24 June 2024 SLRA Meeting Minutes – Draft

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Attendees: (22) Chris Franklin, Charles Barnett, John Sullivan, Doug Probst, Mike Walsh, Chuck Meckfessel, Molly Meckfessel, Emma Meckfessel, John Buckley, Jackie Buckley, Jason Garbus, Oliver Garbus, Dave DeWeese, Scott Nokes, Tanya Nokes, Chris Lageman, Rob Benton, Zane Stobie, Rob Chapie, Jessica Fox, Brian Hamilton, Dennis Tuchalsky

Sunset Hills Bandana’s BBQ; 11750 Gravois Rd, Saint Louis, MO 63127

Called to order at 7:00

New Attendees:  None

Achievements and Contributions:

  • None noted at this meeting.

22 April 2025 SLRA Meeting Minutes approved

Treasury Status

  • Dan Cella not able to be present – info relayed via email
  • Current Balance $1,888.44
  • Deposits: $28.46 from PayPal for membership dues
  • Expenses: $55 for storage fees.
  • Mike Walsh has an expense to pass along to Dan Cella for reimbursement.
  • Contact St. Louis County for reimbursement of permit fee for cancelled June launch? (sometime in the future)

Achievements

  • Chuck Meckfessel – 20 year Tripoli pin (congratulations!)

SLRA Memberships Total = 2025 current total = 41.  (39 Senior/2 Junior Members) – no changes from last month.

New Members/First Meeting

  • Greg Dieckhaus (Welcome!)

Launch Reports:

  • None at this meeting (unless I missed something?)

Upcoming Launches

  • Elsberry HP Launch – Next Fall. 
  • Buder Park Launch – TBD – July 26
  • NARAM 23-29 June in Muncie, Indiana
  • Don Hanson noted that the Thunderstruck group (Pence, Indiana) will be hosting the next LDRS. 
  • Goat Ranch – July

Old Business

  • Joel recommends going to Club Express (CE) as the location for SLRA website.  

The website would contain information regarding club activities and serve as a site for maintaining records of club activities (i.e. Meetings, launch events, membership.  Photos and videos would be posted and maintained on the SLRA Facebook Page.  Joel will be contacting a Club Express Representative to obtain information on pricing and the process for transitioning the SLRA website to Club Express.  Note: Joel was not able to be present at this meeting. 

  • GSLMA Status.  Doug Probst will be taking the reins on maintaining communication with Buder Park North Greater St. Louis Modeling Association members.  Nothing new on this item at this time. 
  • SLRA Support for Wash U/SLU Rocketry Teams.  No Interest expressed (possibly Jason Garbus) Note: Mike Walsh is not currently mentoring the teams.
  • SLRA Trailers
  •             * LP trailer presently at Don Hanson’s
  •             * HP trailer presently at Mike Walsh’s for maintenance work – a recent work day was held
  •             * Possibly put lights in the trailer
  •             * Roof damage on HP Trailer from hail storm
  •             * Once maintenance is complete, Mike will be taking it to the Storage rental location.
  • At next opportunity, add NAR membership as one valid organization, in addition to the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) as eligible for use of Buder Park.  (This may help with the Buder insurance issues.)
  • Possible additional launch site – World Wide Technology Raceway.  At this point, Doug is still wanting to have an in-person conversation with the site owner before scheduling a launch.  Also, their weekend calendar is essentially full currently. 
  • Box for the Buder Park launch fees?  (Note: $6 per day flying fees instituted recently.)  Thanks to Doug Probst for posting photos of the box on the SLRA website.  At least the ‘button pusher’ needs to be a NAR member and have Buder permit fees paid.  Club maintains attitude of making every attempt to comply with the Buder fees and NAR membership requirements.  (Note: The box for launch fees did not have any envelopes available at the 31 May launch for leaving payment for daily use.  Also – the grass at Buder Park was approximately a foot tall for the 31 May launch. Seems one of the mowers St. Louis County uses was down for repairs.)
  • Doug Probst mentioned the possibility of another launch site in Illinois – the YMCA located in Maryville.  They would be OK with using their soccer field for this purpose.  However, note that the use of an adjacent hay field will not be permitted by its owner.

New Business    

  • There was considerable discussion about the situation with access to Buder Park and the insurance issue which recently occurred.  Briefly: on June 9, we were notified by St. Louis County Parks that additional language was required in our Certificate of Insurance.  The NAR insurance representative was unable to agree to the additional language.  Chris Franklin is going to contact someone at St. Louis County Parks over the next couple weeks to see if it can be determined that the required language is somewhat redundant and can be put aside, or possibly have a separate contract between SLRA and St. Louis County which includes the problematic language?
  • Doug Probst mentioned the Buder Park insurance issue at the last GSLMA Zoom meeting.  No one else had heard anything about this issue.
  • It is uncertain at this time if single users (airplane or rocket flyers) could have continued access to Buder Park, with their own AMA or NAR insurance and payment of park use fees.
  • Doug Probst mentioned the possibility of another launch site in Illinois – the First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois.  They have a large field adjacent to the church.  An effort will be made to contact them for use of the site for future rocket launches.  John Buckley will contact Chuck Neff at the NAR for advice/information on making first contact with property owners.
  • Let Mike Walsh know if you are interested in pursuing a level 3 certification.  There is some new paperwork involved with the process.  Best to start early!
  • Club Elections – Annual club officer elections will be held at the July 22 meeting.  Existing office holders have agreed to another term, unless any challengers appear:
    • President:        Chris Franklin
    • Director:          John Buckley
    • Treasurer:        Dan Cella
    • Secretary:        John Sullivan

Adjourned 7:39