Term Limits
The Term Limits vote is to change the RAC Constitution to limit officers to a max of 3 consecutive, one year terms in any elected office. Anyone reaching their 3rd consecutive term in office must sit out a term before they can hold office again. Term limits, if passed, will be active for current office-holders. Current officers feel that term limits will be a good thing for the club by forcing regular turnover in club leadership and giving those serving as officers a welcome break from club-work.
This change in the constitution had a quorum of 25 votes. The votes are as follow:
For the term limits: 12 online and 11 at the meeting. Totaling 23 votes for the term limits
Against the term limits: 0 online and 2 at the meeting. Totaling 2 against the term limits.
Total votes was 25.
As a practical matter, this means that both Ann Murphy and Mike Keefe must take a year off. This opens up the secretary position and a co-chair position. If anyone is interested in either one of these offices, please let Mike or myself know. Both Mike and I can train you in the position.
Awards
Doug Lively presented outreach awards to Mike Keefe (Level 3), Brian Reasor (Level 2) and Matt Lochansky (Level 1). These awards were for the dedicated hours of outreach to the public. Each of the levels represented the number of hours and if they needed to write an article.
Astronomy Days Update
Astronomy Days is taking place at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. The website is: http://www.astronomydays.org/. The signup for the Astronomy club will be coming soon. Watch for an email from Mike Keefe. The event takes place Saturday and Sunday January 24, 2015 and January 25, 2015. The times are 9am – 5pm for Saturday and 12pm – 5pm on Sunday. You can volunteer for two hour shifts for the booths or if you volunteer all day, you can get a free lunch.
You can volunteer for working the booths, workshops or presentations. If you volunteer for the workshops or presentations, you must state this by 12/19/2014. You do not have to have it all written at that point. The presentations must be about 30 minutes and for a general audience. Some of the presentations and workshops will be reused from other classes and past Astronomy Days.
This is a great chance to help the club, interact and get the public excited about astronomy and to even show off your telescope and hobby. Please consider volunteering. Please ask any of the officers if you have questions.
Thursday vs. Friday club meeting days
There has been some discussion on whether it is better to have the meetings on Fridays or Thursdays. This question was discussed.
Thursday
The reason that the meeting was moved to Thursday night was due to the fact that the museum already was open at that time. The museum wanted to cut down on the amount of overtime that was needed. If we kept it on Thursday, it would still be from 7pm – 9pm and in the room on the 4th floor. It would be on the 2nd Thursday or the 4th Thursday, depending on the moon and RACOBS. This day offers several advantages. First, if the 4th floor room was not available, we could meet in the Daily Planet Theater. The second is that people are used to it. The disadvantage is that it is difficult for some people to make the meeting due to work. It is also difficult to attend the dinner after the meeting, since it would be late to get up early for work.
Friday
This would be on the First Friday only. It would not be any other Friday. The museum is open late First Friday and would not have to pay additional overtime. It would still be 7pm – 9pm. This offers the advantages of people being able to come after work and to stay for the dinner (and not have to worry about getting up early). Another advantage is that the day would always be the same (First Friday). The disadvantages include not being able to get the Daily Planet Theater as a back up and may have to go back to the downstairs room. We may not be able to get the 4th floor room. The availability of the 4th floor room would need to be investigated for First Friday.
This is what is on the table. Please send an email to the officers, if you feel strongly about one or the other. If there is a lot of interest for First Friday, we can put that to a vote. Right now it is just an idea being suggested.
Appreciation from the Wake County Libraries for the public observing sessions
The Wake County Libraries gave a token of their appreciation to all that volunteered to help with the observing sessions in the month of October at the Wake County Libraries. In addition to the observing sessions, there was a lecture as well. Ron Monti organized these events for the club.
ATM/ElectronicsSIG
This is a new special interest group that Ian Hewitt is starting up. This will be an interest group like the imaging group . There will be more information on this group coming soon.
