Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake, NY

President Gerald Tysiak                                                                                                       Secretary Peg Weiss

Vice President Gary Meislin                                                                                   Treasurer Robert S. Pasquarelli

Sandpiper Editor Jo Moccia                                                                                  Immediate Past Pres Joe Behson

Webmaster David E. Booker                                                                                              Photographer Jim Rogers

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Scott Paul, Ray Turner, William Whipple

Bryce E. Cutler, Skip Patton, James E. Rogers

John C. Brownrigg, James M. Colabelli, Eve M. Ward

Club Bulletin Committee

Jo Moccia, Chair

Jim Colabelli            Pat Lane

MEETING OF MAY 4th 2009

PRESIDENT ELECT Gary Meislin presiding

GREETINGS & INVOCATION by Skip Patton

The meeting was called to order by President-Elect Gary Meislin with a thoughtful invocation by Skip Patton .  Total anarchy at the dinner line as all tables were called at once.  Somehow we all got fed.

PROGRAM:

There were no guests in attendance, but we welcomed Jo Moccia back after a long absence.  She gave an informative presentation on the 2009-2010 APCSD budget for the upcoming vote on May 19.  Our district has 3447 students, and is supported by taxes on 8884 parcels of land.  Jo presented several comparisons between our district and other Suburban Council and Rensselaer County school districts.  Ours is considered a medium-sized district.  We have a good attendance rate at 97%, with only a 3% drop-out rate, and a graduation rate at 93%.  We have a relatively low (11%) reduced or free lunch qualification level, which indicates average needs and a low poverty rate.  Jo provided a comparison of taxes based on a residential property with a value of $300,000.  If the house were in APCSD the school taxes would be $4878, which is third lowest in the Suburban Council, behind Queensbury and Mohonasen, and the third lowest in Rensselaer County.

The new budget includes no tax levy increase.  The net budget increase is only 1.03% over last year.  Some factors in keeping it low were energy cost reductions of $1 million over the past 3 years, in-house vocational education, and a net reduction of 9 teaching staff (12 retired but only 3 will be replaced).  The District will receive $420,621 in federal stimulus funds, with some restrictions on how it will be used.  We will get $57,400 less state aid than last year, however.  The increase in personnel costs are less than 1%.  Overall, administration costs are about 7%, well below the maximum 10% guideline.  Our per pupil cost is $7100, well below the average of $9400.  Our Special Education per pupil cost is $2300, also below average, yet a study commissioned by the District indicated that the program is considered so desirable that families move into the District to take advantage of it.

There will be a proposal on the ballot for the purchase of 11 new buses, as the bus purchase proposal was voted down last year.  Jo pointed out that it is more cost-effective to purchase some new buses each year and keep the fleet young than to maintain an old fleet.  Our buses drive a total of 1 million miles annually over our 140 square mile district.  Also on the ballot will be a choice of two candidates among five to replace current School Board members Chris Shaw and Regina Cristo.  Candidates are Chris Foster, Lou Morizio, Bill Reinhardt, Peter Schaefer and Jessica Zweig.  There will be an information meeting May 12 at APHS at 6:30 PM.  The vote is May 19, 7:00 AM-9:00 PM.

Jo was asked if there had been any negotiations with the unions.  She said that there had been, but that there had been no concessions for this year.  She considered it likely that there would be next year.  Several teachers and an administrator took advantage of early retirement incentives.

There was discussion about the much more civilized articles in the Advertiser this year.  Jo pointed out that there were more people at Board meetings, so more were well-informed.  She also felt that the “Stakeholders’ Group” comprising representatives of many interest groups from the community with the single cardinal rule of civility at meetings contributed to a sense of cooperation in building the budget.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT: After Dr. Jo’s informative presentation Joe Behson, on behalf of the Nominating Committee, presented the slate of candidates for the Annual meeting May 11:

President: Gary Meislin

President-Elect: Skip Patton

Treasurer: Bob Pasquarelli

Vice President: Unfilled

          Directors (3 to be elected): Joe Behson, Pat Lane, Ron Wagner,

                  Barb Fioravanti, Dale Hall, Bob Loveridge 

    Still needed is an Election Committee - to be appointed next week.

Announcements:

• Nancy W. Davis announced that there were 10 SLK’s at the Trashbusters Adopt-A-Highway project May 2: Dorr, Brownrigg, Fioravanti, Davis, Mulligan, Loveridge, Johnsen, Patton, Tysiak, and Behson.  There were also 12 Boy Scouts, 3 leaders and a parent; 3 CHS Key Clubbers and a brother; and about 8 APHS Key Clubbers with Advisor Olga Ashline.  There was a DOT representative there who was impressed with our safety briefing.  In appreciation the Trashbusters cleaned the Arlington House area.
• Nancy also announced two scheduled Doors of Hope truck unloading dates: Friday, May 8 with Mulligan, Dorr and Davis; and Tuesday, May 19 with James, Colabelli, Pasquarelli, and Davis.  For both dates meet at Java Beanery at 9:00 AM.
• Nancy reported that the Bloodmobile April 30^th went well thanks to volunteers Pasquarelli, James, lane, Weiss, Davis, Turner and Whipple.
• There will be a chicken BBQ by the Old Daley Inn at APHS on May 19 from 3:30-6:30 PM to benefit the APHS Orchestra.  Donation $10.  674-5449 for info.
• Bob Pasquarelli says we have 7 orders for shirts but we need 12 to get the SLK imprint. The shirts are $32 each, short or long sleeves, in a choice of colors.
• John Brownrigg reported that the American Legion has invited SLK to march in the Memorial Day Parade on May 25.  Marchers should wear their yellow SLK polo shirts.
• Eve announced that the North Greenbush and Castleton Kiwanis Clubs will join us July 27 at the Valley Cats game.
• Nancy reported on a successful Veterans’ Information Day with volunteers, Pasquarelli, Reiter, Davis and James.
• We were short 4 members for dinner, so extras were purchased by Behson, Meislin and Wurtemberger.  The 4^th became a door prize.

Happy Dollars:

$     Skip: For good food and an extra dollar for Eve’s great chocolate cake.

$     Joe Behson: For good slate of officers, an anticipatory $ that a VP candidate will step up.

$     Nancy W.: After Trashbusters with Bob Loveridge she ran into Ray Loveridge, who replied to her remark about Bob’s help with the project, “Well, I’m glad he’s doing something!”

$     Barb: 3 Happy $ for APHS KC Empty Bowls project which raised $1000 for Hunger Project; for both Key Clubs at Trashbusters; and for CHS Key Club’s Karaoke night where all had fun but just broke even in attempt to raise funds for Lyrics from the Heart.

$     Dale is happy for his new Key Club Administrator shirt, but unhappy it’s red, reminding him of the *@#$% Sox.

$     Woodie, shown on right, is happy for a good turnout at the Boy Scout spaghetti dinner.

$     Gary is happy that Time Warner put in cable, but unhappy it’s still above ground.  Also happy that power company came and reattached his service entrance mast to the house after the December ice storm damage.

$     Joe Behson is happy because he has a new Honda CRV.  Kept that convertible, though!

Door Prize - Ron Wagner won the 4^th extra dinner 

50/50 to Eve, probably $17.  Maybe.  Far as we can tell. 

Progressive 50/50 for $123 with 44 cards, Bob Loveridge drew the 10 ♣.

Next week: Annual Meeting and Election. 

May 11         Program Chair Jerry Tysiak

                   Program: Bon Acre project with speaker Ed Patanian. 

                   Invocator/Greeter: Bob Carpenter

MAY 18       Program Chair: Woodie Hacker

                   Program: Maurice Padula, Senior Consumer Frauds Representatives,  

                                        NY Attorney General's Office

                   Invocator/Greeter/Certificate: Bob Pasquarelli

MAY 25      No meeting - Memorial Day - SL Memorial Day Parade

JUNE 1      Program Chair: Bob Pasquarelli

                  Program: Membership & Education Committee Update

                  Invocator/Greeter: Barb Fioravanti

JUNE 8     Annual Work Day at BSA Camp Rotary

JUNE 15     Program Chair: Ray Turner

                   Program: Ralph LaMontagna, Averill Park Education Foundation

                   Invocator/Greeter/Certificate: George Raneri  

This week’s Quote: Life is like a mirror. If you frown at it, it frowns back. If you smile at it, it returns the greeting.

- Herbert Samuels (submitted by El_Shaddai_Rox)

Board Meeting:

Pres. Elect Gary Meislin presiding, Secretary Peg and Treasurer Bob present.

Directors present: Patton, Behson, Fioravanti, Brownrigg, Ward, Turner, Whipple.

The minutes were approved and Treasurer’s report accepted for filing.

Committee Reports:

• Club meetings (Dorr): Set up for 4 meetings
• Membership & Education (Pasquarelli): skipped
• Community Service (Davis): 10 hours, Veterans Info, Bloodmobile,  Doors of Hope unload truck twice, met with town re community garden.
• Interclub (Turner): None
• Programs (Patton): one per meeting
• Public Relations (Cybulski): articles for Dissipated 8
• Club Newsletter (Moccia, Colabelli, Lane) Skipped
• Senior Services (Whipple): Preparation for AMBA screening
• Social Committee (Ward): No activity in April.  Plans include Valley Cats night, SummerFest recovery, Steak & Lobster Roast
• Spiritual Aims (Johnsen): Prayer at each meeting, spiritual thoughts in Sandpiper
• Sponsored Youth (Fioravanti): Mulligan & Fioravanti attended Key Club meetings and APHS Empty Bowls; Hall, Mulligan & Fioravanti attended Div 18 Divisional, Hall attended Div 15 Divisional plus spring training conference.
• Ways & Means (Behson): SummerFest Planning
• YCP1 (Loveridge): Children’s Miracle Network Telethon May 31 at Ch. 17 studio; Work project at Kamp Kiwanis open house June 4-6.
• Youth Services (Behson): D8 concert; contribution to town playground for benches

Old Business:

• Nancy W. Davis requested that the approved $100 for an ad in the program for the SLCA be increased to $200 for a larger ad.  Approved.

New business:

• Joe Behson reporting on Futures Committee: Telephone survey underway to increase member participation and retention.  Members Behson, Carpenter, Fioravanti, Loveridge, Paul and Turner asked to report back ASAP.
• Joe Behson for Youth Services Committee requested financial assistance for SLCA summer arts camperships.  $600 unanimously approved.
• Joe Behson for Youth Services requested SLK sponsor Kay Leigh Stacy’s after school soccer clinic in order to provide insurance.  Unanimously approved.
• Joe Behson brought to the Board’s attention a request from the Town of SL to increase by $400 the amount approved for two benches with Kiwanis acknowledgement  at the town playground.  Two benches were previously approved for $399 each ($798 total).  There was much discussion including a suggestion that we instead purchase one bench for $600.  The motion to pay the extra $400 was approved with two Nays and one abstention.
• Woodie Hacker brought a request for $1500 for our sponsored Boy Scout Troop 526 for half of the purchase price of a trailer to carry their camping equipment.  Joe Behson made a motion to spend $200.  Woodie said that would not be enough to help, as they already had the trailer picked out and needed the money now.  There was much discussion on why they did not come to us earlier, why they did not raise the money first before picking out the trailer, and why they need a trailer.  Woodie expressed the opinion that we need to do more to support them, and that $1500 is not a large sum.  Barb pointed out that it’s half the annual budget for both our Key Clubs combined.  There were questions on whether there had been or would be a pre-purchase inspection of the trailer by a qualified third party.  There was discussion on where the money would come from if approved.  It was decided that the proposal should be tabled so the Board could have more time to consider such a large expenditure and get more information.
• The Board was asked to provide support to Caleb Chin, a high schooler who needs to raise over $7,000 for his participation in the People to People Ambassador trip to Europe.  There were questions on what we have given similar applicants in the past.  Bob Pasquarelli knows the boy and described his need and worthiness.  A $100 donation was approved with the request that he report back to SLK.
• Nancy W. Davis reported that planning work is proceeding for a community garden, and that SLK is exploring ways we can assist. The final decision on a specific site is pending further investigation of suitability.  John Mulligan has agreed to assist in analyzing and preparing the soil.  SLK will help by placing fencing and signs.  Target for completion of the site is end of May.
• Dick Johnsen has requested the use of a tent for Tuesday, June 16.  Unanimously approved.
• Gov Elect Dave reports that Archie Robinson has paid dues for this year and Sarah Tripp has a commitment to pay hers.  The Board approved reinstatement of both.

Division News:

      Division Council meeting May 20 at Troy Motor Boat and Canoe Club.

District News:

      The Utica District Office building was sold for $126,000.

International News:

• International Convention in Nashville, TN June 25-28, 2009.  Dudley Dorr and Jim Rogers will be our delegates.
• For the 2010 Convention in Las Vegas, the registration fee is $195 until December, $250 until April, and $300 after April

Motions to pay the bills and adjourn were made, seconded, and enthusiastically approved.

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