Board Meeting on August 25-27, 2023
Board Resolutions
Resolution Nr. 1
The ALA Board instructs Fundraising Director K. Ģiga to prepare a historical review of the previous testamentary bequests, including the names of the donors and an overall total for the congressional delegates, and to explain that without such testamentary bequests, ALA can no longer support financial requests for projects outside the realm of the current budget. The board also wants to offer updated planned giving information. The historical summary and donation information will be placed in delegates’ folders and later added to the ALA homepage. B. Dolinska and A. Grīviņa will assist in gathering the necessary information.
Resolution Nr. 2
The ALA Board accepts the 2022 Audit approved by the Finance committee.
Resolution Nr. 3
The ALA Board accepts the 2022 Form 990 with permission for the Treasurer to make the necessary changes to ensure timely submission to the IRS by November 15th.
Resolution Nr. 4
The ALA Board accepts the financial report dated the end of June 2023.
Resolution Nr. 5
The ALA Board decides to approve the new financial Spend Rate policy 2C and put it in place with the 2024 budget. The board allows the treasurer to utilize the 2023 Century Bequest Fund’s estimate ($362,112) for this year’s budget.
Resolution Nr. 6
The ALA Board accepts Raymond James’ recommendation to take $400,000 from the Money Market account and transfer it to Certificates of Deposit (CDs). The board also gives permission for the Treasurer to work with Raymond James to set up a multi-term ladder structure and CD purchase. The treasurer will report to the board when and how this has been done.
Resolution Nr. 7
The ALA Board accept the treasurer’s current 2024 budget, in which travel program information is missing, and gives permission for the treasurer to continue to finalize the budget with L. Ejupe’s recommendations, presenting the final budget to the board by September 30th.
Resolution Nr. 8
In regards to donation requests for outside projects, the ALA Board decides that as of this date, ALA will no longer support requests for capital projects, infrastructure, or repairs/maintenance of a capital nature. ALA will offer a maximum of $20,000 per year in non-budgeted support from the Century Bequest Fund, and in order to allow support for varied projects, requests from those who received support in 2022 or 2023 will not be accepted in 2024. The committee will maintain a list of supported projects.
Resolution Nr. 9
As Gaŗezers shareholders, the ALA board decides to support Gaŗezers with an additional $5,000 donation to demolish Kronvalda Hall.
Resolution Nr. 10
In order to promote the economic growth of Latvia, the ALA Board decides to offer delegates the opportunity to approve an official Ala Economic Office directed by one of the existing ALA board members. M. Andersons has offered to be the founding director of the office. The office would manage the Spotlight LV Fund (Special Projects – Economic Opportunity Fund), which currently holds $17,707.33.
Resolution Nr. 11
The ALA Board supports the proposed concert tour budget of the Culture office, assigning $30,000 from the ALA Centenary fund in 2025.
Resolution Nr. 12
The ALA Board decides to support the 2026 Song Festival in Grand Rapids with a $25,000 donation. The donation will be spread across three years from the Culture office budget: $5,000 in 2024, $10,000 in 2025, and $10,000 in 2026.
Resolution Nr. 13
To be mindful of the budget, the ALA board decides to evaluate the necessity of all media sources and expenses. B. Dolinska will summarize all media expenses for the September 14th board meeting.
Resolution Nr. 14
The ALA Board instructs Fundraising office director K. Ģiga to review available corporate matching opportunities, to ensure that all steps have been taken to allow donors to select ALA, and to prepare information for congressional delegates about corporate matching opportunities that could be requested for ALA or their own local organizations. U. Veilande will send K. Ģiga the information she has collected so far.
Resolution Nr. 15
The ALA Board confirms the following candidates (see above) as individual member delegates for the 72st congress. (Voting information: 6 for, 0 against, 3 abstain)
Resolution Nr. 16
To be mindful of the budget, the ALA decides to evaluate the overall costs of past Congress meetings, as well as look at the possibilities of securing sponsors for congressional events. B. Dolinska will pull together a summary of previous Congress expenses.
Resolution Nr. 17
The ALA board decides to submit proposed congressional resolutions to U. Veilande by October 1st.
Resolution Nr. 18
The ALA Board plans to hold the next board meetings: September 14th via Zoom, 7:00 pm ET, 6:00 CT, 4:00 pm PT)* October 15th after the 72nd ALA Congress, and December 1-3 in Rockville.
*At the September meeting, the ALA Board plans to adopt the 2024 budget, finalize the congressional program and topics of conversation, discuss congressional leadership, and review media costs.
Resolution Nr. 19
The ALA Board decides to vote for the PBLA award nominee via e-mail. D. Dzilna will send out information about the proposed candidate.
Resolution Nr. 20
The ALA Board grants the Treasurer permission to liquidate $360,000 from the temporarily restricted portfolio and move it into the Money Market for future liquid cash needs.
Resolution Nr. 21
The ALA Board nominates twin brothers Olgerts and Valdis Pavlovskis as 2023 PBLA/WFFL Award nominees. Both persistently and effectively worked for the liberation of Latvia from the Soviet Union, and continued to work for many years to ensure the protection and place of Latvia in the world as a recognizable, independent state.
Resolution Nr. 22
The ALA Board supports the ALA Certificate of Recognition application list for 2023. The list contains 19 applications. The names will be published after Nov. 18 events.
Resolution Nr. 23
The ALA Board nominates Krisite Skare as an honorary candidate of the PBLA Cultural award in 2023.
Resolution Nr. 24
The ALA Board approves the 2024 budget to be presented to the delegates at this year’s ALA Congress, ensuring ALA operations for 2024.
Resolution Nr. 25
The ALA Board confirms the following candidates as individual member delegates for the 72nd Congress: Andris Berzins (IN, honorary consul), Maris Kancs (IN), Rasma Kraulis (IL, Chicago Latvian Organization Association – organization does not have an official delegate), Laura Zommere (CO, Colorado Latvian Center – 2 applied from this organization but the organization only can have 1 delegate).
Resolution Nr. 26
The ALA Board confirms the following candidates as individual member delegates for the 72nd Congress: Inara Jansons (IL), Peteris Jansons (IL), Liga Nutter (NY, Daugavas vanagi Rochester – this organization does not have a delegate).