Meeting Notes from Dec 5, 2013

Present:  John, Deb, Blair, Chloe, Neil, Traca, Eva, Dave, Julie

1. Tax and Incorporation Discussion: 

We read from Mary Ellen's research notes as follows:

The Maine Assn of Nonprofits has been very helpful (my employer org is a member) so I've been able to get some free advice. There is such a thing as a Self-Declared non-profit, but we will be bringing in too much revenue to qualify -- income must be $5000 or less per year.  If we have 30 people at 50 dances per year, our income will be more like $15000 per year (expenses don't matter).  
Since we won't be seeking 501c3 tax exempt status with the IRS (at least in the short term), our tax filing is as follows: 
If the group incorporates and does not qualify as a self-declared or otherwise tax-exempt entity with the IRS:•   Corporations that are not tax exempt (including taxable nonprofit corporations) generally file IRS Form 1120 and Maine Form 1120ME.
I would imagine this would not be a complicated return for our org because there is no payroll etc.  I know a couple of people who could do the return very inexpensively in the future if we find we can't do it "in-house".  I can't imagine we'd owe much for taxes, but we could do a dry run with estimated income on a sample Form 1120 to check it out. 
We shouldn't be in a rush to incorporate for 2013 as we would have to file a 2013 income tax return, as well as a 2013 Maine annual report, even if we incorporate on the last day of the year!:
State of Maine Annual ReportIf organized as a Maine nonprofit corporation, the organization must file an Annual Report with the Maine Secretary of State (www.maine.gov/sos/cec/corp/helpful.html) and maintain a Registered Agent.
I also checked with our organization's (big)accounting firm who said that it doesn't matter if the org has no money remaining at the end of any given year, to be perfectly legal, a tax return should be filed.  For example, a company could make millions and then spend millions and be broke by year end, but that doesn't mean they don't have to file a tax return, or owe taxes.

Neil shared about efforts to host an event at State St Church for NYE.  With the help of a lawyer, Neil proposes that we consider jumping through the legal hoops to be able to get insurance in the next couple of weeks for NYE.  Neil agreed to look into seeing what our legal options are for NYE.
Deb offered to call the Grange in N Yarmouth, Woodfords Club, and Eva offered to contact Mad Horse Theater.

We decided that we are going to ask Neil to fast track the incorporation / insurance process and share that with the board-to-be, and the board-to-be and Neil together shall decide how to proceed.

2.  We read Don's review of finances as follows:

Finances

Here is a quick run down of the finances:
12/1 DanceWe took in $372 on Sunday, with $212 left after paying for the space and the DJ.
TotalsWe have taken in a total of $2,612 in revenues.  After $1,370 in expenses we have a total of $1,242 remaining in the sock drawer.
Expenses on the horizon:
$100 for Web site build and deployment (Chloe)
Legal fees surrounding incorporation
Rental of the State Street Church for New Years Eve dance
Insurance for PCD (both for the NYE dance and long term)

3.  We discussed and ogled the beautiful mission / values / intentions statement that was crafted by Martin and John.   We almost adopted it but decided to hold off for now until others could express views and feedback.  After considering feedback, we plan to adopt a near version of this statement at our next meeting.  See below for text.

4.  Deb shared the writing of Sage, Deb and Kellie that provides a first-draft of the history of Portland Community Dance.   She took our feedback and agreed to take it back to Kellie and Sage, and return to the next meeting with an updated version.

5.  Deb volunteered to coordinate a new-comers' orientation blurb.   Julie, Eva and Blair volunteered to work with deb on that.

6.  John proposes a google group for managing communication.  The group said yes.  John is going to move ahead with it.

7.  Our next meeting will be Tuesday, Dec 17 at MaryEllen's house at 186 Concord St in Portland.

8. The group talked about promoting again. It seems like we don't want to market at this point.

9. Are kids allowed? We're not sure what we are rated but we we agreed on no children under 13.

10.  Membership was tabled.

11.  New People Come Free?   The group was undecided.  But the group likes the expression for first-timers: "Pay What You Want".

Portland Community Dance

Mission Statement

Sharing the gifts of movement in open, free-form dance gatherings run by a community of like-hearted dancers

Values/Intentions

It is our desire and intention that the quality and way in which we join, serve and enjoy dance remain in the hands of a community-intentioned group of active dancers. Our community flourishes through joint responsibility and ownership of the dance and active participation in as many aspects of its life as possible. We hold this community orientation essential to the character, health and life of our dance gathering.

We honor and value the variety of musical directions and styles as expressed by a number of dancer-DJs committed to harmonizing with the community tastes and needs. In addition, we love, celebrate and encourage those who work to bring their vision of dance to us. Through the creative contributions of diverse imaginations and styles, as expressed through the programs of music used to move and inspire us, we find the opportunity to practice, synthesize and express our unique dance while organically sharing with each other the opportunities and expertise found in diverse programs.

We come together to know ourselves, each other and the world in the languages of movement, dance and music. Think of the great herds, deer and elk, horse and buffalo; schools and pods of fish, porpoise, whale; flocks of swallow and geese—and yes, too, the march of forests and grasses, all of us breathing together in movement and stillness—one in the dance.