13 February 2008 Planning Meeting Minutes

SKI BUDDIES Planning Meeting Minutes: 13 February 2008
Address: Ski Buddies; P.O. BOX 20003; Seattle, WA 98102

Attendees
Ray Blocknia, Mark Pollock, Chris Turcotte, Steve Wegener, Vincent Chou, Stuart Stoddard, Fred Grant, Cathy Jessup, & Greg Snider met at Vince & Stuart’s place for our latest planning meeting of the 2007-2008 winter sport season. Thanks for hosting us, Vince & Stuart.

Agenda
• Potlucks
• Website
• Membership
• Treasurer Report
• 2008 Annual Banquet
• 2007-08 Season Trips
• Next Planning Meeting

Potlucks:
? Last potluck of the season, 2/10/08, at the Washington State Garden Club, with ~ 25 attendees.

Website:
? No website issues; things seem to be working well.
? It would be nice to get some trip reports posted since we have no trip reports up to this point. The website is ready – folks just have to submit reports to Stuart and he’ll post them. It gives new members a good idea of what a trip is like, and allows everyone to share in the memories.
? The Treasurer summary report looked great.

Membership:
? 164 active members + another new one tonight (Cathy hands over check for Rosa). Publicity efforts have helped outreach. Website has helped: folks ask why they can’t access whole site and when they find out they didn’t pay, then they pay.

Treasurer Report
? $16,000 check for Tantalus and found out there are additional fees which had been charged to the credit card.
? There are transaction fees associated with international charges to the WaMu Credit card, so Chris is shopping around for options. Capital One has a card with annual fees, no international fee – plus you get a cash-back bonus. It will better for the club since we are doing 3 trips or more to Canada this season.

2008 Annual Banquet
? It’s going to be Sunday, March 23rd (Easter night), 6-9pm – at the Elysian Brewing Company's Elysian Fields location, 542 1st Ave S (by Qwest Field). Bud & Lisa have posted an announcement – and hopefully there’s a plan to send out a reminder as time gets closer.

Elections
? All existing officers are running again, and there were no new nominations.
? Proceed to do the election 100% electronically. Greg send note to Stuart and he’ll send it out to membership (so it goes out independently & not part of a nightly summary) – and it will be returned to me to tally.
? $25 REI gift card encouragement again this year. Chris takes action to get it but not needed until the annual banquet when election winners announced.
? Greg to send wording to Stuart this week. Stuart will send out ballot next week (2/20) and give them 2 weeks (ballots due by Sunday March 5 midnight). Greg will send list of voters to Bud so they can pick a winner for the REI gift card. Greg will also notify Bud and the officers of final election results before the banquet since Greg will be out of town on the night of banquet.

2007-08 Season Trips
? All non-members who want to go on trips need to sign a liability waiver and pay a non-member fee of $10 per trip. Next year you must be a member to go on trips.
? All members are reminded that they need to sign the liability waiver on-line at the website.

January
? 1/12-20: Aspen Gay SkiWeek (Shilpen Patel): it went well.
? 1/19-26 Austria (Gil) – went so well that they made reservations for next year already.

February
? 2/3-10: Gay Ski Week, Whistler (Lee Johnson) – It was fabulous; Lee did hand-off to Shilpen. Issue with refunds being requested late.
? 2/15-18: Methow Valley (Cathy Jessup) -- Presidents Day Weekend, “A Bend in the River Lodge”; 20 paid and going. Refunds will need to be issued for cancellations.
? 2/21-24: Steven’s Pass Lodge 25th annual trip (Ray Blocknia, Chris Turcotte): full up and paid. Folks welcome to come up for day – Ray will send out website notification.

March:
? 2/29-3/2: Mt. Hood Meadows (Scott Feest & Jan Bennett) - stay in Hood River, OR. Downhill & cross-country. Chris contacted the Vagabond Inn and things seem OK – although the trip prices appear to be low (although hotel is making us a deal).
? 3/6-10: Red Mountain (Bud Wright) – G&L Ski Week there that week. Arranged for 20 folks - but Red is working with us (tickets, hotel, meals, etc.); no deadline. Some folks flying to Spokane on Horizon or Alaska Airline and renting a car (45 min flight & 2.5 hours drive).
? 3/15-16: Mission Ridge (Jeff Roberts) – Everyone pay their own way; get a good deal through hotels in Wenatchee.
? 3/28-30: Scottish Lakes (Lisa & Elaine) – some cancellations, 3 spaces now open.

April:
? 4/5-6: Mt. Bachelor (Shane Balleweg), has 1 house reserved; ~ $275. Trip is closed.

Next Planning Meeting
Getting an extra month break, the next planning meeting is scheduled for 7:00pm Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at Vince & Stuarts: 429 Federal Avenue, Seattle, WA. If you get lost, call (206) 910-2019. Pride will be a topic; Mark to check if Gil is still interested in being the focal.

Greg takes the action to send out a reminder email via our website around April 9 - reminding folks it’s meeting time again. See you all then - when we start looking at trip proposals!

2007-8 Ski Buddies Officers and Volunteers:
? President: Mark Pollock
? Vice President: Cathy Jessup
? Secretary: Greg Snider
? Treasurer: Chris Turcotte
? Membership: Vincent Chau
? Newsletter: Carl Wilson
? Publicity: Fred Grant
? Web Master: Stuart Stoddard
? Potluck Coordinator: Tom Rowan
? Trip Leader Coordinator: open
? Banquet Coordinator: Lisa Sokanoff & Bud Wright
? Pride Coordinator: Gil Price