Minutes of Region Meeting
Western Michigan Region, NSP
March 14, 2007 Brann’s Grand Rapids
Region Officers Present: Region Director, Tony Wolfer; Assistant Region Director, Gregg Hoppe; Assistant Region Director, Erica Krol; Secretary, Colleen Wolfer; Treasurer/Webmaster, Larry Klose.
Region Advisors Present: Awards, Kathy Young; Alpine Proficiency, Chip Knappen; Alpine Toboggan, Shawn Rhoda; Instructor Development, Pat Livingston.
Section Officers Present: WM1 Section Chief, Ken Young; WM2 Section Chief, Patrick Mulvihill; WM2 Section Chief Elect, Jack Katerberg
Patrol Representatives Present: Timber Ridge, Sue Brann; Crystal Mountain, Brian Klebba.
2007 Fall Division Planning Committee: Vice Chairman, Jim Williams.
Members Present: Dave Cory.
Meeting Called to Order: Called to order at 7:07 pm by Region Director Tony Wolfer. Introductions were made around the room.
Staff Reports
Secretary’s Report: Minutes accepted as written.
Treasurer and Web Master Report: Larry Klose stated that the financial report was prepared and is posted on the web site. Reports from some of the recent activities are not complete yet. The web site has been re-organized and is easier to use. May is the budget meeting – please let Larry know if there are any budget items out of the usual. Question from Patrick Mulvihill regarding the budgeted amount for the Region Banquet - $1000. Question from Chip Knappen: how is our balance compared to last years - $195 higher than last years. In answer to Gregg Hoppe we did get Division support monies at this point. Discussion was held about increasing the Region Banquet amount.
Program Reports
Outdoor Emergency Care:.
Alpine:.
Ski Trainers Workshop:.
Awards:.
Election Nominations:.
Section Reports
WM1 Section: Ken Young.
WM2 Section: Patrick Mulvihill.
WM3 Section: Brian Klebba.
Patrol Reports
New Business
Advisor Reports:
Basic and Senior accomplishments and individual status
Chip Knappen – Senior hill practice was cancelled due to severe weather. Senior hill test was cancelled also due to the lack of a practice seminar. Basic tests were not run in many areas – Caberfae and Cannonsburg were the only ones. David Cory’s program has been successful. Discussion followed about whether we were gaining auxiliaries who would not be able to pass toboggan and ski tests. Ski skill training as it is handled at Cannonsburg with ski school managing the ski lessons has been working out.
Enhancement Seminars (all):
Erica Krol - 9 of 11 candidates passed the SEM held at Timber Ridge. We had candidates and observers from Wilmot Mountain. Patches were given to those who completed their senior training.
Chip Knappen – Kevin Fultz and Shawn Rhoda worked together with Northern Michigan to run a SES at Nubs Nob and a TES at Boyne Mtn on one weekend. It was enjoyed by those who attended. A SES was held at Timber Ridge with instructors from Division level and PSIA Level III instructors.
New Instructor/Instructor Trainers:
Alpine: Gregg Hoppe - PDs need to recruit toboggan instructors – there aren’t enough people available. We have about 60 instructors and about 18 instructor trainers currently. Toboggan instructor process sheet from Dan Somalski on file.
Ken Young – Karen Hadden will need ITs for OEC.
Region Election: Erica Krol – Section II Section Chief election is finalized; 4 ballots were returned as undeliverable; 84 ballots returned; 61 were for Jack Katerburg; 22 were for David Menke; 1 was for Pat Livingston. Election policies will be reconsidered at the fall meeting.
Division Meeting – Planning Committee Reports: Jim Williams – Division Fall Meeting will be held Sept 2007 – Air Zoo passes will be available to attendees. Breakout sessions will be held on Saturday with some great topics. Banquet will be Saturday night. Please promote to your patrols. Will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Kalamazoo. Please bring families and spouses. Tony Wolfer will be taking materials to the Division Spring Meeting. Preliminary information has been put in the Rusty Parka News. By the end of March, Jim expects to be able to bombard the region with information.
Awards: Kathy Young is happy with how the awards process is moving along – there is a greater variety that has been sent in to Region than in previous years.
WM3 Section:
Crystal Mountain: Brian Klebba - they lost the Crystal Clipper for one week which was a lesson in logistics to the area to work during a busy time. School buses were put into service. Crystal learned the value of their ski patrol who helped out. Six people are currently in the on line OEC program. Crystal is scheduled to run through Apr 9.
WM2 Section:
Patrick Mulvihill: Six of six candidates passed the Basic Hill. Mike Fick is passing the OEC program to Danni Doolittle. Section II is hosting the awards banquet on May 5 at Cannonsburg with a Region Meeting at 2:00.
Canonsburg: – Patrick Mulvihill – Cannonsburg will be closing this Sunday Mar 18.
Pando: Tony Wolfer – Area closed Mar 11 for week day but is planning to re-open for the weekend Mar 16-18. Two new basic patrollers with David Cory’s help. There will be a TES in the early 2007-8 season.
WM1 Section: Ken Young – he is in favor of the program that David Cory is running because of its flexibility.
Bittersweet: Dave Cory – they will be closing shortly – 3-18 will probably be the last day. Four new patrollers.
Timber Ridge: Sue Brann – they had a good season for as short as it was. An Emergency Room Physician’s Seminar was hosted. The afternoon session involved scenarios run outdoors for the physicians group to treat as first responders.
New Business
Brian Klebba brought up the fact that National Ski Patrol is not credentialing people in snowmobile handling. It is an area protocol issue.
Instructor Development: Pat Livingston – Phase I will be held Apr 23 and 30 in Grand Rapids at 6:30 at the ARC.
David Cory – Bittersweet is hosting a Texas Holdem tournament April 14.
Region Banquet
Blue and Gold: Deadline Mar 28 to be mailed ASAP. We will mail by snail mail for this Blue and Gold. E-mail blast will be sent out before Apr 1.
Next Region Meeting: May 5, Region Banquet, 2:00-4:00 pm, Cannonsburg
Meeting adjourned: 9:06 PM.