February 1999
by Will FarnsworthLocation: Pizzeria Uno, Newton Center, MA
Date: Thursday, February 11, 1999
Present: Bruce Augenstein, Fred Beck, Will Farnsworth, Dennis Friedman,
Carlos Giron, Dan Mull, Michel Potheau, Stan Jackson Sr., Stan Jackson Jr., Joe Marko, Sue
Rathbone, Greg Scott, Luka Serdar Jr., John Sullivan Jr., Barry Tarr.
1. Call to Order (Fred Beck):
- Fred called the meeting to order and handed out a copy of the agenda in Mike's absence.
2. Secretary's Report (Will Farnsworth):
- The minutes from the last meeting were handed out, and the most important items reviewed briefly. The minutes were accepted by the board.
3. Advertising Report (Will Farnsworth for Mike Webb)
- Mike Webb will be taking over advertising shortly, Mike and Will to work on collections from 1997 & 1998 form advertisers.
4. Vice President's Report (Fred Beck):
- 1999 Calendar is in order for all of the activities for the year.
- Ice time trials will run the weekend of 2/14 if the weather holds.
- First quarterly meeting is scheduled for 2/24 at Wagner BMW in Boylston. It is also new member night from. The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 pm.
- Fred has also set up a Brewery tour for 3/13 at the Boston Beer Works. Invite all of your friends.
- On 4/10 there will be another Tech Session at the Dent Wizard.
- The Autocross season starts for the season on 4/18.
5. Treasurer's Report (Bruce Augenstein):
- The club closed the year with about $13,000 in the bank. This is a +$6,000 positive cash flow. Currently we have $8,000 in the bank, but national owes us some money.
- The February BIMMER was run through the new printer, Cummings where they put it through the Post Office in bulk rate. January BIMMER cost the club about $1,800 in postage where this months cost the club $717. A big savings for the bulk rate, and we may be able to save more in working with Cummings on this. Bulk rate has a 4 to 7 business day delivery time for the 617 area. This saving nets to $11,000 over the course of the year.
- Bruce handed out a budget sheet that he Fred and Mike had been working on for 1999. This included information from previous years. This did not include drivers schools cost, expenses and revenue.
- Driver's School numbers for 1998 have been finalized.
- Greg brought up discussion in regards to publishing the financials in the BIMMER. Bruce to get Greg to include this in the next BIMMER.
6. Membership Report (Barry Tarr):
- The current chapter membership is at 2239, this includes members as well as associate members. Barry is sending out 50 to 60 letters per month.
- Bruce inquired as to why do we continue to grow - primarily form popularity, events and the web page.
7. Legal Update (Fred Beck for Trish Farnsworth):
- Everyone please review the bylaws and get comments to Trish for review at the next meeting.
- A reminder that modification to the by-laws must be done in the manner outlined in the by-laws.
8. BIMMER and Web Site Update (Greg Scott):
- The new BIMMER is out, for those who had received a copy by meeting date.
- The new printer (Cummings) is more used to doing this type of work as opposed to the old printer (Fidelity).
- We can now offer color for our advertisers inside the front cover. An option the new advertising manager should investigate.
- Suzin, Greg and Mike where all heavily involved in the 30th anniversary of the BIMMER. For the anniversary issue, Yale and Michel will be writing articles.
- April drivers school applications will be in the next BIMMER. White Mountain chapter drivers school application will be available off the Website.
- Greg is investigating how to get the Chapter web site into the search engines for more hits.
9. Ice Racing (Stan Jackson Jr./Stan Jackson Sr.):
- We are set up to run the first ice racing 2/14. There is 12 inches of ice. The drill that was previously used has died, a new one has been purchased for the club.
- The hot line has been updated two times every week for the ice racing.
- It was decided that the Parker Spooner Memorial race date would be kept to the long weekend in the event participants travel from out of state. This will allow them more time to get to, and from the event
9. Autocross Report (Fred Beck):
- Six Autocross dates have been scheduled into the calendar for 1999. This will start 4/18 at Rockingham Park.
- Rockingham may not be available in 2000 and after. We need to find another site. Fred was given a number of possible sites to look into from the staff and will investigate the issue further.
- 1998 sponsorship of $1,200 has not been received by the club yet. This is to come from the dealers group. Fred just sent out invoice letter to the fact to Roy Steinwolf, BMW NA.
- Joe Marko will talk to Warren Waugh to see if he or the Dealers Group is interested in bringing BMW merchandise form his dealership to the next Autocross.
11. Driving School Report (Luka Serdar Jr./Carlos Giron/Sue Rathbone):
- Luka presented three handouts, BMW CCA Driving Events Conference 99, BMW CCA Boston Chapter Track Events Committee 98-99 and Boston Chapter BMW CCA Driving Schools 99. Luka discussed the each handout. Luka and others who attended the Conference were disenchanted by it as the main focus centered on roll bars and felt it did not represent the views of the members.
- One good point that did come out of the conference was the discussion between the "local" chapters that we should share "student" Drivers School database for instructors as this will aid other chapters Drivers Schools.
- The track events were put on the web site as well as to print in the BIMMER.
- Steve Fitzgerald will continue to be chief instructor until May at NHIS. Peter Weber will be the US instructor in Canada. There is question as to whether Steve will continue beyond May. The driving school committee will address this issue at that time.
- Luka discussed that novice students will not be put on the track in the morning of their first event. They will be doing skid control/safety school at NHIS in the front parking lot instead. Also, they will not flag on their first track.
- We need some more volunteers at the events to handle such issues as tech, driving out flaggers etc. Luka to write something to the effect for the next BIMMER.
- For the next Drivers School in Canada, Luka stated that there needs to be better defined roles.
- Bruce Smith is now the registrar for the White Mountain Chapter.
- Sue presented several proposals for types of radios with prices. The main concern in using the radios at NHIS is there in ability to work primarily due to the fact that they aren't charged or are defective. This creates a major safety problem.
- Barry made a motion to spend funds on the purchase of new radios. Joe seconded the motion. A vote was called, tallied and passed.
- Joe made a motion to approve funds to purchase Standard brand radios but see if we could improve on the cost. Current price is $6287.40; max spending allowed for motion was this amount. Barry seconded the motion, a vote was called, tallied and was passed.
12. Concours Report (Dan Mull):
- Both Zymol and Foreign Motors West sponsor checks for the Concours have been received.
- There is talk that the Larz Anderson Museum may want to charge $150 per event.
13. New Business (Fred Beck):
- A reminder that Mike is in the process of putting together a chapter operations manual, and wants the board members to send in a job description of their position on the board.
- Equitable sponsorship: Luka wanted to make it clear that anyone can join this club and that sponsorship specific to BMW models may present a "general challenge". The club has recently operated under the notion that we are fair to all and we want to maintain this atmosphere.
- Staff E-mail: before firing off an E-mail to everyone, discuss the topic amongst those whom it specifically pertains to first. This will save 20 E-mails going back and forth with everyone.
- John made a motion to put out $500 of funds to the Charlie Kutasz's charity fund for the 1999 calendar year. The motion was seconded, voted on and passed by the board. It was discussed that we may want to set up an Autocross in the future dedicated to his son.
These minutes were approved at the Boston Chapter board meeting held April 21, 1999.
- April 1999 BIMMER
- 1999 Ice Race 3 Photo Gallery
- Behind the Wheel: Glorious Sun and Convertibles
- Under the Hood: Do You Have A Favorite Road?
- Crushing The Cones: One Down, Seven to Go!
- April 1999 New Members
- Keys In Hand: Start Your Engines
- On The Ice: New Name, Same Event
- First Quarter 1999 General Meeting: New Members Night
- 1999 Boston Chapter Driving School Voluneers Needed: One Down, Seven to Go!
- Favorite Road: Hot Dog Annie's and Route 56
- Boston Chapter Board Meeting Minutes: February 1999
- More Boston Bimmer articles by Will Farnsworth
- January 2002 Board Meeting Minutes March 2002 Bimmer
- December 2001 Special Board Meeting Minutes January/February 2002 Bimmer
- May 2001 Board Meeting Minutes July 2001 Bimmer
- January 2001 Board Meeting Minutes March 2001 Bimmer
- August 2000 Special Board Meeting Minutes October 2000 Bimmer
- There are 13 more Boston Bimmer articles by Will Farnsworth
