The Rutland Community Club met on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at City Hall. Twenty community members were present.
President Liermark asked RCC Director Hilary Mehrer to run the meeting which was called to order at 7:05 p.m.
Minutes: Bert/Lori moved approval of the minutes of September 1, 2009. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: Deborah Banish reported non-Uffda income and expenses for the prior month:
Income: Fun Night Deposits $645.00. Expenses: Website renewal two-year hosting fee and troubleshooting assistance ($40.38), Hall supplies ($114.93), Fun Night expenses ($399.33), and Secretary of State filing fee for 2008 and 2009 plus penalty ($70). Fun Night netted a profit of $245.67, excluding any bingo income.
Jen/Carolyn moved to approve the report as presented. Motion carried.
Uffda Day: Deborah Banish presented a financial report for 2009 noting that expenses for musicians and the clown have not yet been invoiced or paid. Ronnie Narum report that Waste Management is donating the trash hauling so there will not be fee for that in 2009. Deborah stated that the preliminary financial report indicates a profit of $7,196.89 for this year. The five-year Uffda Day financial report for 2005 – 2009 shows that Uffda Day generates about $7,000 annually. The larger profit in 2007 was due primarily to the various 125th Anniversary souvenir sales that accounted for half of the profit that year.
Debra Liermark reported that there was a misprint on some of the T-shirts and the lefse recipe was not printed on the back; RCC will receive a reimbursement for the misprint.
Hilary reminded Committee chairs to submit their written reports when they are completed. The Uffda Taco and Lefse Committee chairs gave their written reports to the President.
Discussion ensued on the 2009 Uffda Day with the following comments:
- There is a need to have a separate Uffda Day Committee and not rely solely on the RCC to handle the event.
- Although the event seemed chaotic and disorganized, it managed to make a good profit once again.
- Rutland must continue to host an Uffda Day event to generate funds — especially now with the Hall renovation project coming.
- More and better signage and communication is needed.
- Planning needs to start no later than January for the October event.
Lori McLean volunteered to Chair the 2010 Uffda event. She suggested six or eight others form a group to plan and organize the event.
Suggestions for 2010 included:
- Activities should continue to start at 11:00 a.m. but the parade could be later, say 1:00 p.m.
- New features are needed to attract and keep people in town longer, like tractor pulls and activities for all age groups. A grape stomp was suggested.
- Lefse sales and demonstrations need to be moved back from the Church, that location does not work well.
- Lefse demonstrations, rolling and selling fresh lefse should continue all day so lefse is available.
- A minimum of two individuals are needed for the selling of the lefse and packaged goods.
- Lefse demonstrations and sales could be in the Fire Hall where the Fitness Center is at the present time; the other side of the Hall could be for crafters.
- More lefse rollers are needed to make the packaged lefse; training sessions early in the year would be helpful.
- Uffda Tacos could be sold in the Rutland Café location as the Café does not plan to be open on that Sunday given all the other food sales in town.
- The Dinner Hall could include other ethnic foods – like Kuchen or Knoephle — as part of the dinner selection in addition to scalloped potatoes.
- A new lefse Chair will be needed next year to get people to help. Volunteers could be trained and solicited sooner. Each session requires rollers, flippers, runners and packers.
- An “experienced” lefse maker is needed at each session to determine what is feasible for packaging for sale and what should be kept for the dinner – or tossed.
- The Rutland ND website has a feature that could be utilized for people to “sign-up” to make lefse on specific dates.
Santa Day: Bert offered to chair Santa Day on Saturday, December 12. Debra and Vicky will help with the event. It was agreed that the committee can determine whether turkeys or hams – or both – will be given away this year.
New Business: Ione Pherson stated she belongs to the Riding for Dreams therapeutic riding program based in Milnor. The group is planning to participate in the Parade of Lights Festival in Lisbon in December. They are planning to make and sell lefse at the Festival and would like to request use of the lefse grills on Sunday to prepare and free the lefse. it would be great to be able to use the Hall – at no charge.
Bert said she has no problem with using the hall; the grills belong to the RCC. RCC members present voiced no objection.
Hilary/Bev moved that the RCC donate the hall rental payment for use on Sunday, if necessary. Motion carried.
Ione said the group will meet at 3 p.m. Any volunteers would be welcome to help with making the lefse.
Wendy Jacobson said that her sons planned to make a presentation to the RCC on the Voyageur’s International tour and trip they took in July. There are hundreds of photos to choose from so the program has not yet been completed. They can plan to put a presentation together, with assistance from Deborah Banish, for a future meeting.
It was agreed that a presentation would be planned for December 1. The RCC will provide a screen and projector for the presentation which should be publicized and open to other community members.
Bert moved that the RCC contribute $100 to the Rutland Park Board for the use of its popcorn popper for Uffda Day and Fun Night. Lori seconded the motion which was put to vote and carried.
Nominating Committee: Ron Narum and Vicky Haussler volunteered to serve as the RCC Nominating committee to find individuals willing to run for the two upcoming vacancies. Terms are expiring for Hilary Mehrer, Director at-Large, and Jeff Olson, Secretary.
City Hall: Bert said the City Hall expansion project is proceeding. The City Council will hold its meeting, and public hearing, next Monday, November 9, at 8:00 p.m. to continue discussion and receive community input on the project.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
