Katie to see what donors may be permitted to do, to help off-set expenses for the Park Staff due to low salaries. FOLKS may not utilize funds in that capacity.

On-going Activities

Gala Debrief and Feedback – Karen Woodson and all Board Members

Next year everything needs to be through Eventbrite or other. It was an accounting nightmare. Jeannie Cummings will be hired again as the event planner. Laura Emmerich will be hired again to do the spreadsheets, auction items.

Discussion of the Gala included all positives and recommendation of selling park memberships.

Thank you letters, to include if you are not a member, to suggest becoming one.

Tracking for next year’s invitation list will be from a compilation of “who gave what” this

year, to focus on for next year. The thank you letters should be multi-purpose such as donor

opportunities, memberships, etc.

Motion made to authorize the hiring of Jeannie Cummings and Laura Emmerich subject to

Kathryn and Jim overlooking the finances for the Gala next year: Christy Hennessey

Motion seconded: Mark Generales

Discussion: None

Motion approved

WDC Donor Recognition

Samuelson sign on the building has been approved by the State.

Jim: We now have to enter into a memorandum of understanding with each donor, that they have to sign in triplicate, which is an agreement with the Park, FOLKS and the donor. That agreement includes not just what they gave, how much they gave, what they gave it for, what the plaque says, what it looks like and where it is located. We still need to resolve some language issues, the state will approve.

Reports of Committee Chairs and Area Leaders as needed

Building and Exhibit Update including phase two exhibit installation and manatee sculpture update – Mark Tim Horvatich/Kathryn Klar:

Phase 2 exhibit

Installation and follow-up items completed except for Coastal Strand flip doors
Text on back of flip door cannot easily be read. Flips doors being returned to SRS for modification. No cost to FOLKS
Visitors have broken off the Wilsons Plover replicate on the Waters Edge exhibit. Working with SRS to determine how best to repair

Discussion of plan for purchase and installation of remaining items for WDC including the message board to be located outside the Community Room, water fountain for the trailhead, etc. – Mark Generales/Tim Horvatich

Donor plaques

Tim has a meeting scheduled with Signarama, Fort Myers this week.
Tina, Jim and Katie are going to redraft the letter. After verbiage is agreed to, Jim will send all to the state to be approved.
Kathryn, Tim, Megan and Katie will be key in getting the donor list completed. Copy Jim in email communications.

Dog watering station project

Received bid from OAK. $16,500 including concrete pad installation
Requested alternate bid from OAK with watering station relocated to butterfly garden.

This reduces water line run and should dramatically reduce installation costs.

Outdoor message board

BP X-large wall mounted message center has been ordered. Total cost – $1,836

Vendor is currently quoting a ten-week deliver time (mid-late June).

Manatee exhibit

Looking for alternate plaque/design. Kathryn and Tim will visit local bronze plaque

designer in next week or so.

E-mail Migration – Jason Dolle

We all have @friendsofloverskey email addresses. Jason explained the utilization of Google Suite. Some older emails need to be removed.

POS Migration – Karen Woodson

Looking at other systems rather than Linga. Met with salesperson from Spot On last week and

meeting with their technology person this week to walk through the program.

Other Areas for discussion

Sandy said ‘Turtle Trot” is being postponed do to not enough runners signing up. Will be moved to a later date.

Other

New Business – None

Adjournment – Motion to adjourn: Christy Hennessey, Seconded: Louise Kovitch

Meeting adjourned at: 4:21

Next Board Meetings

July 12, 2022 – 2:00 – WDC Community Room and VIA Zoom

October 11, 2022 – 2:00 – WDC Community Room and VIA Zoom

December 13, 2022 – 2:00 – WDC Community Room – Officers and Board Member elections

January 10, 2023 – 2:00 – WDC Community Room – Budget

January 25, 2023 – Annual meeting (Date Tentative) – 4:00 – WDC Community Room and VIA Zoom (Tentative)