NorthEast Association of 4WD Clubs
May 2, 2009
Mass Maritime Academy


Attendance:

Executive Officers: Jason Ghelli, Tammy Van Gemert, Scott Hatch, Pat Charron

Delegates/Alternates: Andrew Lawton (BSJ); Chip Redmond (B4W); Bob Cobb (CCJC); Shawn Legassey (DWE); Ryan Schneider (FTR); Bob Butler (NEJz); Eugene Wallace (NEXT); Chris Donoghue (NEZR2); Ken West (NJO); Brian Victorino (NTC); Marc Pouliot (NWOR); Jay Keith (OSJ); Steve Lucier (OC4x4); John Price (SSW); Liza Snow (SC); Marty Gosselin (UJ);
Brian Churchill (VJA); Tim Korade (YT); Paul Regish (NE4WI)

Excused: JonFund

Unexcused: Central CT 4Wheelers; Legal Jeepers; LI Off Road; Mass Mudders;; NEWillysJeepOrg; Patriot Jeepers; Twin State Jeeps 'N Things;

Provisional Club: Vermont Expedition Society presented by Russ Bowles

Club Seeking Membership: Western Mass 4x4 presented by Robert Sutter and Lyle Smith

Club Members/Guests: Ernest Leland, Mike Ciccolo (NEX); Mike Almeida, Tabitha Peixoto (OC4x4); Robert Murray, Robert Bilodeau (SSW)


Meeting started at 10:10 am without a quorum. While waiting for a quorum Jay went over meeting etiquette: talk in turn, minimum smoke breaks, cells phones off
Topless Day on May 9th still in need of about 6 volunteers for parking, etc.
A 50/50 raffle will be done at today's meeting to benefit Roger Blank family who recently had a fire in their apt building. $1 per ticket $5 for 6 Also there is a supper this evening for the Blank family.

At 10:15 a quorum was present and the meeting was called to order and began with introductions.

A motion to accept the minutes of the previous meeting was made by Bob Butler; 2nd by Liza.
Passed unanimously.

No online motion or voting since March 7th meeting.


REPORTS

Treasurer : Paul



There is $11,167 in the account of which $5,000 is the Trail Fund. Another payment towards the Association insurance is due. We have less than $2,000 of free money.
There are still 8 clubs with unpaid dues. Due to tax season, Paul is not up-to-date with the invoices and contacting the unpaid clubs. Scott pointed out that the dues deadline is stated in the by-laws. By-laws were checked; we are not consistent with the by-laws and should we consider a by-law adjustment. Discussion included how long do clubs need to pay bill? There are many ways to pay so there should be no excuses. The three month time-frame (Feb 1 - May 1) or 60 days from date of invoice is already an extension of the by-laws:
3.2.3 - Dues invoices are sent to member clubs on February 1 and are due by March 1 of the calendar year.
3.2.4 - NEA4WDC Membership will be terminated if dues are not received by April 1 of that calendar year.
Jay suggested waiting until the next meeting for a by-law change so that the change does not affect the clubs presently unpaid.

A motion was made by Tim K. to extend the deadline for dues to 60 days and to table the discussion for a by-law change until it's proposed by the membership; 2nd by Bob Butler.
Motion passed unanimously.

Jay will check with Paul Maxwell (Max) about the by-laws.

East Coast 4WDA has owed the NEA $600 from two past events that was finally paid.

Access for All Vehicle
Not much change in status. Jay did a quick description of A4A vehicle for newer members. Vehicle is registered and insured in NH. It is presently with Andre Dion. JonFund has donated a CB and antenna and Twin State Jeeps 'N Things donated a Hi-Lift jack.
Bob B. mentioned that decals should be done. Jay and Tammy talked about starting with large Access for All logos on the door and an NEA logo on the hood. Decal designs are with Jason at Wicked Sticky; it appears they just need to be printed. Liza didn't think that J did actual printing so she would check into that.
May have a poster boards for the A4A Jeep for the next meeting.
A tire has been purchased to replace the damaged one, it needs to be mounted on the rim.
Windshield has been replaced.
Paul noted that the A4A vehicle has a fund, which has a $0 balance, so we may wish to consider fundraisers.
The A4A committee seems to have fizzled. At this time, Andre needs guidance. Jay will contact Andre for an update.
It was mentioned that the A4A vehicle is always discussed at meetings, but it doesn't seem to progress. Maybe it's time to discard and move on. Jay doesn't feel that that is an option; Scott mentioned that it's a Public Relations tool and that it just needs commitment. With nothing against Andre, it was noted that maybe he is not the best choice for overseer of this project.
By next meeting tire should be done and Jeep brought to NH for windshield.
Scott will speak to Steve and Andre. Liza offered that she & Bob could take the vehicle once the above is done.



LAND

Massachusetts

The NEA is requesting that clubs limit their use of The Gutter, MaBell and Old Florida Road to two runs per year.

Gremlin Graveyard
When using GG, payment to the owner should go out the same day or next day the latest.
Landowner is looking for cash and requesting $20 per vehicle per day, with a max of 20 vehicle at a time. With this being the first year, basically using the property as is for now.
There was mention of a standard meeting spot for GG; based on Joe Ostrenga previous recommendation, it was decided that the Sturbridge Wal-Mart plaza should be used,
Tim K. motioned to make Wal-Mart the Gremlin Graveyard meeting spot. It was mentioned that the motion is not needed. Directions will be posted on the forum. Motion withdrawn.
Ernie L. mentioned that Eastern Wheelers was on Ct Sate property across by GG on 5/19.


No changes concerning Old Florida Road. The graffiti has been removed. The town likes us; some of the state agencies are ok with us and some aren't.


New Hampshire : Scott Hatch

Scott noted that NH has had a dry spring. We need to be careful with sources of flame and/or fire, etc. Any negative situations would be damaging to property and our image.
For the next few months, saws should be standard equipment on runs due to storm damage. A lot of trees down; roads/trails have a lot of debris and erosion from the December storm.
Scott walked Field & Forest, Carnage and Cemetery Hill.

May 3rd there is a workday scheduled at Field & Forest as part of the exchange for use of the property for Fall Crawl.

Carnage is not too bad - some cleaning needed. Scott asked Northeast Toyota Crawlers to bring saws when they are there the 2nd weekend of May.

Swanzy - Scott spoke with Josh and Lane. They hope to do some work in there once it's a little dryer - that area tends to be wet.

The class 6s in the Moose Mt area (Springfield) are not open until June 1.

Cemetery Hill (Bradford) has been logged. Scott has tried contacting Jeremy Turner, the property overseer and is awaiting a call back from him. Scott is looking to check with Jeremy about the logging status.




Windy Acres in Wentworth is presently not being used due to the distance. Paul mentioned that the owner is a former New England 4W member. NE4W also no longer uses due to the distance.

Most class 6 roads open for the season on June 1; various towns have various restrictions, some are even July 1.
For clubs interested in exploring class 6 roads, Scott hopes to have the necessary information posted soon.

Paul R asked about a time frame for F&F and Carnage to be up to par. F&F should be ok with the May 3rd clean up. Carnage not too bad.

Recreation Trail Program (RTP) grants have died, trying to be revived with transportation funds.
If the bill passes, Grant writing classes may be offered in October. The NEA could apply to attend.
Bill Gegas is Motorized Program Specialist with the NH Trails Bureau.
Scott was going to promote a sticker program, but he is re-thinking the fees. He is going to do some re-writing for a feasible sticker program.

Rhode Island - Bob Butler

No changes

Connecticut

Joe Mylie has not been heard from in a while. Jay is looking for a CT Land person.

Maine

Looking for a person to cover Maine reports.

New York

Jay would like to see a NY Land person due to some clubs closer to that area.


Vermont Expedition Society

A trail ride with the VES was not able to be set up prior to this meeting so their acceptance was moved to the June 27th meeting.


Fall Crawl Update - Tammy

Fall Crawl registration opens on Sunday, May 3rd

If the are any concerns at FC, do not see Gretchen - see Scott or other event manager. Tammy went over the notes from the Fall Crawl Committee meeting, basically covering pricing, camping and other information. There will be new property available for Fall Crawl.
Note: if someone signs up for a trail they are not capable for, they will be removed from that group and will not be allowed to move to another group. Be sure to select your trail option according to your abilities and equipment.

Tim offered a screen and sound system for the FC; Jay and Tammy accepted. Paul mentioned past electronic problems , Tim said it's a self-contained unit so there should be no problems.


Lunch break hosted by Cape Cod Jeep Club
Meeting resumed at 12:45 pm with birthday cake for Scott Hatch.

NEW BUSINESS

Spring Poker Run
Due to popular demand, a spring Poker Run is being planned. With no response from the member clubs for a southern option, the run will again be based at Fish & Game Hall on Fish & Game Road in Deering, NH on Saturday, June 13. Camping is allowed on the F & G property. Scott will work on new class 6 options. Jay explained that a Poker Run is a run with stops for getting a card. The card picked is marked on a scorecard and at the end of run the best hand wins half of the event proceeds. The Poker Run is open to the public.
Volunteers are needed for check in points and at the F&G hall.


New Club Seeking Provisional Status

Western Mass 4X4 was represented by Robert Sutter. The club is newly organized; having just
Incorporated. Members initially met on-line, then in person and wanted to be official. The club's motto is: "Not too mild; not too wild". Western Mass 4x4 is not vehicle specific but they do discourage full size rigs due to tight trails. The club currently has 11 full members and 5 provisional.
Jay asked if they understood dues structure; also attendance at meetings. Robert mentioned that most of their members are in central/western Mass, so attendance should not be an issue.
Lyle Smith will be the club's delegate and he is willing to travel.
WM4X4 is working towards access to some private land; still in the works.
Jay stated that it is understood that there is no drinking; Robert said that club is conscientious of no drinking, staying on trails, etc. As a fledging club, it was discovered that 4 members were in illegal area and posting picture on-line. The four were dismissed from club. Lyle said that original group had discussed these issues.

A motion was made by Bob B. to accept Western Mass 4X4 as a provisional club; 2nd by Bob C.
Passed unanimously.

The 50/50 raffle to benefit Roger Blank took place at this point before continuing with agenda.
Raffle was won by Chip Redmond and netted $135 for Roger's family.






Potential Amendment to Quorum Quota

Per by-laws; 2/3 of Board of Directors - which includes officers and delegates - must be present for voting to take place. At this time, quorum is 18 delegates.

In past discussions, one suggestion was to change to 51% of the BOD. At the last few meetings there were no quorum issues.
Jay feels that when a club joins the NEA, they make a commitment to the NEA and that includes attendance at meetings. Jay mentioned that Brian from Vermont Jeep Association lives by the Canadian border and he manages to attend more meetings than some of the clubs that are based more locally.
Tim asked about changing by-laws: vote needs to be 2/3 to pass and change by-laws.
Scott pointed out that by-laws posted on the Association site state that a majority vote needed to "alter, amend or repeal" by-laws. This shows that by-law changes have a different requirement that motions. It was clarified that according to by-laws, a by-law change would require 14 affirmative votes ( majority of 27 clubs) where as a motion must have 2/3 of the delegates voting.
Jay pointed out the importance of meeting attendance, which shows respect for those who do attend. Brian stated that this has not been an issue in the past, why is it being brought up again .. is it an issue again?
Jay said that for 3 of the 6 meetings in 2008 he was calling people before the meetings to make sure there would be a quorum. Brian asked on a scale of 1-10, what is quorum status?
Jay thought maybe 5, since he "took his hat off" about it at the November meeting. Jay's feeling is too keep the 2/3 requirement.
Suggestion was made that an excused club not be included in determining a meeting's quorum.
It was noted that without a quorum, issued can still be discussed, just not voted on.
To verify, a by-law change cannot happen without first having a 2/3 vote take place.
Discuss included being sure that the difference between quorum and by-law change is understood. Voting can take place at meetings or on-line.
Tim questioned inconsistency between quorum voting (2/3 of delegates) and by-law changes (majority).
Jay stated that is the reason why meetings are moved around, so that travel distance varies for everyone.
Paul felt that we all have commitments and a majority (51%) for voting would solve these issues. Liza pointed out that no one person makes a club and that clubs have many members to choose from for sending a representative. Jay said that the NEA is not strict about delegates and alternates and clubs are allowed to send whomever they please. If club is concerned about person attending, they can request that said person abstain on all votes.

Jay gave statistics of club attendance for the past year. By-laws allow for disciplinary action for non- attendance of meetings.
Shawn suggested maybe a penalty rather than expulsion; losing access to NEA land might be an acceptable "punishment".
If absences are due to lack of communication on the part of the club, maybe this is an issue that they can be help with.



By-law states "may be expelled" but we may use other options; could also put on probation, which may lower quorum quota.
It was clarified that excused clubs do not affect the quorum. It lands on Jay?s shoulder to determine if a club is excused, however, there are by-laws governing his decision.

Liza made a motion to not change the quorum stated in the by-laws; 2nd by Tim.
Scott H. made a point of order that the motion is not necessary.
Motion was amended to table to discussion. Motion was withdrawn.

Bob suggested a kind of RSVP on the forum, a club RSVP, not an individual RSVP.
The concern with that option is that if delegates see there is a quorum, they may decide not to attend.

John P. made a motion to change quorum by-law to 2/3 of member clubs minus the excused clubs to make a quorum; 2nd by Chip. Vote was 13 yes 4 no 1 abstain (Motion defeated)

Discussion included defining "excused" and that the motions approval does not necessarily affect the quorum. Jay read by-laws 5.4.1 to 5.4.6.

Paul wondered about moving the burden of deciding "excused" from the President to the Executive Officers. Jay was fine with that; it would require a motion. This change would be more to relieve the President than anything else. It was point out that if someone calls Jay at 5 am on the day of the meeting; he cannot contact the other executive officers. If seems to be working as is, so don't change. Scott mentioned that solution is not specific to Jay but President in general.
Liza felt that if you wish to belong to the NEA and access the NEA land, then be committed and attend meetings.
We shouldn't be making it easy for the clubs to not be responsible but then they have no problems with using the land or attending fun events.
Tim asked if it would make a difference if excused clubs were deducted from the quorum. Jay and Scott felt it would.
Bob stated that it sucks that we have to have this discussion.



OPEN FORUM

Mark made a motion to put Legal Jeepers in probationary status until the attendance issue is corrected; 2nd by Brian.

Probationary status would include losing voting privileges and an NEA rep must be with club when using NEA property.
Chris wanted it verified that Legal Jeepers has missed three meetings in a 12-month period.
Bob B. wanted it definite what "corrected" would entail. It was felt that is up to Legal Jeepers - if they are represented at the next meeting, the situation is corrected. Jay felt that Mark should define what he considers "corrected"


Mark amended motion to include attendance at meetings. It was asked if there are by-laws regarding disciplinary actions. Yes, there are. Terms and conditions of probation are noted in by-law 7.6.2
Tim would like to see us help them.
It was also noted that Legal Jeepers dues are not paid, which is another issue.
Scott felt it is being looked at too closely, the club may not wish to renew. Jay said he received an email from the LJ Treasurer. Paul sent a dues invoice in early April.
Liza questioned whether we have cause covered by a by-law to do this. Scott said yes.
Jay will contact Marc Saxby of LJ and state situation and subsequent disciplinary action.
Ken wondered if we can do this action without notifying them. We would give them a chance to defend themselves.
Tammy is concerned about LJ members registering for the Fall Crawl until this issue is resolved.
Liza questioned Fall Crawl being open to the 8 clubs with still unpaid dues.
Scott made a point of order - club has a right to defend themselves before being put on probationary status (per by-law 7.2).
Mark does not need to withdraw motion, just amend to include a hearing for Legal Jeepers to defend themselves.
Jay suggested using the next meeting to address the issue with LJ and give them the opportunity to attend to defend their club.

Mark amended the motion to have administrative hearing with Legal Jeepers at the next BOD meeting; 2nd by Tim. Motion passed 16 for 2 abstain

A motion was made by Brian that Patriot Jeepers be included in the administrative hearing at the next meeting; 2nd by Mark P. Motion was amended to include all clubs that have failed to meet the attendance requirement.
Pat will go through meeting minutes to determine which other clubs fall into the non-attendance category.
Motion passed unanimously

The clubs cannot be excluded from Fall Crawl because that is enforcing a disciplinary action before a hearing. It can be mentioned to them that they could lose being able to attend Fall Crawl.

Motion to adjourn was made by Ryan; 2nd by Andy. 3:10 pm

Submitted by Pat Charron
5/19/09