Minutes of the Business Meeting
of May 1, 2012
I. The business meeting was called to order at 6:35 PM by President Chip Borona.
Members attending: President Chip Borona, Vice-president Steve Grenot, Treasurer Bill Little, Secretary Reed Ostrander, Members: Tim Beers, Chip Borona, Heather Cable, Banks Edwards, Joe Garcia, Marion Johnson, Bob Murphy, Connor O'Brien, Sean O'Brien, Art Sherman, Charles Tucker, Mike Wishnacht.
A. Announcements
1. The next 2 run sessions will be on at 6:00 PM at Bill Little's on May 19 and at Steve Grenot's on May 29.
a. The run session at Bill's will include spray painting lessons.
2. The next meeting will be held at 6:30PM at Trains by Johnson's on June 5, ‘12.
B. Minutes of the previous meeting of April 3, 2012 were read by Secretary Reed Ostrander.
1. Banks moved acceptance and was seconded by Bob Murphy.
a. The minutes were accepted as written.
C. The treasurer's report was presented by Bill Little.
1. As of this date there is $1451.18 in the treasury.
a. This total includes $100.00 from the Fairhope show.
a. Reed moved acceptance and was seconded by Art.
b. The report was accepted as presented.
D. Old Business
1. President Chip noted that the spray painting demo by Dave Grizzard went well and included hands on painting some of Bill's passenger cars.
2. Shalimar show at Uptown Station report:
a. Coordinator Chip mentioned need for more attendance and more members for set-up and take-down. There was a lot of run time available. We will need some work sessions to correct some problems:
1) Repair woodland corner and lumber mill and tree box.
2) Install alignment pins in all modules.
3) Fix selected track end problems.
b. Layout master Reed noted that care should be taken to assure all track connections are made with rail joiners such as at yard throat and between yard tables.
1) Remember that modules to either side of bridge are connected by rail joiners to the bridge but not to the next modules. This is critical to avoid trains falling into the open bridge.
2) When taking down, don't remove the rail joiners, slide them to the one track end or the other.
c. It was suggested that we off-load the modules at the May 19th run session at Bill's so that repairs can proceed.
d. Also need a new roll of 2" wide red tape.
3. Bob Murphy noted that all but one new Club shirt had been paid for. They are available from Elaine.
4. President Chip noted that the clean-up at the old Clubhouse has not been completed. Steve should reschedule a time to finish this task.
5. Bob Murphy discussed the costs of a new trailer. He noted that new 7x16 ft 2 axle trailer will cost between $4000.00 and $4500.00. A trade-in may be possible.
a. Discussion:
1) purchasing a smaller trailer of the size we have would be cheaper and provide more capacity.
2) Renting a trailer for the occasional use for large set-ups would be cheapest if the extra modules could be stored in the interim.
3) There are no venues where much larger layouts can be set-up and it would require more member involvement in the set-ups and take-downs in any case.
6. Roundhouse sub-committee continuing report by Bob Murphy:
a. The cost of structures for the module would be about $1027.00 if all new structures were purchased. Some are available already which would reduce the cost.
b. All structures should be permanently mounted to reduce set up time.
c. Present thinking is having two 4x4 ft modules to support all the necessary track and structures.
7. The layout electrical schematic is being worked on by Banks
8. The Club owes Trains by Johnson $137.51 for a Digitrax short-circuit and reversing unit.
a. The whereabouts of the unit is not known.
E. New Business
1. President Chip asked the Club officers for a suitable time for attending a meeting of the PMRC Board of Directors. Sunday is the time frame available.
2. The trailer will be transferred from Marie's to Bill's home by Sean.
3. Chip will work up a list of the main tools needed by all members to avoid borrowing from other members at set-ups and take-downs.
4. Bob Murphy will get the trailer weighed with contents.
5. The contact at SWARM will be George Nelson at 251 990-9144, not Herb Kern.
6. Art noted that the company supplying the train sets for Toys for Tots cannot guarantee the pricing on the sets beyond May 22, 2012. The Club needs to purchase the sets now as a result.
a. Reed made a motion that the Club purchase 2 sets and individual Club members purchase the number of sets they desire at this time at a price of $35.00 for each set.
1) The motion was seconded by Banks and was passed.
2) The following members volunteered to purchase sets:
Banks 1 Steve 1 Reed 2 Art 1
Chip 1 Mike 1 Sean 1 Bill 3
Joe 1 Bob M. 1 Charles 1 Total = 14
3) The total cost of $490.00 was paid by the Club and must be reimbursed by each purchasing member as soon as possible.
F. The meeting was adjourned at 7:47 PM
Respectfully Submitted by
D. Reed Ostrander
Secretary
PMRC HO Division