Potomac Chapter National Railway Historical Society, Inc.
On December 20, the board passed a motion via email to accept Steven Eau Claire and his son Jonathan, and Linda Abernathy as members of the chapter. Gordy Bjoraker, Marc Laborde, Jay Creswell, Bill Holdsworth, Rick Davidson, Jerry Hott, Bob Cohen and John Sery voted in favor of the motion.
| Golden House Restaurant, 8200 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD | |
| Present: | |
| Gordy Bjoraker, President Bill Holdsworth, Secretary Jay Creswell, Treasurer Rick Davidson, National Director |
Bob Cohen, Director at Large Jerry Hott, Director at Large Bill Hopkins, Director at Large |
| Absent: | |
| Marc Laborde, Vice President | John Sery, Director at Large |
President Gordy Bjoraker called the meeting to order about 8:10 p.m.
Directors approved a motion to set the price of the March 21 banquet at $38.50.
Directors discussed potential year-end donations, including the Duffields station.
Directors agreed to recommend that the January 20th membership meeting be cancelled or postponed. They will seek membership approval at the December meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8:59 p.m.
On November 29, the board passed a motion via email to authorize Alex Mayes to invite George Hamlin as the speaker at the chapter banquet March 21 (revised date). The invitation includes a meal for him and his spouse. Gordy Bjoraker, Rick Davidson, Marc Laborde, Bill Holdsworth, Jay Creswell, Jerry Hott and John Sery voted in favor of the motion.
On November 23, the board passed a motion via email to authorize Alex Mayes to invite George Hamlin as the speaker at the chapter banquet March 28. The invitation includes a meal for him and his spouse. Gordy Bjoraker, Rick Davidson, Marc Laborde, Bill Holdsworth, Jay Creswell, Jerry Hott and John Sery voted in favor of the motion.
| Silver Spring B&O Station | |
| Present: | |
| Marc Laborde, Vice President Bill Holdsworth, Secretary Jay Creswell, Treasurer Rick Davidson, National Director |
Bob Cohen, Director at Large John Sery, Director at Large Jerry Hott, Director at Large Bill Hopkins, Director at Large |
| Absent: | |
| Gordy Bjoraker, President | |
Vice President Marc Laborde called the meeting to order at 8:02 p.m.
Jay Creswell gave the Treasurer’s report. He included a list of the chapter’s investments and their rate of return.
Bill Holdsworth distributed copies of the minutes of previous meeting.
Directors discussed the slide contest, in response to Alex Mayes' request for guidance on 2009. They discussed having a digital members night, as a precursor to a possible contest in future years. John will contact Bob Bitzer to see whether he would be willing to organize such an event.
Directors approved setting the prize levels for the slide contest: $10 for first place prize in each category, $5 for second place, and nothing for third place, plus $25 for the grand prize.
The motion passed by a 5-2 vote. During the discussion, an attempt to amend the motion failed. The amend would have raised the prizes to $15 for first and $10 for second.
The board asked Frances Mohr to handle the banquet again next year. She agreed, via cell phone, provided the price is not raised by more than $2.
Bill reviewed recommendations from the committee report. The board discussed his findings concerning the newsletter.
Directors agreed to tackle the report recommendations at future board meetings, starting in December. They thought a Saturday morning meeting would be a better venue, but they were unable to find a convenient date.
The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Two eastbound trains passed during the meeting.
| Silver Spring B&O Station | |
| Present: | |
| Marc Laborde, Vice President Bill Holdsworth, Secretary Jay Creswell, Treasurer Rick Davidson, National Director |
Bob Cohen, Director at Large John Sery, Director at Large Jerry Hott, Director at Large |
| Absent: | |
| Gordy Bjoraker, President | Bill Hopkins, Director at Large |
Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order at 8:17 p.m.
Jay Creswell gave the Treasurer’s report.
Bill Holdsworth distributed the minutes of May meeting,
Jay discussed the Reading and Northern steam excursion scheduled for October 18.
Directors approved a motion to direct Bob Cohen to compile a list of books, so that the board can assess the proper way to dispose of the books at the October board meeting. Bob will email the list to the board.
Bill briefed the board on the work of the operations and growth committee. He asked for their input on the committee report. Bob discussed his idea for an N&W book.
Directors discussed slide contest. They would like to Invite Alex Mayes to a future meeting and make a decision about the future of the contest. Some directors would like to reduce the prize money. Others suggested a cap on individual winnings.
Directors discussed the banquet. Board would like Frances Mohr to handle it again.
Alex Mayes has suggested that his winnings from the slide contest be donated to the West Virginia Railroad Museum.
Directors recommended that the president donate $500 from the small grant program to the national organization’s matching grant program.
Adjourned at 10:01 p.m. One westbound trains passed during the meeting.
| Silver Spring B&O Station | |
| Present: | |
| Marc Laborde, Vice President Bill Holdsworth, Secretary Jay Creswell, Treasurer Rick Davidson, , National Director |
Bob Cohen, Director at Large John Sery, Director at Large Bill Hopkins, Director at Large Jerry Hott, Director at Large |
| Absent: | |
| Gordy Bjoraker, President | |
Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order at 8:12 p.m. (Marc Laborde arrived later and assumed the chair.)
Directors discussed Robert Burns’ offer of more copies of his book on ex-B&O Lines of NW Pennsylvania. Bill will send a response.
Jay Creswell distributed copies of the Treasurer’s report. Jay estimated that the banquet ran a deficit of about $50.
Jay walked through his analysis of the chapter’s long-term financial position. Board approved a motion to form two committees, one on chapter growth and one on chapter operations. The committees are charged with making recommendations no later than the October board meeting. Bob Cohen volunteered to chair the growth committee.
Directors decided the chapter would hold a sale of the DVD, Next Stop, Silver Spring. Price for chapter members will be $20, plus tax and shipping. Bill will send an email to Clay Moritz asking him to publish a notice in the PRN.
Picnic is scheduled for Sept. 27 at Gaithersburg City Hall Park at 3 p.m. Bill informed board that the activity committee is planning a train-watching evening at Gaithersburg in July.
Directors discussed the possible transfer of the books and magazines, held in the storage locker, to the Washington Chapter's Martin O'Rourke Library collection at the Bowie Tower Museum. Bill will compose a list of questions for the librarian and circulate it among the board. Bob will send a list of the collection to the librarian and CC: board members.
Directors approved a preliminary recommendation to the membership that the chapter start a $500 matching donation program for the West Virginia Railroad Museum (at Elkins) to help fund the construction and equipping of a restoration/maintenance facility. The board would bring the motion before the membership when the museum gets a building site and has an approved building plan.
Board asked the program committee to make recommendation by October about the slide contest, concerning the prize money, the level of participation, and the possible inclusion of digital material.
Jay Creswell raised the possibility of organizing a trip to ride on of the Reading & Northern steam excursions October 18 or 25. He would plan a group purchase of tickets. Transportation would involve carpooling or chartering a bus. Directors supported the idea
Bill Hopkins raised the idea of producing a book or DVD using Ara Mesrobian’s slides of the West Penn Traction. Directors suggested that they provide information to the growth committee.
Meeting adjourned at 10:25 p.m. Two eastbound trains and one westbound trains passed during the meeting.
| Montgomery County Executive Office Building | |
| Present: | |
| Gordy Bjoraker, President Bill Holdsworth, Secretary Jay Creswell, Treasurer Jerry Hott, National Director |
Bob Cohen, Director at Large John Sery, Director at Large Bill Hopkins, Director at Large Rick Davidson, Director at Large |
Directors passed a motion to approve Robert Berrien of Gaithersburg as a member of the chapter.
| Silver Spring B&O Station | |
| Present: | |
| Gordy Bjoraker, President Bill Holdsworth, Secretary Rick Davidson, , National Director |
Bob Cohen, Director at Large John Sery, Director at Large Bill Hopkins, Director at Large Jerry Hott, Director at Large |
| Absent: | |
| Marc Laborde, Vice President | Jay Creswell, Treasurer |
President Gordy Bjoraker called the meeting to order at 8:11 p.m.
Board approved a motion to authorize $250 for Rick’s expenses to attend a special meeting of national board in Dallas January 26-27
Rick Davidson reported that John Middlecoff’s widow has donated some of his materials to the chapter. Bob and Rick will review the materials. They may sell them at a chapter meeting.
Directors approved a motion to recommend that the membership sponsor Nick Bass’ tuition at Railcamp, with the provision that in return he would report on his experiences – either through a presentation at a membership meeting or an article in the newsletter. The intention is that the family would be responsible for transportation. Rick will notify Barry Smith.
Directors approved a motion setting the price of the banquet at $38.50.
Bill Hopkins raised the topic of Ara Mesrobian’s slides of the West Penn Traction. Ara is willing to let the chapter use them. John Sery and Bill suggest we scan them. That would preserve them for archival purposes. The chapter could then produce a DVD using them. John suggested we could make 75 copies for sale. John thought that the cost would be $800 to $1200. John and Bill will work up a detailed proposal.
John moved that the chapter offer the books and magazines from our storage locker to the Washington Chapter library in Bowie tower. He has spoken with the librarian. We could consolidate our collection with theirs, but retain ownership. Motion failed. Several directors thought that someone should review the lists of the two collections to identify duplications.
Jerry Hott returned a box of 12 B&O Steam Finale Volume II books to Bob Cohen for return to the storage locker.
Jerry pointed out that the slide contest rules published in the newsletter had an omission. If entries in a category don't meet a minimum number, the prizes are reduced. Directors discussed the future of the slide contest.
John Sery reported that board members should have received invitations to the February 6 premier of the Silver Spring station documentary. He said that the chapter could have a table at the event. The chapter can provide more information for insertion in the credits during post-production.
Meeting adjourned at 10:10 p.m. Two eastbound trains and one westbound trains passed during the meeting.
