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SMARA Board Meeting Minutes

11/5/09 8:04pm

Present were President James MacMurray (N2UZQ), Vice-President Dan Miller (KC2VEX), Secretary David Stark (NF2G), Treasurer April Chinski (KC2VWW), Trustee Tony Pazzola (W2BEJ).

Meeting called to order at 20:04 by President.

The next two Board meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, and Friday, January 1. They will be held at Denny's Restaurant, 114 Wolf Road in Colonie at 8:00 P.M. (20:00).

The SMARA Constitution and member list were distributed to Board members by previous term's Secretary April Chinski.

OLD BUSINESS:

Treasurer's report read by April Chinski.
Checking $994.68
Petty Cash $139.93
Repeater Fund $222.00
Total $1134.61
Refreshment $0.00
Refreshment

Treasurer Report accepted by all board members.

Radio Room report presented by James MacMurray on behalf of Mike Maloy.

Mike sent an email to all members requesting volunteers for work party on Saturday, November 7, to prepare the station for Kids' Day.

The Club wishes to have 3 stations operating from the Museum before Kids Day.

  • Antenna work has been needed for some time.
  • Lowering & inspection of main tower and rotator.
  • Inspection of all antennas and realignment/repair/replacement of satellite antennas.
  • Installation of new feed line.
  • Repeater work is needed.
  • The 440 repeater needs service.
  • President will email Barry Leet regarding these issues and request a response within 2 weeks.
  • The Board will pursue alternative arrangements if we can't pin Barry down.
  • Vice-President will consult with Mike Maloy about details and costs of needed station work.

Tony Pazzola stated that documentation and estimates are needed for eventual request for funds from the Broughton Foundation. VP will obtain estimates based on information received from Mike.

Events report read by James MacMurray.

Annual Dinner was successful and enjoyed by all. Top's Diner has invited us back for next year's Dinner and has offered to do a real banquet setup for us.

October 18 Duathlon. James thanks all who participated. SMARA was well represented.

Pumpkin Patrol. SMARA was well represented during this 2-day event. Tony reports that all Thruway bridges in the Albany coverage area were covered for the first time ever.

NEW BUSINESS

Goals for the 2010 term:

4 presentations by invited guest speakers. Possible topics to be presented to members for discussion and voting:

  • Emergency communications for new hams.
  • Satellite communications.
  • Contesting.
  • Digital communications, including APRS.
  • Image communications, including SSTV and FSTV.
  • MARS
  • Additional topic suggestions are welcome.

Kids' Day We hope to have 3 operating positions available at the W2IR Club Station.

Field Day We would like to find a better location in terms of radio coverage and public access if possible. Suggestions are welcome.

Community Improved relations between SMARA and Schenectady County, particularly emergency services officials.
Improved interaction between SMARA and the Museum.

Publicity More positive publicity for SMARA and for amateur radio.

Training & Education Ham classes & VE sessions.
Red Cross training.

Constitution The SMARA Constitution is either silent or self-contradictory on certain issues. We would like to propose some amendments and are carefully considering how much change we wish to suggest.
Specifically, the Board is looking at provisions for absentee ballots and secret balloting. Additional suggestions are welcome.

Operations

The club Constitution calls for 2 specific committees (Audit and Nominations) and allows for additional committees to be formed by the Board. The Board has identified the following tasks as needing special attention:

  • Nominating - this committee is appointed by the President and operates for the last month of the SMARA term.
  • Radio Room - Mike Maloy, KB2VQS, is Radio Room Officer and may recruit additional volunteers to assist him.
  • Field Day
  • Kids' Day
  • Community Service
  • Refreshments
  • Licensing - coordination of amateur licensing classes and examination sessions.
  • Information Technology - VP Dan Miller is our current webmaster and will train any members who wish to commit to taking over this task next year.

The Secretary will distribute a handout at the November General Meeting describing the above committees and soliciting volunteers for them.

Budget

April Chinski estimated that SMARA spent $1,200 last year on supplies, web hosting, Field Day shirts, the annual dinner, postage, ham fest tables, etc.
We collected an estimated $430 in dues from 86 members. The radio raffle at our annual picnic netted $100. Most of the rest of the money was raised by selling donated items on eBay.
SMARA can solicit additional equipment and supply donations and continue selling items on eBay, but there is a constant risk of exhausting our funds prematurely.
An increase in the amount of SMARA dues was suggested during the previous term and deferred to the current Board. The SMARA Constitution specifies that changes in dues may only become effective at the beginning of the membership year on September 1.
The Board of Directors voted unanimously to propose an increase in SMARA dues to $10.00 per year to become effective September 1, 2010, for the 2011 membership year.

Per the SMARA Constitution, the Treasurer will send letters via postal mail to members who are in arrears on their dues requesting payment by January 1, 2010, to avoid being dropped from the membership roll.

The next Business Meeting will be held on Thursday, November 19, at 7:30 P.M. at the Schenectady Museum. Refreshments will be a turkey dinner, donated by the President and Treasurer, and prepared by the Treasurer. Members are asked to bring sodas, desserts, and ice. The Tip Jar will be available for donations.

The December meeting will be our annual Christmas dinner on December 17. The January meeting is tentatively scheduled for 7:00 P.M. sharp on January 21 to accommodate a Red Cross training session.

Meeting adjourned at 9:46 P.M. (21:46) by unanimous consent.

Respectfully submitted by David Stark, NF2G, SMARA Secretary.

Tony's (W2BEJ) World Famous Hamfest List!
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