Annual Meeting - 01/13/2010
BATTLE POINT ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION
MINUTES of
ANNUAL MEETING of JANUARY 13, 2010
Time 19:07 -- Convened BPAA Annual meeting of January 13, 2010
H. Colvin, BPAA President, convened the Annual Meeting at 19:07 on January 13, 2010.
Other BPAA Board Members present were:
Mike Browning, Vice President
Russell M. Heglund, Secretary
Malcolm Saunders, Chief Astronomer
Nels Johansen, Facilities Officer
Steve Ruhl, Education Officer
BPAA Managers present:
Diane Colvin, Events Manager
Vicki Saunders, Newsletter Editor
BPAA Members present:
Jody Heglund
George McCullough
Time 19:12 -- President's Report (see attached annual letter to members)
H. Colvin reports: We had a successful year. We are getting overcrowding in Planetarium shows....average about 55 attendees at shows. We have finished the 20" dobsonian telescope. Only major problem is that there are not enough active members. We are very involved in the Parks Master Planning for Battle Point Park, and are getting our (Observatory) plans before the Park Board.
Time 19:13 -- Treasurer's Report (see attached report)
H. Colvin reports: We have maintained our balance above $20,000; which is a goal of ours. The current assets as of December 31, 2009 was $23,451. We went to a smaller size sanican, to save money on that monthly expense. We are planning to move it to the west side of the Observatory. We are at the same donation flow as last year.
Time 19:17 -- Membership Report (see attached report)
H. Colvin reports: We are real stable in our membership. Have 92 memberships at this time....about the same as last year.
V. Saunders: We need to give more value to our members. They should get something for membership. There is not a benefit to being a member.
H. Colvin: Possibly we should charge non-members (for Planetarium shows).
H. Colvin: Have visitors fill out a survey......how they found out about the Planetarium Show/Star Party.
Time 19:30 -- Vice President's Report (see attached report)
M. Browning reports: The National Science Foundation is the largest funder of astronomy related activities and the UofW and Pacific Science Center are the biggest recipients (of NSF grants) in western washington. We applied for a grant to do remote astronomy. We partnered with UofW and Pacific Science Center and applied for a NSF grant. NSF grants are "pilot" grants....they give grants to test a concept. We need to involve members in committees. We will re-visit our approach if not able to energize membership.
V. Saunders: It is better to find money not tied to grants, which have strings attached.
M. Browning: We need to have a membership base that's active and engaged.
M. Browning: I want to give special thanks to Jeff Acquino (UofW intern) for his leadership and talents in introducing many of our membership to remote astronomy.
Time 19:45 -- Secretary's Report (see attached report)
R. Heglund reports: As secretary I keep minutes of all Board Meetings. Copies of all minutes are filed in the library, along with voice recordings and related materials. I also monitor Observatory phone message service and function as the Small Telescope Loan Manager and Librarian. Two special projects assigned to me by the Board were: (1) Sundial Design and Installation; and (2) Solar Walk Design and Installation.
The Board has accepted a Sundial design by Bill Baran-Mickle, of Bainbridge Island. We are presently negotiating with the Park to install it on the berm north of the Observatory. The Solar Walk is still being designed. We are designing the first plaque, of Jupiter, and hope to have it manufactured within the next few months.
Time 20:01 -- Facilities Officer's Report (see attached report)
N. Johansen reports: The carpet (in meeting room) has been cleaned. Parks said they would look into repair of our roof leak. I want to purchase an entry rug with our logo on it. Parks approved our putting in telescope pads. We are moving the sanican to the west side of the Observatory.....and will put in a concrete pad with chainlink fence around it.
Time 20:12 -- Chief Astronomer's Report (see attached report)
M. Saunders reports: I got the wireless control working on the Ritchie Telescope. The software controlling the Ritchie Telescope is working well. A new Dome with better access to the roof is needed.....to give more floor space. Need to re-wire the Ritchie Telescope. The Losmandy Mount needs to have someone to run it......and to develop tutorials for operating it. Dome tours (of the Ritchie Telescope) don't work. I have decided to limit tours to 6 people at a time, with at least two BPAA member to assist. The 20" dob telescope is essentially finished.
Time 20:27 -- Education Officer's Report (see attached report)
S. Ruhl reports: Attendance at Planetarium Shows has grown. We had 90 attendee's at the maximum. We can seat about 40 people in the Planetarium (meeting) room. I have continued doing Planetarium Shows for schools......mostly private schools.
Time 20:32 -- Election of Officers
The slate of officers nominated by the Board are:
Harry Colvin for Office of President
Mike Browning for Office of Vice President
Russell M. Heglund for Office of Secretary
Frank Schroer for Office of Treasurer
Malcolm Saunders for Office of Chief Astronomer
Nels Johansen for Office of Facilities Officer
Steve Ruhl for Office of Education Officer
Harry Colvin moved/Jody Heglund seconded, to approve the slate of Officers for the 2010 term. Motion passed.
Time 20:42 -- Adjournment
Steve Ruhl moved/Mike Browning seconded, to adjourn the annual meeting. Motion passed.
Minutes taken on January 13, 2010 by Russell M. Heglund, Secretary
Minutes approved by BPAA Board on _____________________
Attested by: