Current News

The 2006 CAAS Annual Meeting was held at the home of John and Carol Reed. As this was simply an excuse to have a season related potluck, we were not sticklers for parliamentary rules. Perhaps 25 members and family were in attendance.The major order of business was the election of officers and board members.

The election results are as follows:

• President: Rocky Togni
• Vice President: Don Ferren
• Treasurer: Pat Morris
• Secretary: Stacy Edwards
• Favorite Food Network Host: Rachael Ray
• Immediate Past President: Stacy Edwards
• Board Member: Carl Freyaldenhoven
• Board Member: John Reed
• Board Member: Don Lewis
• Board Member: Jim Dixon

After the elections, Pat gave the treasurer’s report.

Stacy has scheduled a work party for the afternoon of the next regular meeting weather permitting. The work to be done includes the perennial fighting back of the forest and also the installation of a security door in the front building to isolate the equipment storage area from the public access area. The work party is to start around noon on Saturday, January 13th. Be sure to confirm the work party before heading out.

Finally, I’d like to wish David Reynolds good luck in his move to Boston. David has been an active member of CAAS for a long time and we will miss him.

Submitted by your departing secretary, Jim Dixon.

Meeting Minutes President Stacy Edwards called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. There were approximately 25 members and visitors in attendance.

Old Business:

Stacy thanked Andy Reed for his donation of a new projector. She then thanked Allen Lee for his proposed gift of a storage building as covered in the minutes from the previous board meeting.

Treasurer’s Report:

Pat Morris gave the treasurer’s report.

New Business:

Carver Magnet Middle School is coming to CAAS on November 14 and 21 for a private star party. They will arrive between 6:45 and 7:00 so CAAS members who wish to help need to be there before then.

On November 18, CAAS will have a “Meteors and Marshmallows” event at the CAAS property to watch the Leonid Meteor shower.

On December 1, the Arkansas/Oklahoma Astronomical Society will be hosting a Christmas dinner. For more information, visit their site at www.aoas.org.

John Reed has volunteered his home to host our Annual Meeting and Potluck on December 9 at 7:00 PM. Thank you, John.

It is time for nominations once again. Your Nominating Committee has worked tirelessly to find someone (some would say anyone) who would be able to serve in 2007. Thankfully, we were able to put together a first rate roster for officers and board members. They are as follows:

• President – Rocky Togni.
• Vice-President – Bullwinkle Ferren (aka Don).
• Treasurer – Pat Morris (thank you once again for taking this job Pat).
• Secretary – Stacy Edwards.
• Board members – Don Lewis, John Reed, Carl Freyaldenhoven, and Jim Dixon.

There were no other nominations from the floor. If there are none before the Annual Meeting then the candidates above will be elected automatically.

Don Lewis handed out finder charts for Comet Swan.

There was no presentation this evening so that we could go out and play.

We adjourned at 7:20 PM.

Submitted by Jim Dixon

President Stacy Edwards called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.

Old Business:

Stacy recapped that at the last business meeting we decided on a lease agreement and modest fee for observatory use and also installing a security gate in the front building to separate the telescope storage area from the bathroom area.

New Business:

Allen Lee has offered to donate money toward the purchase of a new storage building to house our tools, lawn mower, and gasoline away from the East Observatory. He has done some research and found acceptable steel buildings and a model from Rubbermaid. The steel building would require a foundation of some sort so there would be cost after the initial purchase while the Rubbermaid has its own foundation and should set up quickly.

Stacy brought up the idea of adding a PayPal link to the website for dues payment and, hopefully, spontaneous donation. We discussed the pros and cons – hopefully members would be quicker to pay their dues versus the fees incurred. David Reynolds mentioned that Amazon has a similar service and that we might add a link to that as well. He also had the idea of adding book suggestions to the site. If, for example, we recommend a book and a web site visitor makes the purchase through our link then we will make a modest commission.

No immediate decisions were made on the two topics above but it decided to do some research and then have the board vote on them outside of an official meeting. Both need to be decided on before the end of the year.

A proposal was made to make the CAAS property non-smoking and this was passed. Someone will purchase and post some signs.

Wade Van Arsdale asked about leasing the East Observatory. He is willing to give a 30 day notice to let someone else step forward if they would like it first. He is considering building a platform around the pier to make the building more practical for scopes other than long refractors.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:50.

Submitted by Jim Dixon.