BQPA/PIONEERS

BARBERSHOP QUARTET PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

April 8, 2017

MEETING MINUTES

Board Members Present:
Jack Martin Immediate Past President
Tom Noble President
Lee Taylor V.P.
Gerry Carroll V.P. – East
Jim Milner V.P. – West
Jim Gallagher Treasurer
Rex Touslee Secretary
June Noble Registrar

Call to order

Rendition of The Old Songs, recognizing departed friends: Rich Vormelker, Chuck Harner, Jeff Baker, ‘Doc’ Sause, Ed Beaver, Dave Lyman, Cal Revis, Dave Walker, Bill Johnson, Tom Millott, Glen Arenson, Stan Sharp.,

Observation by Bill Myers that the correct key is Bb. Pres. Noble observes that we are in the IL District where the tradition is to be more solemn and do it in Ab. Bill: Well... that’s Illinois for you. (In jest – of course )

Pres. Noble observes that Tom Millott was an especially avid and long time quartet singer and a member of BQPA. Had drawers full of music – wondering where that ended up with his passing.

TREASURER’S REPORT - Jim Gallagher

Jim displays a graph of the treasury balances over the past years. Comments – line is the $6000 point - with several dips and rises over that line. The west Festival causing the dips below the line are due to higher costs. We make up for it with the Chicago meeting where costs have been lower. Major expenditure has been a new supply of pins. Question from membership about shirts availability. Jim answers that there is currently a problem accessing the website of the supplier – Righteous Clothing.

Question: will there be shirts available at Festivals ? Jim – if you contact me, I will get you one but I’m not going to be hauling shirts back and forth. The problem with the website will be corrected if possible, and a notice will be put on our website when it is fixed.

ACTIONS TAKEN SINCE LAST MEETING
The resignation of Ed Simons as Secretary has been accepted and Rex Touslee has been appointed with revised duties.  Has appointed Ed Simons as Ass’t. Membership to take care of the receiving and processing of the membership applications, mailing of a pin to the new member with a welcome letter. Will send new member info. on to Frank Fliszar.   Bernie Esberner has accepted the appointment of Assistant Webmaster and Assistant Chairman of the West Festival. Bernie has extensive background in Information Technology and has offered to host the BQPA website on his personal server, at minimal expense, beginning in 2018 when the contract with current host expires.  The Board took action to accept the offer of member Jim Jaroz and his quartet and the Chicago Metro Chapter to rent their sound system to BQPA for a nominal amount, expressing our appreciation for that offer. This saves a considerable expense for the East Festival.   AHSOW has been informed that the BQPA Board has agreed that our organizations can exchange event information to be displayed promoting each others activities. There will be no exchanging of member information. Expressly understood that this is the extent of the interaction between AHSOW and BQPA. Noting that the links between each other’s websites are now functional. Each organization will send releases to one another to promote activities. Tom has sent a release about this event to AHSOW with unknown action on their part.  We now have two of the big display banners - Each Festival will now have one.
EAST FESTIVAL REPORT – Gerry Carroll

The management of our Chicago hotel has changed and the room rate for this fall will be raised to $89 plus tax. We will now have two contracts one for the sleeping rooms and another for the Singing Room, which may be different room than last year. They will let us have a larger room if they cannot rent it to others for $4000 for a wedding. Gerry tried to negotiate a lower room rate but could not succeed.

WEST FESTIVAL REPORT - Jim Milner

Asks for opinion of sleeping rooms. Very positive replies.
Asks if we can get the same deal here for next year - do all feel that would be acceptable. Positive comments.
He will make recommendations to hotel to increase staff, especially in bar where they have been overwhelmed.
Asks about experience with transportation between hotel and airport. Discussions about options.
Discussion about expense of this hotel. Embassy Suites charge this year for a big meeting room was going to be $1200. This room is $800 – so meaningful savings.

President Tom : Thanks Jim for efforts in locating this hotel and observing that Embassy Suites wanted another $1000 of revenue from our event, pricing them out of our budget.

President Tom: Question for Jim regarding this hotel – how are we standing on room nights for the room block. Ans. It’s OK. Then discussion about the rate being lowered because
they do not offer free transportation from airport.

Gerry Carroll: I forgot to mention that another change by the Chicago hotel was a much earlier date to be sure to get the discounted room rate. July 28 is that date and will be posted on the website. There are liberal cancellation policies at both hotels that we use.

REGISTRAR’S REPORT June Noble

There were 44 in the room last night and all of them had registered.

The Donations Thermometer has been very effective in encouraging donations.

June: please register so we have a count and urges all to take note of all the merchandise available for purchase .

Jack Martin: Is the $800 for this room our only expense for this weekend. Tom: yes , except for ancillary expenses – supplies for registration desk etc..

Tom: announces that Tom and Jackie Neal donated $100 for the cause today.

Mary Martin : She has passed the cup around several times and gave the collected $150 to the Treasurer. Asked that everyone pick up the hotel toiletries and give them to her for shipping to the troops overseas.

COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT

Tom : Big screen advertising for BQPA has been displayed at Harmony, Inc. International and flyers, business card and songlists have been placed at many events – MAD prelims., and Harmony University.

Tom : We are asking everyone to turn in their badge holders at the end of this evening – keep your name badge if you want. The holders are now costing $1.00 each.

Tom: We had 17 new members sign up last fall in Chicago. Did not have enough pins on hand - had to borrow pins from members. We had 73 members at Chicago, including the new 17 and estimates that we had in excess of 95 attending the evening show.

General comments;

Chuck Gutherie : Suggests that the golf be a scramble format to encourage more participation. Gerry Carroll – I will discuss with Dave Brady who organizes golf for Chicago. Jim Milner responds – each foursome can decide on their own.

Tom Noble _ please remember to tip the hotel staff and send a complimentary email – if you think it’s warranted. Helps next year.

Tom puts on his Grand Poo Bah crown and his chick dons hers for a group picture.

Jack Martin moves for adjournment – someone seconds followed by a ‘memorable‘ rendition of Keep America Singing

Respectfully Submitted

Rex Touslee
Secretary