Band Commission

WHEATON BAND COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES WHEATON CITY HALL, 303 W WESLEY STREET, WHEATON, ILLINOIS 60187 Wednesday, July 2, 2025 4pm Gamon Meeting Room, Wheaton City Hall. Call to Order Chair Dottie Mackie called the meeting to order at 4:03pm. Commissioners present were: Susan Brinkman, John Dalby, Dottie Mackie, Dave Wesolowicz and Don Westlake. Guests present were: Don Cavalli, President of the Wheaton Municipal Band, and Tina Cavalli, Friends of the Band. Public Comment None Approval of Minutes Minutes from the April 15, 2024 meeting were approved as submitted. Minutes of the missing December 12, 2022 meeting have been located and will be formatted and submitted by July 11, 2025. OLD BUSINESS IV. PRC (Peoples’ Resource Center) (John Dalby) John Dalby mentioned that there have been problems having police reserving a parking spot on Wheaton Avenue for the PRC van. John spoke with the police who said that they will mark the spot for the upcoming collection drives on July 2, July 17, July 31, and August 12, 2025. Don Cavalli will ask Gail Sonkin to add a note about the drives to her Daily Herald concert publicity blurbs. NEW BUSINESS Approval of Commissioner David Wesolowicz (Dottie Mackie) Chair Dottie Mackie officially welcomed Dave as the newest member of the Band Commission. Dave and his wife, Debbie, have attended Municipal Band concerts for more than 4O years. Dave’s initiatives as a Commissioner have included making a wooden pen with musical inlay presented to Dr. Moss from the Commission in honor of Bruce’s 45th anniversary as Band Director, attending  BAND COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES July 2, 2025p Wednesday Band rehearsals, serving as Secretary for the April 15, 2024 Commission meeting in the absence of Susan Brinkman, and attending 2025 Band auditions in May. Welcome, Dave! II. Police presence at concerts (Dottie Mackie) Dottie Mackie confirmed that there will be increased police presence at the July 2, 2025 patriotic concert. She will also ask Clerk Andrea Rosedale and retired City Manager Mike Dzugan for increased police protection at each concert to protect band members and concert-goers alike. Ill. Edman Chapel Concert (Don Cavalli) On all publicity, please note the correct spelling of EDMAN Chapel (not Edmund). The chapel was named after Wheaton College President V. Raymond Edman. The Edman concert time has been changed from 8pm to 7:30pm. This is the normal Thursday concert time and will allow the band to avoid rental and custodial overtime charges by checking out before 10pm. There will be no livestream of the Edman ”Centennials and Celebrations” concert. We will have a guest oboist but it is doubtful that long-time U.S. Air Force conductor and friend of the Wheaton Municipal Band Col. Arnald Gabriel will be able to participate in our celebration of his 100th birthday due to health issues. IV. Livestream update (Don Cavalli) We have purchased new livestream equipment which allows our transmissions to be more Stable. Livestreaming concerts on YouTube was tried and proved to be problematic. The concerts are now livestreamed on Facebook. ”Likes” help with publicity. V. American Bandmasters Association (ABA), (Don Cavalli) The Wheaton Municipal Band has been invited to perform at the ABA in Harris Bank Theater in Chicago as one of five featured bands. This is a distinct honor and is second only to performing at Midwest Clinic which the Band has done on three occasions. The ABA performance will be in March 2026. Bus transportation will be arranged for band members and Commissioners. VI. Band Party (Don Cavalli) The annual end-of-the-year party will be held at lvy’s on July 26th, 2025. VII. How are band members selected? (Don Cavalli) Each March, a survey is sent to previous band members asking if they would like to participate in the coming summer. Tryouts (blind auditions) take place in early May. In 2025, 200 musicians auditioned which resulted in an 89—member band plus subs.  BAND COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES July 2, 2025P ”passing” The minimum audition score for new members is 60. Returning members audition annually for their seating chair. After two years of successful auditions and attending 7 of 9 rehearsals and concerts each summer, members are tenured. VIII. Band budget and Annual Report (Don Cavalli) The City of Wheaton budgeted $120,000 for the Wheaton Municipal Band in 2024. Last year, the Friends of the Band contributed an additional $50,000 to the budget. Annual budgeted items include: o Association of Concert Band membership $75 o BMI, ASCAP licensing organizations $200 Band members are paid $55/concert and tenured band members are paid $65/concert. All are paid $90 for performing in the Edman Chapel concert. Band members receive $100 for marching in the July 4 parade. They are paid at the end of the concert season. Bruce Moss’s 10—year contract will expire in 2029. That year he will celebrate his 50th year as our conductor and the Wheaton Municipal Band will celebrate its 100th anniversary! Chair Dottie Mackie distributed copies of the Band Commission 2024 Annual Report to the Commissioners. The proposal for 2025 included a request to the City of Wheaton for a 3.4% increase to $125,045. In addition to the 1) Budget, the Annual Report also includes 2) History of the year with assessment of goals past, present and future, and 3) Changes in the Band during the year. The Commissioners asked how they could be of service to Don Cavalli and become more knowledgeable about the budgeting process. Since Don’s report is due the last week of August and there is no opportunity this summer, Don offered to present a budgeting seminar to the Commissioners via Zoom in Fall 2025, sometime after September 1. The Commissioners were enthusiastic about that idea. IX. Old Band Uniforms (Don Cavalli) In our City Hall music library storage area, we have filing cabinets of music and are also storing 200 ofthe band’s former uniforms, consisting of blue blazers with an embroidered insignia on the pocket and concert black trousers. Last year these were replaced with new concert black uniforms and bow ties in the traditional Band blue. Don asked for suggestions about what do to with the old uniforms. Ideas included having a concession stand sale, textile recycling, or PRC clothes closet for the trousers. John Dalby will contact PRC as a starting point. X. Retirement of Steve Klaus and Friends’ 30th anniversary (Don Cavalli) Steve Klaus will retire at the end ofthe 2025 concert season after 15 years as General Manager of the Wheaton Municipal Band. At the suggestion of Don Cavalli, the Commission will prepare a thank 3  BAND COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES July 2, 2025P you letter for him. Commissioner Dave Wesolowicz, a talented woodworker, has offered to make a wooden gift for Steve on behalf of the Commission. The design would be a 3-D layered plaque portraying a treble clef sign. John Dalby proposed celebrating Steve at the closing concert on August 7, 2025. Vinny Endinino has been named the Band’s new General Manager. This is the 30th anniversary of Friends ofthe Band. Recognition will be part of the Edman Chapel ”Centennials concert entitled and Celebrations". XI. When Bruce Moss retires... (Don Cavalli) The Commissioners asked what the procedure would be when Bruce Moss retires. Don Cavalli responded that the Commissioners would assist with reviewing resumes, participating in interviews, and assessing the candidates when they conduct a Thursday night bandshell concert. The desire would be to hire a local conductor. XII. Term and Duties of the Band Commission Chair (Dottie Mackie) Dottie confirmed that her term as chair was renewed for 3 years, through 2027. The change in bylaws with term limits went into effect after her reappointment. Among other duties, the Chair approves Band staff and Commission appointments, and submits approved meeting minutes to the City Clerk, Andrea Rosedale. XIII. Adjournment Chair Dottie Mackie adjourned the meeting at 5:04pm. Susan T. Brinkman Respectfully submitted, Susan Brinkman, Secretary Wheaton Municipal Band Commission ' W Web/w I/r7/a5 W