Board of Directors Meeting

1.         Minutes of the previous meeting (11 May 2005) were approved.

2.         Officers’ reports for possible action by the directors.

            A.        Fred Moore, President.

                        (1)        There was no Regional Transportation Advisory Council (RTAC) meeting today.

                        (2)        A call came in from Washington, D.C. from the publisher of New Urban Landscape concerning bus rapid transit.  He wanted to find out the local spin on that technology.

            B.         John Hostage, Treasurer, presented a financial report as of 31 May 05.

            C.        Barry D. Andelman, Liaison to the MBTA.

                        (1)        Barry’s goal:  If we get two people who are willing to help us, this would add immensely to our capacity.  One volunteer can observe rapid transit and to go to meetings for us.  We need volunteers as "ears" for us.  We have to decide how best to utilize volunteers (See section 3E below).

                        (2)        He attended a T bus emissions meeting.  The T is going to have a scanning device at each garage in rotation to monitor each bus.  This should make a big difference in air cleanliness.  Every quarter, every bus will be measured several times, subject to stringent standards.  This is in service spot statistics, rather than continuous monitoring of a specific vehicle.

            D.        Richard Arena, Vice President.

                        The North-South Rail Link.

                        A cost conference has been postponed.  Proponents of the NSRL have been trying to get a solid cost number, rather than the wild guesses that have been circulated.

                        There is to be a multi-day meeting next week in Washington, D.C. of the National Corridors Initiative.  Rick was asked to go, but it would be difficult for him.

                        Rick testified on Beacon Hill in favor of the bill protecting the right of way of the proposed NSRL.

            E.         Ernest Loewenstein sent a letter to the Boston Globe about negative David Luberoff comments.

            F.         Barry Steinberg, Clerk, sent a letter to the Metro rebutting a published letter to the editor from a reader in West Medford who said that as far as Medford is concerned, a Green Line extension northwest (through Somerville) to Medford is unnecessary.

3.         Old Business:  ANNUAL MEETING DEBRIEFING.

            A.        Barry Andelman concerning the Harvard Club.

            Barry held a debriefing with the club.  They are establishing a profile of our needs for future events.  Next time around, it would be much easier to run an event since everything we needed or did will be listed.

B.         Financial Results and Expense Reports.

The cost to us for the meeting was approximately $60 per person.  We charged $20 in advance or $25 at the door.  Most attendees paid in advance.  There were 52 people in attendance, with a roughly 50-50 ratio between members and non-members.

The importance of this is to grow the organization.

C.        Keynote Bounce.

Did we get the desired attendance?  It went from 35 last year to 50 this year, even though we did not get in the Globe.  Next year, we should put an advertisement in the Globe.  Barry Steinberg:  We should try to get it on the same page as "Starts and Stops".

We have to improve our publicity machine.  We have to increase our visibility by reacting to events more quickly.

Rick Arena:  We have to get more e-mail addresses and hit them more frequently.

We have to have member vs. non-member rates and early-bird rates.

In general, it was successful.

We need enhanced promotion.  We need the e-mail addresses of new people.

D.        Content and Feedback.

People liked the talk.  Insightful questions were asked.  We cannot put speakers in a "box" of what subject to address.

E.         Solicitation of Volunteers.

How do we use them?  Possibilities:  Answer the telephone every day.  Compiling e-mail lists (from the attendees).  Ernest Loewenstein:  Other organizations might want to send our communications in their house organs, electronic or otherwise.

            Use the volunteers to send out mailings or solicitations.

            Get a resume from volunteers, find out what they can do.  Their interests.

            F.         Next Time.

            How do we top this next year?  We’ll have to think about this.  We like the idea of a single speaker rather than a panel discussion.

4.         New Business.

            Volunteers:  We have to have "rapid reply" people to react to news items or editorials.  Comment made:  We don’t know how some people do it, but they have letters to the editor published immediately (within a day or two) after the item to which they are replying.

5.         Other Items and July Meeting.

            A.        Barry Steinberg drafted a membership/dues solicitation letter.  We need this plus a membership invoice and a return envelope.  We have to follow this up with a mailing session.

            B.         The next meeting is to be on July 20, not the usual date.

6.         The meeting adjourned 8:11 p.m.