Corp. HQ                                        Membership Meeting 17 May, 2008                      BOD Meeting 17 May, 2008

55^th STRAT RECON WING ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

13 MAY 2008

CRYSTAL CITY HILTON, VA (WASHINGTON, DC)

          President Jim Thomas called the meeting to order at 1850.

          Attending were Vice President Ricky McMahon, Treasurer Errol Hoberman, Secretary Max Moore, members Don Griffin, Bill Ernst, Charles Waters, Michael Cook, George Ross, and Jim Maloney.

Members not attending: Sam Pizzo, Sparky Adams, Joe Gyulavics, Robb Hoover, Denny Haun, Larry Utley, Pete Glenboski, Kevin Todd. Pres Thomas reported that all had expressed their personal regrets to him that they were unable to attend due to a variety of health issues, job or family obligations. Active duty members LtCol Bill Jensen and LtCol Mike Kelly were deployed.

The president called upon the secretary to read the minutes from the last Board meetings of 20 and 23 September 2006. Cook moved to dispense with the reading. Motion was seconded by Griffin and passed.

          Hoberman gave in-depth treasurer’s and membership reports as of 25 April 2008. Cook moved to approve the report. Ross seconded. Motion passed. Cook had done a complete audit prior to the reunion. Discussion followed on various methods to encourage on-time dues payments by members.

Hoberman announced he was stepping down as treasurer. Pres Thomas acknowledged his ten-plus years service, and suggested it was worthy of awarding life membership. Moore so moved. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

          Webmaster Maloney reported that feedback regarding the Association’s web site redesign and content was favorable, many were first time visitors. Maloney encouraged anyone taking pictures of the reunion activities to send them to him for web site posting as soon as it was convenient.

          VPres and Reunion Chair McMahon gave an extensive report on the reunion situation to date. He expected 224 at the banquet. He reported that the MAYDAY postcard helped, especially with the banquet numbers. The bus transportation had some issues to work. The hospitality room supplies were set. He felt confident the reunion would pay for itself, and was hopeful the seed money could be paid back to the Association. His working relationship with the hotel sales staff was good, and he was told more than once by the sales manager, ‘don’t worry about the room’ booking shortfall. The hotel would be able to sell them at a higher rate than the reunion special. The final bills from the hotel and bus company will come in the week after the reunion and ‘we’ will know where we stand then.

 Ernst commented that he felt the membership should be informed how close the reunion came to a major financial deficit due to lower than anticipated attendance.

          The president acknowledged that McMahon had done a superior job in planning and executing the reunion and was to be commended for his efforts in overcoming several challenges. All attending agreed, and extended their congratulations on a job well done.

          Moore gave the nomination committee report that the eleven sitting elected members had opted to stand for re-election. Thus the slate of nominees would be the same. Cook moved to accept the report. Ernst seconded. Motion passed. All permanent members also chose to remain in that capacity and the active duty reps remained in status.

          Thomas reported on the IRS 501C-19 not-for-profit status of the Association. Donations to the Association are not tax deductible, and that was cited in an August 1995 letter from the IRS. He plans a reclama to section 170 of the IRS code based upon the fact that the Association has made many charitable donations in recent years, and that as a war veterans organization, we now satisfy all requirements for donations to be deductible. We also need to reclassify status of widows in order to help membership percentage numbers to comply with the membership requirements of IRS 170 code.

          Under new business, it was proposed that the Association adopt an annual budget beginning in 2009 to cover the regular expenditures to which the Association is committed. Cook gave a detailed financial review from 1997-2008, which had previously been presented at the Omaha caucus meeting on 29 April.

55^TH SRWA FINANCIAL UPDATE

RECOMMENDATIONS

The report also included recommendations for improving income. After a detailed discussion, including many option, Ross moved the recommendations in Cook’s report be accepted at $20 per year and implemented as modified to include $55 for three years beginning in January 2009. Hoberman seconded. Motion passed.  Approved items now read:

1. Increase dues to $20 per year and offer discount at $55 for three years.

2. All advanced dues to be honored. Dues increases commence after expiration date (year).

3. Dues are to be paid anytime during the expiration calendar year.

4. Dues are delinquent on 31 March following expiration year.

5. After 1 April of year following expiration year, member will be notified that their membership has expired and they will no longer receive the newsletter. This provides a 15 month window for a member to pay dues. To be reinstated, member must pay all back dues.

A discussion then ensued on how to better manage the Association’s finances and methods to be more aggressive in encouraging timely dues payments.

          Another issue was informing the membership of the importance of keeping their addresses and e-mail addresses up to date with the Association membership chairman.

                The president announced he had appointed Robb Hoover to chair a committee to review the Articles and Bylaws of the Association. The purpose being to recommend amendments to simplify, clarify and/or eliminate contradictions, etc, as necessary to bring them up to date with how the Association has evolved in recent years. Cook and Haun will be on the committee and Moore will act as a consultant. Thomas asked for report/recommendations by 15 June 2008.

            Potential sites for the next reunion in the fall of 2009 were discussed, but the decision left open until the membership meeting on Saturday, 17 May.

                There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2125.

Respectfully submitted,

--signed--

Max R. Moore

Secretary