Meeting Minutes

 

Maine Section ASCE Board of Directors

4:00 PM February 16, 2006

Seadog Restaurant

Bangor, Maine

 

Present:            Bob Chaput, President

Tim Merritt, Vice-President

                        Erik Wiberg, Secretary

                        Chris Taylor, Treasurer

                        Walter Fagerlund, Informant Editor & Technical Seminar

                        Patricia Korbet, Informant Editor

                        Be Schonewald

                        Kathy Kern

                        Jeremy Bragg

                        Ralph Nelson

                        Phil Dunn

                        Eric Landis

           

  1. Welcome

 

  1. Board Meeting Minutes

 

    1. January 19, 2006 Board Meeting: Tim made motion to approve minutes as presented, except item 2a (Landscape Architects) to be edited to read “…Steve Ribble and another representative of the Maine Society of Landscape Architects…”  Chris seconded. Minutes unanimously approved.
    2. November 17, 2005 board meeting:  Walter Fagerlund will prepare minutes from the November board meeting.

 

  1. Treasurer’s Report
    1. Chris has issued a $500 retainer check to comedian Gary Crocker , for the Cold Region’s conference
    2. The Section has received the remaining model contest sponsorship pledges.
    3. Chris presented a proposed Section reimbursement request form.  Reimbursement requests have frequently not been tied to a budget line item and leads to confusion for reconciling to budget.  Chris suggested posting the form on the Section website for downloading by members.
    4. Erik motioned and Tim seconded motion to accept the report.  Unanimous vote to accept.

 

  1. Monthly Programs
    1. Tim estimates that total losses of all meetings will be less than the $1,000 budgeted.
    2. Tim is completing planning for the dinner cruise for the Annual Meeting.  Barry Scheff of Woodard & Curran will present on the Ocean Gateway project.  Board suggested a fee of $40 for the annual meeting.
    3. A/E golf tournament is scheduled for June 9
    4. International Cold Region conference is July 23-26

 

  1. Committee Updates
    1. Technical Seminar

                                                               i.      Walter reported that he has received 12 to 15 registrations and 1 or 2 student sponsorships.

                                                             ii.      Bob Chaput will moderate the AM session and Dana Humphrey (UMaine) will moderate the PM session.

                                                            iii.      Paul Moyer, ASCE New England District Director will make a brief presentation at the beginning of the seminar.

    1. Model Contest

                                                               i.      Phil Dunn reported 8 models were submitted.  Models are present at this Section meeting for judging.  Six models were from Camden and 2 were from Lewiston.  Calls about the contest were received from throughout the state.

                                                             ii.      Phil recommended that judging be open to membership at this evening’s meeting; the board concurred.  Phil reviewed judging forms with the board.

                                                            iii.      Phil suggested $25 consolation prize for 4th and greater place.  Eric Landis made a motion to award a $25 consolation prize, Walter Fagerlund seconded.  Unanimously approved.

    1. International Cold Regions Conference

                                                               i.      Phil reported the conference is scheduled for July 23-26.  An ice-breaker cocktail hour is scheduled for Sunday; location in the greater Bangor area to be determined. 

                                                             ii.      Governor Baldacci scheduled to address Monday’s plenary session.  Phil has also invited the Dean of UMaine Engineering. Technical sessions with box lunch scheduled for Tuesday AM.  Phil considering local tours for Tuesday PM (Old Town canoe factory, advanced wood composite center, Verona Bridge, etc.).  Gary Crocker, comedian, scheduled for evening dinner.  Phil looking into Penobscot River dinner cruise.  Additional technical sessions scheduled for Wednesday.

                                                            iii.      Phil has received 120 abstracts and 60 completed papers.

                                                           iv.      Maine Section ASCE can arrange sponsors for the ice-breaker.  Anticipated costs for ice breaker is $500 for bar plus $13/head = about $6,000.

 

    1. High School Scholarships – Leslie Corrow not present to report
    2. Engineers Week Activities

                                                               i.      Erik review scheduled MEPC Eweek activities and public outreach efforts (TV and radio).

                                                             ii.      Be Schonewald requested the Maine Section underwrite a portion of engineering student attendance of the EWeek banquet ($15 per head sponsorship).  Erik reported that the Maine Section budgeted about $350 for Eweek activities that he will not need.  Erik suggested that these funds be used to underwrite student sponsorships.  Eric Landis made a motion to approve expending $350 to underwrite student attendance to the banquet; Walter Fagerlund seconded.  Motion unanimously approved.

    1. Younger Members

                                                               i.      Be Schonewald reported on behalf of Jennifer Tooley.

                                                             ii.      Jennifer suggests a job shadowing program for college students. 

                                                            iii.      A PE review course cosponsored by Portland Water District is being prepared.  The course is scheduled the same day as a previously Younger Member financial seminar.  The financial seminar will be rescheduled.

  1. Old Business
    1. Constitution/Bylaws

                                                               i.      The board discussed Constitution/Bylaws prepared by Peter Merfeld and reviewed the acceptance process. Erik Wiberg made a motion to accept the drafted Constitution/Bylaws.  Tim Merritt seconded.  The board unanimously voted to approve the draft and proceed.

                                                             ii.      Ralph Nelson will prepare an electronic voting form on a voting page.  Votes will be distributed to the section Secretary for membership verification.  Section needs 51 percent of the membership voting with 2/3 voting to adopt the Constitution/Bylaws.

                                                            iii.      There was discussion to provide a cash or prize drawing of voting members to encourage voting.

    1. SPAG Grants/Historic Landmark Submittals

                                                               i.      Erik reported that ATI exhibit will be displayed at Bangor Mall and EWeek Expo. UMaine students scheduled to help set-up after this meeting.

                                                             ii.      Portland Observatory – Historic Landmark review committee has requested additional information related to the statement of “last standing” observatory.  Tim received a letter from Maine Historic Preservation Office that it could be considered the “last known standing” observatory.  Tim has collected additional information about the observatory foundation construction. Tim expects to submit additional information at the end of next week.

                                                            iii.      Tourism Brochure – Based on uncertain schedule for approval of national historic landmarks, the board recommended that the current brochure be reprinted (2,000 copies) for 2006 and updated with a printing of 2,000 copies for 2007.

 

    1. Blodgett Welding Seminar – Jeremy Bragg reported the seminar is scheduled for March 29-30 at Verillo's.  25-30 registrants need to break even.  Losses/profits to be shared by ACM, SEAM, and ASCE.  Maximum capacity is 64 people.
  1. New Business
    1. Student Section Funding – Erik Wiberg reported that Natasha of the UMaine student section mentioned the student section is short of funds partly due to the section having to host additional events.  The board suggested the student section submit proposals for fund requests when more money is needed; Eric Landis to follow up with the student section.  The Maine Section made a $1,500 allotment to the student section in November.   Chris Taylor will contact Natasha.
    2. Conference Calling Capabilities at Board Meetings

                                                               i.      Jeremy suggested that Board meetings be held at a location with conference calling capabilities so that out of town members or those with scheduling conflicts can participate in the meetings.

  1. Adjourn
    1. Erik Wiberg motioned and Chris Taylor seconded motion to adjourn. Unanimous affirmative board vote.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Erik J Wiberg, P.E., Secretary