MARP Executive Committee
Conference Call
29 May, 2018
7:30 pm – 8:45 pm
Members Present: Steve Vagnozzi, John Langdon, Adam Tauno Williams, Kay Chase, Mark Miller
Members Absent: Stewart Bolinger, Robert Tischbein, Charles Shong, Robert Patterson
Call to Order at 7:34 pm
Approval of Minutes for 16 January, 20 February, 20 March, and 17 April:
Vagnozzi moves, Langdon seconds
Discussion: Langdon asks to change wording in March 20 minutes information item about possible sale of CSX holdings in Michigan to read: “CP may be Interested in certain SE Michigan holdings.”
Motion to approve January-April minutes with this change given unanimous approval
Chase asks that Vagnozzi add approval of minutes to his Meeting Agenda template
Proposed 2018 Budget
Williams moves, Langdon seconds, approval of the proposed 2018 budget
Discussion:
Vagnozzi: budgeted amounts are based on 2017 spending
Langdon: dues paid to 4 organizations should be $425, not $400 as on the document sent out 5/28
Langdon: budget document sent 5/28 does not show $500 grant to DUSI was it an oversight or purposely left out
Miller: believes it was left off because we will not be holding the annual meeting there in 2018
Chase: historic stations are part of our mission – we have made this donation for years
Langdon: our free use for annual meeting was not predicated on our donation
Williams: OK with continuing to donate $500 to Durand
Miller: should we rotate to another station or museum?
Vagnozzi: comfortable with it for this year – reconsider in the future
Other concerns:
Miller: Outreach is budgeted for $290 less than last year won’t allow for reimbursement for mileage for dropping off brochures around the North region
Langdon: Chad Cushman, Indian Trails CEO, has indicated he may be willing to cover these expenses; need to follow up on this
Vagnozzi: doesn’t appear we will run over the $960 budget amount; we are running a deficit, so leave as is
Langdon: MEC has verbally committed to another $5,000 grant
Chase: asks what is intended for the Social Media line item of $1000 when only $159 was spent in 2017 – Adam recalls submitting a budget request for about $750, but doesn’t have the specific breakdown – it costs $30-$50 for a facebook boost for selected events, 600-1200 people are reached – Chase questions boosting the Annual Meeting when we don’t’ get anyone outside of MARP attending as a result
Langdon moves, Miller seconds, to amend the motion to add $500 grant to DUSI, and change “Dues To” line item to $425 (from $400)
Amended 2018 budget approved: yeas Miller, Langdon, Williams, Vagnozzi abstain Chase
Langdon moves, Miller seconds to:
“Approve expenditures of $499.99 or less with the approval of the designated Category Manager & the Treasurer. All disbursements of funds must reflect that the budget Category balance is available in the appropriate budget and have followed the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers Best Practices Guide “The – Who – What – and -How MARP Task: Paying MARP Expenses.”
Vagnozzi clarifies who managers are for each budget category – no discussion – motion passes unanimously
Chase questions whether the budget can be approved with only 4 yeas – Vagnozzi will determine what Roberts Rules has to say
Reports:
Vagnozzi: asks approval to appoint Joshua Hamilton to the position of East/Central chair – Miller asks that we obtain a resume and interview him before making the appointment – Vagnozzi will meet with him, share the position description with him, ask him to come to July EC meeting
Williams: will send an electronic copy of the map outlining MARP’s four regions – Miller suggests putting it on the website
Langdon: reports that Tulip Train ridership was around 170 on each weekend – the train to the Senior PGA Tournament in Benton Harbor was 125 passengers – MDOT/Amtrak will decide whether those numbers justify moving forward with a special train for Grand Rapids Art Prize in September
Miller: asks what we need to do to follow up on the student outreach effort talked about at the January and April meetings – so far all efforts to get responses from universities contacted have not born fruit
Respectfully submitted,
_____Kay Chase_____________________ _____Steve Vagnozzi_____________________
Kay Chase, Acting Secretary Steve Vagnozzi, Chair