William Adams
1. I am a sustaining member and have been a director since 2005. I am a regular contributor to the restoration fund. Since 2000, I’ve helped staff FEBT tours and set up displays for the Summer Celebrations and Fall Reunions, and participated in the FEBT model contests. I have contributed several articles to the Timber Transfer, as well as submitting a few small FEBT-related items to the railfan and modeling press, and staffed an FEBT booth at shows in 2004, 2006. I coordinated input from the membership to the Board for the photographic collection scanning project, provided photographs in support of an FEBT application for a TRAINS Preservation Grant, and provided photographic support for the documentation of Coles tankhouse. I generated artwork for the FEBT museum sign. I created custom brickpaper and structure kits for the FEBT Company Store. I have helped with restoration of the Old Post Office and assisted in FEBT’s documentation and limited salvage of Saltillo station. I have been a regular attendee and crew leader in the Rockhill Furnace restoration effort since 2002, working primarily on building repairs but also helping with track, concrete and car restoration.
2. I am a computer engineer, working in the field of robotics research. In addition to computer usage and maintenance, I manage a lab with dozens of computers and robots, ensuring that lab users have adequate, operational resources. I coordinate building maintenance with public works personnel to maintain the labspace as a suitable environment for conducting research.
3. I will support FEBT’s hands-on restoration work at Robertsdale and Rockhill Furnace, with an eye toward increasing volunteer attendance and efficiency. I will to continue work on the digital scanning of FEBT’s photographic collection to make it useful to the membership, and push for creation of exhibits to make Robertsdale a worthwhile destination for members and visitors alike.
4. Yes.
5. I currently travel to the EBT at least once a month, year-round, and have not missed a board meeting in my two previous terms. If nominated and re-elected, I will continue to make every effort to attend board meetings in person.
6. I have served on the board the past four years. Since 2000, I have contributed articles to the Timber Transfer, helped staff FEBT events and trainshow booths, worked on the digital archives project and Robertsdale exhibits, and worked with the Company Store on new products. I helped with the Saltillo station and Coles tankhouse documentation, and have been a regular volunteer and crew leader in Rockhill since 2002. I will continue to support FEBT’s restoration work in both Rockhill and Robertsdale, continue work on the photographic collection, and continue work on the museum exhibit for Robertsdale.
Lawrence Biemiller
1. I have been an FEBT volunteer tour guide in Rockhill Furnace for the past two years. On average, I've been there every other weekend during the operating season. (I've tried to schedule myself for weekends that aren't FEBT work weekends, since on work weekends tours are available from Lee Rainey and others.) I've also tried, without too much success, to help the railroad get more publicity (I did write an article about the railroad for "Preservation" magazine that brought some visitors this past year). I showed up for several work weekends, too, but with my extremely limited skill set I'm not sure how useful I was, except the day I helped clean up the paint shop.
2. I'm a feature writer and editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education, a publication for college and university faculty members, administrators, and trustees that offers news online daily and in print weekly. I have also served on a number of volunteer committees for my co-op apartment building, and I have helped the membership calmly sort through the facts of some pretty divisive controversies.
3. With a modest amount of effort, I think FEBT could help the railroad significantly improve the experience visitors have—which is a key to making sure visitors feel like they're getting their money's worth when they visit. Anything we could do to persuade the railroad to devote some space to a historic exhibit, for instance, would be effort well spent. If people stopped into an exhibitfor 10 or 15 minutes to look at pictures, read captions, and perhaps look at some scale models, for instance, they could learn about the mines, the company towns, and the coal-washing plant and timber transfer. A set of wooden stairs that would let people on the roundhouse tour climb into the cab of one of the unused locomotives would be a big help, too, if the railroad approved. And a few more picnic tables would be great — maybe a small train-themed playground area for kids, like the one at the B&O museum that's so popular.
4. I harbor no ambition to be FEBT's president, vice president, or secretary. None, zip, zero.
5. I have a good track record of showing up at the railroad—in fact, I'm pretty sure my car could get there by itself. I can get to Robertsdale too. Will I need to bring my own coffee?
6. I have been an FEBT volunteer tour guide in Rockhill Furnace for the past two years—on average, I've been there every other weekend during the operating season. I've enjoyed talking to visitors and working closely with the employees. I've also tried, without too much success, to help the railroad get more publicity. The coming year could be a pivotal one for the East Broad Top, and I look forward to lending a hand to the railroad and FEBT however I can—by helping to improve communications, by helping to set priorities that make sense, and by continuing to give tours. I'd also like to encourage the railroad and the FEBT to do more outreach—for instance, by attending tourist-railroad-industry meetings and connecting with preservation organizations.
Robert L. Goldby
1. I havebeen involved with TheFEBT since 1997 volunteering for the summer celebration, giving roundhouse and shop tours, and also at the fall reunionvolunteering for a number of years at the Robertsdale Museum. AlsoI have volunteered at the Rockhill Restoration Crew since2002 -worked on caboose 28, coach8 roof, remodeling of paint shop, worked on the building crew priming and painting most of the buildings andreplacingbroken glass in all the buildings on the grounds.I amthe Crew Chief for the glass crew providing all glassfor the buildings inRockhillFurnace Shop Complex.
2. I have served on my church Board of Deacons for a number of years and understand how a board functions.
3. I wouldhelp provide a clear and positive vision for the FEBT now and in the future thrudedication,and hard work.
4.No. I am just interested in being a memberof the board of directorsof the Friends.
5. I will attend the meetings in person.
6. I havebeen involved with TheFEBT since 1997 volunteering for the summer celebration, giving roundhouse and shop tours, and also at the fall reunionvolunteering for a number of years at the Robertsdale Museum. AlsoI have volunteered at the Rockhill Restoration Crew since2002 -worked on caboose 28, coach8 roof, remodeling of paint shop, worked on the building crew priming and painting most of the buildings andreplacingbroken glass in all the buildings on the grounds.I amthe Crew Chief for the glass crew providing all glassfor the buildings inRockhillFurnace Shop Complex.
I wouldwork with the other board members to helpprovide a clear and positive vision for the FEBT now and in the future thrudedication,and hard work.
Henry F. Inman
1. I have served as a member of the board since January 1993, secretary 1993-1995, chairman of the board 1996 and president 1997-present. I started work as a member of the Robertsdale work crew in 1992, and since 1996 have been responsible for coordinating our work there; I coordinated our 1994-1995 and current fund-raising campaigns. I supervised the first phase of our work on the old post office using these funds and the grant and loan we received from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission. I have assembled and prepared the preliminary summaries for our annual financial reviews since we began filing these returns in 1994. I have contributed material for publication in The Timber Transfer and either coordinated or assembled most issues of the FEBT Newsletter since 1993. During most of these years I have also helped us plan and organize FEBT events, including the annual Fall Reunion.
2.
3. (1) Continuing our efforts to improve our financial controls and reporting; (2) continuing our present fund-raising campaign and obtaining available grant funds to complete the next stages of work on all current restoration project; (3) completing work one or more of our present restoration projects and establishing realistic goals and schedules for the others; (4) expending our educational initiatives; and (5) developing our museum operations.
4. While I am current committed to continuing work as one of FEBT’s executive officers, I cannot say that this commitment is open-ended. My personal hope is that we identify new FEBT leaders and work them into the system for the time when all of us are ready to retire.
5. During my service as a director I have missed only one meeting of the board (due to illness).
6. I have served as a FEBT director and officer since 1993 and president since 1997. Currently I also coordinate our restoration work at Robertsdale and our Coles Station water tank documentation project. I am committed to working on the challenges we face, which include (1) continuing our efforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of FEBT operations, (2) building on the successes of our restoration program, (3) expanding our outreach initiatives, (4) further developing our museum and collections, (5) securing the necessary funds to maintain our progress on these activities, and (6) working with the owner of the EBT to insure its future.
Vagel C. Keller
1. I have served the organization in many capacities, including service on the Board of Directors, membership ombudsman, public information point of contact, volunteer coordination, and most recently as Assistant V.P., Museum Operations at Robertsdale. Otherwise, my efforts on behalf of the FEBT have focused on preserving and adding to the historical knowledge of the EBT. Aside from the well-known walking tours held in Robertsdale every Reunion, I inaugurated the popular Early Bird Explorations, have published numerous historical articles in the Timber Transfer
2. None, unless being a historian is relevant.
3. Have the interior of the Old Post Office ready to accept the museum collection by the Fall 2009 Reunion weekend. Complete cataloging the photograph and negative collection
4. Having once served as secretary of the FEBT BOD, I understand what these positions entail and am unable to devote time to any of them at this time.
5. I plan to attend the meetings in person.
6. Since joining FEBT in 1987 I have served as Board Secretary, as membership ombudsman, as volunteer coordinator for events, and most recently as Assistant V.P., Museum Operations. Otherwise, my focus has been on adding to the historical knowledge of the EBT. Aside from the well-known walking tours in Robertsdale every Fall, I inaugurated the popular Early Bird Explorations, published numerous historical articles in the Timber Transfer, and contributed my extensive research files on the EBT to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. If elected I would work to speed progress on the Old Post Office and other projects in Robertsdale.
Dennis Straub
1. I have served on the board for five years, and I have always tried to further the interests of both FEBT and the EBT by bringing both to the attention of railfans I meet, and through a FEBT display at railfan and model railroading events. I have attended all but two FEBT reunions, and participated in the modeling contests several years. I regularly set up and participate in the FEBT tent at special occasions at the railroad, and have had a part in recruiting on the order of 100 new members in the past several years. I run the new rider program for FEBT, having distributed approximately 150 tickets in the past several years, and have manned the FEBT museum on several weekends.
2. I had a career as a civilian employee of the U.S.Navy of nearly 33 years. During that time I was involved in and led a wide variety of programs dealing with logistic processes. Prior to retirement, I was the senior civilian manager of a Navy logistics organization of approximately 450 engineering, data systems, and other professionals. That employment provided me a great deal of planning and management experience. Since retirement I am serving on the planning commission and the water authority for the township within which I reside, which provides me experiences of a somewhat different nature, though still involving planning and management. I am also a past president of residents organization formed to represent the residents interest during the period the township zoning ordinance was being rewritten.
3. I am pleased to see that volunteer activity has been so successful in Rockhill, and would expect that I may be able to devote more time to that effort, as I believe that anything that furthers the interest of the EBT furthers the interests of the FEBT. I have also taken opportunities to place FEBT and EBT information in model railroading shops and attractions to advance public awareness. I will continue to recruit new members and hope the momentum of the past several years will continue.
4. I am not averse to serving as an officer of the organization. I am currently the vice chairman of the planning commission, and chairman of the water authority on which I serve. I would expect to gain some more intimate knowledge of the management of FEBT prior to accepting any such position however.
5. Attendance at Board meetings, presents no problems to me, as I am retired and expect no calendar conflicts, and reside within a one-and-a-half hour drive of Robertsdale. Meetings would just provide one more reason to visit EBT country.
6. I have been a member of FEBT for as long as I have known of the organization, and have attended as many of its functions as time permitted. I have participated in reunion activities and modeling contests, and frequently familiarizes other railfans with both the EBT and FEBT. I have assisted in securing materials for the reunion auctions and historic EBT artifacts. I have had a part in the recruitment of approximately 100 new members in the past several years and would continue to place emphasis on this effort, and would expect to use my skills and experience to further the interest and public awareness of both the EBT and FEBT.