10/17/2015                                         Acting Secretary:  Bryan Waller

1.       Call to order

2:30pm Meeting called to order by President Gordie McKibben, introduction of current association officers.

2.       Explained rules of order and that voting would be by members only. 

                Members holding proxy:

                                Sam McConnell for 4 non-attending members

                                Bryan Waller for 2 non-attending members

3. Reading of 2014 meeting minutes.

4. Other old business

Discussion of internet capabilities and membership list to be covered in new business secretary report.

5. New Business

a. Assistance in the form of $1000 cash for travel provided to a shipmate in need this past year.  Very quick decision made based upon the circumstances to help this shipmate and his 3 children travel across several states after being stranded.  Probably the right decision at the time, but do not intend to continue such practices as we are a non-profit organization, but not setup to be a charity.

b. Merchandise update

New items available include challenge coins, decals, can cozies.   Will be taking orders at the dinner for custom shirts.

c. Treasurer’s Report

Ending balance after 2014 reunion: $11,224.37

Ending balance September 2015: $13,166.05

Lost money on 2014 reunion: cost $4,135.26; reservations and donations: $2,305;

Losing money to date on 2015 reunion.  Projected cost: $5000.00; reservations and donations: $4,399.03

As long as we can break even, we should be ok

d. Membership Report

Reviewed a few high level numbers of membership and outbound email campaign changes.  Full details from VP/Secretary point of view on roster/membership and communications follows.

General overview of our crew roster.

We have 776 contacts in our master list

32 on Eternal Patrol

17 with known bad mailing addresses

112 with no known mailing address

615 with a last known address recorded

Email Addresses

We have 576 contacts in our master list with an email address

482 good email addresses

84 email addresses "cleaned" by our mailing system due to repeated inability to deliver to them.

10 folks who have opted out of receiving email for various reasons.

200 contacts with no known email address

Combined View

Of the 112 with no mailing address, we have a good email address for 58 of those contacts.

54 names on our roster, with no known way to contact them.

Association Membership Status

Life Members

113 Life Members

93 Life Full Members

10 Life Associate members

10 Life members on Eternal Patrol

Full/Annual Members

125 Full Members (annual dues)

8 Active Full Members

96 Inactive Full Members

21 on Eternal Patrol

Associate Members

25 Associate Members (annual dues)

24 Inactive

1 on Eternal Patrol

Other

8 Honorary Members

506 Non Members

Facebook Status

Joint SS-320/SSN-667 group

Cost $0

Originally started as a SSN-667 group created by Steve Kessler.

Expanded to include SS-320 crew/families in September 2014

254 members

~1-4 discussion threads per day

Outbound E-Mail Campaigns

Moved to MailChimp online system after the CT reunion in 2013

Cost $0

20 outbound email campaigns since then

46% average open rate per campaign

6027 successful deliveries

2659 unique opens

7783 total opens - counts repeat opens by the same recipient

12% average click rate - This means a recipient has clicked on a link in the message.  We include links to the bergall.org website and Facebook group.  We have also included links to reunion information and such based upon campaign.

6 unsubscribe requests for various reasons

Website BBS

In operation

Cost included in Board funding of website

Up to 16 threads per year over the past five years.

3 new threads in the first 8 months of 2015

SnailMail

Outbound snailmail limited to an annual email reunion invitation to those without valid email addresses

Approximately 120 letters sent in spring 2015 to notify of 2015 reunion.

Estimated cost $60-70

Approximately 17 returned undelivered

Began marking mailing addresses as invalid in crew roster

Will continue to limit snailmail to annual reunion notice for those without email address & will start birthday letters to members again.

Membership cards and certificates

Sent to every annual or life member, upon receipt of dues

Cost estimate $1.50-1.75 per set

We were behind over the past two years.

We are caught up now and have a process to keep them up to date.

e. Scholarship Proposal

Idea raised by Sam McConnell to establish a scholarship fund and initially provide one scholarship per year to a direct descendant of an association member. 

Conversion points:

$500 initially

Need owner outside of board to run it

Need to establish a process

Need to segment money outside general fund

A motion to establish a scholarship fund/program with first scholarship to be awarded in the fall of 2016.  Made by Brian Sharp , 2nd by Abe Kern

Approved by unanimous vote.

Mike Sobkowski volunteered to chair the program, starting with establishing a process/guidelines. 

A motion to approve Mike in this role made by Brian Sharp, with a 2^nd by Sam Hornreich

Also approved by unanimous vote.

f. Hall of Fame Nomination

Brian Daugherty reviewed opportunity to nominate the SSN-667 for the Submarine Hall of Fame.  The boat has been nominated and Brian is working to gather supporting information.  Solicitation for input made at the meeting & dinner to be followed up by request for input via Facebook and email to SSN-667 crew.

g. Call for other new business from the floor

none raised

h. 2016 reunion location and dates.

Nominations from the floor

Charleston SC  (1^st Larry Reese, 2^nd Bryan Waller)

Nashville TN (1^st Sam Hornreich, 2^nd Randy Box)

Reno NV (1^st Brian Daugherty, 2^nd Abe Kern)

Norfolk VA (based upon email input, 1^st by Bryan Waller, no 2^nd)

Significant discussion on the floor about the pros and cons of each site.  Also consideration to following USSVI in Reno 2016.

Vote held and Charleston SC selected by an overwhelming majority.

Dates discussed and the weekend of Oct 6-9 2015 votes on and unanimously approved by the members present

i.                    2017 reunion location

Nashville TN (1^st by Brian Daugherty, 2^nd by Sam Hornreich)

Ft. Lauderdale FL (1^st by Larry Penny,  2^nd Bryan Waller)

Mobile AL (1^st Steven Brockway, 2^nd Les Dionne)

Vote held and Nashville TN selected as 2017 location with date to be determined later.

j. Revision to Bergall Association Bylaws

High level review of changes discussed by Bryan Waller with some discussion in the room as to whether the decision of what to do with association funds at time of closing the association should be documented.  Current plan of record in meeting notes, so not needed in bylaws.

A motion made by Bryan Waller to accept the revised bylaws as proposed, 2^nd by Mike Ward.

Approve unanimously by vote.

k. Election of Association officers

Secretary:  Jerome Whitehead nominated by Bryan Waller, 2^nd by Randy Box.  No other nominations.

Jerome unanimously approved as new Secretary.

Treasurer: Brian Daugherty nominated by Gordie McKibben, 2nd by Sam Hornreich.  No other nominations.

Brian unanimously approved to stay on as Treasurer.

Vice President:  Bryan Waller nominated by Gordie McKibben, 2^nd by Brian Daugherty.  No other nominations.

Bryan unanimously approved to stay on as Vice President.

President:  Gordie McKibben nominated by Brian Daugherty, 2^nd by Abe Kern.  No other nominations.

Gordie unanimously approved to stay on as President.

l. Motion to Adjourn

1^st by Sam Hornreich, 2^nd by Randy Box, approved by all.