IMARS Meeting Notes – 20 January 2006
LAST MEETING AT STATION 43
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Hi All,
Today was a momentous one for IMARS, a sad day in many respects. The club has met at Volusia County Fire Station 43 now for, as near as I can tell, 16 years! It was a great meeting place and very comfortable for us. About six months ago Volusia County began to man the station 24 hours a day. We then experienced a rearrangement of the furniture which upset us a little but we made the adjustment. We were aware that the fire station was primarily for the firemen and we were kind of walking on eggshells and hoping there wouldn't be any changes that would make it impossible for us to continue meeting there.
After last weeks meeting (Jan 23rd) I was the last to leave. After the everyone else left two of the firemen came in and I heard them discussing a problem they were having. It seems that some of the guys would want to stay up, watching TV or playing games, while another wanted to turn in. Their lockers were located out in the truck garage and one guy mentioned that the diesel fumes were making his clothes smell like diesel fuel. They thought they could solve both problems at the same time if they brought the lockers into the meeting room and arranged them to form a room divider. They asked if that would cause us a problem. I said that, yes, it would, but that it was their fire station and we would accept whatever they decided to do.
I intended to check on the place on Wednesday but it wasn't until Sunday afternoon that I finally made it by there. My worst fears were confirmed. I was on my way to Sanford but thought I should try to give the rest of the club a heads up. I picked up my cellphone and realized that I didn't have anyone's number! When I got to Providence I stopped in the shopping center and searched through my day planner. I used to carry the roster but it had somehow gotten lost. After searching my brain for a minute or two I thought of a solution. I called my Granddaughter in Charlotte, NC. I knew she would not be very far from her computer. Sure enough, she was online when she answered the phone. I asked her to go to the IMARS web site and had her read off several phone numbers. Success! Bill N4ZZO answered and I was able to have him start the process of finding a new meeting place. He called Bud NØIA who, we knew, was working with the DeBary Volunteer Coordinator. We decided to go ahead with the meeting at Station 43 this time and discuss our options.
Bud was able to get an answer from Alan Williamson, the DeBary Volunteer Coordinator by meeting time and we are invited to meet at the DeBary EOC every Monday. I went to the DeBary City Hall and met with Mr. Williamson after our meeting. Alan was very cordial and wholeheartedly invited us to meet there. I looked the place over and it will be ideal as a meeting place. Alan even offered to make coffee. I thanked him but said that Joel would arrive with the club coffee pot, if that was OK, and make the coffee. Alan opens the EOC at 8:30 a.m. So Joel will have access about as early as he did at the fire house. At first it will be a little strange but I think we will be very happy at our new home.
There are a few issues we will have to deal with: 1) most important, it IS the EOC so, when there is a crisis the place will be manned by the emergency coordinators. At that time we will have to find another place to meet. Perhaps we would be able to move to the big room where the city coucil meets. Several club members have offered their homes so, if we have to move on short notice, we can meet at Hank's place, or mine or at Bob Waterson's (KC4LXW.) 2) When Monday is a holiday the place is not open. Alan said he could come and open for us anyhow. That's great but I expect there may be a time when he cannot do that. I told him that if he could give us as much warning as possible we could make other arrangements.
Those are the only to problems I see right now. Being a pessimist however, I am a little anxious that some city official may decide, at some time in the future, that letting us meet there is not the right thing to do. We should be thinking about where we would move if that should happen.
I stopped at the Deltona Community Center today and spoke with the man in charge. I told him that we were a community service organization. He wasn't impressed ;-) He said that the city had as many groups meeting as they had room for. He was friendly but firm in stating that any group meeting in any Deltona spaces would have to pay $15 / hour for the space. He suggested that a church might be an alternative. Please be on the lookout for a fall back position, lets not wait until something happens to start.
So, I'll see you all at the DeBary City Hall next Monday morning. I will send Joel a map and post some pictures of the place so you will all find it without any problem. Remembering Joe's (N9ZGU) question I measured the distance from the intersection of Highbanks and US 17/92 to Colomba Road where the City Hall is. It is 0.5 miles. The landmark for your turn onto Colomba Rd is the flags at the fire or police station on the east side and the truck sales lot that Bill (N4ZZO) mentioned, on the west side of 17/92. After you turn east the City Hall is about ½ block on your left. Go just beyond the building and turn in to the large parking lot just east of the building. There is a door at the far end (north) of the building but you can enter through the large glass front doors, bear right past the dias in the main meeting room and up 4 steps into Alan's office. The door to the EOC is on your left, but you'll smell the coffee by then ;-)
Russ, (W4ZIP) suggested that we write a letter to the fire chief expressing our thanks for the many years of accommodation that they have shown the club. Russ agreed to compose the letter. We don't want to burn any bridges.
One of the things that occurs to me is the Christmas party. The setting at the fire station is so beautiful that we might want to consider asking to use the site for our party. We could also have the party in a local park. The parking lot beside the City Hall doesn't look like a good choice ;-)
I completely forgot to thank Jean Maxwell. Last week she gave me two coupons for donuts at the local Dunkin' Donuts shop. I went by there and looked over the situation. Unfortunately they want more for ½ dozen donuts than we pay for a full dozen at Wal-Mart. With the coupon I could get a dozen donuts for $4.99. We're currently paying $3.96 a dozen at Wal-Mart. If you all think the better quality donuts at Dunkin' Donuts would be worth the extra cost let's consider it. After the coupons run out (I've got two more for a total of 4) we would be at about $10 / dozen, still cheaper than we were paying at the shop in DeBary. That reminds me to ask whether anyone would like me to select a certain kind of pastry? I just pick up one of as many different kinds as look good at the moment. I seldom eat them myself so let me know what you like.
73 / 88
See ya on Monday ;-)
Jerry KØJH
PHOTOS OF THE LAST MEETING AND OF THE NEW MEETING PLACE
Link starts here => http://www.photoworks.com/share/shareLanding.jsp?shareCode=A3291F1C013&cb=PW <== Link ends here
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