SMART Board of Directors Meeting – Meeting Minutes – May 19th 2025

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
May 19, 2025

7:00 PM- SMART Building
embers Present:Jodi Varner (President), Kendyl Polatas (Vice President), Stacey Teter
reasurer), Karol Zachmann, Shannon Johnson embers Absent: None
taff Present: Krista Nemitz (Interim Executive Director)

taff Absent: Alyson lineback (Executive Assistant)

ublic Present: none

eeting called to order at 7:03 PM by President Varner
irector Mindi Murnion submitted a letter of resignation via email to the Board of
irectors,effective upon receipt.

resident Varner asked for a motion to approve the consent agenda. Director Teter quested that the
Executive Director’s Report and the previous meeting minutes be moved from the consent agenda.
Seeing there is no need to approve the financials via a otion, Director Teter proceeded with
presenting corrections and additions to the minute om Aprill7, 2025.
dditions:

• Firespring is also charging us $165 monthly so we need to double check our contract to see why.
• Discussion was also had about the current cleaning and how it hasn’t been satisfactory.Discussed
  different options,but nothing was determined.

orrections:

• her opinion to take a look.
• has shoveled would be willing to shovel

MOTION (Director Johnson): To approve the minutes with above mentioned corrections an dditions.
SECOND: Director Polatas.
VOTE: Four in favor, none opposed. Minutes from the April17, 202S Special Meeting are
VOTE: Four in favor, none opposed. Minut

Director Teter presented questions regarding the Executive Director’s Heport with clarification
given, no changes were made to the Executive Director’s Report. Executive Director’s Report
attached below.

President Varner explained the intent of having closed meetings at this time is to get business
moving along in a productive manner. The recommendation of MNA to the Executive Director was to
have closed meetings with the option of scheduling an appointment at the end of a meeting. Any
questions from the public can be fielded by the Executive Director or they can request an
appointment with the Board of Directors. It was determined to continue forward with closed
meetings along with submitting a quarterly article to the newspaper that gives details about
what SMART is working on.

Old Business:

Possible Sale of 125 Main Street: After further thought on the Profit and Loss Report
of the SMART Building and research into the loan details for the Baker State Bank building, the
Board of Directors continued with discussion on sale of the property.

The current principal amount is $127,724.93 with an adjustable rate currently at 6.2%. The loan
will mature July 19, 2043, with the payments currently set at about $980 per month. We are
approximately netting $8,300 a year with the rental income but paid $8,090 last year
in interest on the loan. At the time of maturity we will have paid approximately $86,000 in
interest alone which is more than the building was purchased at. Based on a call to MNA by the
Executive Director, it was determined that SMART could sell the building with no special
regulations. Based on professional opinion the building is worth approximately $210,000. The Board
is still awaiting Rich Batterman’s opinion on Section 6. Alterations and Improvements. The
remainder of the lease has been revised and will be presented to Simply Chic upon completion. The
sale of 125 Main Street will be tabled until the new leases have been sent to the tenants.

Additional Funding Request: Owner of Simply Chic and tenant of SMART building, Rebecca Arnell,
raised the question at the April17, 2025, meeting asking for additional funding for her rental
space renovation. Director Teter believes the Board of Directors should consider giving Simply
Chic an additional $1,001.00. She believes there should be additional cushion in the payroll
expense line to cover this. The meeting minutes from December 19,
2025, state that SMART will contribute $7,500 towards the Simply Chic renovation project. The
motion did not specifically state that SMART would be paying for any particular part of the
renovation. Director Teter brought a concern that Lane Straub may be worried about the plumbing
from the renovation going through his rental space. President Varner will contact Lane Straub
about this concern and inquire about his interest in purchasing the building.

A certified letter will be sent to all tenants notifying them of the sale of the SMART Building
and giving them 30 days to respond if they are interested in purchasing the building. A new lease
will be included with the letter giving all tenants a three year term.

• MOTION (Director Johnson): To table the additional funding request from Simply Chic.
• SECOND: Director Zachmann.
  DISCUSSION:Director Johnson rescinded her motion.
• MOTION (Director Teter): To table the additional funding request from Simply Chic until pending
  issues are clarified.
• SECOND: Director Polatas.
• VOTE: Four in favor, None opposed. Additional funding request tabled. A letter will be sent to
  Simply Chic giving written permission and guidelines for the renovation of their rental space.

Baker Childcare Playground CIP Report:The deadline is approaching to submit the grant report for
the Baker Childcare Playground. Director Teter and Director Zachman provided documentation to be
submitted. The Executive Director will fill out the report using what was provided and make sure
it is submitted before the May 31st deadline. The same procedures will be followed to file the
reporting for the Sieler Schoolhouse Grant working in collaboration with the Town of Plevna.
Director Zachmann informed the Board of Directors that the equipment from the 2023 Coldwell Field
Sound System Grant has not yet been installed, and it is currently unclear whether the equipment
has been purchased. Director Johnson will follow up with former Executive Director Vaughn Zenko.

Financial Review: Rachel’s Accounting will start working on the financial review for
SMART starting with the 2024 year. The Executive Director will ask Alyson to gather all the
2024 documents needed for the review. New Business:
Fallon County Community Foundation: Director Teter gave a brief report on the progress of the
Fallon County Community Foundation. She explained that once the advisory board signs and submits
the fund agreement with MCTF, the Fallon County Community Foundation is no longer operating under
the umbrella of SMART. Director Teter requested that the SMART Board donate $7,500 of the
previously allocated $10,609.15 for the first year with the remaining $3,000 to be donated in the
second year. This qualifies the new foundation to be eligible for a $5,000 match from MTCF. The
steering committee has set short term and long term goals for the new foundation.

• MOTION (Director Teter): To donate the first installment of $7,500 to the Fallon County Community
  Foundation with a second installment of $3,109.15 in 2026.
• SECOND: Director Polatas.
• VOTE: Four in favor, None opposed. SMART will send $7,500 to the Montana Community Foundation on
  behalf of the Fallon County Community Foundation. In the 2026 year, SMART will send an additional
  $3,109.15 to the Montana Community Foundation.

Pocket Park Maintenance: The only remaining member of the Pocket Park Committee is Director
Polatas. Originally, the Visitor Center Director was expected to coordinate maintenance and
planning for the pocket park. Currently, several tasks remain: installing the sunshade over the
cement pad, staining and sealing the planter boxes and water feature, and cleaning out and
replanting the planter boxes. It was suggested that volunteers could potentially be recruited from
organizations such as 4-H and FFA.

With no Visitor Center Director currently in place, Director Polatas will coordinate workdays
and communicate with the board and volunteers to complete the necessary maintenance. Whoever is
working out of the Visitor Center will be responsible for watering the plants. As additional tasks
arise, a maintenance schedule for the pocket park will be developed and updated annually. The new
Pocket Park Committee wi\1 consist of Director Po\atas and Director Johnson.

SMART Chart of Accounts: Rachel’s Accounting would like to look through our current
Chart of Accounts and tidy up the numbering system or eliminate the numbers. They would
make sure every line item on our budget is accounted for in the accounts list.

• MOTION (Director Zachmann): To hire Rachel’s Accounting to reorganize the SMART Chart of
  Accounts.
• SECOND: Director Johnson.
• VOTE: Four in favor, None opposed. SMART will hire Rachel’s Accounting to reorganize the
  SMART Chart of Accounts.

Director Johnson left the meeting at 9:28 pm.

Credit Card & Debit Card Checking Account: President Varner explained that in lieu of using the
credit card,SMART could set up a separate checking account with a debit card. Transfers can be
made from the existing Bank of Baker accounts to cover necessary
purchases. This account would be set up at Bank of Baker using the same signatories as the
current accounts. While set up as a nonprofit account for SMART, the current credit card is only
under Vaughn Zenko’s name.

• MOTION (Director Zachmann): To cancel the credit card with Commerce Bank and to establish a
  checking account, $500 starting balance, at Bank of Baker with a debit card, the signatories will
  be Krista Nemitz, Jodi Varner, and Stacey Teter.
• SECOND: Director Teter.
• VOTE: Three in favor, None opposed, One absent. SMART will cancel the credit card with Commerce
  Bank and to establish a checking account at Bank of Baker with an attached debit card.

Director Teter brought concerns of not using direct deposit for employee paychecks. It was the
general consensus of the Board of Directors that SMART continues to use direct deposit. Executive
Director,Krista Nemitz, is agreeable to have her pay cycle changed to once a
month starting June 1, 2025.

Having no further new business, President Varner adjourned the meeting. Meeting adjourned at
9:50pm.

The next SMART meeting is scheduled for June 23, 2025 at 7:00pm at the SMART Building.

Respectfully submitted:

s\ Jodi Varner – President

s\ Krista Nemitz, Executive Director