We had a great time last night at CAAS! The program was “Volcanoes Here and There: A Tourist’s Guide to Volcanism in the Solar System”. It was presented by Darrell Heath. The presentation started out with an explanation of how volcanoes work, and slides of various types of volcanoes here on earth. Darrell showed the latest NASA/JPL images of extinct volcanoes on Mercury, Venus, and Mars. He showed us pictures that have been taken by space probes of activevolcanoes on Jupiter’s moon Io. There were pictures of cryovolcanism on moons of Saturn and Neptune. This included pictures of water geysers erupting from the Tiger Stripe cracks at the south pole of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Cryovolcanism also occurs on Neptune’s moon Triton. The material erupted is believed to be nitrogen.
Andy Reed’s resignation as treasurer was accepted. Jim Dixon was elected as the new treasurer. Bruce McMath was elected to a position on the Board.
Rocky Togni announced upcoming programs that he has organized. He asked for and received volunteers to present a Constellation of the Month at upcoming meetings. There was discussion of a barbeque and swap meet at the July meeting.
CAAS Members and Guests In Attendance
- Stephen Caldwell
- Jack Dixon
- Jim Dixon
- Sam Dixon
- Bill Engberg
- James Fisher
- Danny Flippo
- Carl Freyaldenhoven
- Roger Gudith
- Darrell Heath
- Tim Hogue
- Nathan Scott James
- Bruce McMath
- Pat Morris
- Sandy Morris
- John Reed
- Coy Scott
- Edward Swaim
- James Swaim
- Carol Togni
- Rocky Togni
- Eric Walker
The next regular meeting will be at 7 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012. Jim Fisher will give a presentation on the International Dark Sky Association. He will also give the Constellation of the Month presentation.
Board of Directors Meeting
There was discussion of a fire safe for storage of club documents at the River Ridge Observatory. It was confirmed that Bruce McMath will go purchase the safe.
There was discussion of whether it would be okay to use electricity to run an airconditioner for a camper used at an event on the property. The consensus was that it would be okay. There was further discussion of how high electrical usage by someone leasing a building would be handled.
A proposed leasing policy was discussed by the Board. The point was made that the policy can be changed by the Board if any problem with the policy is identified.
Bruce McMath read and explained the proposed standard lease. He indicated that the IRS tax exempt status application specifically asks about leasing of property. The new standard lease has been proposed to address any questions the IRS might have about leasing of buildings at the observatory. He also explained the proposed rental rate worksheet. There was agreement that the existing leases should be grandfathered in if those leasing a building so choose.
The Board members generally agreed that rent charges for observatory buildings be commiserate with the costs to CAAS for property taxes, utilities, maintenance, and other expenses for the individual building.
Bruce agreed to make the proposed revisions of the lease policy and standard lease. He will email those documents to the officers and Board members. In order to expedite preparation of the tax exempt status application, a vote was taken and approved that the Board members will have one week to vote by email on the revised policy and standard lease after Bruce emails the revised documents. No response by a Board member will be considered as abstaining from the vote.
Jim Dixon noticed that a deposit had by mistake been made into the Berrington Trust rather than into the CAAS account. Approval was given for him to transfer the deposit amount from the Berrington Trust account into the CAAS account.
Respectfully Submitted,
Coy Scott
CAAS Secretary