Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
December 6 2004
The meeting was called to order by Commander Baer at his home at 1902. A quorum was present.
Present:
Commander David Baer
Lt/C Katharine Law, ExO
Lt/C Michael Fontaine, SEP
Lt/C Thomas Griffin, AO
Lt/C John Isaksen, Treasurer
Lt/C Barbara A. Goddard, Secretary
Lt Richard Barck, Member at Large
P/C Bob Hubbard, Member at Large
Lt Karen Glaze, Member at Large
Absent:
P/Lt/C Sterling Campbell, Member at Large
Minutes: The minutes of the 8 November 2004 meeting were approved as published.
Announcements:
Commander Baer reminded the Bridge officers that the deadline for the
January/February Ship’s
Mail was December 15th and that articles for this issue should be submitted
to Steven Bakalis by that date. Announcements of the upcoming events
were particularly needed, including the Annual Meeting and the Change of
Watch. The January ExCom meeting will be an abbreviated one, to be at 1730
before the Annual Meeting on Friday, 14 January, at Southwestern Yacht Club.
The Change of Watch will take place on Saturday, 22 January 2005, at a place
to be determined.
The “Parade of Lights” evening on Shelter Island, will be held on Sunday, December 12th, at the same location as last year. This year’s event will feature not a full cookout, but desserts and bring-your-own beverages. Since Tom Griffin will be out of town, Katie Law will hold the space from about 1530 onward.
Volunteers will be needed to staff the squadron’s booth at the San Diego Boat Show on January 6th through 9th. Katie has the tables and will bring the box of textbooks for squadron courses, since Mike Fontaine does not yet have an extra set of all the texts for the new courses. Our booth this year is next to the one for the US Coast Guard Auxiliary; the new canopy will not be needed, so long as we can hang our new banner.
OFFICERS’ REPORTS:
Commander Dave Baer reported on the District 28 Winter Council
meeting, which occurred at SWYC on Saturday, 4 December. There were several
interesting presentations, including one by D/Lt/C Joe Komlance on the
duties of Squadron Bridge officers and one by Bob Schloeman of the Phoenix Squadron
on DB 2000, with which Tom Fota was already familiar. This application
contains much useful information available at USPS Headquarters. Dave noted that
Tom Griffin was able to attend the 0600 Coop Charting outing, which meant that
all Bridge members had participated in this activity, qualifying us for
Star Award points. Dave and Mike Fontaine remarked that a new report was submitted
on the missing south jetty tower at Mission Bay, which has not been in
existence for the past several years but is still reflected on the area’s chart
and light list. J. Brockway Clark, Coop Charting chairman, has informed us
that a single “Not Found” report will not cause removal of an aid
to navigation and that multiple reports must be received before the reports
are considered conclusive. The afternoon meetings were abbreviated and succinct.
Ed Mraz announced that the new Boating Safety film production crew will be
shooting in the San Diego area around 17th-19th January, and that Steven Bakalis
has offered the use of his boat and is the local “point man,” since
Ed will be away at that time. The film will include segments on Homeland
Security, and is being made with the cooperation of the Harbor Police and the
US Coast Guard. Other boat owners should be encouraged to volunteer their craft
for participation in the filming.
ExO Katharine Law reported that she and Public Relations Committee chairman, Randy Smith, had met with a view to finalizing the tri-fold SDSPS flier and having it be ready for the 2005 Boat Show. Randy has kindly offered to underwrite part of the expense for the flier, and we should be able to get partial reimbursement from the District 28 public relations committee in the coming year. Accurate contact information for our website, as well as the Education Department, Cruiser Navigation Contests and Sail Fleet activities will be included in the new publication. Katie Law, with the assistance of Barbara Goddard, has pasted labels with Dan Carlin’s phone number over the old USPS pamphlets, replacing the out-dated labels. P/C Shaun McArdle has graciously stepped up to head the arrangements for the boat show again, replacing Lynda Juniper.
A discussion ensued regarding whether the financial benefits of squadron membership should be featured in the new brochure, including the savings on the purchase of the new C-Map and MapTech programs, as well as the acquisition of MicroSoft software, but it was decided that these benefits should not be placed in the brochure, which is designed for wide public distribution. John Isaksen felt we should have a phone contact for those without web access, and Dan Carlin or Mike Fontaine can provide labels at a later date.
Vessel Safety Chairman Lt Richard Barck reported that SDSPS vessel examiners had done only two fewer VSCs than Phoenix, which has more examiners, and that San Diego has far exceeded last year’s exams. Comparisons with other D/28 squadrons also showed San Diego in a good light. Dick will attempt to get the 2005 decals by the time of the Boat Show, so that we may offer sign-up sheets for vessel exams at our booth.
SEO Michael Fontaine noted a few additions (repeaters) to Dave Baer’s new Piloting class, including Chet White, Gordo Parham and Mike Sampsel. The Boating class at Mission Bay Yacht Club had been completed and seven people took and passed the test. Mike wondered about the feasibility of giving a class there next year since some people had trouble getting in and out of the club at night when no other activities were being held there. Ed Mraz has again volunteered to teach Boat Smart and Chart Smart, and giving such 4-week classes would increase the chances of recruiting new members. We need to have wider publicity in order to fill the Boating classes with up to 30 to 35 students to make the courses truly effective in replacing the members we lose every year by attrition. Ted and Claudia Bowler will again be teaching Cruise Planning in January. Dan Carlin has volunteered to teach a GPS-For-Mariners Seminar, using the Bob Sweet book (McGraw-Hill). Mike feels we can pull in a few new students for the public boating courses from that activity.
AO Thomas Griffin has arranged a pre-meeting dinner at SWYC to be held at 1800 on 14 January before the Annual Meeting (after the ExCom meeting at 1730). He will send out a reminder to the members about the Sunday night “Parade of Lights’ gathering. Tom reported that there is no room available at SWYC for the Change of Watch dinner on 22 January. He noted that we have two options: a change of venue or a change of dates, and suggested either the following Saturday (29 January) or Sunday (30 January). Other ExCom members pointed out that D/C Chet White, who has agreed to preside at the Change of Watch, has another commitment in Phoenix for the following weekend. Alternative venues were discussed, and Tom will investigate other sites for the event including the Mission Bay Yacht Club and the Admiral Kidd Club at the Navy’s Anti-Submarine Training Center. Several other possibilities were suggested, which Tom will also check out.
Secretary Barbara Goddard has received the formal report from the Nominating Committee and will mail it to the members. John Isaksen suggested that Tom Fota can provide a set of labels to facilitate this mailing and a telephone call by John to Tom confirmed this capability. Barbara will complete the mailing by the end of the week. She also noted receiving some input for the Historian’s report, which must be filed within 30 days after the Change of Watch.
Treasurer John Isaksen delivered his report, including details of the individual funds. Inventory for the Education Department has been received and the invoices will be paid with available budgeted funds. John noted that the year’s accounts will be reviewed by the Audit Committee later in the month, and a meeting to prepare the 2005 budget is being scheduled in order to have it ready for review by the ExCom and presented to the membership at the Annual Meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Dave Baer again solicited suggestions for the Member of the Year,
noting that no person holding an elective office may qualify for this
award, which was given to Jay Garcia in 2003 and to Tom Fota last January.
It was suggested that the award could be given to a group. He has received
several names but has not made a final determination. People with likely
candidates were asked to send Dave a note or an e-mail.
NEW BUSINESS:
Katie Law moved that $25 be sent by the Treasurer to the USPS Education Fund
in memory of P/D/C Alan Hanshaw, a recently deceased member of SDSPS. The motion
was seconded and passed unanimously. Dave has submitted a death notice to the Last
Horizon column of The Ensign.
Bob Hubbard asked if it would be possible to recover the squadron ensign from the SWYC storage facility, in time to be used at the Change of Watch dinner. Dave Baer will investigate the matter.
Dave reminded the Bridge to bring their officer’s flags for use at the Change of Watch ceremony.
The meeting was adjourned at 2017. The next meeting will be held at Southwestern Yacht Club at 1730 on Friday, 14 January 2005.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara A. Goddard
Secretary