May 2008 Minutes

Microsoft Word version

5/1/08 General Membership Meeting

Members Present (35)

Kerry Turner, Denny Ahalt, Dennis Emerson, Aaron Kahn, Laurie Dilks, Ellie Bonde, Janice Kispert, Bob Cage, Dennis Regulinski, Jeanne LeRoux, Howard LeRoux, Carol Cahall, Colleen Strube, Tim Slane, Marlene Titus, Brian Jacobs, Archie Rogers, Kaye Kolb, Sandy Shumate, Gary Crutchfield, Ken Matthews, Keir Knight, Chuck Boteler, Tim Barkley, Mayor Frank Johnson, PW Shaffer, Diane Ryan, Joe Greenfield, Kurt Hider, Harry Johnson, Fred Berney, Bill Butts, James Jones, Audrey Stapf, Harry Johnson.

The meeting began at approximately 8:05 AM.

Introductions were heard.
The minutes were unanimously approved (Gary Crutchfield moved to approve, Audrey Stapf seconded.)

1. NEW BUSINESS FROM THE BOARD

• Scholarship Presentations: Tim Slane read letters from the winners of last years contest and then presented the checks to the 2008 winners. First place winner was Sharon Comer in the amount of $2,500.00. Second place winner was Emily Ann Perper in the amount of $1,000.00. They each thanked those assembled. Tim Slane thanked his committee for their hard work: Aaron Kahn, co-chair, Howard LeRoux, Melinda Byrd, Richard Stine, and Paul Clay. Tim Slane passed around a thank you letter from Sharon Comer. Ken Matthews made a motion to increase the awards by $1,000 each which was seconded by Keir Knight. Aaron said we couldn’t approve this on the fly. It must go through the budget committee. Round of applause for the winners and their parents.

Left to right: Tim Slane, Aaron Kahn, Emily Anne Perper, Sharon Comer, Howard LeRoux

• Small Business Center: Aaron Kahn recounted the discussion by the Executive Committee regarding an office space for the chamber in town. Members could rent out small office spaces. Aaron will form and chair an exploratory committee.
• Verizon Velocity: Aaron Kahn briefly described how Verizon would assign charitable organizations a code number so that when businesses sign up for new service and use the code; the organization receives a donation from Verizon.

2. COMMITTEE REPORTS

DENNY AHALT, TREASURER

• Our end of quarter revenues was $27,027.50. Expenses were $6,140.62. The checking account balance was $41,895.63 plus the CD of $6,500 equals the total funds available at the end of the quarter of $48,395.63. $500 has been donated to South Carroll High School, and the remaining $4,635 will be used to purchase three Instant Response Units for Twin Ridge Elementary School.

AARON KAHN, PRESIDENT

• Phone Book/ Keir Knight: Revenues are in. $500 has been donated to South Carroll High School for they’re after prom party, and the remaining $4,635 will be used to purchase three Instant Response Units for Twin Ridge Elementary School. Keir urged all of us to make use of the overrun of the Business Edition. Keir made a motion that Mt. Airy Elementary be the beneficiary of this year’s proceeds. Audrey Stapf seconded the motion. Motion carried. Tim Barkley made a motion of congratulations to the board in handling the LLC, and also to Kiwanis. Ellie Bonde seconded. Tim Barkley also made a motion of congratulations to Keir Knight for all his hard work on the phonebook. Bill Butts seconded.
• Web Advisory Committee/ Brian Jacobs: (see new business from the board.)

KERRY TURNER, 1st VICE PRESIDENT

• Ambassador Committee / Kerry Turner: any report given?
• Advertising and Marketing / Carol Cahall: Has one ad for all three May events. In communication with Becky at the Messenger. Becky is a member of the Chamber. Aaron Kahn thanked Carol Cahall for her work. People are seeing the ads.

DENNIS EMERSON, 2nd VICE PRESIDENT

• Membership / Dennis Emerson: 357 members so far (last year we had 369.) Our goal for the year is 400.
• Government Relations/ Mayor Frank Johnson: The budget is done. Taxes will be slightly reduced, water/sewer rates will hold steady and everything is funded. Maybe not as fully as some want, but nonetheless, funded. Not sure if it will be approved. They did add a Recreation Coordinator into the budget. We need to provide some kind of activities for the kids in town. Thanks to all the advertisers. There is a vestibule in the town hall where Chamber members can put their information.
• Economic Development Commission /Andrew Williamson: Not present.

LAURIE DILKS, RECORDING SECRETARY

• Professional Development / Marlene Titus: We have finished the Business Plan workshop and also finished the two QuickBooks workshops. Both were well attended and well liked! I think we could easily do another Quick Books workshop again in the fall, based on the waiting list for these two. Mike Manion will be presenting at the June meeting from 8:45 to 10 a.m. It is about an hour-long presentation on “Successful Personal Marketing of Your Business.” Can you please make sure that we can stay in the room at the Firehouse until 10 a.m. that day? I will bring something to the meeting next Thursday that further explains the presentation…we can then put the info up on the website and I’ll do an email blitz the week prior to the June meeting to ensure maximum attendance for this presentation. Vista International is an adjunct facility at Carroll County Community College.

DENNY AHALT, TREASURER

• South Carroll PTSA requested a donation, which was approved by the Board in the amount of $500.00.
• Scholarship Committee / Tim Slane: They have 16 applications to date.

PAUL CLAY, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

• Expo Committee / Jeanne LeRoux: 2008 Expo was a wonderful success. We had approximately 1,000 visitors, great weather, large crowds, lots of entertainment, and Operation Kidsafe was busy all day long! We plan on having pictures of the Expo on the website in the next few days. The Red Cross was thrilled; the bloodmobile met its target of 50 donors and 27 useable pints of blood. We are finalizing our plans to donate some of the proceeds from the Expo. Many thanks to our committee members, Alice Decker, Mark Jarema, Ken Matthew, Gail Crowder, Lynda Hamel, Sandy Shumate, Shawn Reilly, Tom Watkins, Bruce James, Ginny MacColl, Paul Clay, John Seymour, and Lucia Simmons. Howard and I will be the Co-Chairs for the 2009 Community Expo and several committee members have already expressed interest in being part of the 2009 team, also. The first meeting of the 2009 Expo Committee will be July 10th at 8:30 am at The Vintage Coffee House. All are welcome to join us. The proceeds will be donated to the charitable organizations that were involved with the Expo: the Patriot Guard Riders, St. Baldric’s and ICARE. Aaron presented Howard and Jeanne with a plaque for their service to the chamber. Standing ovation.

• Social Committee / Colleen Strube: Next Business Card Exchange is on 5-8-08 at FMH Building from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. RSVP is necessary. Brick Ridge will be catering. Still need more help with the Mini Golf Tournament. May 29 is a joint event with the Frederick County Chamber at Costco Wholesale at 7:30 AM. Please RSVP to the Frederick Chamber for that event. Lastly, on June 18 there will be an exchange hosted by the Frederick News Post. Need to RSVP to that as well.

CAROL CAHALL, IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

• Carroll County Chamber: Carol Cahall: New members to the Chamber get a free webpage.
• Frederick County Chamber / Archie Rogers: May 8 is the B-to-B Connection from 8:30 AM to 11:30 PM. This is where the larger business members make presentations on what they do, what they need and how to connect with them. Cost is $50. On May 21 is a business card exchange at BB&T. On June 3 is a Regional Job Fair.
• SCBA Liaison / Katie Feltz: Not present.

NEW BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR

• Brian Jacobs: Suggestion to the floor that the calendar be expanded to include non-chamber events. This would go further in making the chamber website a resource to the community. Reiterated the availability of sponsorships. $60 for three months and $120 for six months. Next WAC meeting is tomorrow, May 2 at 9:00 AM at the Vintage Coffee House.
• Aaron Kahn thanked Keir Knight for donation the presentation checks for the scholarship awards. We would like to scan the thank you letter from the winner and put it on the website.
• June 2 will be the 4 County Lions Club Golf Tournament at Challedon.
• Bob Cage: On May 15 will be the Carroll County Tech Council’s Golf Tournament at Challedon. Raffle Tickets are available to win a vacation getaway.
• Tim Barkley will shave his head for St. Baldric’s. The ceremony will be at O’Lourden’s Pub in Westminster. Looking for donations.
• Dennis Regulinski: Fire Company Carnival applications are now available for the program book.
• Diane Ryan: On May 17 the Jeremy Foundation will host a ballroom dancing fundraiser at the Elks Club. There will be a silent auction.

Meeting adjourned at approximately 9:06 AM.