FRIENDS OF LOVERS KEY, INC.
Board of Directors Meeting Agenda-Minutes
January 9, 2024 – Board Meeting – 2:00 pm EST at the Welcome and Discovery Center

Welcome and Administrative Business

1. Call to Order / Roll Call

Present:  Jim Remis-President
Karen Woodson-VP Operations
Christy Hennessey-Secretary
Tina Tyler-Donor Development Advisor (by phone)
Katie Moses-Park Manager and State Relations
Tim Horvatich-Building Committee
Louise Kowitch-Education Chair
Mark Generales-Building Committee
Jason Dolle-Chair Development Subcommittee
Megan Allers-VP Donor Development & Events
Frank Cassise-Purchasing/Print/Supplies
Kathryn Klar-Treasurer Chair Governance Committee

Absent:  None

1. Approval of December 12, 2023 Board Minutes

Motion to Approve:  Kathryn
Seconded:  Karen
Discussion: None
Motion Approved

Report of the Park Manager

1. Park Managers Report – Katie Moses
   
2. Update on park operations: Electrical panels expected early January have not yet arrived.  When they come in, FPL will be ready to install.  Ranger station is open 9:30-4:30 right now.  Hoping towards the end of the month fully staffed and open 8:00 to sunset.  Nature wise, sea life, everything is doing great.  Floating boat dock has been installed with funding for the ramp in the works.  There will be bumpers.  Pedestrian bridge behind the WDC is open as of yesterday.  Gazebo is going to be rebuilt in the same footprint by the State and reimbursed by FEMA.  Debris removal is back and sifting down two feet. Cory is the new Ranger and an Assistant Park Manager position has been offered and accepted but cannot be announced yet.  Electricity:  Panels are the hold up.  Rewiring has been done and when the panels arrive, all that needs to be done is connecting.  Stress test soon on the sewer system.  All the lifts are done.
   
3. WDC Community Room Shades/Window Tinting Update – Current plan:  Kaleidescape will apply a window film to block the blinding sun. Added benefit of keeping birds from flying into the windows and territorial pecking.  Trish is working on getting the quotes and costs for installation.  Ursula arranged with Dennis Goodman to donate the photo images.
   
4. Washer & Dryer Purchase for park rags, wildlife towels, etc and resident volunteer use (lost in the storm)
   
5. Motion to approve purchase of Washer and Dryer not to exceed $2,500: Mark
6. Seconded: Tim
7. Discussion: None
8. Motion approved
   
9. Other: No tram to the beach.  Structurally damaged and only safe for UTVs and people.  Pedestrian bridge will be done by the end of the year.  Everyone signed their Volunteer agreements and there will be a group required education presentation after an upcoming Board Meeting.

Reports of Board Officers

1. President’s Report – Jim
   
2. Significant contributions since December meeting:  Have $475,000 in cash and $135,000 since December.  Another $100,000 from the Ketchum Foundation.  This is the second $100,000 they have given us.
   
3. WDC Grand Opening and Park Reopening: Reopening was to be the week after Hurricane Ian. This will be a State and Local dedication ceremony.  Katie will be working on getting a date set.  Big donors will be recognized.
   
4. The future is now and what that means for FOLKS and each board member:  The Executive Committee will be spending future meetings working on what want the future to be.  Focus on Exposure, environmental sustainability, education.  Need to think about goals and objectives for the next 2-3 years.   We still have 3 exhibits to fund and need to make big picture plans.
   
5. 2024 Budget Discussion and adoption:  Career Source pays Lori’s wages through February and we need to be prepared to pay after that, including benefits.  Budget $50 for her employ.  Possibly have her as a contract hire.  The 50% off park memberships ends soon.  Gala is likely going to be more profitable this year.  Nook plus our Sip and Shop are bringing in much more in sales.  We have $25,000 budgeted for education and also have $25,000 in expenses. The $120,000 for landscaping will be covered in 2024.  We have crossed the $300,000 threshold for being audited.  Our total budged expenses being $418,000.  We need to raise $200,000 this year. As an “employer” we need to be mindful of having that funded every year and it can come out of the general fund.  Kathryn mentioned regular donors who give $10,000 a year and nobody knows them.  We need to connect with them.  Some wish to donate more.
   
6. Motion to approve the budget:  Kathryn 
7. Seconded: Tim
8. Discussion: None
9. Motion approved
   
10. Are you up to date with hours and other requirements:  All recorded
    
11. Meeting schedule for EC and Board including annual meeting planned for January 31, 2024.  Dates as follows after the minutes.
    
12. Other: none

• VP of Operations Report – Karen
  
• Report of the Nominating Committee: Election of Officer to a one-year term beginning January 1, 2024.
  
• Motion to appoint Tina Tyler as Vice President Donor Development and Chair of the Advisory Committee for one year:  Kathryn        
• Seconded:  Tim
• Discussion:  None
• Motion Approved
  
• Gala Update: $57,500 in sponsors committed so far.  Alex King $25,000, London Bay $15,000, Waste Management $5,000, Cornerstone Builders $5,000, Moss Marina (Arches Bayside) $2,500.  Matt Devitt will be our Emcee.  Ed and Kim Ryan will be greeters on the red carpet to help direct people and broadcast their show on FB and YouTube, and have their own online $20 raffle for 2 VIP tickets to next year’s Gala…. A husband and wife team will be our auctioneers. Fourteen VIP tables.  Much smoother progress this year because of working off of last year’s plans.  The Whale will be providing us with generators for the Gala.  Targeted 220 tickets.
  
• Other: none

• VP of Development and Chair of the Advisory Council: Tina

Advisory Council:  Bylaws state we can appoint a committee but advised we vote.  Tina got everyone for the Council she wanted.

• Discussion of purpose:
• Board vote to create Advisory Council: Not at this time
• Members:  Carmen Mock: Long term donor who gives at least $10,000 a year.  Relocating from California to Naples and wants to get involved in their Woman’s Club.  She has 30 years of retail in operations.  Kyle DeCicco: Sanibel-Captiva Bank.  Mark Wilson: CEO London Bay who also has a connection who can help us a lot in marketing and media. 

John Dammerman:  Tourism and Hospitality, owns Margaritaville and about 40 other hotels and businesses. Chuck Bodenhofer: Involved in the community and a donor.  Gina Ketchum:  Philanthropist and large donor to the Park. Monica Schmucker:  attorney. Dawn Miller: Owns the Sandy Bottom and Whale.  Alex King: Realtor and King Foundation and Tina Tyler makes 10. 

• Other:  Meetings have been set, know the mission and working on the strategy.  Focus will be educational, what’s happening at the Park and with FOLKS, let them know what we have followed up on.  Announce the Advisory Council in the monthly newsletter.  Some have committed 2 years and some just one year but may extend it to 2.  There is good cross over of Council members.  Working on getting a connection to the FGCU Water School.
  
• Mission Statement:  Their job is to help with expertise, protect, preserve, support the park.     

• Secretary Report – Christy
• WDC Landscaping Project Update: On January 19th, “Lee County Beautiful “is coming to do plantings.  We had a delay in starting because of the hold up of our payment checks due to Duramen Landscaping not supplying their W9.  John Schiera supplied his immediately.  All contracts thus far, have been signed by Jim. The hold-up is just the Duramen W9.

Some donors question the money spending for this large landscape project, so Trish created a document to help explain how this is far more than beautifying the WDC.  We are providing a critical habitat for top pollinators, including birds, butterflies and bees.  Inspire others to create their own pollinator garden.  It will be a “living classroom” in which attendees can view many plants, birds, and other SWFL wildlife they’ve learned about in the onsite classes. Prime location for photography classes on nature.

• Membership Update:  The database has been moved into Shopify.  Karen Morreale is working with Chris to understand how to use Shopify once she has access, to do the email blasts from there.  It has been a slow transition.  Can’t cancel Salsa until everything is in Shopify.  Lori has been sending out the lifetime membership cards for 2024, since December.  She does not know how to access the former list of lifetime members with contact information. 

• Other: Lori is key to keeping Shopify updated in the long term.

• Treasurer’s Report
• Review of Draft December Financial Statements: financials will be changed.  Landscaping is covered.  Don’t have the in-kind donation information. 
• Other:  Changing Bank to Sanibel-Captiva.  Christy will have check signing ability and take Megan off.  Need to update the donor screen and keep it updated.  Get Lori trained in the donor reports.

1. Other Reports:
   
2. Manatee Installation update– Tim:  Working on concrete cap for the foundations.  Bronze plate has been ordered.
   
3. Event planning for 2024 – Katie and Jim:  No Vow renewal as there is no one to take it on this year.  Baskets instead of the full lunch went well.  Tried to use the Mound House but the Board declined.  The 5K is not happening this year with Beach Talk Radio.  Todd is starting all over at concessions, so not able to take this on.

Art classes will have a set fee system which is all included.  Summer camp has been reduced to 2 local teachers who are interested in it.  No Eco camp, more science based.  Folks gets a 10% donation.  They pay for their park entry.

Need a 2-5 year plan.

Lecture series is something that will be back, but once we have electricity and the window shielding is done.  Expecting a world class 2025 education and lecture series.  There are intentions to bring back the lecture series. 

Dawn Miller said she would like to see a “Diamonds and Denim” event. Perhaps Beach Talk radio could do a 5k in the Fall.  We need to do the Vow renewal in some form next February.

Other

• Open Board Members discussion about the future: We need to plan the next “big thing” we want to do for the park and rangers. 

• New Business: Katie said the Tourist development Council wants to put a camera 360 degrees of the back Bay, at their expense.  We would like to see about getting a “critter cam”. 

• Adjournment:
• Motion to adjourn: Tim
• Seconded: Kathryn
• Meeting adjourned at:  4:08

Next Meetings

• Executive Committee
• February 6, 12:00 WDC
• Board 2024
• March 12
• May 14
• August 13
• October 8
• December 10
• Annual Meeting
• January 31, 4:00 – WDC with Sip and Shop