BQPA/PIONEERS
BOARD MEETING
IPP: Jack Martin
President: Tom Noble
V.P. : Lee Taylor
Sec. : Rex Touslee
Treasurer: Jim
Gallagher
V.P. West : Jim Milner,
Bernie Esberner
V. P. East: Gerry Carroll , Raymond Swartzkopf
Membership : Frank
Flizar
Open: Tom @
1:50pm
Recognition of Departed friends with solemn rendition of The
Old Songs.
Motion to dispense
with the reading of minutes of last meeting- Jim Milner, 2nd
by Jack Martin. Passed.
Treasurers Report – Jim Gallagher-
* Balance continues
to go up – now $7436.08. - Jim passed
out copy of his report
* Discussion – this
balance is too high - no conclusion
reached for action to rectify.
* Jack M. : The thermometer on registration table has
been effective to achieve more donations.
We need to find ways to effectively spend some money – to
support our mission of BQPA.
Motion to accept Jack’s proposal – seconded – approved
Actions since last meeting – Tom
* He has sent get
well card to Pete Tyree
* Has compiled the list of BQPA Gold Medal winners – almost
complete to 1989.
* Insurance for Events -completed/done. - $201
* Received notice from Stu Willcox that Incorporation of
BQPA in Nevada has been renewed. Stu
declined reimbursement, as his
contribution to BQPA. Tom has obtained
the Articles of Incorporation for BQPA.
* Has completed the Job Descriptions – the inventory of our
physical items – and noted where we obtain the shirts and pins.
Jim Milner discussed the webpage – 5 pages - membership is now available. Password is:
Pioneers.
West Festival – Jim Milner
* Possible dual role for Bernie Esberner – being a V.P. as
well as Asst. West Festival Chairman.
* Contract with
Holiday Inn/Mesa has been difficult – then they raised room rate from $89 to
$140. Meeting room went from $200 up to $250.
Bernie had been there recently – no AC. Considered trying to go back to Embassy
Suites in Tempe : They now want
$150/room and $500 for meeting room.
Jim has inspected and talked to the Dobson Ranch Inn: their facilities are OK... Rooms - $78 +tax
– Meeting room would be $200/day- has a renovated dining room, pool, hot tub –
restaurant on site – free breakfast included -bar on site.
Jim has inspected and talked to the Tempe Inn and
Suites: Has airport shuttle – lots of
dinning room space – close to airport – free breakfast - social hour provided by the Inn with free
beer. Rooms are $92 + tax - meeting room rent is $50/day.
His opinion: older facility but
adequate for us.
Discussion by Gerry Carroll: We don’t need super fancy – this sounds good
to him. And..it has a golf course close-by.
Jim M: he has looked
at a sleeping room – very adequate. The
meeting room is in a separate building, it seats 80 people +/- and it has a
stage. Will suit our needs.
Bernie: This
property is very convenient and reasonably priced.
Gerry C. : He agrees
with Bernie and recommends that we book it.
Made a motion to do so – Lee Taylor 2nd. Passed unanimously.
Jim Milner: His
wife’s health is not the best and next April will be his last as West Festival
VP. But will continue with the
Webmaster duties.
Discussion:
Rex: Does not feel
that the duties of Festival mandate, totally, that the VP be a local member.
Gerry C. : Disagrees
with that.
Lee Taylor:
suggests that Bernie take over the West VP duties, and will have
assistance from Jim, as needed. Bernie
agrees to do that.
Discussion of the Italian – American Club dinner on Weds.
evening. Jim says that this is not
going to be possible any longer. Bernie
suggests that perhaps an alternative can be found in SE Phoenix. Agreeable to all.
East Festival – Gerry Carroll
All is the same with the Best Western in Hillside, IL. Same room rate and no changes for singing room cost. – ownership
likes us.
Raymond S: The hotel
is now operating in a corporate style – negotiations were not as easy - no longer free beer, will now be $1.25 /
can. Will use a sign at the beer
station. “ Donation of $1.25 “ which he expects will cover the expense.
Tom : He has noted
some upgrades in the hotel – new furniture and pictures which with may lead to
price increase.
Gerry: Has had a
discussion with Jim Jarouz about being his successor as East VP. No commitment.
Raymond : He has
had many difficulties with staging the Saturday night shows. Has had last minute cancellations after
they agreed to be there. Has contacted
many quartets. This year the SAIs are
in Wisconsin for a training weekend and the Harmony Inc. group is in St. Louis
for same thing. He’s hoping these
conflicts are for this year only. One of
the quartets that will be on this year’s show will likely do some modern harmony. All agreed that we have sufficient internal
talent to stage a more than adequate show.
All thanked Raymond for his efforts.
Webmaster Report
There has been an exchange of ‘ thumb drives’ for backup on
the site.
Jim and Bernie:
The website has been moved from Go Daddy hosting to Bernie’s personal
server and all is working well. There
will be a nominal payment from BQPA to Bernie for this service but will be a
savings from Go Daddy.
Jim: He is now using
One Drive – cloud service.
Tom / Bernie: agree
that our data is more than adequately backed up and safe from a disaster loss.
Jim: He will
continue as Webmaster.
Tom and Jim: The Job
Description for Webmaster has been completed and posted on the website.
Tom: He believes
that our website needs some upgrading to improve the look to the public.
Bernie: He will
contact a web designer that he used for his company and get an estimate of
costs. He has always been
reasonable. Discussion followed – what
can and should be done.
Motion by Jim M. that Bernie contact this person, get an
estimate of costs. 2nd. By
Gerry C. - passed.
Membership
Tom and Frank exchange thumb drives.
Frank: Now have 375
members.
* Members are not
registering their attendance so it’s difficult to get a good count.
* Have all the
forms available to do so.
Tom asks: Will
Frank continue as Membership Chair – Frank says yes but needs a backup. Tom commends Frank on the good job he has
done on Membership.
Gerry C. : Were the
email addresses used to notify members of upcoming Festivals ? Tom and Frank reply – yes and invalid email
addresses have been deleted.
Jack M. : Comments
on the new Quartet Organization being formed.
Asks – should we be sending out notices etc., to promote the BQPA
?? Said we need to improve our
promotion efforts.
Registration
Tom : Registration
for 2018 Mesa Festival – 61
Discussion of handout.
Communication and Public Relations
Raymond S. : As of
July 1, 2018 – Google Groups has changed – could now create a mail list using
our now Google list and BQPA member list --- membership in BQPA grants assents
to receiving email from BQPA.
Tom has not been able to contact Jordan Busboom for several
months regarding his agreement to do
P. R. for BQPA.
And....we are now using Google Groups and FaceBook for communications.
Discussion of By Laws and Articles of Incorporation:
Jack Martin:
Questions – do we want to continue as a Subsidiary of BHS ??
All agreed: Yes we do.
Nominating Committee:
Lee Taylor: Both of
the Festivals are now taken care of. He
appreciates Bernie agreeing to take on the
V.P. position as well as the West Festival Chair, so that he can take on the President’s role.
**** Back to
Treasury:
Tom passed out example of business cards we have used in
the past. Question: maybe we should use these again ??
***** Back to Nominating Committee:
Lee Taylor: Asks how
are these positions transferred – per the By Laws ??? :
Tom responds: The
President appoints a replacement for himself as President- beginning at
conclusion of this Festival. And then
the appointee appoints a replacement for V.P.
All to be approved at the General Meeting on Saturday.
New Business
Tom suggests that, as a way to spend some of our treasury,
we purchase and distribute some ‘ Aqua Clips’.... that clips onto a belt and
holds a water bottle. Would have the
BQPA logo. This was approved by those
present, subject to Tom getting quote of costs.
Lee suggested that BQPA contact info be on the clips.
Tom requests approval to purchase 12 BQPA cloth patches to
be sold at future Festivals. All
agreed.
Tom requests approval to purchase some 2nd and 3rd
place ribbons for the Qt. contests. All
agreed.
Tom requests approval to ordering 500 business cards to
promote BQPA. All agreed.
Adjourned.