Minutes – PVS Excom Meeting – May 25, 2010

The meeting was held at the home of Ellie Thayer. Present were Mary Beale, John Brunelli, Cara Jablon, Dick Laeser, Dave Lerner, Jan Marx, Ray McKinley, Sharon Mulholland, Dick Schwartzbard, Rosemary Schwartzbard,and Ellie Thayer.

Minutes from the April 27^th Excom meeting were approved as corrected.

Dick Laeser presented the Treasurer’s Report. There were more than the usual number of checks written in the last month due to three donations on behalf of deceased members (totaling $200), costs incurred in conjunction with 3 PVS representatives attending the May 15^th spring BRSC meeting (totaling $90), and reimbursement fees to the Heitchues for hosting the April 20^th annual meeting in their condo party room ($100).

Dick received an e-Postcard notifying him as representative of the Club that he needed to file an electronic form 990-N for the tax year 7/1/08-6/30/09. The deadline was May 17^th but the e-Postcard suggested that if submitted soon, there would be no penalty. Form 990-N was instituted a few years ago by the IRS for nonprofit organizations with an annual income of $25,000 or less. PVS qualifies. It is a nonprofit but not a tax exempt organization. Ray pointed out that one of the main reasons that PVS asks ski trip participants to make their payments to its trip leaders is to avoid the lengthy reporting required of clubs that have large cash flows (i.e. greater than $25, 000).

Dave Warthen submitted the Membership Report electronically. Dave has finished scanning back TOOTs as well as the Club Cook Book. The items are available now on the club website for all to enjoy - a truly remarkable accomplishment.

Dave Lerner said that the By-Laws on the Club website have been brought up to date. The document can be downloaded by readers. The problem is that it is an .html document which means that it may be difficult or impossible to edit with a word processor. It can be edited with a web page composer. Dave would like to find an electronic copy of the By-Laws that can be edited with a word processor and printed for review. Someone suggested that Mike Strand may have a copy.

Events & Meetings:

June 12 – Lunch with CGS Aug 23 – Annapolis Boat Tour (Leonhardt)

June 15 – Monthly meeting (Powers) Aug 26-29 – Finger Lakes Wine Tour (S. Payne)

June 22 – Excom (Mulholland) Sept/Oct – Hike, Great Seneca Park (Mulholland)

June 28, 29, or 30 – Segway Tour, National Harbor (Leonhardt)

July 17 – All Trips Party (Lawrence) Oct- lunch at Culinary School (Thayer)

July 27 – Excom (Schwartzbards) Nov 6 – 45^th Anniversary Gala

Barbara Leonhardt has offered to organize a Segway tour that would leave from National Harbor, travel over the Wilson Bridge (using its 12 ft wide bicycle path), and ultimately make its way to Old Town Alexandria for a tour of the historic district. Upon returning, participants may lunch at the Harbor’s McCormick and Schmick’s restaurant. The date has not been finalized.

Betty Lawrence volunteered to host the All Trips Party at her home on July 17^th. Most of the trip leaders can make it on that date.

Barbara Leonhardt has looked into the Annapolis boat tours that are available to the public with the idea that a PVS event could be planned around one. She and Ray have concluded that the tour that is the most suitable for the Club is the Chesapeake Bay Lighthouses Cruise. Monday, August 23^rd, is the most convenient date. Reservations can be made in advance. Participants would board at the Annapolis City Dock. Over the course of three hours, the boat would make its way by Sandy Point Shoal, Baltimore Harbor, and Thomas Point lighthouses.

Sixteen people have signed up for the Finger Lakes Wine tour (8/26-29). There is room for 20. The final payment is due on June 1^st.

Sharon has volunteered to lead a hike on the Lake Shore Trail in Great Seneca Park in September or October. It may serve as the Frank Shelburne memorial hike which is traditionally held in the fall. Frank was an avid hiker and member of PVS.

Lunch at the Culinary School in Rosslyn is an event which Ellie has proposed. The Culinary School is part of the Art Institute of Washington DC. It has its own restaurant, the “Culinaire”. Ellie’s son Michael Roll is a chef instructor at the School. He will be the instructor in the fall and will oversee the kitchen. Ellie has suggested that interested Club members meet there for lunch. If a sufficient number signs up (25-35), the group can reserve the entire restaurant. The specific date for the October event hasn’t been decided.

The planning committee for the 45^th Anniversary Gala scheduled for November 6^th includes Betty Lawrence, Suzanne Boisclair, Ray, Rachel Abraham, and Jan Marx. The committee’s next meeting will be held at Rachel’s home. A $900 fee has been paid to the Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland to reserve the rooms for the party. Ray feels that the committee may need an additional “take charge” member.

Keep your calendars open for Memorial Day 2011. PVS members Bonnie and Russell Sweeney have volunteered to organize a trip around the Indianapolis 500. The Sweeneys live in Fortville, Indiana.

Ski Trip Committee (STC) – Rosemary would like Excom to approve the ski trip to Steamboat Springs that was initially discussed at the April Excom meeting. The date is now firmly set for February 17-23, 2011. Cara Jablon has been kind enough to make the arrangements. Accommodations for the six night- five day stay will be at the Steamboat Grand. Round trip air fare from Dulles to Hayden, Colorado is included in the price ($1775 per person). Excom approved the trip unanimously. Trips to Keystone (December 11-18, 2010) and Snowmass (January 19-26, 2011) were approved previously.

TOOT: Jan Marx will be guest editor of the June TOOT. Barbara Leonhardt will do the snail mail. Jan would like the deadline for the June TOOT to be – “well, when you can get it in”.

The July TOOT traditionally has the ski trip fliers. Sharon will ask Marvin Hass if he would be editor of the July or July/August TOOT.

Old Business: “I’ll continue to ask members to bring two people to every meeting,” said Sharon. By doing so she hopes to increase membership in the Club.

New Business: Roster phone numbers – Recent Club Rosters have included a home phone column and a work phone column. Currently there are far more members with cell phones than work phones. Excom is suggesting that members provide both “primary” and “secondary” phone numbers for the Roster. The adjustment could be implemented with the next quarterly Roster update.

Dave Lerner is about to update the names and passwords for the Club website. Login instructions for how one fills in his/her user name and password are available on the website.

Excom Meeting Options – The frequency of Excom meetings was briefly discussed. Ray emphasized the importance of holding regular meetings – “otherwise things fall through the cracks”. There is generally a combined November/December Excom meeting and conference call meetings in January and February.

Minutes submitted by Mary Beale, secretary