The April meeting of the Smoky Mountain Blues Society (SMBS) was held on 04/25/10 at Mulligans.

19 people attended the Apiril Meeting.

Meeting started at approximate 4:45

 

 

1) President's Report:

 

 

NOMINATIONS WERE REQUESTED FOR THE FOUR DIRECTOR POSTS COMING UP FOR RENEWAL.

The four directors whose terms expire in June are:

- Mike Feeback (president)

- Robert Higginbotham (secretary)

- Johnnie Mack

- Tim Spencer

 

NOMINATIONS WERE MADE AS FOLLOWS:

Dick Qulia - declined

Johnnie Mack - declined

Herman Long - declined

Polly Doka - not at meeting - acceptance status TBD

 

Diane Michel - accepted

David Hamilton - accepted

Angelia Garrison - accepted

Tim Spencer - accepted  (current board member)

Robert Higginbotham - accepted (current Secretary)

Mike Feeback - accepted (current President & defacto Treasurer)

 

VOTING WILL BE COMPLETED AT MAY MEETING ON MAY 23RD at MULLIGANS

 

ABSENTEE VOTING WILL BE ALLOWED BY EMAIL. 

SECRETARY WILL SEND OUT FINAL LIST OF CANDIDATES IN APPROX. ONE WEEK.

- ONLY CURRENT MEMBERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE

- SINGLE, MILITARY, CORPORATE, STUDENT MEMBERS ALL ALLOWED ONE VOTE

- FAMILY MEMBERS ALLOWED TWO VOTES

 

REMINDER: General Members vote for Board Members only.

Once Election is completed, the seven member board selects

the "officer" positions (President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary)

internally.

 

EDITORS' NOTE:- the terms "president" and "vice-president" are synonymous with

"Chair" and "Vice-Chair" for the purposes of some SMBS corporate documents

 

The remaining three directors whose terms expire in 2011 are:

- Sharon Kniffin

- Steve Michels

- Randy Ross

 

A motion was made to keep our current P.O. Box.  Passed unanimously.

Mike & Emily Feeback graciously agreed to pay the $40 renewal fee personally

 

A motion was made to keep our account at the current bank.  Passed unanimously.

 

DISCUSSION:

 

Our membership process is broken and needs fixing.  We have had members who have joined and never

received their membership cards.  There was also a severe delay in getting their names added to the

general email list.  Mike Feeback, Robert Higginbotham, and Diane Michel committed to developing

a system that will avoid this in the future. 

 

10 membership cards each were given to Diane Michel, Robert Higginbotham, and Sharon Kniffin to enable

providing cards to new members upon enrollment.  i.e.  at either Smokies or Brackins Blues Jams

or at RIKS Music where we have a display of membership brochures.

 

2)  Entertainment Committee Report:

 

2010 Blues Cruise dates have been established:

All are Sundays.  All acts detailed below are currently tentative:

 

-  June 13th - 3-4 Boarding, 4-6 Sail

   Michael Crawley/Detroit Dave

   Big Daddy Rick Rouse is alternate

 

-  July 11th - 2-3 Boarding, 3-5 Sail

   Labron Lazenby and LA3

 

-  Sept. 12th - 2-3 Boarding, 3-5 Sail

   Blue Mother Tupelo

 

-  Oct. 24th - 2-3 Boarding, 3-5 Sail

   Jenna Jefferson and Friends

 

-  Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

   Tickets can only be bought from the Riverboat Company 865-525-7827 or 800-509-2628 for ticket sales

 

It is our understanding that band can start playing on the boat

as soon as they are set up.  Tim Spencer will confirm.

i.e. at the 6/13 sail you can 'board' as early as 3

the band may start playing by 3:30

the boat WILL LEAVE THE DOCK at 4 p.m.

There is an open bar on land which will serve at least from 3-4

Bar may open earlier

 

First 50 tickets sold go to Riverboat

Next 50 tickets go to the society

50/50 split after that.

SMBS is guaranteeing the bands $400.

The Riverboat company has committed to pay

   for half the band after 100 tickets are sold

 

Bands to provide their own p.a. systems

Bands will play inside on main level

SMBS to provide "piping" of music to upper level

 

T-shirt Sponsors are needed.  All members are encouraged to help with this.

Please coordinate your efforts with Diane Michel (JDSmichel@yahoo.com)

 

Sponsors will have logos they supply printed on 2010 Blues Cruise T-Shirts

Sponsorship Levels are:

 

$100 - Sponsor receives two t-shirts and two tickets to Blues Cruise of their choice

$200 - Sponsor receives four t-shirts and four tickets to Blues Cruise(s) of their choice

$400 - Sponsor receives eight t-shirts and eight tickets to Blues Cruise(s) of their choice

Again - please coordinate any efforts directly with Diane before proceeding or committing to anything

i..e.  we don't want 5 different members approaching the same sponsor.   thanks.

 

Higginbotham volunteered to draft contracts for both

SMBS & BANDS

SMBS & RIVERBOAT COMPANY

and will forward drafts to Entertainment Committee

Editors' note - will now also author draft sponsorship agreements and forward to Diane

before proceeding or committing to anything now that editor has thought about it.

 

 

3) GENERAL DISCUSSION

 

There was general discussion concerning pro-rating renewals, which was similar to the

discussion we had a meeting last summer at Wild Wings Cafe.  The outcome of the

discussion was the same.  Renewing memberships will last one year from the time

of renewal (unless they are a life time membership).  This makes it even more

important that Michel, Higginbotham, and Feeback establish a good procedure for

handling this as the great majority of our members come up for renewal in June.

 

NEXT MEETING WILL BE AT MULLIGANS AT 4 P.M. ON MAY 23RD

(Last Sunday in May is a Holiday weekend)

Acoustic Jam to follow meeting at 6 p.m. to allow time for election process

 

PLEASE PLAN ON ATTENDING, OR VOTE VIA EMAIL AFTER RECEIVING BALLOT/INSTRUCTIONS.

 

The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:50 p.m.

 

The acoustic jam netted $24 in tips which were donated to the

Second Harvest Food Bank earlier today(4/26/10). 

We had one "under 21" player participate - Joey Kukura who is 12

and did an outstanding job on the guitar!

 

Minutes respectfully submitted,

 

 

Robert Higginbotham

Secretary

Smoky Mountain Blues Society

www.smokymountainblues.org

865.300.3648