Tag: officers

Minutes submitted by Clerk Harvey Heyser

Division members met at the Cumberland Valley Model Railroad Club (CVMRR) in Chambersburg, PA.  19 or so were present.  After viewing the Club’s layout and displays, Superintendent Alex Polimeni called the business meeting to order.

20.2-1 Paymaster’s Report:  Paymaster Ray Price (not present) submitted a report that the Division has $4115.08 in its bank account, the same as in November, 2019.  Purchase of the $150 Mainline Hobbies gift certificate for the Mini-Con raffle prize will happen soon.

20.2-2 Clerk’s Report (Meeting Minutes):  Clerk Harvey Heyser summarized the draft minutes for the January meeting (previously distributed by e-mail).  It was noted that Ron Polimeni will chair the Nominating Committee with Bob Law’s participation and Tom Fedor’s assistance with communication.  Brian Greenawalt made the following motion (second by Tom Fedor):

Motion:  That the draft Minutes for the January 2020 meeting be approved as revised.  The motion passed unanimously.

Old Business:

19.9-7 2020 Mini-Con will be April 18, 2020:  Chair Pete Clarke will contact Brian Wolfe of Mainline Hobbies for final coordination.  Chair Clarke reported the following:

a. Informal Clinics:  1 slot remains to be filled.  Back-ups (in case of no-shows) would be helpful to plug holes the day of the Mini-Con.  Contact Pete Clarke.

f. NMRA/SMD promotion at the Mini-Con:  It was suggested that the Division raffle off Rail Pass memberships.  Further discussion pointed out the need to gauge a recipient’s actual interest and suggested a need for current members to sponsor Rail Pass recipients.  Another suggestion was to reimburse recipients for the cost of a Rail Pass at the end of 9 months (if they felt that NMRA membership was not what they hoped it would be).  The discussion also touched on the cost of full NMRA membership and noted the fact that the hobby itself can be quite expensive.  CVMRR Club dues are $20 per month.

The promotional pamphlet was discussed as separate new business below.

19.10-6 White Elephant Table:  Although not discussed at length, it was observed that the Philadelphia Division had great success disposing of HO rolling stock (with Kadees and weathering) for a bargain price of $5 at the recent Timonium show – “passing the hobby forward.”

20.1-8 Spring Wheel Report deadline:  February 15, 2020.

New Business:

20.2-3 Host Cumberland Valley Model Railroad Club welcomed everyone to the Club.  The SMD expressed thanks for hosting the meeting.

20.2-4 SMD promotional pamphlet (tri-fold) giving specific information about Division activities:  Bob Johnson presented a draft copy of the pamphlet for discussion.  (A copy of the draft will be kept with the meeting Minutes.)  Discussion pointed out that the National NMRA policy limits visitors to two (2) meetings before requiring membership and that the URL’s listed were too long.  Bob will make corrections.  In addition to distributing them at the Mini-Con, members recommended flyers be placed at Mainline Hobbies and HobbyTown USA Frederick.

Printing costs and printers were discussed.  CVMRR Club recommended their printer OSI.  Bob will follow up.  Dave Thalman made the following motion (second by Ken Mazer):

Motion:  That the expenditure of up to $150 be authorized for the printing of SMD promotional pamphlets (tri-fold).  The motion passed unanimously.

20.2-5 Steve Green, a long-time SMD member, has contacted the Division to assure everyone that he is still involved in the hobby (despite not being able to attend meetings) and is recovering from a car accident last October.

20.2-6 The Waynesboro MRRC open house scheduled for Monday 2-10-20 will feature a presentation from Scale Trains.

Adjournment:  The Superintendent accepted a motion to adjourn.  The next meeting is scheduled for March 8, 2020.  Members will be notified of the location by email [Jay Beckham’s in Berkeley Springs, WV].

Minutes submitted by Clerk Harvey Heyser

Following an open house at the Frederick Society of Model Engineers, Division members met at the HobbyTown USA Frederick, MD store.  23 were present.  After looking around the store and socializing, Superintendent Alex Polimeni called the business meeting to order.

20.1-1 Paymaster’s Report:  Paymaster Ray Price (not present) submitted a report that the Division has $4115.08 in its bank account, the same as in November, 2019. 

20.1-2 Clerk’s Report (Meeting Minutes):  Clerk Harvey Heyser summarized the draft minutes for the December meeting (previously distributed by e-mail).    Ron Polimeni made the following motion (second by Jane Clarke):

Motion:  That the draft Minutes for the December 2019 meeting be approved as submitted.  The motion passed unanimously.

Old Business:

19.9-7 2020 Mini-Con will be April 18, 2020:  Chair Pete Clarke reported the following.

a. Informal Clinics:  1 slot remains to be filled.  2 or 3 back-ups (in case of no-shows) would be helpful.  Suggested topics – Kadee uncoupling and hands-on model railroad photography (with attendee’s own phone).

e. Attendance:  Chair Clarke indicated that the 220 or so attendees at recent Mini-Cons is about the limit of what the venue can handle.  Consequently, the current promotion is successful.

f. NMRA/SMD promotion at the Mini-Con:  Discussion indicated that the Division has gotten some new members from Mini-Con attendees but not as many as we would like.  It was observed that many attendees are not yet at the point of their hobby “lives” when they want to become NMRA members.  (They are most interested in information that helps them build a layout.)  The following were suggested:

1) Brief announcements at breaks regarding the Division and the NMRA (stressing Rail Pass and the layouts in the SMD),

2) Invitations to attend SMD meetings (noting the limit of three before required membership),

3) Efforts to determine what attendees are looking for from the Mini-Con (check-the-box type survey forms better than ones requiring written response),

4) Directions to Division “specialists” who can help answer their questions (including the many at the Mini-Con),

5) Display of the banner advertising the MNRA /SMD (Bob Morningstar), and

6) Handing out the SMD promotional pamphlet (tri-fold as discussed earlier) giving specific information about Division activities – layout visits, clinics, etc. (Bob Johnson).

19.10-6 White Elephant Table:  At this late time of the year, it was the consensus that this issue should be discussed during the Planning Meeting for next year (summer 2020).

New Business:

20.1-3 Host Richard Benjamin welcomed everyone to HobbyTown USA.  The SMD expressed thanks for having the meeting area nicely arranged for a discussion between all present. 

20.1-4 Guest Attendance at Division Meetings:  It was noted how important this is to promoting new members for the NMRA and the SMD.  Almost all Division activities happen during the meetings held during visits to members’ homes.  Wheel Report Editor Tom Fedor reminded all present of the NMRA’s policy limiting to three (3) guest visits to Division meetings.  There was discussion of how this policy makes the SMD look unwelcoming and hampers promotion of the NMRA through invitation to Division activities.  Editor Fedor reminded everyone that meetings (and clinics, when known in advance) are listed on the web-site.  With regard to Mini-Con attendees, the consensus was that when they are ready to participate in the SMD, they will join the organization.

20.1-5 SMD membership:  The Superintendent indicated the Division is in a good place right now and does not need a major effort to grow.  The following was reported:

Current SMD membership around 80

Meeting attendance between 15 and 30

Number of people involved in the Mini-Con around 42 (most are SMD members)

The event reaches about half of SMD members.

20.1-6 Cross-bucks:  Don Florwick distributed the 4 remaining.  (The SMD paid for these.)

20.1-7 Nominations Committee for the May Election:  Bob Law was suggested for membership on the Committee (to report at the March meeting).  Tom Fedor will facilitate communications.  Job descriptions (including the Superintendent’s) will be in the Wheel Report.

20.1-8 Spring Wheel Report deadline:  February 15, 2020.

20.1-9 Frederick County Society of Model Engineers’ layout status:  Nothing to report.  They still have to relocate at an undetermined future date.

Adjournment:  The Superintendent accepted a motion to adjourn.  The next meeting on February 9, 2020 will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Cumberland Valley Model Railroad Club in Chambersburg, PA.

Following the meeting, those in attendance expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to have a wide ranging discussion of the SMD and its activities and again thanked host Richard Benjamin for his efforts facilitating the meeting.

Happy New Year, everyone!

With the hope that you’ve all had a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season, I’d like to extend an invitation to our January meeting at Richard Benjamin’s Hobbytown USA location in Frederick, MD. Doors will be open by 2PM, with the business meeting to follow. Hobbytown’s address is …

454 Prospect Blvd., Frederick, MD 21701

In lieu of our typical home layout tour, SMD has been invited to visit the Frederick County Society of Model Engineers club car! Their doors will open at noon. If you have time, leave home a little earlier and come see what they’ve been working on! The FCSME club car is at …

423 East Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701

As always, if you need to catch up on last months meeting- I know I did, since I missed it!- you will find meeting minutes HERE.

In other news, the deadline for the Spring Wheel Report is fast approaching on Feb. 15th! Share with us what you’ve been working on this winter, or even what projects you’re planning for this coming year. 

April’s Mini-Con is also coming up, so if you’re signed up to give an informal clinic- or even a formal clinic, like I’m doing- absolutely don’t do like me and wait until the last minute to prepare it! April may seem months away but is, in fact, functionally tomorrow.

Speaking of the Mini-Con, I’ve only just now realized an error made it into the Winter Wheel Report; the Mini-Con will be held Saturday, April 18th, not April 20th. How did I notice this? By looking up the date so I could refer an interested friend who needs to apply for leave at work in advance, of course! Do make sure to invite your friends, relatives, coworkers, *their* friends, relatives, coworkers…

Here’s to another great year for the South Mountain Division!

Alex Polimeni, Superintendent 

Submitted by Harvey Heyser, Clerk

South Mountain Division Mid-Eastern Region – National Model Railroad Association

Draft Meeting Minutes – November 10, 2019

Division members met at Dave Thalman’s home near Winchester, VA.  8 were present.  After viewing the host’s layout and socializing, Superintendent Alex Polimeni called the business meeting to order.

19.11-1 Paymaster’s Report:  Paymaster Ray Price reported that the Division has $4115.08 in its bank account, the same as in October.  The Paymaster expects up-coming expenses for the Wheel Report and for Mini-Con 2020 preparations:  raffle and concessions.

19.11-2 Clerk’s Report (Meeting Minutes):  The Clerk summarized the draft minutes for the October meeting.  Because there was confusion about the minute related to the web site, the Clerk requested that approval of the minutes be delayed.  Those present agreed.

Old Business:

18.10-5 Web Site:  Tom Fedor is now the Webmaster.

19.9-7 2020 Mini-Con will be April 18, 2020:  There was minimal discussion in Chair Pete Clarke’s absence.

b. Food:  Members brought up the need to have bottled water for attendees.

19.9-9 Bob Law’s Open House was very successful.

New Business:

19.11-3 Host Dave Thalman welcomed everyone to his HO layout.  Tracks around the two 4 track helixes were operating smoothly.

19.11-4 Future Meeting for January 2020:  The Frederick Airport was suggested as a possible location for the meeting with, perhaps, a visit to the Frederick Society layout close-by.  Arrangements for using the Airport facilities can be made at the last minute.  There will be a charge for drinks.

19.11-5 Visitor:  Bob Hiller, N scaler and high-rail collector, introduced himself to the SMD, and members provided information about the NMRA.

19.11-6 Winchester MRRC:  Andy Arnold reported the Club has demolished and removed its layout but is finding that alternative locations are very costly.

19.11-7 SMD member Bob Morningstar has been elected MER Director.

Adjournment:  The Chair accepted a motion to adjourn.  The next meeting will be held at Bob Morningstar’s home near Greencastle, PA on December 8,2019.  Assistant Superintendent Jerry Skeim will preside in the Superintendent’s absence.

Minutes submitted by Clerk Harvey Heyser

Following the meeting, host Dave Thalman presented a clinic about weathering with washes, Pan Pastels, and acrylics.  He stressed doing weathering in the same light as on the layout.