Minutes for January 5, 2017 Meeting
Acting Sgt/Arms Mark Lindsley opened the meeting at 1900 and opening prayer was given by Chaplain Mike Harnish.
Roll Call of Officers: Jr Vice Steve Opett, Judge Advocate Liz Shaw, and Sgt at Arms Kevin Miller were excused. All other officers were present.
Applications for Membership:
Reginald (Reggie) LaClair was determined qualified, duly voted in, and took the Oath of Membership as a Regular Member.
Installation of Jr Vice, Judge Advocate, and Sgt at Arms – this item was tabled to next month when they are present.
Minutes from Previous Meeting (12-01-16) Minutes: Minutes were distributed and reviewed by th membership. Motion made to accept the 12-1-16 minutes as edited by Ray DeCorse, duly seconded by Mark Lindsley; there was no discussion; motion passed unanimously.
Correspondence: Letter from Dillon Det Member Tad Comstock wishing us well was read and the photo he sent was distributed. Tad’s mobility is limited – the Chaplain will send him a card wishing him well.
Paymaster Report: Report was read and explained in detail, motion by Joe Shea to accept the Paymaster’s Report as presented, second by Bob Selig. There was no discussion; motion passed unanimously.
Sick and In Distress: George Noel’s wife not feeling well, Donna Melanson is getting out of rehab this or next week – Chaplain to send get well cards to both.
Report of Officers – Cmdt Cody Dumont and Adj Bryan Westover are working on updating the Detachment website – Meeting Agendas will be posted online a week prior, then converted into minutes within a day or two. Recruiting events in March – details to come; fundraiser cookout also; Bryan & Cody to visit inactive Members to invite them back – Members are welcome to join them, an email will be sent out the day prior. No other reports of officers.
Report of Committees:
Activity Committee – Cmdt would like to re-start it – Liz Shaw, Jacques Hachez, & Kevin Miller were on this previously. Ideas of events to do between meetings – bowling, movies, etc. Looking for things to do outside the Concord area where other members reside like school sporting events – go to these events as League members. Possibly present an MVP award to athletes to promote the League and maybe meet some Marines in the crowd, etc.
Joe Shea briefed League Certificates for flying American Flag – Members can give them out to businesses and residents who proudly fly the American flag. The Adj/paymaster to order some from the Ship’s Store for presentation.
Unfinished Business:
Department Emergency Fund – Dept Cmdt to use funds for qualified Marines in with emergencies without the delay of collecting funds from Detachments. Detachments are asked to donate $200 to this fund.
Motion by Joe Shea to donate $200 to Department Emergency Fund, second by Ray DeCorse. Discussion-Joe Shea briefed the process, money given to mechanic or oil company, etc. once Marine and emergency are vetted. Money is not given directly to the Marine in need. Motioned passed unanimously.
Department Dues: The Department is looking to increase their share of the annual dues from $5 to ~$8. Discussion-Joe Shea stated that the Dept Sr Vice is supposed to be in charge of raising money for the Dept and does not support this.
For the purpose of providing a response to the Dept Cmdt, Bryan Westover made the motion to support the Dept increasing their share of annual dues from $5 to ~$8, second by Ray DeCorse. The discussion consisted of the desire for more information from the Dept as to why the Detachments are being asked to fund Dept activities and not doing their own fundraising. A vote was taken, and the motion failed unanimously.
Detachment Dues: Paymaster Westover explained the League’s change to all memberships will expire on 31 August each year, starting this year (2017) and not in the Member’s anniversary month. Reduced new member dues and renewal dues, approximately by half, have been approved by National and the Department for new members after March 1st and renewals after January 1st. After discussion if the Detachment should reduce its share of the dues as well, Joe Shea made the motion to reduce the Detachment’s share for the reduced rate period from $7 to $4, then to return to $7 after July, seconded by Mark Lindsley. There was no discussion; motion passed unanimously.
New Business: Cmdt proposed holding a Farewell Dinner for Poolees going to Boot Camp the following month to promote League to family and to the future Marine when on active duty – which can join the Detachment for free. Recruiters are open to the idea. After a lengthy discussion on costs, location, time commitments, and trying to attact new members, preferably younger ones, Mark Lindsley made a motion to hold poolee farewell dinners on a quarterly basis, Mike Harnish seconded it. Discussion-the Cmdt should get assistance from either the Sr Vice Cmdt or the Jr Vice Cmdt. The motion passed by voice vote. Cmdt Dumont will get details and recruited Sr Vice Cmdt Hachez for assistance.
Good of the League:
Unit Award – At the Joint Installation, the Det received the Meritorious Unit Commendation Award (Dept Lvl). Dillon Members in good standing between July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 are authorized the appropriate MCL ribbon on their uniform.
Ceremonial Guard Ribbon – a ribbon for Members who participated a certain number of Color Guards or Firing details ribbons. Cmdt to check with Dept Cmdt as to when they can be issued to deserving Members.
Toys for Tots Report – Toys collected included Bow at 877, Bradford/Warner at 175-200, Concord, Penacook, and others with unknown amounts.
League T-Shirts and Polo Shirts – Cmdt will check with Leathernecks for Leathernecks business in Manchester on costs and report back at the next meeting.
Next Month’s Meal – Jacques Hachez will bring the meal and Mark Lindsley will provide desert.
Fred Osgood’s donated uniforms were given out to those that could use them – $40 was collected and donated to the Detachment.
Announcements:
-Department Meeting (1100) & Growl (1400) – Jan 15, 2017 @ American Legion, Concord.
Quad State Convention and Northeast Conference – April 2017 @ RI
Closing Ceremony was conducted and the next meeting is scheduled for February 2, 2017. The meeting closed at 2010.
R/S
PDD Bryan Westover, Adjutant/Paymaster
(Adjutant’s note: Thank you to Mark Lindsley for filling in as Sgt at Arms and Bob Selig for filling in as Judge Advocate. Thanks also to Linda Banfill for providing tonight’s meal and donating the $39 that was collected for the meal, and to Marge Westover for making desert. Additional thanks to Bob Selig who won the 50/50 and only kept $5 of his $13 share – making the Detachment’s donation a total of $21.)