October Meeting Minutes (how to make the club better)

ct_vol

Reefing On My Mind
Team RC
There was a small group of us, only 5, but I think we had a good discussion, and my only regret is that there were not more people there to contribute... The overall topic was how to make the club better (more functional and better serving)...

We talked about the benefit of the club to members:

Knowledge from experienced members, Different theories of reefkeeping, what has worked in reefkeeping and what has not... Group orders and Field trips...

In the past a few people have stopped the majority from doing a group activity... We will not be able to please everyone with every activity, whether it be a group order or a group trip somewhere... However, not doing anything has definately upset everyone... Eddie best summed it up as "paralysis of analysis" :D
The more group orders and field trips done, the more likely everyone will be happy at one point or another...
We went over Jeff's tank:

In the past we have all stood around looking at one anothers tanks, but I think that we have not gone over our systems well enough... The benefit of seeing other peoples tanks is not only in seeing their beauty, but seeing what is working and not working behind it... We are a club to help one another... The criticism given is in order to help one another, and be constructive criticism not demeaning...

We talked about meeting topics and how they need to be revived:

Topics will help the meeting get underway... If we can take the first half hour or hour of the meeting, to discuss a reef related topic, whether it be working with acrylic, modding skimmers, reef safe fish or whatever that will be a good way to get everyone discussing why we are meeting in the first place... I like most of you have heard most of the topics, but I am more than willing to go over them again if we are helping out a new member or doesn't know about that topic... The only way we will keep this club going is to get some new blood and keep their interest in attending meetings...

If we structure our meetings such that everyone actually gets there on time the 3rd Saturday of every month, I think we can get more people involved... Hypothetically if we start the meeting at 1:00, we would discuss Lighting from 1:00-1:30, discuss Joe's tank from 1:30 to 2:00 and then from 2:00-4:00 we can have fellowship and food... By having the organized part of the meeting in the beginning, it will allow the busier people to go on their way early while still being involved and the people with more time to be social to have that time as well... It will also allow a time for newer members to ask questions and hopefully become more familiar and comfortable with established memembers so that they in turn feel that they are a part of the club...

I'm not sure what else we discussed right now... I've been writing quite a bit... If there is anything else I missed, please fill in...
 
All great points. I personally like kicking off the mtg with a predetermined topic and saving the socializing till the end. 3-4 hr mtgs with topic at the end caused me to make it a habit to be late.
 
I am late because I am always trying to do too much in one day...overly ambitious and whatnot.

I will try to be on time though, next time!
 
I really appreciate everyone's input and the 2 threads you have started Randy:)

I have a lot to say but can't say a whole bunch right now because I have yet another midterm in the AM.

Anyway IMO the food should be scheduled at a time when most people eat. I very well could be the minority here and if I am that is great. All I'm sayin is if I have to wait till 2:00 to eat I'm going to want to kill somebody:eek1:
I do like kicking off the meeting with the business at hand and if we eat at 2:00 I'll just have to eat before I get there:)
Has anyone thought about having meetings in the evening? I know it's traditional to have them in the afternoon here but IMO having them in the evening allows more time to get stuff done during the day.
Maybe starting at 5:00 with meeting stuff and 6:00 for eating? Just throwing that out there to see how others feel. Feel free to shoot it down:)
....back to general pathology........

Chris
 
I think the meetings should stick to being around the 3rd Saturday as they have, but the start time is still up to the host... The night meeting at Chris's house last year worked out well I thought, as did the night meeting at the Coral Reef... I just think we should get right to the business end of the meeting so that those that want to come only for that can, and then we can enjoy ourselves afterward... :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11020846#post11020846 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ct_vol
I think the meetings should stick to being around the 3rd Saturday as they have, but the start time is still up to the host... The night meeting at Chris's house last year worked out well I thought, as did the night meeting at the Coral Reef... I just think we should get right to the business end of the meeting so that those that want to come only for that can, and then we can enjoy ourselves afterward... :)

I agree it should be up to the host and the 3rd Saturday. Should there be a set time for public meetings? Just what the occasion dictates?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11021131#post11021131 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
I agree it should be up to the host and the 3rd Saturday. Should there be a set time for public meetings? Just what the occasion dictates?

I would think that the location would somewhat dictate the time... I know for the CR meetings, we'd have to move them to after they close... Also, some restaurants and venues aren't always open for lunch/dinner, so it would depend upon that schedule too... Perhaps we can try and make it so that our public meetings vary from lunch to dinner every other time, so that we can try and be more available to those members that its more convenient for one time over another...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11021382#post11021382 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ct_vol
I would think that the location would somewhat dictate the time... I know for the CR meetings, we'd have to move them to after they close... Also, some restaurants and venues aren't always open for lunch/dinner, so it would depend upon that schedule too... Perhaps we can try and make it so that our public meetings vary from lunch to dinner every other time, so that we can try and be more available to those members that its more convenient for one time over another...

That sounds good to me.
 
To the top:D

Come on everyone. We need input and opinions so we can make the club what people want it to be.

Chris
 
IMO from past experience the club needs a strong BOD that is serious about their position, not just someone voted in. I strongly support the idea of asking members that are interested in holding a position, and have the time to dedicate, submit their names and from those names we vote for positions. The club is only as good as the BOD and they have to want the position to be successful. I also support regular BOD meetings. When the club first organized we tried to hold regular BOD meeting separate from the regular meeting so that we could make decisions and plans, afterward we would present the club with our plans. It started off real well but after the original BOD left office, there were few if any BOD meeting and the club and membership went down as well.

Again, IMO the majority of member wants to enjoy the club without having to worry about the nuts and bolts of running it, isn’t that why we have officers anyway? Through all this we’ve proven that a club with good leaders can be successful and we have seen what happens when no one is at the controls.
:bum:
 
Art~ You care to be a member of the BOD??? :) I wish there were a begging emoticon... lol
 
I don't want to see this club fail!!!!!!!! I was waiting to see how many others might be interested? With that said I'll volunteer to help the club anyway I can.
 
I would be willing to help with the club In anyway, working from my home. being I have severe Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease, it is very hard for me to get out of my home at this time.

Donna
 
Just a thought, but maybe our present elected club representative (Mel) could make temporary BOD appointments that would run the club until we have more membership to hold a true election. No one knows the member’s ability as well as she does. It could go something like this, Mel chooses the President, President Picks Vice President, the President and Vice Pres. choose Treasure, and those three pick a secretary. My concern is that there are so few members now that there wouldn't be enough participation for a good vote. Since there hasn't been much attendance lately at the meeting, our newer members don't really know most of the members that well and will have little knowledge of what the candidates have to offer the club.
:bum:
 
Good point Art... We don't have many members as it is, and participation is at an all-time low... :(

Donna~ I was wondering where you disappeared to... Glad you're back...
 
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