CFAS Monthly Board Meeting Minutes
CFAS Monthly Board Meeting Minutes
March 17th, 2004
Board members present:
Ray Jones
Frank Sperl
Frank Gutowski
Paul Kronenwetter
David Furrow
Alan Hoffberg
Laurence Lurie
Pat Weeks
Michael Liguori
Walt Hamler
Guests present:
Jeff Pettit
Ray Jones called the March meeting to order at 7:05 PM at Dan’s Family restaurant.
Old business:
The board discussed the preparation status of Astrofest 2004. David Furrow stated that approximately 80-90 people would attend and approximately 70 –75 would be eating lunch. Pat Weeks added that the speakers and programs for the event were set. Ray Jones mentioned that we would be selling CFAS shirts and patches at the swap table.
New business:
Ray Jones nominated Tom Chitty to serve as the Astrolog editor. The board voted and approved Tom as the new committee chair.
Ray nominated Michael Liguori as the Science Committee chairman. The board voted and approved Michael as the new committee chair.
The board discussed the financial endowment given to CFAS and that the documents referring to the specifics of the endowment had been lost years before. Ray Jones will talk with Laurent Pellerin to see if he would talk with the Reed family and get a copy of the documents.
Ray mentioned that the CFAS Bylaws do not require an audit of the organization of the clubs finances but it was probably a good idea to have one done. Ray and Paul Kronenwetter took the action item to see if they could find a person that would do the audit inexpensively.
Walt Hamler made a motion to sell the clubs Unitron telescope to Jeff Pettit. The motion was seconded by Frank Sperl and approved by the board.
Secretary:
The previous months board meeting minutes were not available and will be provided at the April meeting.
Treasurer:
No Treasurer’s report was presented.
Membership:
Alan Hoffberg stated that some members were not paying their annual dues but were taking advantage of club benefits such as visiting dark site viewings. Ray Jones commented that potential members should be able to attend 1 general meeting and 1 dark site viewing before being required to become a member.
Frank Gutowski presented Andrew Stenermen and Mike Harvey as new members. David Furrow made a motion to accept them as members. The motion was seconded by Alan Hoffberg and subsequently approved by the board.
Frank Sperl made a motion to extend a free membership to Dr. Laura Woodney (Observatory director at UCF); the motion was seconded by Frank Gutowski and approved by the board.
Programs:
Pat Weeks announced that the general meeting presentations for the next few months were now available on the main CFAS web site.
Publicity:
Ray Jones announced that Joe Strait would keep the Publicity Committee chair but because of a move he would not be able to attend the monthly board meetings.
Orlando Science Center:
Larry Lurie stated that the next general meeting at the OSC would be in the Cinedome.
BMAL:
Paul Kronenwetter announce that a NASA Night Sky Network program would be given at the Astrofest event and it would qualify as one of the five required each year.
Observing:
Walt Hamler reminded the board that Princeton elementary school would be having their annual “Moon Party” and that volunteers were still needed.
Walt announce that the Harmony Institute had agreed to allow members of CFAS to view at their site on any night but that security and notification procedures would need to be put in place beforehand.
Walt commented that visitor’s nights at the Robinson Observatory were going well and that there had been no operator training the previous month.
Ray Jones stated that Bob Vogel (the Harmony Dark Sky Festival coordinator) had recommended that CFAS support the festival’s door prize giveaway. Alan Hoffberg said that he would donate a plane ride.
Ray Jones gave the status of a meeting that he and Walt Hamler had attended with the Harmony Institute. Ray stated that Harmony was backing away from their plans for an observatory on the north side of highway 192 but that possibly a site on the south side would be considered for the future. He also stated that Harmony was not willing to give CFAS exclusive control of the facilities at a potential Harmony observatory and that other organizations would be allowed access to the building. This issue poses a problem for CFAS because our organization was to furnish and maintain the telescopes installed at the site. Ray stated that this issue would most likely keep CFAS from entering into any binding commitment with the Harmony Institute for help in their plans for an observatory. Ray further stated his opinion that CFAS should seriously consider purchasing or leasing their own land for an observing site.
DSAC:
No report from DSAC.
Science Committee:
No report from the Science committee.
Astrolog Committee:
No report from the Astrolog committee.
Librarian:
It was announced that there were new DVD’s available in the CFAS library.
A motion to adjourn was made at 8:45pm, it was seconded, and the meeting adjourned