Good evening everyone. My name is Angela Mills. I work for the town manager here in the town of Ammerst. This is a meeting of the Ammeris Cultural Council and because of certain suspensions of open meeting laws by the governor, we are able to meet remotely via Zoom. There will be time for public comment
and if you are an attendee, we ask that you raise your hand during public comment and the chair will recognize you and we will unmute you and you can speak. We ask that hopefully your comments relate to the agenda. At this time, I would like to recognize
the co-chair, Cody Rooney. And take it away, Cody. >> And should we do a mic check? So
let me just go down my street Jose or Joe. >> Uh Joe, thank you. Yeah,
>> here. Hi everyone. Will you build? >> Either one's fine. in just >> here and just as good at this
end of the car have been nailed down. So let's just start off with a round of introduction
name and how long you have been under count. Oh, so I store
Hi, my name's Co and a coair of the Cal and I have been with the council since
202 or three years. Yeah. Now for um so again just going by how I see
people just hi I'm Jess. Um I'm a new member of the council and yeah I'm gonna pass to Rachel. Thanks, Jess. Uh, my name is Rachel Wong
and I'm finishing up my second term on the council. So, I've been on it since 201 uh can't remember if it's three-year term, so 18 2019. Um, uh, so and I will pass it on to Joe.
>> Uh, hi, I'm Joe. Um, I am brand new to the council. Uh this is my first day and I am on phone so I can't easily see the other attendees. Uh my apologies. I will pass it on to whoever hasn't introduced
themselves yet. >> I'll go. >> Um hi, I'm I'm Bill Murray. Um I've been on the council since last year. Um this is the beginning of my second year of my first term.
>> All right. Awesome. I want to thank you for that quick of introduction. Now we will go to public comment if we have anyone
in that 10 and we will call on you. So Cody, I don't see anyone in the attendee room. We can move on to number three. >> Thank you for that.
Um, next item is a pro minute for the last time we met. So, has anyone
had chance to read them? is not stay. >> Yeah. >> Can I ask a question about the minutes, please? Is this the time to do it or No, >> absolutely. Go ahead. Yep.
>> Um, so >> sorry. Thank you so much for putting that together, um, Angela for us and, um, the Is there there's feedback? Is that on my end? Anyway, um the I remember the question came up about
since we hadn't posted the guidelines for FY26 whether um we go with old ones or we just go with the state ones. And I think that's something that we were going to investigate or but I I didn't see it in the minutes. So, I don't know
if that needs to be in the minutes or um we're going to talk about it today. And then the other thing I was going to say is that since we are going to take turns taking the minutes, I'm happy to to do the minutes today. So I'll volunteer if no one else wants to do it.
>> Great. So um looking through the minutes for today, I can pull them up. I'm sorry I left that comment out. I do remember us talking about the guidelines. Where do you think they should be in the minutes? I can pull them up right now. >> I It could be anywhere. I think it was
just because it's something we're going to need to know, right, for >> for our deliberations. And that's why I thought it'd be useful to to add them to the minutes. Um >> I mean, if we need to pick a spot, I would suggest maybe item four under
discussion of minute taking and Well, actually, no. Sorry. I thought that was how to proceed for the grand cycle. But >> yeah, I would put it anywhere we talk
about the grand cycle. >> Okay, so here are the draft minutes and What if I put it at the end of our Yeah, at the end of three. Making a note of that. Okay, I'll do that. I'm sorry for the emission. I totally remember that we did talk about it.
>> Thank you. So we still just mean that we will vote on two sets. >> Yeah. Why don't I go ahead and amend those and I I'll bring them back. I'll
put them in the next packet. I think that's if everyone's okay with that. And Cody, if you're okay with that, I'm happy to do that. Yeah. >> So we will table approval of minutes till next time we
meet. Um >> do you need me to keep the agenda available because I I don't I can I can share my screen and then you can continue working if you like. >> I'm making you co-host spell.
>> Ah, gotcha. >> There you go. >> All right. Agenda. Here we go. Can everybody see that? Okay. >> Yes. >> Okay. So
next thing our agenda is review and discuss final report and for cycle
something I know that MCC has been email about um >> yeah so my update is I'm working with
our accounting office um our comproller left about a month ago and did not file paperwork on time with the MCC So, uh, we have a rollover amount that's happening and we've had some people return money to us who didn't get their,
um, initiatives off the ground for FY25 and I hope to have that in the next packet. Um, so when I log into MCC, I'm seeing that they haven't shifted the FY26 monies over because they're waiting
for that paperwork from us. So, um, that's on me and our accounting office and we need to get that done. So, we don't have anything to look at financially today, unfortunately. >> We just
table that this moving way around. That's going the NC port. Hopefully
new me have their all that. So how we want to proceed with that? So this was an opportunity I we did update the membership. So, new members,
you guys should be getting mail from the MCC and you have to create a login portal and do all of the required trainings. And if you haven't done that yet, if one of the members who's returning, one of the um seasoned members could log in and share screen
and show us what it looks like on the back end. That would be great. me. Oh, Jess, you have a question. >> Yeah, I just wanted to clarify. So, I
was able to log in um and like see the grants that had already been had started coming in. Where are the trainings that we need to submit in the MCC website? Is there like a tab where you'll see see
them? >> So, if you go to your um when I logged in and I went to my like where you enter your personal information page or your profile, >> it at the very bottom it has a confirmation check box like have you completed your local cultural council
training module. And before they let you check that box, you have to actually click on the link and it takes you to the step-by-step modules which are really informative and and very like comprehensive in terms of getting you ready for this grant cycle.
>> Okay, perfect. I'll I'll do that at some point during this week. >> And I see your hand. Yes, thank you, Cody. So, Jess, um, you probably don't have the email because maybe this is before you
officially signed on, but there was an email from our liaison at MCC who who gave us basically the list of the links of the trainings that we can click on. So, I don't know, I I can send it to you or Angela could send it to you or um it
just makes it it's all in one email, so you just have to click on those links, too. Um, if that's any easier, I I can I can pull up that email if we continue talking. >> Yeah, that would be perfect. >> Yeah. So, um, hang on a second. Um, oh,
yeah. So, this one, um, Angela, can I send it to you since you can share screen? Um, does that make sense or no? >> Absolutely. Or I'm happy to allow you to share screen, whichever you prefer. >> Um, I will just send it to you and then
Okay. in real time and then you can share that makes it easier and then I don't know if um we are are our emails are can we communicate with each other by email right now or >> um that was a conversation that we should have if everyone feels comfortable sharing their email with one
another I'm happy to put together a list >> right okay >> yeah I have no problem with that just Yeah. >> Mhm.
>> I'm fine with it, too. >> I I do have a question, though. Those emails, do those become public record or do we need to be u is there anything we have to do if we're talking to each other to save records? record. >> Um,
they are not going I will do my best to keep them off the website and off of all of the things that are in the packet >> and I can redact everyone's emails from things if we have to turn emails into PDFs. In terms of like public record requests,
usually what's requested is the stuff from packets and the stuff that's sent from the actual municipal employee and then I would have to redact out people's names from that. Okay. >> Yeah, >> thank you. >> Sure. >> So,
I am going to make that bigger. >> I just sent you an email and so just have you been able to get into the mass cultural website so you can I mean the portal the mass the smart simple so you can see the >> the like you can get at the panel book
for example and stuff or no? >> Yeah. So, I've been able to get into the portal. >> Okay. Um, I didn't realize cuz it's in like the my profile tab. I didn't even like scroll down to the bottom of that. Um,
but yeah, if there's And I'm also confused about where I would see. Let me see. Yeah, I guess I'll just um click on the training links in the email because I can't see where they are in the portal
itself. >> Okay, >> I can ask the other piece is just I I can ask Jay um the person who I've been working at with the MCC to send all of our new members to resend them this email so that you can go through. I
mean, it's just they've organized it so completely. It's it's perfect. Yeah, it's just easier to go with that one email and then you have everything you need than just click on them. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, that would be great. Thank you.
>> Yep. And Joe, same scenario for you. >> Yes, I was successfully able to create a login. However, on the homepage, I'm unable to clearly see where there's anything. Just says welcome, Joseph, my profile and report your council's applications. And I can click on panel
book draft submitted. But I don't easily see anything for trainings. So I was also confused. >> Can I ask just out of curiosity because when I click on our panel book, it's empty. How many applications do we have? >> Um 111.
>> Wow. >> Yeah. Which is the same number we had. And I will know there are some
duplicates which have been is true in the past. We've talked to them on previous
legship st that they have you know I wonder because it's the same people submit it twice again.
Now did that last cycle, but we talk about that when we get to our actual grants.
Um so we Let me Senses you straight. So I
think everyone got into sport simple knows how to never g it at the train
which we will get that email sent out. Um, so that's well almost done here, but
let's maybe take time in this crash was was the drive
of patient to um I will just by saying I like kiss more like I felt a good go she was all
because it was so easy to delete stuff when I say Google about
town state uses my still but um the M form look
good just to hear others arms. >> No. >> Is it okay? >> Yeah. Sorry. Go ahead. No, I was just going to ask is the question whether
we're going to use the score sheet versus like a spreadsheet to keep score. Is that the discussion right now? Oh, from my understanding based on
um ask me and answer me if I submit this my
for it will all compile all this. >> Yeah. So there are if I may there are two ways like in my head I have this happening and one way is through a
Microsoft form and it would look like this and every person would get this form and you would have a you would have the link and your when you respond it goes right
into a spreadsheet and then I would take the average of all the scores and enter that on a master spreadsheet and we'd all look at the master spreadsheet once everyone had scored every application. The other way I thought about this, and I played with it a little bit this
weekend, which is a little bit new to me, and I'm sure you guys probably have better ideas about how to do this, but the other way to do it is to create a master sheet in Excel. And the master sheet draws from your
personal scoring sheet. And so you'll have a column on the master sheet and you can view the master sheet at any time and look at other people's scoring, but you won't be able to edit the master sheet. You'll just be able to edit your spreadsheet. And so you would basically sit with the affective scale that's the
intake form and you would rate every proposal. And so if the top score is a 20, you would give like the meeting house proposal 17. and you'd enter that on your spreadsheet and it would autopop populate to the master spreadsheet so that when we meet we'd be only looking
at the master spreadsheet but I could say okay it looks like Rachel scored this very high and Cody scored this same proposal very low do you both want to speak to why if we got into that at the
at the monetary level so I don't >> and I'm willing to set up both and have you try both and we can look at both. Um I I personally am more of a spreadsheet person and other people might feel
better about just clicking on the affective score and the amount of work for both administratively is pretty much the same. So it's it's a choice for the council. And if if my description wasn't
very clear, we can we can try out both and you can let me know what you prefer. I mean, I feel that that's what we been do
our own Google she have to submit that each time versus it's just pop.
Um, I I would say I just say think about time and
get through over 100 applications. So, do we really got time to
sit here and just look at both models or you know, do we just come to a consensus?
Now we just use that. So let's say you s >> I mean from from my perspective the beauty of the the Excel sheet um was
the ability to sort data um like we did last last year. Um, and the fact that Angela can have it autopop populate makes the process that we had that was cumbersome. Um, and really took up a lot of time of the chair uh last time that
that seems to take that part of it away. Although Angelie, I re realize you have to do some backend work to make all of that happen. Um, I guess the only question I have is when we talk about scoring, do we each individually do we need to keep track of scoring for each
category or is it just the the combined score? >> It's a great question. In my head, I was thinking it would be the aggregate score. So, you'd still be using that scoring sheet for your own purposes, but you would be entering your aggregate score for every proposal. and the
proposals like I'd just be pulling that data sheet with the proposal numbers and the identifiers straight from the MCC. >> Okay. Thank you. Yeah, I know we've
talked about I haven't done the auto fil but I know you talked about c boys you know how many
for class. How many for and such? Are we still able to do that or
is that something we would have manual? No, I think I think we'd still be able to do that. And that would be one of the categories we could sort by. So once everything is scored, we could sort by that over that broad category.
>> Okay. Yeah. That's um people I'm hearing sheet
the way to go. >> Um I think the spreadsheet is definitely the way to go just from what it sounds like. um it would really increase uh process efficiency. Being able to have it autofill and then um having Angela
just be able to pull it up is really really valuable. Um being to save that amount of time in that way and sort of centralizing everything uh really help us perform our roles better. I think even just from the small amount I've heard of it. Um yeah, I'm a fan of process efficiency. So I think that's a
great idea. >> Yeah. Um, >> thank you. So, just two things. One is that um, Cody, I think last time our meeting in our meeting, we agreed that we would review we would score all of the applications before we start
deliberating. So, we wouldn't have this, you know, several rounds of sending scores in, right? So, that I think that's going to be make it a lot more efficient and streamlined. And the other thing I was going to ask is um Angela, the way you're going to set up the spreadsheet for people who don't use PCs
if they're like on a Mac, it c would it still work the same way if because people on Mac can can use Excel, but would that would that kind of impact what you're trying to do at all or not really? >> So, I'm using uh the cloud-based Excel through Microsoft. So, we'll have to you
I can't answer that because I'm I'm always on the work computer which is a Dell. So, we'll just have it'll be trial and error. I mean, both setups feed into an Excel spreadsheet. The only difference is the Microsoft Form allows you to just click on your score and then
that aggregate score goes into a spreadsheet. Every single project would have its own individual spreadsheet and my job would be to cut and paste that into a master sheet, right? So, like let's say we had 11 people on the cultural council. All 11
of you would score through the form this one project and then that creates just uh an a summary spreadsheet with everyone's score. I would run the average score and enter that average into a master spreadsheet and then we
could always go back and look at the raw data if we wanted to ever the alternate version where we have the master spreadsheet and you each have your own individual tab attached to that master spreadsheet. You would be the only person who gets to see your personal
scoring spreadsheet and the master spreadsheet. Everyone could see, but only I get to edit. So, you could all review the master spreadsheet, see who's actually doing their homework, but only I get to edit that master spreadsheet. And then when we'd meet, we
would just look at again, it would have everyone's raw data, but then I would go ahead and just pull across and have it run the average for everyone's score. And then we could collapse down everyone's personal scores and just look at the average scores and then sort by
whatever we want to sort by, how far away they are, if it's based in Ammerst, if it's not based in Ammerst. We could do whatever we want with that master spreadsheet, which is nice. Yeah. Um, we haven't heard from Jess about
the SP. I agree that the spreadsheet sounds great, especially being able to do that auto sorting, the auto population. Yeah, that sounds perfect. >> All right,
let's go with this for idea. And now I believe we need to face a revol.
So can I have a motion? Sure. Uh I move to use the spreadsheet master spreadsheet as a screen as the the form we use. >> Sorry, Bill. You cut out a bit there. Did you Did you mean
>> Oh, I'm sorry. >> No, it's okay. On my own. So I move to use the Excel spreadsheet, the master Excel spreadsheet as described by Angela as the scoring form this cycle.
>> I'll second it. Did you did you have a specific one in mind or just like the second version she talked about the autopop populate or the >> Yeah. Yeah.
for lack of purp. Um, so let's go into a cold and this time bill.
>> I vote yes. >> Rachel. >> Yes. >> Jess. >> Yes. >> Joe. >> Yes. I'm a yes or a passes
in that or we will use for this grand cycle. Um, you can tell P All right.
And now I don't think we have any nicest noticated in 48 hours.
Correct. Um, so I believe that us to >> m may I ask a question since we have a couple of minutes?
>> Great. >> Yeah. related to the spreadsheet that we're we've agreed to use and that is um in the past we would also have a column that about how much we are inclined to give right is that is that also going to
be included or we only using the the criteria from the score sheet that Angela provided the the four do you know what I mean is that something we should be discussing now or Not. >> Yeah. >> The reason I'm asking the question is
that something could come up with very high points score-wise, but if they're asking for a lot of money, we still probably can't give them the entire amount they're asking for just because they have 20 points. You see what I mean? So, so I'm wondering if >> Yeah. part of our initial, you know,
consideration on an individual basis if it would make sense for us to either put in a dollar amount or percentage or something based on the grant request. So, so I don't know, Angela, if if for the spreadsheet itself, you're going to kind of put all the information in panel
book in the spreadsheet or only the the the the scores. Do you see why? Do you understand my question? >> I understand what you're saying. I'm pulling I think for the master spreadsheet I'm pulling everything in. >> Okay. >> And then as we start to as you as a
group start to deliberate I'm happy to narrow it down. But I think what would be really helpful just and we can change it up if we don't like it is to I will make a column for your dollar amount that you'd like to give every proposal and then maybe we look at the average
and maybe that helps. >> Yeah. Because and maybe it doesn't, right? But maybe maybe just at a first pass, maybe it helps. >> Yeah. And this could lead to chaos.
Let's say we all have a consensus or let's say we all need let's say $800. That's the consensus
and only talk in detail about if we got numbers all over the place. And again, that could be a awful idea,
but you know what I'm hearing is that the foric as demanding
process. Are you worried about like for example one person putting a much higher or lower value really skewing the average and like worried about using that as a jumping off point for that particular
reason? I'm just thinking you know we've been all over and have to take that time to negotiate
in that can be that can eat up time. So what I'm saying is yeah if someone has a high
and someone else has a low mouth that would ru a deeper conversation. What? Where can we
go see in or what do we feel the way we do? I guess my personal perspective is that we would probably be having those negotiations anyway and that having like starting off with the average might be a
good jumping off point and then whoever is skewing it in either direction like we can get into that if needed. But I also haven't gone through this like review process. So I don't know if people who have have different perspectives.
>> Yeah. Um, you know, if people want to do it the way we always been do it. I'm fine. I'm just,
you know, thinking ways to be more five. Yeah. I've been thinking about this actually all week and I I don't have a good answer. Um it feels like this is going to be the messy part no matter what. I mean it was messy last year. Um I I
don't I'm not a data analyst, so I'm not a numbers person in that respect. There may be a good way to do this, but I can't think of one. Um, and I I don't uh I think starting with an average is as good a way to to do this negotiation as anything else. Um,
to as a starting point, I don't have a better idea, I guess, is what I'm saying. And I don't think that there's any efficient way to do this that would make it easier. >> No. >> Oh, thank you. So I think since Angela's going to go through the trouble to to
create this master spreadsheet for us then in the same way that the MCC site they you know because they have certain autopop populated numbers in there. So for example, if we have that column in our respective um
worksheets and we kind of you know on an individual basis are thinking okay how much for each grant and then the the sum should come out to to what our total grant is you know so I think and then we can maybe take all of that and then make
the average and then negotiate because I feel like that cuts down on the meeting time that we have to do as a group, you know, because if we individually kind of have a sense of this is the total amount of money I you know we have to allocate and my personal standpoint is this is
how I would distribute it right and then we compile that and then we have the meeting based on those numbers and then we can talk based on scoring based on funding and it seems like a good way to use our time together. That's that's kind of where I'm coming from. So
>> I like if I can just hop in as the as a person who's crunching the numbers with you. I would say if your individual when you rank right if your individual um aotment for all of the um applications
adds up to 49,000. If you can be really fiscally tight and your personal one is 49,000 at the end, that will make the averages more meaningful from my perspective. >> Um,
>> do we need to now or is that something we're going to Okay, but that's a great idea, Angela. Thank you cuz that you you've given us a margin to work with when we do have these conversations. Thank you for that Bill. Yes.
Um, so I guess the the question that was asked is do we need to vote on this and Angela or doesn't kind of matter. Um, I mean is the council comfortable kind of just giving it a shot like moving
forward with this um but with the understanding that if it needs to be adjusted for whatever reason we could or do we want to make it vote official? I don't I don't have a strong opinion either. I guess I don't know if it's
necessary. Yeah, >> I think I think as we start to do the ratings, there are going to be things that we're going to have to fix. Like I think the buckets and the ways that I identify certain projects as you know it's a it's a musical but it's outdoor theater. Like we have to decide what
bucket to put that in, right? And these large buckets we're going to have to refine. There are going to be things that we have to fix. Um, but one of the things that will be easier to agree upon is um once we take
a look at that master spreadsheet and you start doing the scoring and I think two or three scores in, you're all going to have feedback for me of things that we need to add or things that don't seem relevant. And I'm open to all of that.
>> Okay. So, so again, now that I'm thinking about it, so I don't I don't see a need to vote on this. It's another data point with all the other data points in the spreadsheet. Um, and we'll just move forward with that additional column as discussed. >> All right. So before we break up and
before we adjourn, Jess and um Joe, as you start to go through the learning modules with MCC, if there are things that aren't clear to you, I'm going to send you the email for the person in um in local council relations who I've been working with to try and get us back on
track fiscally and try and get us back on track um with the portal. And you can just reach out to them directly. They've been really responsive and have been trying to catch our offices up with where we are with the MCC. So, I'll send you that tomorrow along with the email
that Rachel shared with us during today's meeting. And anything else you need to get up to speed, just let me know. It sounds like this might be a good time for me to do a summary document of everything we've agreed upon in terms of how to score and what the
scoring buckets are. >> Yeah. So, I I'm up for that and pulling that together to get us organized and I I will share that out and then also include it in the packet for the next meeting. One more comment.
It'd be helpful if there was a way to put in the applicable groups. >> It's I think there's a way to do that,
Cody, but it's easier for me to have a column where you enter your amount and then at the bottom it adds it all up so you get to see the running total at the bottom. Would that work for you? >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah. >> Great. I can I mean that I can do.
>> All right. Sounds good. >> Thank you so much, Angela. >> Yeah. Thank you. I I really appreciate it. So for the purpose of the >> for the purpose of the meeting minutes um do we do we have kind of like a
target time frames for when we want to start um deliberations because we can't review them until the financial report is in right and then and then but we can start reading the panel books ourselves and kind of >> so I'm hoping to get that download from
the MCC tomorrow in terms of my access to the to the panel book and um and I just need to populate those spreadsheets for you and make sure that the columns are feeding into the master sheet properly and then we're off and running. So, if you can give me till Friday, that would be awesome.
>> I just want to know for the minutes that's all. Thank you very much. Yeah. >> Now, that was my impression to that. would still
um there's no fur I believe we And do we have a motion to drink? >> I move to a journ.
I do suggest him. So all in favor of staying speak now we are
drink next time. Take care everybody. >> Thank you everyone. Have a good night. Bye. Thanks.