Minutes: August 24, 2019
WTA Meeting
August 24, 2019
The 08/24/19 face to face Board of Director’s meeting of the Wisconsin Trapshooting Association was called to order at 9:07am by Fritz Thistle, President. Directors present were N/W Rich Johnson, N/E Don Chrapla and YZ Weisensel, S/E Ron Rousseau and S/W LaVerne Lehmann, 2nd Alt. Delegate Fritz Thistle, Secretary/Shoot Coordinator Amy Jenkins. Absent is S/E Bob Ebbers, ATA Delegate Kevin Doerring, 1st Alt. Delegate Dwight Paulin, Treasurer Taylor Ebbers.
Also present at the meeting: Chops, Glen Grabski, Cathryn Johnson, Rhino and Deana Lehmann
Meeting started at 9:07am.
OLD BUSINESS
Wifi/TV/ Responder:
Fritz has no information on this at this time. Apparently there is new technology coming out. Someone was supposed to come from Missouri for the state shoot but didn’t make it. There will be no movement on this at this time.
Improvement Projects:
Chops showed a diagram of adding additional camp sites on east vendor row. He believes we can get 14 additional sites for a total of 46 on the east end with water and electric. He met with the plumber and has the wire figured out. The plumber is working on a bid. Chops can rent a bobcat and dig the trenches on his own before everything is installed. We need to discuss the electric on the south side of the parking lot. The original plan was for those to be temporary. Ron said that he could bring his best friend up who is a master plumber and will oversee the project if we do the work. We will still need to blow the lines for this year. We will wait for the bid to come back and see what the quote is for. The plan would be to do this in April of 2020. Chops would like to talk to the power company and see if they can bring a line in off Akron down the sand road and have a panel and transformer down there.
Insurance:
Fritz said that working with our current insurance agent has been great. Fritz will still plan to meet with the other guy when things slow down for a quote.
Signage:
We need another side for the sign coming into the main road on Akron. It is only one sided right now. We should also add another sign on Hwy Z. We will add letters on the sign on Hwy 13 “Open to Public”. Don said that he has talked to people and they think the camping is for WTA members only. Fritz will talk to John about getting another side for the main road sign.
Camp Hosts:
Mike and Toni left two weeks ago. Mike would like to come next year and manage the grounds and report to Glen. He would like to get paid for what he does. He also would like to leave 15 days after the state shoot for 2020 due to an anniversary next year. Bill and Helen will be leaving after the Fall Classic this year. The campground will be closed on Sept. 29. Glen will lock the gate after Sept 29 so no one is driving through when no one is here.
State Shoot Recap:
Next year the water ski show is the same dates as the state shoot. Amy will post something on the website for shooters to book early. We did not have target setters scheduled for marathon Monday. Fritz said we need to have a better game plan for setting targets so that everyone is setting them the same. Fritz said that he talked to Sean Hawley and Dean Neumann quite a bit as well. Fritz suggested we put a 50 yard straight-away stake out and get a reading so all traps are set the same. We will need to find someone to organize the trapsetters for next year. Rhino volunteered to oversee the trap setting for 2020 state shoot. Both of the radar guns are currently broken. Fritz had a quote to get them fixed, but it is pretty expensive. He also had a quote to purchase new ones, Stalker Pro II, which would be $1318 each. Chops would like to talk to Dean Neumann before we purchase. Fritz already talked to him. State shoot – all events were up except we were down 5 shooters for championship singles and down 6 for championship handicap. We were up a total of 244 for the week. We had 83 shooters for marathon Monday. Nekoosa kids did very well this year. Chops said that we need to have an annual state shoot t-shirt next year. Marty with Recoil Apparel showed interest in doing the event shirts next year. Ron will check into copyrighting our logo and discuss at the next meeting. Deana will look into it further and bring back information to the next meeting. We need to have designated line coverage each day.
Ron made a motion to purchase two new radar guns with stands. Don seconded. So carried.
HOF Banquet:
Discussion on trying to find an alternate date for the banquet. We will table the discussion until the next meeting. A few ideas are to hold it on Monday night off grounds. Another idea was to hold it during the pig roast.
Zone Shoots:
Discussion was held about moving the zone shoots from June to a different time of the year, due to the two youth state shoots being held at Homegrounds in June. Directors are expected to be at the zone shoots for the elections, as well as to provide coverage at the youth events. Discussion was held about moving them to September or October after the start of the new target year. Amy suggested that she send out an email to the zone clubs and see what thoughts are for moving the zone shoots to September/October and ask the gun clubs in each zone rotation to pick a date.
NEW BUSINESS:
LNPAF Fall League:
Nekoosa would like to hold a fall league for HS Clay Target League. Glen will be here to open the traps and building. The numbers will be a little less than the spring league due to other sports. They would like to shoot on Mondays and possibly Tuesdays through the end of October. For the signed agreement, it would run for the Fall and Spring league so it is all together.
Rich made a motion to approve the LNPAF league shooting here this fall and spring. YZ seconded. So carried.
Secretary’s Report:
Amy gave an update that the fall letters have been sent out to all registered clubs for the new target year. New stickers and membership cards are being mailed out as well and the color for the 2020 target year are bright yellow.
Treasurer’s Report:
Taylor was not able to attend and sent the balance statement. Total in checking/savings is $325,518. Fritz went through items on the reports. Taylor is asking for the wage that the other workers receive during the state shoot, which is $599. She is well worth the money. Taylor stated that we received a donation at the state shoot for paying down debt. Taylor would like to pay Recob’s $65,000.
Rich made a motion to use the donation money and another $20,000 to pay off the Recob loan. YZ seconded it. So carried.
Ron made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. Don seconded it. So carried.
Don made a motion to pay Taylor the $599 and to reimburse her for her $175 camping for 2019. This will go forward to future state shoots. Ron seconded it. So carried.
Rich made a motion for free state shoot camping for the Secretary. YZ seconded. So carried.
Fritz said that camping fees are waived for directors if you are up working any shoot including the state shoot. This will be added to the Director rules.
HSCTL National Shoot:
Discussion was held about the possibility of putting in a bid to hold the national shoot for the High School Clay Target League. Mason Michigan currently has a 5-year contract to keep the national shoot. Lori from the Adams Chamber will be checking on the number of hotel rooms available in conjunction with Cameron from Visit Rome. We would need to add more traps before we could even be considered for hosting the event.
Camping Prices:
HSCTL, SCTP, KM events – Previous years it has been $40 for one night, $60 for two nights, $90 for three nights. We will go back to normal rates of $40 a night.
DNR Meeting:
There was a meeting with 14 individuals from Rome and WTA. Fritz received a copy of a form to prepare a long range plan. Fritz and John will work on it and get it turned in by the first of the year. Room tax in Rome raised $300,000; that money needs to be used to get “people” into this town. Fritz asked Cameron if we could use some of that money to build a website to use for camping reservations. She thought that would be a good possibility and asked him to bring us something for pricing.
Donations:
Fritz applied for an SCTP donation to make a bigger shelter behind the bunker; it would be double the size of what is there already. He gave it to Gary DeSmidt. It should be $2100. Chops will work with Rich Weiler on the concrete when we are ready to construct it. Eau Claire will be sending the rest of the money to pay for the indoor PA speakers. Steve and Mary Downs donated money for another shelter. Ron volunteered to go through all the donations and create a plaque to be posted in the clubhouse. Fritz would also like a plaque for anyone involved in constructing the new building. Amy will send a letter to Westfield for the donation of tables for the clubhouse.
WI Fall Classic:
Fritz would like to have categories added to the program.
Bob Hittle has requested to donate $500, this will be for Sunday singles. Don will donate $500 for the singles on Saturday. Singles will be paid off at 60/40 each class.
YZ’s Body Shop will donate $500 and Ron will donated $250 for handicap combined for Saturday and Sunday, top three scores $350 first, $250 for second, $150 for third – ties will shoot off.
Doubles will be paid out combined score for Saturday and Sunday. It will be paid $125 per class (four classes); ties shoot off.
Ron made a motion for the WTA to donate $500 for doubles. YZ seconded. So carried.
PA System Failure:
We need to figure out a way to reset the timeout on the system. It times out at 2 minutes. Glen will need to call the company when he is here some day. Tate will call the company and see what he can figure out with the speakers that aren’t working in the shower house as well as the base.
Bobcat Repairs:
The guy that was supposed to service the bobcat never made it here. There are a few options of guys to service it. We will for sure need to have it serviced before the spring. As of posting of the minutes, the skidsteer was serviced this week by Mike from Mashuda that had orginally planned to service it. He serviced it, washed it and greased it. He will provide a list of what it could use. He used his CAT scan tool and said that it was all good there.
Security System:
Fritz will get all the codes entered into the system and anyone that enters the building in the future will need to unlock the door and then enter your personal four digit code into the key pad.
Expansion:
We are looking to make money at this place. Fritz has estimates for 5 Stand. The quotes are for $13,000 and $17,000 for six MEC machines. Glen knows how to run them and set them up. We have two MEC machines on hand already. We need another spare pat trap. Fritz suggests purchasing a wobble trap which is $8550; a regular pat trap is $7300. We would put this in house 17. This would be from Metro Gun Club in MN.
Laverne made a motion to purchase a backup trap (wobble) from Metro Gun Club. Don seconded it. So carried.
The 40 acre parcel has now been donated to the WTA. Don has talked to someone to grind up the trees on the land. Fritz talked to the school in Coloma and said that if it is for a project they would be able to do it for free. Fritz and Chops will schedule a meeting to go talk to them in Coloma. Fritz talked to Welch in Illinios and traphouses are $2450; however, the freight is very expensive ($4 to $5 a mile). No need to pursue a beer license right now per Glen.
Vacant Director Position:
Keith Lehman is interested in filling the NW vacancy.
Rich made a recommendation to the Board to fill the NW vacancy with Keith Lehmann (at large as he is from the SW Zone).
YZ made a motion to approve Keith to fulfill the NW Zone vacancy. Don seconded. So carried.
State Shoot:
- Shoot Program – Deana Lehmann and Ron will work on getting prices to do the program for the 2020 state shoot. They will bring back quotes at the next meeting.
- Golf Carts – Discussion held on charging the $10 fee for using personal machines. For 2020, we will not charge the $10 fee. Rich Johnson will take over handling the golf cart reservations.
- Food Vendors – Glen Hammerly would like to take over the food vendors for all shoots.
- Camping Update – We will need to hold off on setting a price for a lease in the parking lot until we figure out the electrical and additional sites on east vendor row.
Round Table:
Don: Mid-States Technical College will be here on September 6. Don, Chops, YZ will be here. Brian was working with the school to see if the students can get credit for working at the shoot. They will be given an invoice before they leave. Don said that the pines are getting older and a suggestion was to plant some more trees in the middle so that you can’t see vehicles moving on the road. Fritz said there is a coach from one of the youth leagues that can get trees and plant them as a project through the 4-H. Don said that we need to do a better job with leftover trophies. We will look at any left and try to get them to anyone we know. We need to advertise the campground more so that people know we are here.
Rich: Asked if we need to do some maintenance on the hoop building. Fritz said that we bought some things to repair the holes. No need to tighten the cables because they can’t be too tight. Fritz will contact the company to see if there are any specs on how tight the cables should be and if there is any warranty on it. Modern Pole will be getting the info to Chops for the canopy by the back door.
YZ: Let’s get rid of the stuff in the hoop building that doesn’t need to be there. Let’s get it cleaned up.
Next meeting will be Friday, September 20, 2019 at 6pm at the clubhouse.
Rich made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Don seconded it. So carried.
Meeting adjourned at 1:54 pm.