Burlington City Arts Board of Directors — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-07-08
Time: 15:00

BCA Executive Committee Minutes
 Tuesday, July 8, 3pm
 Held via Zoom

Executive Committee Members: Lori Rowe, Billi Gosh, Lisa Lillibridge, Laura McDonough,
Sarah Rogers, Patrick Shank (absent)
BCA Staff present: Doreen Kraft, Sara Katz
The meeting was called to order at 3:06.

Approval of Agenda and Minutes

  Lori thanked everyone for attending and made a motion to accept the minutes of the
 previous meeting and amend the agenda to place the discussion of strategies for
 committee structure at the end.
  The motion to approve the amended agenda and minutes was made by Laura, seconded
 by Billi Gosh and approved unanimously.

Public Forum

  No members of the public present.

Update on 405 Project

  Doreen provided an update on the 405 Community Room, which is almost complete and
 expected to have a certificate of occupancy before the soft opening on September 4
 during the Art Hop weekend. The opening will include an open house–style event with
 tours and opportunities to see studio members' work.
  The Committee discussed the potential fee structure, including a regular fee and a
 nonprofit rate, the need for a more formalized subsidization of space program to cover
 hard costs and support the operations budget of Burlington City Arts, and the balance of
 ensuring accessibility and financial sustainability.
  Further work on the fee structure will be needed prior to marketing and opening.
  Doreen discussed another major event in the space—a celebration of Lili Ruane’s
 artwork and contributions on October 9—which will invite donors and potential donors to
 the matching campaign for the Lili Ruane Studios.

Executive Session

  Lori made a motion to go into executive session to discuss a personnel matter under the
 provisions of Title One section 313.1. A
  The motion was seconded and approved.
  Billi moved to come out of executive session, and the motion was seconded and
 approved.
Committee Structure and Board Engagement Discussion

  The discussion focused on issues of limited staff resource and ways we can make board
 meetings more engaging and educational, while still addressing the organization's
 business needs.
  The idea of having clear, actionable tasks for board members was proposed, such as
 hosting events, raising funds and getting people to attend public events.
  The conversation also covered the structure and effectiveness of current committees,
 suggesting more active engagement and clearer roles.
  The importance of long-term planning for the organization was emphasized, with a focus
 on adapting to changes in city structure and resources.
  The next executive committee meeting was scheduled for July 21 at 3pm to further
 discuss these issues and develop a board meeting plan for the year, with special emphasis
 on structuring the annual meeting presentations and discussions for the September
 meeting, especially around the question of what long-term planning scenarios should we
 explore for BCA's future structure, given the city's potential departmental changes. Lori
 will review the bylaws for committee structure requirements and distribute notes to guide
 discussion.

 The meeting was adjourned at 4:30.