SMART Board of Directors Meeting – Meeting Minutes – September 23rd 2025

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
September 23rd, 2025
7:00 PM – SMART Building

Members Present: Jodi Varner (President), Kendyl Polatas (Vice President), Stacey
Teter (Treasurer), Karol Zachmann, Shannon Johnson
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: Katherine Miller (Executive Director)
Staff Absent: None
Public Present: None

Meeting called to order at 6:58 PM by President Varner
Motion to approve meeting minutes.

• MOTION (Treasurer Teter): To approve meeting minutes.
• SECOND: Vice President Polatas.
• VOTE: Five in favor. Meeting minutes approved.

Consent Agenda:
Executive Director Miller went over the financials, director’s report, and supporting documents
in the consent agenda. An issue was found in the financials on the income and expenses in the
Budget vs Actuals report, not matching the finalized budget, and clarification was needed on
the policy for building insurance as well as the Public Projects vs Civic Support line items.
Treasurer Teter questioned $1,200 in rental income when all other amounts were sorted by
building. Executive Director Miller believed it was an unaccounted-for rent deposit that she was
not yet able to find the corresponding bank deposit for. President Varner had researched the
deposit and was able to find it in the bank records. Discussion was had on the logistics of hiring
another part-time staff member in the future. Executive Director will research the financial
issues and report back to the Board at the next meeting.

Old Business:
Fall Festival Fundraiser: Executive Director Miller stated that the fundraiser had brought $20 in
donations as of the meeting, but anticipated more donations at the fall festival. Treasurer Teter
requested that Miller double-check with Commissioner Mandi Varner to ensure she was able tomake the deadline for kissing the cow, as there was a change in her itinerary for that day. Miller
had also purchased a new table cover and freebies for the fall festival booth. Executive Director
Miller will man the booth at the fall festival and continue to collect votes until that time.

Escape Room Signups: Executive Director sent out via email the signup sheet to work
the Escape Room. Treasurer Teter requested that board members mark down the
times they can work the event by Friday, September 26th. Advertising for the event
will start on Thursday, September 25th. Board members will mark down the times
they are willing/able to work the Escape Room by Friday, September 26th.

Sale of 125 Main Street Update: No correspondence was received by current
tenants. President Varner suggested to wait one more month and at the next meeting
to discuss the next steps.

L. Price Park: Vice President Polatas described her redesign draft to the board. She
envisions a pergola with swings on the west side of the property, a larger water
feature that says “Baker”, a small train or jungle gym on the west side of the property
for young children, tables with easily accessible seats, seating with planter boxes on
the sides and above the back rest, and large interactive game sets for adults. Director
Zachmann suggested all-weather shades that did not need to be taken down, and
perhaps some fundraising to acquire them. Executive Director Miller repeated an idea
from the Extension Office to include a Native American ethnobotanical garden to
showcase the knowledge and history of the area. Miller stated that Montana Main
Street has significantly higher funding this year than previously, and she wants to
submit a grant application for the park and building facades this cycle. A quote for
the park, building facades, and the upstairs of the BSB will be acquired.

BSB Renovations: Covered in Director’s Report

History Walk Benches: Treasurer Teter reported that Sew What quoted the memorial
plaques at $6.50/each with a $20 setup fee. The benches were approximately $162 at
the time of purchase. President Varner suggested a price of $250 per bench to
include maintenance.

Fallon County Community Foundation Update: Treasurer Teter did not have an
update at the meeting due to a lack of response from other people.

Fee Schedule: The Board reviewed the suggested fee schedule prior to the start of
the meeting.
Vice President Polatas motioned to accept the fee schedule

• MOTION (Vice President Polatas): To approve the fee schedule.
• SECOND: Director Johnson seconds.
• VOTE: Five in favor. Fee Schedule approved.

Sponsoring a Specialty Plate: Treasurer Teter inquired that the next enrollment date
for the license plate was in the spring, and Executive Miller confirmed that was
correct. Miller suggested purchasing a month-to-month subscription to AdobeIllustrator to begin work on the plate design now, and to either apply for the Otto
Bremer Trust funding or to fit the amount into the next budget.
Treasurer Teter motioned to purchase a month-to-month subscription to Illustrator
to work on the plate design.

• MOTION (Treasurer Teter): To purchase Adobe Illustrator to design a license plate.
• SECOND: Director Zachmann seconds.
• VOTE: Five in favor. Adobe Illustrator subscription approved.

Website: Executive Miller states that work on the website is going well, and it is
anticipated to be online by the end of September.

Other Old Business: None

New Business:
Pilot Tourism Grant & Public Meeting: Executive Director Miller asked that Board Members
attend the public meeting on Monday, September 29th, to give ideas on what projects should
go into the grant application.

Changing Meeting Times: Treasurer Teter asked that the next few meeting times be changed to
accommodate Community Choir. The next two meetings were changed to October 28th and
November 18th.

Wild Game Feed Sponsorship: Executive Miller passed around a letter received asking for
SMART’s support to sponsor the Wild Game feed. President Varner requested that we put our
name forward for next year to get on the list, and Director Zachmann added that this
sponsorship would receive a lot of recognition.
Director Johnson motioned to pay $100 out of the public projects budget to
sponsor the Wild Game Feed.

• MOTION (Director Johnson): To sponsor $100
• SECOND: Director Zachmann seconds.
• VOTE: Five in favor. Sponsorship approved

Plevna School Annual Sponsorship: Executive Miller passed around a letter received asking for
a $50 sponsorship to the Plevna School Annual. A discussion was held on whether this particular
sponsorship was worthwhile. The consensus was that SMART wants to help Plevna Schools as
much as possible, is open to other sponsorships, but did not feel that the annual was what we
wanted to spend the budget on.
Treasurer Teter motions to not sponsor the Plevna Annual.

• MOTION (Treasurer Teter): To not sponsor the annual.
• SECOND: Vice President Polatas seconds.
• VOTE: Five in favor. The sponsorship was not passed.

Other New Business: None

Having no further new business, President Varner adjourned the meeting. Meeting adjourned
at 8:24 pm.

The next SMART meeting is scheduled for October 28th, 2025 at 7:00pm at the SMART
Building.

Respectfully submitted:

s\ Jodi Varner, President

s\ Katherine Miller, Executive Director