The meeting was held at the home of Nancy and Ray McKinley. People present were Mary Beale, Charlotte Eddy, Glade Flake, Sara and Charlie Huggins, Marvin Hass, Ray Jones, Bob Knopes, Dick Laeser, Dave Lerner, Nancy and Ray McKinley, Burr Schuler, Dick Schwartzbard, and Mike Strand. The minutes of the August 22nd meeting were approved as corrected.
Treasurer’s Report: PVS has officially become a Virginia nonprofit corporation. Originally the club was incorporated in DC with Lu Beale as Registered Agent. Since incorporation in Virginia offered greater protection for officers and trip leaders against event and trip related accidents, the change was set into motion in April 2005. Ray Jones engaged the help of law firm, Pesner Kawamoto Group. After a late discovery that the initial representative had let the matter slide, Ray pressed the firm into action. Potomac Valley Skiers, Inc. became a Virginia corporation on August 28,2006. On August 30, 2006, Potomac Valley Skiers, Inc. of DC formally merged with the newly established Virginia corporation. Ray provided copies of the official documents. The business was completed in an expedited manner, one day before the club’s DC incorporation status was due to expire. The initial legal representative (Karen Loulakis) was listed as the Registered Agent. Ray suggested that the club select a replacement, preferably a member. Dick Laeser agreed to be the club’s official Registered Agent. He is both the new treasurer and a resident of Virginia. Ray will take responsibility for the filing. The net total cost for filing fees and attorney fees was $1150. The filing fees were $300 of that total.
With the Virginia incorporation achieved, Ray was able to officially transfer the club’s financial assets from Sandy Spring Bank to Cardinal Bank. He opened a $3000 checking account and a $5000 savings account. The latter is currently earning 5.01% interest and is completely liquid. There is on-line access to the account and on-line bill paying capability. Approximately $1600 was left in the Sandy Spring Account to cover outstanding checks. Both David Abraham and Dick Laeser will be given access to the Cardinal account.
Ray McKinley gave a run down of upcoming events. Dorian Janney is hosting the October 23rd monthly meeting. October Excom will be held at Bob Knopes. The Kentlands stroll falls on October 28th. Octoberfest is celebrated the following day at Pat Vagonis’s home. The annual Chili Hike will be on November 4th with Ray and Nancy presiding.
Marvin will be guest editor of the October TOOT while Jan and Bob Marx close down their Minnesota cabin. The deadline for entries is September 30th.
Dave has made some additional changes in the club’s new web site which are mainly technical. His efforts in part have been to insure that logging on to the original web site (PotomacValleySkiers.org) will take one to the new site (PVSkiers.org.).
Mike asked for clarification of the separation between midweek activities and club events. Charlie and Sara said that the two had been under separate leadership for at least 15 years. Charlie oversaw midweek activities for several years. He will be leading a midweek trip to Liberty on December 21st.
The discussion turned to ski trips and, specifically, the Sun Peaks trip proposed by Ray and Nancy (R & N). Facing the possibility that the trip would have to be canceled because of low numbers, R & N explored possible options. After many hours of phone calls and Internet exchanges, they learned that they would be able to change the dates of the trip from February 17-25 to March 3-11. The change would result in an additional 5 and as many as 8 or 9 more people joining them. However, the new dates coincide with the BRSC trip Glade is leading to Schladming, Austria (March 3-10). The ski trip guidelines call for 5 days between club sponsored ski trips. While acknowledging the guidelines, R said that it was his understanding that it was the responsibility of the trip leaders to make a trip happen.
Glade said that he has 12 people signed up for the Schladming trip. However, individuals may withdraw without penalty up until October 15th. Noting that the Schladming trip was approved by the Ski Trip Committee (STC) and was all lined up, he favored scheduling the Sun Peaks trip for a separate time. He suggested the March 17-24 period originally reserved for the Snowbird/Alta trip.
R & N explained that they had spent two full days working on the initial change and since they both work full time, they really couldn’t manage further time on another change.
Dave told R & N that he did not think the Schladming trip would be injured by their change in dates. He felt that their trip and the club would be helped by the new dates.
Mike asked R & N if they would guarantee that they would not allow people signed up for the Schladming to switch. Glade raised the possibility that the 4 or 5 people signing up for Sun Peaks might be individuals who would otherwise join the Schladming trip. He went on to say that he knows of 4 or 5 people who are still considering the Schladming but have not officially signed on.
Mike asked R & N and Glade to write down the names of the prospective additions to their trips. They would then hand their lists “a third party” to determine if there are any conflicts.
Referring to the larger picture, Glade said that he feels that trips should be set and stuck to. Dave pointed out that by the change in Sun Peaks’s dates, Glade is losing some of his protection. Mike recalled a year when the STC had approved two overlapping trips (Sun Valley and Snowmass) but that Excom had voted it down.
Reviewing the names submitted by R & N and Glade, Mike said that there was no overlap.
Dave expressed sympathy for Glade’s situation but, in the absence of conflict among potential participants, suggested accepting the proposed Sun Peaks dates.
Dick Schwartzbard described it as a lose, lose situation and favored a solution which would have the least impact on individuals. The burden on R & N would be severe if they had to cancel. They would lose their $500 deposit and disappoint the people who had wanted to go. Glade’s trip might not be affected. “The two trips are very different and I’m not sure they would appeal to the same people. Ray concurred, “That’s what we felt”.
Mike suggested that if someone approached R & N about their trip that they point out that Glade is leading a trip at the same time.
R & N explained that they wouldn’t have requested the change except that it’s on an exceptional basis. It’s highly unusual to be able to change ski reservation dates this far into the year yet they were given that opportunity.
Glade recalled a time when a trip he proposed was turned down because it conflicted with a trip R & N were leading
With 7 Excom members present, the proposal to change the dates of the Sun Peaks trip was approved. There were 6 in favor and one abstention.
Dave apologized to Glade. Glade expressed his disappointment, emphasizing the time he’d put into planning the Schladming trip.
Moving on, Charlie said that the WISP demo day, which is traditionally on a Thursday, would be on a Saturday this ski year. It falls on Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Patty Vagonis has volunteered to lead the PVS trip there. It’s likely to be crowded.
Charlie pointed out that there would also be a demo day at Timberline on January 18th.
Glade reported that the BRSC trips for 2008 have been announced. There will be a trip to Steamboat Feb 2-8. Eurofest will be 2/29-3/8. Ray felt that there might be conflict with PVS trips for that time.
At 8:55, Dick Swartzbard moved that the meeting adjourn.
Submitted by Mary Beale, Secretary. October 7, 2006.