VRA General Meeting
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Called to order at 7:15pm
- President’s report
- Reviewing possible trips and activities
- KC may take a position that would ultimately require his moving out of state; more details available as soon as possible.
- Craig and Chris did an excellent job running the motorcar trips.
- All volunteers did an excellent job working on and operating the station
- Treasurer’s Report
- $ 1,560 – JK Weber Fund
- $ 2,600 – Savings
- $ 9,560 – Checking
- Motion to accept report by Craig Hartman; second by Chris Vitz. Passed unanimously
- Committee Reports
- Hawthorne Station
- Need help staffing the station on Sunday’s for the farmer’s market.
- Frank Ball mentioned we should have a “draw” at the station
- Bring TV’s out of storage
- Set up Train Simulator for people to use
- Charles Smith suggested we use the 17” flat screen monitor from his office which was going to be discarded
- Andrea Rebner got two “Open” flags to display when the station is open to the public; may zip tie mount the flag pole base to the fence
- Station garden Paver’s
- Company in Florida offers a very nice, laser cut image on their pavers
- Carolyn Hoffman is gathering the most recent orders for processing/ordering from the company
- Hawthorne Station Roof
- Looking to get the roof done before the winter
- Need a person to become the chair for this committee
- Looking at possible materials to use on the roof – slate, imitation slate, etc.
- Frank Ball to look into the possibilities
- Hawthorne Station Benches
- Bob Kerdock’s nephew wrote an email on when benches will be made
- We need to pour/build the benches soon
- We have forms to make them loaned to us from Ed Newman
- Motorcar trips
- Stourbridge & M&NJ Oct 15 & 16 – 10 signed up at this moment; need 21 to break even
- NYS&W Southern Division Oct 29 & 30
- Planning a possible second run over the NYS&W this year
- Considering different starting points and mileage; probably set on in Sparta again
- VRA DIGEST Newsletter
- August DIGEST Newsletter was sent out
- We need other people to submit stories for the publication
- Joseph K Weber Fund – no update at this time
- Joseph K Weber Library
- Paul Trabert has been working on the library and it is very organized
- Andrea Rebner donated two stands for the video tapes
- More tapes transferred to DVD
- Model Railroaders
- URHS Delegate’s Report
- Open house at Boonton Yard this Saturday has been postponed
- Chester Branch trip on Sept 24th has been postponed
- URHS looking to run a Santa Train – KC is assisting them with planning (Point Pleasant to Long Branch)
- Sept 11th PATH cars are still in JFK Airport and future move to Whippany is uncertain
- Considering a harbor cruise looking at rail facilities in Newark or possibly a day trip in the Delaware in conjunction with a trip on the Black River & Western
- VRA Fund raisers
- Train show – no update
- Yard sale
- October 8th & 9th at Hawthorne Station
- Carol Smith coordinating this
- Looking for donations to be made for sale with proceeds to benefit Hawthorne Station
- Hawthorne Day
- Andrea Rebner got us enrolled for the day, in the tent area – a 10×10 area for us to man
- We will be promoting the station and the VRA
- Old VRA business
- M&NJ motorcars
- Cars are paid for and we are arranging a pick up for them soon
- The brush car is wide and will need to be transported carefully
- Joint picnic at Whippany – coming up this Sunday at the museum 11am – 4pm
- Volunteer thank you picnic to be Sept 10th at the Hawthorne Station
- New VRA business
- Santa Train
- December 3rd out of the Wayne/Rt 23 Transit Center for this year
- NJT is not permitted to run excursion trains west of Suffern at this time. VRA Board to look at possible alternatives to resolve this issue for our Glen Rock
trips - Ticket Turtle is set up to sell tickets
- URHS Santa Train – KC is assisting them with planning (Point Pleasant to Long Branch )
- Group trips
- ELHS in Scranton?
- Port Jervis Fall Festival?
- Toys for Tots Train – awaiting approval
- Meeting Adjournment at 8:45pm – entertainment begins
August Membership Meeting Minutes – 9/18/2011