ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 10-27-2013
ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 10–27-2013
Mission Statement: ECOV is dedicated to cow protection and self-sufficiency — all centered around loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.
Participating Members of the Board of Directors: Anuttama, Chaitanya Mangala, Krpamaya, Madhava Gosh, Navin Shyam, and Ranaka.
Advisors present: Jaya Krsna
1. Manure for Garden of Seven Gates
WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to promote the agricultural production of the New Vrindaban community.
RESOLVED: The Board authorizes up to a grant of up to $2400 for transporting approximately 30 loads of manure from the Valley Barn area to the Garden of Seven Gates, subject to the following conditions:
1) The manure be spread in a timely manner;
2) The project is approved by relevant INV management.
2. Grapple hook for temple firewood
WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to improve the efficiency with which we are able to perform heavy labor, including processing of the temple’s firewood.
RESOLVED: The Board authorizes up to $4K for the purchase of a tractor grapple hook, with the understanding that INV will contribute half of the cost, either in one lump sum or in installments over the next year. Ownership, maintenance & operation will be with ECOV.
3. Integrated auxiliary of ISKCON New Vrindaban
ECOV submitted an application to the IRS. In about one year, we will either receive approval, or will be asked more questions. Until that time, we can function as an integrated auxiliary.
4. Flowers / Trees and berries
Flowering shrubs still need to be planted this season, as well as bulbs, which Mukunda Dasi will likely help with. Work is also progressing on the meditation garden near the temple.
5. Temple / Lodge foundation beds
The trench alongside the temple is finished. Edgers need to be purchased. Brikasanga, who was to help with this, is tied up for now dealing with securing the temple’s winter wood supply.
6. Solar Equipment
A reserve will be maintained for installing a small system at the G7G cabin.
WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to allocate funding for projects as needed, rather than tying up funds indefinitely.
RESOLVED: The Board reduces the budget allocated for solar equipment to $2K.
7. Valley barn roof repair
Expected to be completed in November.
8. Gopal’s Garden newsletter
A newsletter is still in progress. Ranaka will remind Ruci that this does not have to be long or complex. It is more important that it come out regularly to help make people more aware of the school in New Vrindaban.
9. Bottle Filling Stations
More than 19,000 bottles have been filled using the lobby station over the last 1 ½ years, and since May 2013, about 11,000 bottles have been filled at the lodge stations (8,000 at the one closer to the temple, and more than 3,000 at the other).
The water filling stations already approved for outside Govinda’s restaurant and at Srila Prabhupada’s Palace will be installed before next year’s peak pilgrim/tourist season begins.
10. Signs for water bottle distribution
A major remodeling occurred at the restaurant this past year so no bottle display was made, but one is potentially planned for next season. Also next season, the lassi barn may begin operation again as a snack bar, in which case they would also make bottles available. We will check back on both in April 2014.
11. Bahulaban pink building
Varsana Swami’s 100 hours of work were not originally detailed, but, upon request he itemized his time, and it was spent on preparing the field where the rubble would be dumped, creating a road for trucks to reach the site, and repairing the dam on the road to the old Vrindaban Farm, among other tasks.
12. G7G cabin opening / Bahulaban barn closure ceremonies
About 20 devotees, many of them younger members of the community, attended a closure ceremony for the Bahulaban barn. They shared stories, and were invited to take home parts of the barn as memorabilia.
A group of half a dozen people attended the grand opening of the G7G cabin.
13. ECOV brochure
Gosh has seen a need for this for some time. Jaya Krsna suggested that it could be part of a unified presentation of NV in that ECOV could highlight that it focuses on two of the five instructions Srila Prabhupada gave for NV, namely cow protection and self-sufficiency.
WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to publicize our projects and attract more support, financial and otherwise.
RESOLVED: The Board authorizes up to $2K for the design, layout, and writing of a brochure.
14. Bi-annual joint board meeting
The bi-annual joint board meetings will be held from November 8-10 in New Vrindaban.
