Friday, January 27, 2017

MINUTES OF MEETING – Tuesday, December 6, 2016

WEST POINT SOCIETY OF DENVER
Board of Directors Meeting

American Legion Post 1, 5400 East Yale Avenue, Denver CO 80222

1.       Call to order – Bob Walcott at 11:33 AM
a.       Thirteen board members and one board member emeritus in attendance, making a quorum. 

2.       Secretary’s Report/Approval of Minutes – Tim Griesmer
a.        Minutes from October 4, 2016 meeting were approved.

3.       Treasurer’s Report – Dave Jackson
a.       The Treasurer’s Report was reviewed and approved.
b.       Paid membership is at 98 members.
c.       Dave Jackson presented a draft budget for 2017 to be reviewed at the annual planning meeting.
d.       The Society has currently raised $535 for the commissioning ceremony of the USS Colorado.

4.       Admissions Update – Bob Walcott on behalf of Tom Carroll
a.       There are currently 105 open admission files in the WPSD area. Originally, there were 267 files opened statewide, 157 of them in the WPSD area.
b.       There are 10 letters of assurance statewide, 8 of them in the WPSD area.
c.       Nomination lists for the Class of 2021 are currently being published.

5.       Distinguished Society Application – Tim Griesmer
a.       Tim Griesmer reviewed current work on the 2016-2017 Distinguished Society application.
b.       The application is due on June 30, 2017.
c.       Sam Thiessen requested that the current draft be sent to members of the board via email.

6.       Army-Navy Watch Party – Bob Walcott
a.       WPSD will host an Army-Navy football watch party on Dec. 10, 2016 at the Sports Column in Denver.
b.       Jason Connor ’02 is heading up planning for the event.
c.       Currently there are 107 RSVPs.
d.       USMA and USNA parents clubs have been invited.
e.       There was a motion to approve a $100 expenditure for Jason Connor to plan the watch party. The motion passed 13-0.
f.        The watch party will include a Toys for Tots fundraiser.
g.       USS Colorado: Bob Walcott and Dave Jackson will make a presentation at half time of a check for funds raised toward the USS Colorado commissioning ceremony.
                                                               i.      There was a motion that the Society should make a donation to the commissioning ceremony of whatever funds are necessary to round the total amount donated up to the nearest $100 dollars. The motion passed 13-0.

7.       Founder’s Day Planning – Bob Walcott & Lou Schroeder
a.       The Founder’s Day dinner will be held Friday, March 3, 2017 at the University Club.
b.       The guest speaker is not yet confirmed.
c.       Congressman Coffman sent a letter to the Superintendent asking him to attend Founder’s Day because 2017 is the 90th anniversary of the West Point Society of Denver. Lou Schroeder is asking the Governor’s office and the Mayor’s office to do the same.
                                                               i.      Lindy Blackburn suggested that Congressman Lamborn’s office also contact the Superintendent.
d.       The program this year will focus on the 90th anniversary of the Society.
                                                               i.      MG John Barry, AFA ’73 is invited to unveil a new Air Force emblem in the window of the University Club.
                                                             ii.      There was a discussion about providing some sort of commemorative gift to attendees. Dave Jackson requested suggestions be sent to him. The Board briefly discussed whether or not a surcharge should be added to the tickets to cover the cost of the commemorative gifts. The discussion was tabled.
                                                           iii.      Bob Walcott will display historical minutes from the Society at Founder’s Day.
                                                           iv.      Dave Jackson also requested that anyone in possession of historical objects from the Society contact him to display them at Founder’s Day.
e.       There will be a change to the schedule of events this year because the dinner is on a Friday.
                                                               i.      1730-Admissible candidate meeting
                                                             ii.      1830-Benny Haven’s hour
                                                           iii.      1930-Dinner
f.        Bob Walcott requested a proclamation from the Governor’s office in honor of the 90th anniversary of the Society. Lou Schroeder suggested the Society request one from the Mayor’s office as well.
g.       Board Member Emeritus Recognition – Bob Walcott would like to make a presentation to the Board Members Emeritus at Founder’s Day.
                                                               i.      Dave Jackson wanted to propose another Board Member Emeritus, but Bob Walcott would like to defer further nominations to the next president of the Society.

8.       Parent’s Club Update – Bob Walcott
a.       The All-Academy Ball will be held on Dec. 28, 2016. There is a link to purchase tickets on the Society Facebook page.
b.       The Board decided not to make a financial contribution to the ball.

9.       Spring Quarterly Dinner – Bob Walcott
a.       The Athletic Director of the Air Force Academy was proposed as a speaker for the next quarterly dinner.
b.       Bob Walcott also asked if the Board would like to nominate another Friend of West Point.
c.       Discussion of the Quarterly dinner was tabled until the January planning meeting.

10.   Old Business – Bob Walcott
a.       Athena Conference Quarterly Dinner: turnout was poor for the event but overall it was well executed. There was a brief AAR of the event.
b.       Army-Air Force Watch Party: the event was very successful. Approximately 45 people attended. The Board agrees that another Army-Air Force watch party should be considered in 2018.

11.   New Business – Bob Walcott
a.       Heart of Dallas Bowl Watch Party: the Board decided not to organize a formal watch party for the Heart of Dallas Bowl Game, but to put out the word about the game itself.
b.       Golf Tournament: scheduled for July 7, 2017 at 1:30 at the AFA Silver Course. A suggestion was made to move the start time to the morning. Chad Dalton will check on moving the start time.

12.   Annual Planning Meeting – Bob Walcott
a.       The annual planning meeting will be held January 25, 2017 at Piccolo’s Restaurant,
3563 S Monaco Pkwy, Denver, CO 80237.
b.       There was a motion to spend $125 to reserve space for the annual planning meeting. The motion passed 13-0.

13.   Licensing Agreement – Bob Walcott
a.       Bob Walcott clarified to the Board that the licensing agreement discussed at the previous meeting is not with AOG, but with West Point itself.
b.       Bob Walcott contacted the Staff Judge Advocate at West Point to discuss any possible ramification of not signing the agreement. He was also invited to submit proposed changes to the agreement to West Point.
c.       The Board discussed the pros and cons of signing the agreement.
d.       There was a motion that the Board should not sign the licensing agreement. The motion passed 13-0.
The next board meeting will be held Jan. 25, 2017, time TBA, at Piccolo’s Restaurant, 3563 S Monaco Pkwy, Denver, CO 80237.
The meeting adjourned at 1:09 PM.

Submitted by: Tim Griesmer, ’02