Warwick Cultural Council Meeting Minutes September 23, 2025
Posted meeting held in the Warwick Town Hall. In attendance: members Sue O’Reilly-McRae-Chair, Linda Paquet-Treasurer, Nancy Harnden, Cheri Robartes, Louise Doud, Nancy Putnam. Shell Hines was absent. John Paganetti/Guest
Meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM.
Proposed agenda:
- Report on Mass Cultural Council training Sue went to.
- Training on MCC website with Linda
- Discuss programs granted but not yet carried out.
- New and renewing members
- Schedule Grant Approval Meeting for late October or early November
- Sue talked about the MCC training on grant guidelines she went to on August 20.
She reported that:
- Our final report on previous grant cycle is due Oct. 9.
- Applications window for new grant cycle closes Oct. 16.
- We need to meet after that to award new grants.
- Denial letters deadline is Dec. 31.
- Approval letters deadline is Jan. 16.
- CCs must have between 5 and 22 members, including a Chair, a Treasurer, and a Secretary.
- Each member can serve 2 consecutive 3 year terms, then must go off (for at least a year).
- We need to seek community input every 3 years. We surveyed townspeople in 2023, so a new one is due in 2026.
- The priorities update we did this year is now (finally) showing on the website.
- To deal with grant modification requests we should refer to parameters in the Tool Kit on the website.
- Sue is not clear on the range of time each grantee has to complete their program before needing an extension if not yet carried out. She will seek an answer from our contact person at MCC.
- Linda took us to the MCC website on her laptop to show us around.
Log-in to grants management system is: (massculturalcouncil.smartsimple.com)
Once any member logs in they see:
“Welcome, (so and so)” and tabs for their personal profile, our WCC profile with contacts, and for changing one’s password.
Under Contacts it lists our names and when our 3 year term expires:
Louise Doud 3/1/25 (already expired)
Nancy Harnden 11/9/25
Linda Paquet 4/5/26
Cherie Robartes 11/4/27
Shell Hines 11/4/27
Sue O’Reilly-McRae 3/15/26
Under our Profile there are 4 tabs:
CONTACTS SUB ORGS CYCLES GRANTS
As Treasurer, Linda got a report in August from our town accountant on funds expended and outstanding from the last grant cycle. She plugged that information in online to Grants, which computed our remaining balance. There is a small balance due to WCS not spending every cent of their grant for purchasing musical instruments, plus 3 grants outstanding, plus our new allotment of $5700 to award later this fall.
3.) We discussed programs awarded but not yet carried out, which include:
- Emma and Belley book signing event ($150)
- John Porcino ($450)
Both of these grantees are currently in conversation with WCS about when to present at the school, hopefully this fall.
- John Paganetti – grant for repairing a donated telescope and carrying out some events with it in town. The telescope (which had sat in a closet at WCS unused for about 8 years until John took it out) was borrowed back by the donors and is currently being used at a school out of town. John is going to talk to the donors about the repair needed (to its automatic tracking capability), and who is going to get it repaired, he or they, and when the telescope will be back in town. Then he can proceed with his programming.
It was determined that none of these grantees need to be given an extension on their time deadline, yet.
4.) Nancy Putnam was present to accept our invitation to join the WCC. Nancy Harnden moved and Linda seconded that Nancy Putnam be appointed. Since the Warwick Selectboard was simultaneously in session, Nancy went to their meeting, got approved, and came back to our meeting. John Paganetti, Town Clerk and present, swore Nancy in, bringing the number of voting members for the rest of the meeting to 5.
As Louise Doud’s term expired in March 2025, and Nancy Harnden’s term is up Nov. 9, 2025, the following votes were taken:
Linda moved and Nancy Harnden seconded, to reappoint Louise Doud for a second 3 year term to the WCC. Unanimous (5 voting members)
Sue moved and Nancy Putnam seconded, to reappoint Nancy Harnden for a second 3 year term to the WCC. Unanimous (5 voting members)
5.) Linda reported that two applications for the new grant cycle have been submitted so far. The group agreed to meet on either Nov. 10 or 17, at 7 PM to review and award grants. The date chosen will be determined very soon when all members check those dates for any conflicts.
6.) Cheri to take over paying bills. Linda will go over the process with her.
Sue will contact Shell to bring her up to date.
Sue moved and Linda seconded, to adjourn at 8:24 PM. Unanimous (5 voting members)
Respectfully Submitted,
Louise Doud