February
09,
2008 TTT BOD Minutes
The meeting was called to order by Prez
Steve Lee at 9:40 Central
BOD Present: Steve Lee, President; Kathy
Lee; Dan Shell; Eric Donaldson; Tom Pruitt; Allie Dodgen; Jeff
Dodgen; Buddy Cutts; and newly enlisted Secretary Ollie Gregory
BOD Absent: Clark Harlow, Treasurer; Keith
Atkins; Carl Burick; Mike Nash; James Anderson, Vice President
Club members present: Bill and Jane Colvin;
Kenny Sandifer
OLD BUSINESS:
Bill Priday Lawsuit:
The judge ruled against the motion to move
the trial venue to California. Our attorney is now appealing
the ruling. Suit is in pretrial phase.
LZ Fund Investment:
Carl Burick was to contact Stacy Murdock re
financial options for the future of our LZ savings which are
currently in a 12 month CD. This CD will soon roll over into
another 12 month CD. It is unknown whether Carl was able to
contact Stacy. Bill Colvin reported on how Dunlap Library Board
managed their money in a safe, conservative, but more flexibly
structured investment plan that has produced a significantly
higher yield.
The Board voted to change from our 12 month
CD to a one month CD to allow us more flexibility in pursuing
better investment options. Allie Dodgen volunteered to
investigate this and will talk with an investment advisor.
Allie is to report back next BOD meeting.
Board voted to roll over CD (~$46,000) to
one month to allow more flexibility in investment options.
Land easement project:
The project is completed with Henson’s Gap
LZ now in a protected land easement, but the attorney is
requesting payment of the additional legal expenses required to
complete the easement. Clark Harlow was to send a check for $500
already. Negotiations on cost and payment by TTT will
continue. Dan Shell reports attorney would probably accept
whatever we would be able to reasonably pay. Further
discussion will be needed.
Gift to Land Owners:
Gift deliveries to land owners and Thank
You cards to the town of Kimball and Standifers were delivered
by Steve Lee.
NEW BUSINESS:
Revamp the Ramp:
Several bids were requested by Steve Lee
from:
Tipton Steel Erectors in Chattanooga who
would only come to look at it for bid in April
Danny Peck Steel erectors did not return
call.
Dunlap Steel Erectors did not respond.
C and D Steel Erectors did not return
calls.
Contractors that are interested in doing
the job:
S and H Steel Erectors came with a good
plan and bid $15,300 for material and labor for removal of
existing wooden radial portion of the ramp, pouring of footings
and installation of new radial frame using rolled steel beams
and two understructure supports. (No decking or holes
drilled.)
Chattanooga Crane came and gave a good plan
and bid to remove the wooden radial structure and replace using
fabricated steel trusses that wouldn’t need undercarriage braces
for $26,000. Steve could only talk them down to $24,000. (No
decking or holes drilled.)
Danny Cole lookout ramp builder looked at
the project and submitted a bid of $8000 for labor only to do
the radial part and put on the decking.
Steel would come from S and H delivered to
site for a cost of $5,000 for a cost of $13,000. Cost of the
decking material and fasteners would be additional.
Rough estimate is $3000 for treated lumber
to use as decking. Ohio TTT member Tom Primavera is looking
into the carriage bolts for us.
After much discussion the Board decided to
go with a the S and H to do the steel, footers and frame and the
club will handle the decking with expectations that the total
cost with TTT labor for decking to be approximately $20,000.
While the Danny Cole bid may seem to be the lowest cost, the
Board had many concerns.
Revamp the Ramp Fund raising:
There are a several pledges that have not
come in yet. We will make efforts to contact and encourage
swift payment of pledges. Jeff Dodgen will provide the info he
has on the old TTT member list and Steve Lee will send out
informative letters requesting contribution to the Revamp the
Ramp Fund. Nate Newark, with help from Jeff Nibler and seed
money from Ollie Gregory and Buddy Cutts, has kicked off a
Revamp the Ramp Tee shirt fund raiser. Nate has come up with
some nice designs that will be good for this project and any
similar projects in the future. Tee shirt sales will soon be
promoted on the Oz Report and on the TTT website with online
ordering etc.
Several board members wrote checks for the
Ramp Fund at this meeting including Jeff and Allie Dodgen for
$250, Steve and Kathy Lee for $250, Ollie Gregory for $600 and
Buddy Cutts for $1,500!!!!!. As of this time we’ve received
$4,600. When the outstanding pledges and other contributions
are reeled in we will be close to what we need to start the
project. When cash in hand reaches approximately ½ the total
for the S n H fee, we will ask Jim Lamb to match us and we’ll
start the project. We will ask the Foundation for Free Flight
to contribute. We expect a significant amount of money from
them to help with completion of the project.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
TREASURER REPORT: Clark has notified us
that he is unable to serve as Treasurer. Our current status as
reported by phone from Clark:
Checking has $5,635.98. Taxes and site
insurance are due and total ~$1,700.
The Land Fund CD is presently $46,232.81
with a little interest to come in soon.
TTT member Bill Colvin has offered to
serve as temporary treasurer to assist in the transition. Bill
is a local TTT member and has served as Treasurer in the past.
We will get the accounting software back from Clark for our next
treasurer to use. The Board thanks Clark for his years of
excellent work as treasurer.
SAFETY REPORT: Tom Pruitt believes we are
in good shape and do not need a budget at this time.
BYLAWS: Mike Nash is not here. Budget
pending
WEBSITE: Chairman Buddy Cutts reports. No
budget is requested. Buddy is getting some good help from TTT
member Jeff Nibler. Buddy is donating the site fees along with
Dan Barker who is hosting it for no charge. Our official
website is now
www.tennesseetreetoppers.org The old sites are still active
though they “belong” to the previous host and will be kept up
for the time being. www.treetoppers.org
and
www.treetoppers.net
MEMBERSHIP: Chairman Dan Shell reports
that we have 124 current members! 90 are either annual or 5 year
members. 2 TTT membership applications could not be found. The
board recommends their status as members be confirmed and
releases will be sent to them. Dan Shell requests a budget of
$100. Tom Pruitt has been doing the mailing and paying for it.
We need a volunteer to help with renewal reminders for
recently expired members. This requires a few hours a quarter
and results in many renewals. Well worth the time.
MAINTENANCE: Carl Burick was not present.
Freeze proof water spigot valve is leaking
and needs attention. Kenny Sandifer offered to look at this and
try to fix it.
Competition Committee: Ollie Gregory
requests $4000 for competition budgets. Team Challenge has been
placed on the Oz Report calendar. Ollie has requested a listing
in the USHPA magazine calendar of events. The TC trophies and
TC party expenses will come from this budget and hopefully will
be recouped from the TC receipts. There will be a Mayhem Mini
Meet which will include tasks similar to the Team Challenge,
streamer drop competition and spot landing competitions. These
will be set up with small fees to act as a fund raiser with
prizes to be awarded to the winners of the contests. Prizes
will be solicited from Hang Gliding Businesses.
SOCIAL COMMITTEE: Chairman Mark Poling
requested a budget of $650. Plans are for a covered dish dinner
at Mayhem ($500) and Xmas ($150). Team Challenge party will be
coordinated by Mark, but entertainment and other costs will come
from the TC budget.
NEWSLETTER: Keith Atkins is interim
newsletter chairman. We really need this to be an additional
way to stay in touch with our club members. There was much
discussion of how important a newsletter could be for those TTT
members who are not on the internet or not local to our sites.
There was discussion about needing a PR/Development committee
with long range focus to promote the TTT Club’s mission.
AWARDS: Eric Donaldson had a budget of
$350 last year and requested a similar budget this year. Last
year Eric spent $100 for end of the year awards. Eric is
planning on getting hats printed to give out to pilots with
significant flights at anytime during the year. Eric will
coordinate Team Challenge trophies.
Board adjourned at 12:40 Central
Electronically Submitted to the Board for
approval on 2/9/08 by Secretary Ollie Gregory
