BQPA/PIONEERS

                  

       Barbershop Quartet Preservation Association

           

                                    BQPA/Pioneers Board of Directors
                                            Chicago, Sept. 7, 2017
                                                    Meeting Minutes
 
Present:  
President                                                         Tom Noble
IPP                                                                  Jack Martin
Vice President                                                 Lee Taylor      
Treasurer                                                         Jim Gallagher
Secretary                                                         Rex Touslee
West Festival Chairman and Webmaster         Jim Milner
West Talent                                                     Paul Ludwig
East Festival Chairman                                   Gerry Carroll
East Talent                                                      Ray Schwarzkopf
Membership                                                    Frank Fliszar
 
Guests:                                                           John Close and Barney Griffin
 
Quorum Declared – Meeting called to order
 
Recognition of Departed Friends, with reverent rendition of The Old Songs
 
Minutes of the April 6, 2017 meeting: consensus to refer to the minutes stored on our website. Moved/2nd – passed
 
Treasurer’s Report - Balance available - $6546.50   Moved/2nd to accept - passed    Treasurer’s written report is made a part of these minutes. 
 
 
BQPA/Pioneers Treasurer Report  09/05/17
 
Starting Balance
04/01/17            Checking balance                            6524.61
 
Income
04/06/17          Mesa memberships (4)                          60.00
04/06/17          Mesa merchandise sales                        19.00
04/06/17          Mesa donations                                 1189.00
08/15/17          New members since Mesa                     45.00                             
                                        Total                                  1313.00
 
Expenses
04/06/17           Registration supplies                           79.56
04/06/17           Engraving                                            26.00
04/06/17           Go Daddy web site                            190.03
04/15/17           Holiday Inn                                       995.52
                                         Total                                1291.11 
Current balance
09/05/17           Checking balance                            6546.50                                               
 
Gallagher
 
 
Actions taken since last meeting – Tom Noble
 
President has received a report from the registered agent for Incorporation in Nevada– Stu Willcox - that the annual report to the Secretary of State listing the current BQPA/Pioneers Officers has been sent and received.  He is not requesting reimbursement for the fee - considers it his donation to BQPA/Pioneers.
 
Tom has received word that the ownership of the BQPA/Pioneers Google Group account has been transferred from Keith Hopkins to Tom.   Now the moderators of the account are Tom Noble, Bernie Esberbner and Jack Martin
 
Tom has received a response to his posting of a search for a person interested in a Communications and P.R. position for BQPA/Pioneers.   Jordan Busboom has contacted Tom with interest.  He appears to be highly qualified, and is now working as a graphic designer.   The job duties of this position are on the website.
 
West Festival Report  - Jim Milner
 
Contract signed for 2018: April 4- 8.  We will have the same room rates as this Spring.    Jim reports that there is a potential conflict for Spring of 2019 as the FWD intends to move the FWD AZ Divisional Convention and Contest to the 2nd weekend of April because so many of the snowbirds leave AZ by their traditional date – the 3rd weekend.
 
Jim said he would discuss this issue with Russ Young, past FWD V.P. and now Music Director for the Mesa Chapter, who will be hosting the event.
 
Discussion:
 
Paul Ludwig:  What conflicts will we have with this change??
 
Tom Noble: There is also concern about having a conflict with ASU activities
 
Gerry Carroll: We have had this weekend for many years now and so has FWD. had the 3rd weekend.
 
Tom Noble: We have an average attendance of 60 members for our Mesa event.
 
East Festival Report - Gerry Carroll
 
No Problems to report – golf and talent under control – Raymond hopes anyway
 
Room rate went to $89.25 as expected
 
Gerry and Raymond now have a different person from the hotel to negotiate with for the room rates.  Tried to get a reduction from $89.   All present nevertheless agreed that this rate was reasonable, considering that they do not charge for the Singing Room and breakfast and provide free beer.
 
We will have the same Singing Room – Lafayette Room if available, with the Jefferson Room as backup if the Lafayette is occupied.
 
Have had discussion on the past problems with the AC, shuttle service and the front desk.
 
Raymond Schwarzkopf:
 
BHS has made changes to their website regarding access to chapter information to address security issues.   Result is:  the chapter rosters and quartet contact information appears to have been lost – this is a big, big problem for him to contact quartets about appearing on our Sat. night show.  The problems of past years with the local SAI chapters having their educational weekend the same as our event continues.  This also makes finding talent difficult for him.  He is not sure who or what quartets will be on this weekend’s Sat. show, but assures us the show will be more than acceptable…
 
Webmaster’s Report - Jim Milner
 
Disaster recovery :    Jim has a system in place, and “thumb drives” have been exchanged with Noble for storage in safe deposit box until next gathering.
 
Maintenance of website:   All changes are subject to the President’s approval
 
Jim uses Microsoft Picture Correct program on all pictures he posts on website.
 
The server- host company that we were using -  Go-Daddy - increased price to $250.00.  So the plan is to use the personal server of Bernie Esberner’s, beginning on January 1, 2018 at a significantly lower cost, estimated to be around $60.00 per year.
 
Membership Records – Frank Fliszar
 
Now have 359 members on the BQPA/Pioneers roles
 
“Thumb drives” have been exchanged with Noble for storage in safe deposit box until next gathering.
 
Frank thanked Jim Milner for getting the Membership Application Form on the website.
 
No known deceased members now on the Membership List – Deceased members’ names are listed separately.
 
The database software he is using (Microsoft Access) has become too complicated for most people to take the time to learn.  Frank is looking into changing the methods used for storing and reporting on our membership.  Raymond agreed to consult with Frank on this front…
 
There was discussion of the details of the records.
 
Frank informed the Board that his health may prevent his future participation in BQPA/Pioneers.
 
Registration Chair – Tom Noble – substituting for June Noble
 
Tom reports that June has developed Macular Degeneration, making it difficult for her to serve in this capacity.
 
Total members registered at Mesa, April, 2017 was 44.   Sat. night show had 75 attendees.
 
We have an adequate number of pins on hand and have replaced the pins borrowed from members who had loaned them when the supply was inadequate.
 
NEW BUSINESS
 
Lengthy discussion about the pros and cons of paying quartets to appear on the Saturday night show.  There has been a contact from a CA quartet – The Velvet Frogs – through a BQPA/Pioneers member, expressing interest in having them appear on a Saturday night show in Mesa.
 
Tom read the minutes of the 2014 Board Meeting = approved to provide hotel rooms as a means of encouragement – Upper limit of $300.
 
Ray Schwarzkopf:    The purpose of doing that would be to defray some of an out of town quartet’s expense – not a performance fee.
 
Paul Ludwig:     Opposed to this – would appear to be compensation.   Concerned about what the other quartets would think when they received nothing. 
 
Lee Taylor:    We don’t need “top level“ quartets for our shows to have a successful weekends.
 
Jim Milner:   Feels we have enough talent within our ranks to put on a good show.
 
Gerry Carroll:     He and Jerry Steffen have discussed this issue and both feel the same as Milner.
 
Lee Taylor:    If we did not have any outside quartets, it would not be a disaster – we could CONSTRUCT a fabulous quartet (or more than one) from our ranks…
 
Jim Milner moves that:   We do NOT offer the Velvet Frogs compensation/inducement of any kind.   Jack Martin seconds.   Motion passed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
 
President Tom:  We had some discussion at the April, 2017 meeting about the BQPA/Pioneers establishing a relationship with the Harmony Platoons that would be limited to each advertising the other’s organization and any upcoming events as a means of increasing attendance.
Jim Milner moves that we do so.   Rex Touslee seconds.    Motion was defeated.
 
President Tom:  Discussion of past expenditures for advertising BQPA/Pioneers in District’s programs and the big screen at the BHS International Conventions. – has been an estimated $400.
 
Jim Milner:    Expresses opinion that all advertising the BQPA/Pioneers does, should say – BQPA/Pioneers.   All agree.
 
Jack Martin:   Feels that our advertising at the BHS events is targeting the wrong people and that we need to target FORMER BHS members.
 
No decision made – deferred action to the meeting in Mesa, April of 2018.
 
Jim Milner moves adjournment.   Jack Martin seconds - passed.
 
Submitted by:
Rex Touslee - Secretary