Annual Fall Conference 2015
DISTRICT VI – OCTOBER 2, 2015 CONFERENCE – MINUTES
The Texas Federation of Music Clubs District VI Fall Conference was held in Austin on October 2, 2015. The following clubs were in attendance: The Austin Wednesday Morning Music Club represented by Carolyn McColloch, Sue Breuer, Beth Moreno (who staffed the registration desk), Lee Meyer, Mary Lou Connelly, and Virginia Kniesner; The Etude Music Club of San Antonio represented by Lois Armor, Carol Dubose, Sara LeClerc, Marque McKay, and Freda Goodman; the New Braunfels Music Study Club by Martine Cardin-Allen; and the Music Study Club of Gonzales represented by Shirley Spoon. Judy and Mike Gorrell came from the Arpeggio Music Club in San Antonio as did Mary Thomason (President of District VI) and John Isaacks from the Crownridge Music Club in San Antonio. Sue and Brett Bachus of the Bachus Conservatory in Austin attended as the new junior festival location for most of the Austin students. Lynn McNew of Fort Worth attended as the new president of the Texas Federation of Music Clubs and Carla Johnson as a recent past president.
The General Assembly meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m. Shirley moved to accept the agenda, and Judy seconded it. The motion was passed by acclamation. TFMC President Lynn McNew and past TFMC President Carla Johnson were introduced as were the five District VI officers. Mary read a prayerful message about the power of positive thinking, and that group efforts can have beneficial outcomes with hope. Everyone stood to recite the pledge of allegiance to the flag in honor of our country. Mary said that all are welcome to join the family of NFMC and TFMC. No one is excluded.
The NFMC Collect was recited, and the Federation Hymn was sung. Past WMMC President Carolyn McColloch welcomed the group to Austin. Shirley Spoon of Gonzales (next year’s conference location) responded to this welcome. Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, 11th edition was cited as the set of rules being used by the Parliamentarian for this meeting.
The minutes from the October 2014 meeting had been distributed by email, and were approved with no further corrections at this meeting of the General Assembly.
The estimated expenses are $625. The estimated income is $660. As of 9/30/15 there is $4,606.72 in the TFMC District 6 Original Account; $7,938.05 in the TFMC District 6 Festival Account; and $5,000 in the TFMC District 6 CD. District 6-1 will receive $3604.00 of the $7,938.05 (390 students out of 859 = 45.40%); District 6-3 will receive $545.22 (59 students out of 859 = 6.87%); and District 6-4 will receive $3,788.83 (410 students out of 859 = 47.73%).
The Executive Committee recommended the acceptance of the proposed budget by the General Assembly including the approval of the following two proposals.
Establish three new bank accounts for TFMC Junior Festivals in compliance with TFMC Treasurer’s directive to eliminate District use of the TFMC State EIN.
Apportion funds in the District 6-1 Junior Festivals account among the three new accounts based on percentages of 2015 festival participants aligning with each Festival District.
The budget and these two proposals were approved by the General Assembly (as moved by Shirley and seconded by Judy). The budget is attached to these minutes.
WMMC musicians Catherine Van Zanten and Pat Yingst presented the musical program with music by Robert Muczynski for flute and violin.
Focus Groups
At 10:30 a.m. attendees broke into two groups. One group discussed plans for the March 2016 TFMC State Convention in Austin at the Holiday Inn, and the other group discussed junior festival finance issues. Carolyn and Carla led the first group and Mary and Lois led the second group. Mary announced that she had four sets of officer and chairman reports. The Recording Secretary needs one set to attach to the minutes. The reports were being bypassed so that the focus groups could meet.
Here are some of the thoughts that came up during the TFMC State Convention planning focus group. District VI is responsible for hospitality arrangements. This includes welcome baskets for 3 people, welcome packets for all, tables and chairs setup and take-down for meals, and meal table decorations. San Antonio is responsible for Thursday evening. Friday breakfast is for NFMC life members only. New Braunfels is responsible for Friday lunch. Austin is responsible for Friday evening.
Saturday breakfast is “on your own.” Gonzales is responsible for Saturday lunch.
Sue Breuer will be handling the hospitality details for NFMC President Michael Edwards. Lee Meyer will be handling the hospitality details for the NFMC Young Artist Award winner Christie Conover. Lois is the chair for the “goodie bags,” and Freda is the chair for the door prizes. Carla has leftover DPS (Department of Public Safety) bags that can be used as welcome bags. Shirley also has some similar bags. HEB or Randalls have larger bags.
Musical interludes (including piano) are being coordinated by Lynn. Shirley Spoon will coordinate registration. Dorene Allen will be coming with name tags, registration, and meal tickets. Table decorations should be small to not overcrowd the table or block the view of people. It is best to coordinate the table decoration colors with the tablecloth and napkin colors provided by Holiday Inn. Lynn will have a theme for the decorations soon, probably something like Spring and the Hill Country. There are 60 lunch tables and 70 (Thursday) to 80 dinner tables. Lynn has a box of decorative stars left over from Opera in the Ozarks that can be used as table decorations.
Virginia led the memorial service around 11:30. The WMMC hosted the luncheon. After lunch Virginia and John reported the status of the two focus groups. The Credentials Committee Report and the Courtesy Resolutions Committee Report were read by Beth.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m. with Shirley Spoon leading “The Gift of Song.”
Submitted by: Virginia Kniesner (October 14, 2015)
District VI Recording Secretary
