Fleet Council Meeting Minutes: February 8, 2016 (as amended 3/7/16)

A meeting of the Nockamixon Sail Club Fleet Council was called to order by Commodore Brian Scarborough at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, February 8, 2016. The meeting was held at 6626 Easton Road, Pipersville, PA.

In attendance were Gary Bonner, Robin Bonner, Greg Morrison, Paul Prozzillo, Brian Scarborough, Tom Smith, Brian Snader, Doug Swart, Craig Tourtellot, Laurine Valenti, and Glenn Wesley.

OLD BUSINESS:

Commodore Brian Scarborough asked for comments on the minutes from the last Fleet Council meeting (January 18, 2016), and there were none. Glenn Wesley made a motion to accept the minutes as is (without reading them). Doug Swart seconded the motion, and unanimous approval was given by voice vote.

TREASURER, TOM SMITH: Presented a Treasurer’s report with a Profit & Loss Statement (Jan. 1 through Feb. 8, 2016) and Balance Sheet (as of Feb. 8, 2016), with the following highlights: Total 2016 membership dues received to date, $1300 for cruising and $1500 for racing. Expenses: (Committee and chase) boat slips, $960; Trophies, $37.10; Fall Banquet deposit, $300; and Spring Warm-Up deposit, $325 (from January). As of Feb 8, there was a net income of $1174. There is currently $7,248 in the Wells Fargo checking account and $5188 in the capital (restricted) fund, for total assets of $12,436. Liability insurance due 4/15; Colin Hanning looking over policy/invoice; has not gotten back to Tom yet.

CO-VICE COMMODORE, LAURINE VALENTI (Marsha Cooper did not attend):

Spring Warm-Up: will be held on March 19^th at the Perkasie Fire Hall, from 6 to 10 p.m. C&C will cater the event. Agenda for program is set: Craig Smith will talk about how to prep for major regatta. Steve Averbuch will talk about sailing the BVI. (For more about the Spring Warm-Up, see NEW BUSINESS.)

REAR COMMODORE OF RACING, GARY BONNER: There has been no change: The permit is in from the Fish & Boat Commission but not from the Park. There has been no resolution of the $250 owed the park in lieu of volunteer work for last year.

REAR COMMODORE OF CRUISING, COLIN HANNINGS: Did not attend, so no report. Colin needs to supply a calendar to the club on cruising activities for 2016.

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY, ROBIN BONNER: To date, 43 people have joined or renewed their memberships for 2016 (compared to 24 by this time in 2015). Pushes via Compass, Yahoo Groups, and the Fall Banquet have paid off. Robin will contact fleet captains for their help in getting members to renew; she also put a list of recent new and renewing members in Compass and submitted an article reminding everyone to re-up.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, CRAIG TOURTELLOTT: A new issue of Compass is out. The Spring Warm-Up: Robin will send Laurine the SWU flyer from 2015.

QUARTERMASTER, BRIAN SNADER: The committee and chase boats are still in winter storage; at end of March, depending on the weather, the boats will be checked over and cleaned up for the new season. A new solar panel will go on the back of the seat of the chase boat. The marks need to be inspected. The caps were replaced; need new ones from APS. Put letters on the new marks? Discussion ensued. Some like lettered marks; some do not.

FLEET CAPTAINS: No reports.

NEW BUSINESS:

COMMODORE, BRIAN SCARBOROUGH:

LEUKEMIA CUP REGATTA: Will be held August 20^th (Saturday); Robin made motion; Glenn seconded; unanimous by voice vote. At Spring Warm-Up, there will be silent and live auctions to directly benefit Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, so all fundraising goes to patients/research. In 2014, NSC FC used the proceeds from the SWU L&LS auctions ($1173) to pay for the food served at the event (cost: $985). This year, the proceeds from the SWU auctions will go directly to the L&LS (and not toward food for the event). Brian Scarborough to talk to Chet Geyer about calling the live auction. Brian will run the auction. Then, at the Leukemia Cup Regatta, food will be catered just like the ULDB, pot-luck style: NSC will absorb the catering expense; club members will bring some dishes.

Doug Swart, L&LS Regatta Committee Chair; committee: Doug Swart, Paul (as RC); Doug will also ask Steve Averbuch. Doug will handle other advertising and fundraising. Paul will be RC chair, bring trophies, and concept race course, involving Sunfish with separate race course; he will also bring breakfast. In 2014, the NSC-sponsored Leukemia Cup Regatta brought in $21,571. Doug, we need to initiate fundraising, but L&LS will pub cost-free article in Bucks paper. Doug should ask L&LS to advertise throughout Bucks, Montgomery, and Lehigh counties. Brian Scarborough will write article for Compass. Craig says contact Hatfield Packing to rent a grill to cook hamburgers and hotdogs. Emily from L&LS will come to the Leukemia Cup but not to the Spring Warm-Up. Participants need to be educated; only 4-5 skippers set up fundraising teams. Leukemia Soc will do guidelines; Paul says to double-check to make sure they do provide everything they say they will. Gift bags will be created using some swag from Robin’s stash for new members, plus key chains to be ordered (see New Business, Increasing Membership, below). Suggestion: Find some way to announce on land what’s happening out on the water during the Leukemia Cup race. Paul: Can donations made before April 15^th be deducted from 2015 taxes? No one knows, but would be good marketing point if it’s possible. Look into it?

INCREASING CLUB MEMBERSHIP: Ideas to attract new members include holding one or more “Open Houses” lakeside during the season (from Tom Smith), specifically June and July. Put up signs; offer snacks. Have Thistle and Flying Scot sailors take people out for rides. Position on lawn in clear view of park users. Put advertisements in local papers? Article in Compass. Possible date: June 18^th (Invitational Regatta is scheduled). Dress up as Pirates to wave people in? Tom: order “NSC Key Chains” to be embossed with NSC logo and hand out as freebies to prospective members. A minimum of 300-400 have to be ordered, at 79 cents each. [Blue letters on white background decided later via email; also approved to order via email.] Craig: Give workshops on boating, offer to help people with their boats. Replace old brochure boxes outside restrooms at the park. The old boxes are opaque; it’s not obvious there are brochures inside. Robin and Gary Bonner will purchase new ones and install. (Someone else will need to remove the NSC signs in the restrooms about donating the soap in the dispensers, which the club no longer fills.) General: NSC needs greater visibility on land. Question (Greg): Why attract people who won’t be involved with the club? Answer: For their financial support.

PAYING FOR CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: Tom Smith looked into allowing members to use Pay Pal and credit cards to pay annual dues; he believes it would be too expensive and too much work for the club at this point in time. For the number of members the club has right now, FC has an efficient system for handling mailed in applications/check payments and Tom recommended that we stick with that. Everyone agreed. It was brought up that Warren has always promoted sending “Invoices.” Robin disagrees: invoices should *not* be sent to members of an organization where no goods change hands; this year’s advance advertising asking members to renew has been effective and is not offensive. One idea to streamline process is to post editable PDF of membership application on the NSC website. Then, members can save it, type in their info, and print out and send.

PARK LIAISON, WARREN MANGAN: Warren did not attend meeting. No news on NSC service project for the park.

MEETING ADJOURNED: 8:35 p.m.: Motion made by Greg, seconded by Laurine.

NEXT MEETING: March 7th.

Respectfully submitted,

Robin C. Bonner

NSC Membership Secretary