Present
Bill Bays, Brad Coolidge, Penelope Doolittle, Dick Doolittle, Renee Dunham, Faith Earll, Bill Eichbaum, Alan Gelb, Ned Goddard, Jeff Komarow, John Lentz, Carl Linden, John Matthews, Norman Metzger, Chuck Pill, Harvey Resnick, Johnna Robinson, Sally Strain, Holly Syrrakos, Peggy Thomson, Bernard Veuthey, Tryon Wells, Dave Winer, and Jane Winer

Reports
Vice President Jeff Komarow, presiding in the President’s absence, called the meeting into session at 8:00 p.m. Treasurer Alan Gelb reported that the treasury ended the past year with $70,000 in the black. Variable costs and expenditures for repairs were low and no costly capital improvements were undertaken. Insurance has been rising over the past several years and remains an uncertain factor in our future budgeting. Archivist Holly Syrrakos presented her annual report and spoke of the importance of a complete record of the minutes of membership meetings as well as the club’s financial reports. The question of what kinds of materials are appropriate for retention in the archives was advanced and discussed. John Matthews reported that the clubhouse now has a new roof. The work took only six hours and was done for $1,400. John said the work was excellent, the roof is rated to last for thirty years, and the actual cost of the work was thus far below the original $6,000 budget estimate. What to do with the old shingles was discussed and there was agreement that someone should be engaged to remove them from the island. Those present were reminded that the new members Orientation would be held on April 17th as well as the flower walk at Carderock. The Workfest is scheduled for the 24th.

New Business
Harvey Resnick made a motion that the club should obtain and keep on the island a portable automatic emergency defibrillator (AED). He said that these devices are easy-to-use, can save a life, and are more effective than CPR. After discussion Harvey withdrew his motion until the next meeting where fuller information can be provided on the utility of the device in emergencies, its cost, and how quickly 911 rescue aid can reach the island.

Presentation on Renovation Plans
The meeting turned to the question of renovating the caretaker’s quarters to provide living space above flood level. Two alternative plans were outlined: (1) The club room would remain essentially as it is now and the living space adjacent to the building’s north wall converted into a caretaker’s kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom as well as a new club kitchen in the area of the winter warm room and extending to the north wall of the building; or, (2) The club room would be extended to the outer north wall and the caretaker’s kitchen and a club kitchen placed on either side of the extended club room and located in the same areas as indicated in the first alternative. In this case the caretaker’s bedrooms and bathroom would remain downstairs. In both alternatives a stairway access to the caretaker’s kitchen would be installed.

Building Committee co-chair Chuck Pill made the main oral presentation on the two alternatives. The presentation was supplemented by scale drawings of the alternative plans and architectural models of the proposed renovations. The models only showed the layouts for the upstairs renovations where most of the major construction changes would occur. The evening’s presentation and discussion will be outlined in the Islander. The May membership meeting is scheduled to vote on the two alternatives and will be asked to choose one.

Just before the presentation, Jim Drew recommended that a third alternative be considered and a decision on the two alternatives be delayed. He expressed concern over the high estimates of the costs of the proposed renovations and the effect such costs might have in raising dues past a level many members would find affordable. He maintained that raising the room levels would be the least expensive. Jeff Komarow said that this approach had been considered but that discussions with county officials indicated that there was little possibility that the county would agree to the variance this approach would require. The sense of the meeting was that any discussion of a third alternative should come at a later time. At this point the meeting proceeded to hear and discuss the formal presentation (described above) of the two alternative plans.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:15.

-- Carl Linden, Acting Recording Secretary