USPS Board of Directors
Raleigh, N.C.
4 June 2010
Called to order at 0800
Attendees:
C/C Frank Dvorak, SN
V/C John T. Alter, SN
V/C Robert J. Sweet, SN
V/C Robert A. Baldridge, SN
V/C Dave Hinders, SN
V/C Richard M. Peoples, SN
Guests present:
R/C Tom Derden, SN
R/C Ken Link, SN
Mary Catherine Berube
Tom Kemp
Action items approved:
Ratification of electronic votes:
Upon motion to ratify the electronic vote shown below made on 4 June 2010, which was thereafter seconded, discussed and voted upon by the Board of Directors, United States Power Squadrons, and was approved and ratified.
1) Provide the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with member e- mail addresses to conduct the 2010 Office of Coast Survey Satisfaction Survey.
Rationale: USPS provided e-mail addresses for the 2009 survey with the requirement that the e-mail addresses only be used for the survey and destroyed after use. NOAA has provided a written statement that the list will be used only for this specific purpose and will not be retained or reproduced for any other purpose.
Motions:
Upon motions to approve, which motions were seconded, discussed and voted upon by the Board of Directors, United States Power Squadrons, each of the following was approved:
1) A motion to approve a member benefits agreement with Affinity Marketing Group subject to the following modifications: 1) USPS will provide updated mailing lists for all distributions; 2) AMG will destroy all previous mailing lists, and 3) members will be offered an opt-out feature.
2) A motion to recommend that the Governing Board defeat the District 26 resolution that would allow district commanders to approve merit marks within their respective districts.
3) A motion to dissolve Quad City/30.
4) A motion to dissolve Tulsa/31.
5) A motion to dissolve St. Andrew Bay/15.
6) A motion to eliminate the initiation fee and to increase the ABC course selling price to squadrons to $26, effective 1 Dec. 2010.
7) A motion instructing the national administrative officer and national secretary to develop a plan that would allow students successfully completing an ABC3 classroom course to receive six months free membership, effective 1 Dec. 2010.
8) A motion to create the position of headquarters executive director and to promote Mary Catherine Berube to that position. The headquarters executive director will report to the Board of Directors. The BOD also directed that the Committee on Rules draft the necessary amendments to the USPS Bylaws designating the Board of Directors to direct and oversee the operations of USPS headquarters.
9) A motion to appoint P/D/C Louis R. Loth, AP, as staff commander for the Leadership Development Committee, until the next Governing Board Meeting, due to the resignation of Stf/C Richard Davis.
10) A motion to add a new staff commander position on the Leadership Development Committee, which will bring the total to three staff commanders. This position will be responsible for managing officers’ leadership training.
11) A motion to appoint D/Lt Anita F. Walker, JN, as staff commander for the Leadership Development Committee until the next Governing Board Meeting.
Discussions
1) Tom Kemp reported that Ship’s Store year- to-date sales totaled $83,175. Gross sales margins in 2010 increased by 25 percent over 2009. Total Ship’s Store inventory value as of 30 April 2010 was $75,220.
2) Kemp reported a balance of 7,460 WaterSmart from the Start student manuals as of 31 May 2010. WaterSmart student manuals are being shipped with MetLife coloring books orders. Shipping and handling costs are charged to the WaterSmart grant. Kemp continues to promote WaterSmart from the Start at boat shows and marketing events.
3) Kemp reported that approximately $3,500 Cooperative Advertising funds would be distributed to squadrons for second quarter 2010.
4) Kemp distributed a new brochure, “Expand Your Boating Horizons,” which will be available for download on the Marketing and Public Relations website. This brochure can be modified to include local squadron course information.
5) Kemp reported that Raleigh Power Squadron will teach a combined Piloting/Seamanship course and a Marine Electronics course through Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, N.C.
6) Kemp reported that efforts to promote seminar sales have not produced a significant increase. The number of seminars sold as of 30 April 2010 was 2,507 compared to 5,264 sold in twelve months during 2009. He recommended making all seminars available online to increase exposure and sales.
7) Kemp presented a proposal to improve communications with districts and squadrons. Each BOD member would contact five or six district commanders monthly to discuss current issues. In turn, district commanders would relay the information to their respective squadrons. The BOD agreed to implement a variation of the proposal using conference calls to groups of districts.
8) V/C Sweet reported that he, R/C Herman Green, SN, and Tom Kemp would meet with Brunswick Corporation in July to continue discussions on teaching ABC3 and other USPS programs to Brunswick dealers and customers. Kemp is working on a brand display for Brunswick boat dealers.
9) V/C Sweet reported that he, C/C Dvorak and V/C Alter met with representatives from BoatU.S. on 3 June 2010. BoatU.S. currently offers a free boating course, and they are interested in enhancing their educational content. V/C Sweet reported that BoatU.S. discussed offering the USPS “Trailering” and “Mastering the Rules of the Road” seminars to its members and the public online.
10) Mary Catherine Berube reported that she is updating the USPS Employee Handbook. The handbook will be reviewed by a North Carolina attorney to ensure compliance with North Carolina laws.
11) Berube reported that she is working on a Disaster Recovery Plan for presentation to the BOD.
12) Berube reported that she and R/C Jean Hamilton, SN, are investigating online conferencing systems that could be used by national committees and districts.
13) V/C Alter reported that the National Meetings Taskforce was formed and will make recommendations on national meeting formats, locations and frequency.
14) V/C Alter reported receiving a request for USPS to take a position on wearing PFD’s while a boat is underway. The BOD agreed to continue to support the USCG efforts to significantly increase PFD wear by all boaters especially those in small, open boats.
15) V/C Sweet discussed the structure of USPS. He recommended the following:
1) Build USPS image, and highlight that all members are part of USPS first, showing the USPS logos first, and secondly squadron identity;
2) Ease the burden on squadron commanders and leadership
a. simpler structure and fewer reports
b. part of the problem is rapid rotation through slots – typically one year
c. ease leadership burden
3) Build up districts as part of the national leadership
a. active role in helping manage their squadrons
b. organize and coordinate educational programs
4) Evolve Operations Manual into an Operations Guidelines and reduce squadron responsibilities and perceived complexity.
5) Invite Cyber squadron members to attend the Bellevue Governing Board Meeting for a “special” meeting
a. use opportunity to explore why Cyber members joined
16) V/C Sweet reported that the Educational Department will update course materials to make them “retail” ready, which will include packaging the materials for self-study and online sales.
17) V/C Baldridge updated the BOD on the status of the “Coming About – Charting a New Course” initiative to address declining membership. He stated that most of the original 10 items have been completed or are near completion.
a) Effective 3 June 2010, students who purchase ABC3 online receive six months membership in the Cyber Squadron.
b) Cyber squadron members receive a free copy of ABC3.
c) The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission website established a link to the ABC3 website. The goal is to expand this initiative with other states.
d) An action plan for squadrons to recruit Cyber members has been developed.
e) A recruiting tool for squadrons can be found at www.usps.org/national/pr/Seminartrifolds and www.usps.org/national/pr “Selling Ourselves” Power Point.
f) Squadrons can order seminar kits in multiples of 10 and receive a 60-day payment extension.
g) The Membership Committee is developing a new member welcome page on the committee’s website to introduce new members to USPS.
18) V/C Baldridge reported that the Committee on Rules is drafting the necessary amendments to USPS Bylaws to implement the unified membership concept for presentation during the 2010 Governing Board Meeting in Bellevue, Wash.
19) V/C Baldridge discussed allowing squadrons to accept small businesses as corporate members. He will ask the Membership Committee to develop a proposal that would allow small businesses to become USPS corporate members. Requirements will include a nominal a monetary donation and at least one membership in USPS.
20) V/C Baldridge reported that the dates and venues for District and Squadron Administrative Officer training are posted on the Leadership Development Committee website at http://www.usps.org/national/ot/.
Adjourned 1810.
5 June 2010
Called to order at 0815
1) V/C Peoples reported that the Finance Committee would ask the Governing Board to approve a $2 dues increase each year for the next five years, effective 1 June 2011.
2) V/C Peoples reported that the Finance Committee would ask the Governing Board to approve the appointment of Dixon Hughes, Raleigh, N.C., as the independent auditor for fiscal year 2010.
3) V/C Peoples and R/C Tom Derden presented the proposed 2011 budget to the BOD.
4) V/C Peoples discussed amending USPS Bylaws, Section 5.16.10, to designate that the Finance Committee would receive the report from the outside auditor and present the findings to the Governing Board instead of the national secretary.
5) V/C Peoples reported that a rider was added to the USPS insurance policy to cover the BullEx laser-based fire extinguisher training system.
6) V/C Hinders reported that member web access security will be activated following the 2010 Governing Board Meeting in Bellevue, Wash. The system will be two-tiered. Members may continue to use their certificate number and zip code to logon with minimal access. Alternatively, members will logon with a PIN and have full access. Details can be found at http://usps-bulletin.blogspot.com/2010/06/enhanced-security-next-step.html.
7) V/C Hinders reported that 425 members joined the Cyber squadron as of 5 June 2010. 42 percent of those members have transferred to a local squadron; the average age of the primary member is 53; 26 percent have taken a USPS boating course prior to joining, and 8 percent have taken and passed a USPS member course since joining.
8) V/C Hinders reported that a revised How to Fly Flags learning guide will be available at headquarters in mid-July.
9) C/C Dvorak will request that the Planning Committee research outside directors serving on boards of other nonprofit organizations similar to USPS.
Adjourned 1355.