Manhattan Beach Education Foundation
Board Minutes – March 4, 2003

Meeting Place: Mira Costa High School, Adult Living Center, Room 113

Attendees:

Directors (20/25): Geoff Bremer, Webster Burns, Wendy Carson, Randy Dotemoto, Mike Dunitz, Ruth Graf-Urasaki, Craig Kline, Carolyn Leserman, Anne McLaughlin, LeRoy Nelson, John Oshiro, Pat Parker, Carol Rowe, Julian Ryder, Freddi Segal-Gidan, Jeff Thaler, Kim Siehl, Ida VanderPoorte, Gary Wayland, Richard Wennekamp

MBUSD Representatives: Dr. Sheralyn Smith, Lynette Campbell, Dr. Teri Greene

MBEF Staff: Sherry Kramer, Susan Patterson

Guests: None

Handouts: Agenda, Minutes, Financial Reports, Reserve Fund Summary.

Call to Order: 7:36 PM by President Carolyn Leserman.

1. Minutes: Correct section 5b to match Gary’s proposal. A motion to approve the February minutes as corrected was made by Richard Wennekamp, seconded by LeRoy Nelson, and approved by voice vote.
    
2. Budget Issues / Directed Donation Campaign: The letter to elementary parents was drafted by the coalition committee and Debra Bronow. Elementary PTAs seem to be very successful getting pledges of $600 per student. 151 pledges were received in the first week. The coalition has consolidated inputs on needs and priorities from all segments of the community. The coalition will be splitting into site committees to review site-based priorities plus a core committee to coordinate the site committees. MBEF is keeping track of donations by school site and splitting donations for families with children at multiple schools. The priorities will be disseminated as soon as a consensus is reached. Carolyn Leserman, Wendy Carson, Anne McLaughlin and Ida VanderPoorte are members of the core group, so MBEF is well represented. People are designating the level where they want their donations to go on their directed donation forms. There is a widespread misperception that the District is not using its reserves to help meet the budget shortfall. Robinson teachers have proposed to donate their classroom participation awards to the coalition fund. Backlot Ball ticket purchases do not count towards Directed Donations, Super Circle or Classroom awards. All directed donations count towards Super Circle and Classroom awards.
    
3. Financial Report: Treasurer Gary Wayland presented the financial reports, which include a new line item for District Directed Donations: $47,337 to date. Approximately one-third of directed donations are pledges, two-thirds are cash. Membership donations continued to come in, total $258,011. Geoff Bremer reported that Jeff Horn has fully invested our $1.1 million bond portfolio with an average yield of 2.5% and with maturities of 1-2 years.
    
4. Administrative Director’s Report: Susan Patterson is very busy with membership contributions, directed donations and Backlot Ball tickets.
    
5. Business Education Partnership Report: Sherry Kramer reported that we received $20,000 from Chevron for the Wine Auction. All corporate tables are sold for the Backlot Ball. Sherry will be presenting a two-page report to the School Board tomorrow night on her activities. She reserved the cultural center May 24 through June 5 to showcase Young At Art and the school art programs. She is working on web site links, more effective use of the sign boards, providing job placement support for displaced employees. First Coastal Bank is donating space for the parcel tax campaign. The Beach Reporter is providing the school district a free weekly full-page ad indefinitely. MBEF and the PTAs will be able to submit information to be included. Carolyn announced that Greg Rosen offered to underwrite use of his PR firm for our use. Craig Kline has a backup person.
    
6. Assistant Superintendent’s Report: Dr. Sheralyn Smith reported that summer school will offer remediation courses only. Calendars for next three years will be submitted to the School Board soon.
    
7. MBUSD Board of Trustee’s Report: Lynette Campbell distributed a summary of District reserves. Beginning balance: $12.6 million (M). Modernization: $6.5M. Budgeted 2002-03: $1.2M approved plus $1.3M pending. Budgeted 2003-04: $1.0M. 3% reserve: $1.4M. June 2004 balance: $1.2M. Possible claims on the fund balance: pending litigation, additional state budget cuts, additional special education costs, bridge loans for the track and class size reduction restoration. The 2002-03 District budget includes $1.8M revenue from sale of property, so total current year deficit is $4.3M. The reserves will run out in 2004-05, earlier than most people realize, excluding revenue from a parcel tax or from the directed donation campaign. The District has over $500,000 in special education settlements year to date. The special education law is structured as a civil rights law, with no limits.
    
8. Vice President’s Report – MBEF Officer Nominations: Richard Wennekamp received no nominations. He will meet with the Executive Committee to generate a list of nominations.
    
9. Fundraising Reports:
    
   1. Backlot Ball. Pat Parker reported that we have received good response for ticket sales, but Susan has been overwhelmed by directed donations. Volunteer needs are covered.
       
   2. Golf Tournament: Julian Ryder has several dates available: 8/4, 8/11, 8/18, 10/6, and 10/27. The weather is risky in October. Many families vacation in early August. We chose Monday, August 18.
       
   3. Membership: Richard Wennekamp requested help deciding when to close the school campaign. He would like to do it soon so that teachers can use the classroom awards this year. We usually issue School Notes in May, but this year the best timing is unclear.
       
   4. Wine Auction: Jeff Thaler reported that we are adding a dinner the week before the event at $500 per plate instead of a pre-tasting at $150 per person. Construction may limit space available for adding a wine tasting area at this year’s Old Home Town Fair.
       
   5. Oktoberfest: Pat Parker reported that the date is October 11 at the Atrium at Continental Park on Rosecrans Avenue (next to Flemings). The committee is negotiating with two potential major sponsors.
       
10. Grants Committee Report: Anne McLaughlin received a request from Nate Eisman at MBMS to replace three overworked pieces of video studio equipment for $1,600. Sherry Kramer asked Kelly Productions to support the video programs at MBMS and MCHS, which would cover this grant. A motion by Pat Parker to approve this grant in the absence of other funding was seconded by Craig and approved by voice vote.
    
    Webster Burns reported on the committee’s discussion of grants procedures. In the current environment, the committee did not see any reason to make changes this year. No grants requests have been received. Regarding the coalition priorities, Webster requested input from the Board on the priority of Art and Music. We could simplify the fundraising task of the coalition if MBEF announced that it would support one or both of those programs. We currently pay most, but not all, of the costs of these programs. Lynette Campbell suggested that we check with Larry Tramutola to avoid conflict with the parcel tax campaign. Randy Dotemoto pointed out most membership contributors donated before the coalition started the Directed Donation campaign and would expect MBEF to continue supporting the Art and Music programs as we have in prior years. Gary Wayland and Geoff Bremer expressed concern that we address K-12 programs, not just elementary. We should have more money for grants next year than last year because of the Backlot Ball. There was general agreement that we should continue to support the K-12 Art and Music programs.
     
11. Old Business: None.
     
12. New Business: John Oshiro mentioned a send-off concert for MBMS band March 28 at MCHS auditorium.
     
13. Meeting Adjourned: 9:28 PM.
     
14. Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 1, 2003, 7:30 PM at Mira Costa High School, Family Living Center, Room 113. No joke.

Respectfully submitted by LeRoy Nelson on March 5, 2003

Corrections submitted by Jeff Thaler (Section 9d) and Randy Dotemoto (Sections 9d and 10) on March 28

Approved on April 1, 2003