Minutes, November 14 2007 meeting
In attendance:
We did not circulate an attendance signup sheet, so this list is incomplete. If you were there and should be added to these minutes, please contact the secretary.
The meeting was opened at 7:10 pm with introductory remarks by Myron. This was our annual pizza party election meeting at Pizza Hut, so food and drink were ordered before most members arrived.
Tim Plunkett presented the Treasurer's report.
The floor was opened for nominations for club officers for 2008. The following nominations were gathered:
Glenn Holliday resigned the position of club Webmaster in order to accept the work of Secretary.
A motion was proposed and passed to present this slate of nominees to the membership for a vote. Scott Busby then moved to delay the vote in order to publicise the slate of nominees to members absent from this meeting. Per the club bylaws, candidates should have been nominated at the October meeting. That was not done at that time. In the subsequent discussion, the primary points of discussion were giving sufficient information to the membership before the vote, the advertisement of this meeting as the annual election, and the fact that a majority of the members were present at this meeting. Myron re-presented Scott's motion as a motion to hold the election at this meeting. The motion passed.
The slate of nominees was accepted by acclamation without dissent.
The membership discussed the calendar of star parties for 2008. The following dates were accepted:
| star party | rain date |
|---|---|
| January 5 | January 12 |
| February 2 | February 9 |
| March 1 | March 8 |
| March 29 | April 5 |
| April 26 | May 3 |
| May 31 (at Big Meadows?) | June 7 (primary date at Caledon rather than rain date?) |
| June 28 | no rain date (4th of July weekend) |
| July 26 | August 2 |
| August 23 | August 30 |
| September 27 (Big Meadows Star Gaze) | October 4 (primary date at Caledon rather than rain date?) |
| October 25 | November 1 |
| November 22 | November 29 (or no rain date? Thanksgiving weekend) |
| December 20 | no rain date (Christmas weekend) |
Glenn Holliday also presented the 2008 dates for monthly club meetings on the existing schedule of the second Wednesday of each month:
Mike Masters discussed a public outreach he has set up on December 1 2007 at the Collegiate School's atheletic facility in Goochland.
The membership discussed hosting the 2009 Virginia astronomy convention. Mark Slade expressed interest in volunteering to chair the event. Discussion centered around the large size of the event, the resources needed, and the need to see the event through if we commit to do it.
Peripheral to the discussion of the astronomy convention was the advantage of gaining tax code section 501.c.3 status to the event finances. The club has discussed 501.3.c status since 2005, with no decision yet to act on it.
Mark Slade presented his research on Coronado solar telescopes. No decision was made regarding purchasing one of these for the club.
Edited December 15: At the December 12 meeting, learned that the club authorized the purchase of a telescope.
The next meeting is scheduled for December 12, 7:00, at Headquarters Branch of Central Rappahannock Regional Library.
Glenn Holliday, Secretary elect