December 2009, Volume 39 No. 4, Page 2
News for our members
Our next meeting
Our next meeting will be starting at 7 PM on Thursday December 3rd
Clinic: Following the business meeting, we will have our annual Christmas Party. Refreshments, fellowship and shop talk are encouraged. All members are requested to bring something good to eat to share. Please contact Fred Coleman (at 699 – 0983 or email) to find out what is needed or what you are bringing.
Raffle Tickets: We have reach a 100 tickets sold. We need more sales, please join in the fun. Contact Fred Coleman for more info.
Have an interesting idea for a clinic that you can do.
Please call Fred Coleman to schedule your time today!
Hurry, there is a limited availability, call now for preferred placement.
Brief Summary of the Meeting,
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Ken Granzin, Company Clerk
The meeting was called to order at 7:01 p.m. Frank Pearsall explained how he became Superintendent. He thanked John Williams for his service to Division 15.Dan Lang reported on the Apple Valley Club. They are preparing to dismantle the Asheville Division and will remodel the room where it is located before beginning construction.
Penn Bullock reported on the work with the Eliada Youth. The crew likes the new room downstairs better than the space upstairs. The organization of cottages at Eliada has changed recently, which has implications for how the crew works with the youth. There are now four sessions each Tuesday, two with those ages 6 to 12 and two for those ages 13 to 17. Sessions are also held the second Saturday of the month.
Ben Bartlett spoke about the NMRA Achievement Program. Joe Norris was awarded a certificate for Civil Engineering. Ben needs division members to serve as judges to assist him in evaluating requests for awards. Also, please tell Ben what certificates you have been awarded, the date, and the region of the award, so he can post achievements of division members.
Fred expressed concern for the health of Kent Roberts. He reported that Bill Siebert has been recovering well, as attested by his attending the meeting.
The Christmas party will be held at the time of the December meeting at the Eliada meeting space. Please send Fred Coleman an e-mail regarding whether you will attend and tell him what you can contribute in the way of food.
Fred has flyers to be distributed to promote the annual train show to be held 5-6 March. He has raffle tickets to sell; the prizes for winners are a 3’ by 5’ N-scale layout and a machinist’s toolbox.
Ken Vaslilik showed an impressive watercolor painting of the Bryson City yard painted by his wife Ann, and contributed it as a prize for the raffle at the Train Show in March. Fred announced that the Piedmont Division has a home tour scheduled for this month. He also reported on his round trip train ride from Spencer to Asheville.
Frank announced that Division 15 will separate from the present organization. He said that the Division 15 members will meet to plan their future on 21 November. He spoke about the bylaws of Division 15/WNCMRR, which need to be revised. Frank said Division 15 was not interested in the modules, website, Eliada relationship, the annual train show, or the checking accounts which WNCMRR will keep. A lively discussion regarding this separation followed, consuming approximately one hour with no conclusions. Numerous members voiced their feelings. An issue of greatest concern, if there is a separation, is how to fund the insurance for the annual train show; an auxiliary issue is whether WNC MRR should require its members to be NMRA members. A special meeting to further discuss the matter will be held at Eliada Home on 19 November.
The meeting adjourned at 8:36 p.m.
Summary of the Special Meeting,
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Ken Granzin, Company Clerk
The meeting was called to order by Superintendent Frank Pearsall at 7:03 p.m. Frank stated that he was resigning from that post as of the end of the meeting. Frank stated that NMRA members should have received a mailing about the Division 15 meeting to be held on Saturday.John Williams took over as moderator of the meeting. He reminded the group that insurance for public events held by WNCMRR is essential. For a WNCMRR to gain insurance through the NMRA, 100 percent of its members must be NMRA members. He provided several options for the club’s future; he recommend the option whereby the WNCMRR becomes a 100% NMRA Club.
Wally Brown asked why this has become a requirement, and Fred Coleman replied that the NMRA instituted this policy recently because of a lawsuit against one club. Several members asked for or provided information about basic issues involving insurance and the need for the club to have this insurance.
Mike Smith moved and Dick Burdette seconded this motion: The WNCMRR will become 100 per cent NMRA club. Formal discussion ensued and the motion passed 28-1.
Gordon Fewster moved and Mike Smith seconded this motion: The WNCMRR is to be a separate entity from Division 15 -- physically, organizationally, and legally. The assets of the former blended organization remain with the WNCMRR. The motion passed 29-0.
Gordon Fewster moved and Mike Smith seconded this motion: The Board of Directors of the WNCMRR will create a plan for implementation of the 100 percent membership requirement by the time of the club’s January meeting. The motion passed 22-7.
John stated that the WNCMRR Board of Directors will appoint officers who will serve for the rest of the next fiscal year (until June 30, 2010).
Wally wants the club to find an appropriate way to convey the results of the meeting to members who were not in attendance.
A discussion involved how to fund NMRA dues for members who cannot afford to pay them which will be taken up a later date.
The meeting adjourned at 8:42.
A report on the Division 15 meeting held November 21, 2009
(Editor: As a consideration to our members, we are including a report on this meeting.)Division Superintendent Frank Pearsall welcomed those present. There were about 20 folks present at the meeting in the Public Library in Fletcher.
Frank introduced Ken O’Brian as the Assistant Superintendent, Ben Bartlett as the Company Clerk, and Mike Nicoletti as the Paymaster. Ben Bartlett will also serve as the AP Chainman.
Frank noted that Fred Coleman, a SER Region Board Member, in our Division.
Frank shared his vision for the future of the Division, noting that nothing is fixed here:
- Hold quarterly meetings, tentatively quarterly the 3rd weekend of the month. Meeting places will vary through the area.
- Include several clinics at each meeting
- Include a brief “Show and tell” moment (actually 1-2 minutes) in which members can bring in evidence of recent accomplishments, share work in progress,
ask question about challenges they face, and in general share their interests and work towards a goal of better model railroading.
- Meet with model railroad clubs with our service area, and other contiguous NMRA Divisions.
- Have layout tours, popular-vote model contests, Rail-fanning activities
- Participation in outreach opportunities (trains shows etc.)
Frank said the next meeting in January will be in Fletcher
New NMRA Member opportunity
As a result of the action taken at the November 19 meeting, the club membership will include only NMRA members. For non-NMRA members, NMRA membership is a better deal that ever before with the NMRA’s new magazine, Scale Rails. You can sample the magazine for a special price for anyone who has not previously been a NMRA member. See the last page of this Semaphore for details. To facilitate NMRA recognition of our 100% NMRA club, and their sanction of our March Train Show, take action to be a member of NMRA by Jan. 1, 2010. Thank You!Fees are due!
