USS Sea Devil Reunion 2013 - Kings Bay, GA
"BRAVO ZULU" to Hollis Holden & The Organizing Committee - Job Well Done !
U.S.S. SEA DEVIL Association Meeting Minutes, St. Marys, Georgia.
25 May 2013.
0830 – Upcoming scheduled events were reviewed by Reunion Coordinator Hollis Holden prior to the commencement of the meeting, with 44 members present for the 2013 Reunion.
0840 – The meeting was called to order by Vice Commander Ed Lynd, who presided in place of Commander Mike Martin, currently in recovery due to a health issue. Ed provided an update on Commander Martin's status, and the group expressed their gratitude for his dedicated efforts to the USS Sea Devil crew over the years.
Treasurer’s Report: $1,622.51 available at present.
Election of Officers:
Commander Mike Martin declined re-nomination. Names of Ed Lynd, John Herwig, and Bill Hicks were nominated but subsequently declined. James Seacord was nominated, the nomination was seconded, and unanimously carried.
Current Vice-Commander Ed Lynd volunteered to continue in that role, as well as serve as the Information Officer responsible for the website. The minutes from the meeting will be posted once the site issues are resolved.
As the current Secretary was absent, Jim Schenk volunteered to take the minutes. A nomination for Jim Schenk to become Secretary was seconded and unanimously approved.
The roles of Treasurer, Storekeeper, and Historian will remain with Past Commander Mike Martin. Information Officer Ed Lynd will continue in that capacity.
Skip Harrington was acknowledged for sourcing a more affordable website for the USS Sea Devil Association. Monies spent by Ed and Skip were reimbursed by the Association Treasurer.
The Association By-Laws have not yet been posted on the USS Sea Devil site due to ongoing website problems. These minutes will also be posted soon.
A motion was made to appoint Jim Schenk as the Association Chaplain, which was seconded and approved unanimously.
George Boyle, our Sea Devil Shipmates’ Master List Keeper, gave a short presentation on USSVI activities and membership. He noted that new members could join online bases, circumventing proximity issues to base meetings.
The next reunion was discussed with various potential venues including Savannah, Georgia; Las Vegas, Nevada; Branson, Missouri; San Antonio, Texas; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Tampa, Florida. It was highlighted that choosing a reunion location does not need to be tied to military installations or solely where the USS Sea Devil was stationed. The membership density map indicated 45+ members in Florida, leading to a vote resulting in Tampa being selected for the 2015 Sea Devil Reunion by unanimous consent, with tentative dates set for April to avoid conflicts with traditional holidays.
Admiral Fountain nominated Steve Oscher as the next Reunion Coordinator, a motion that was seconded and unanimously approved.
Admiral Fountain expressed the crew’s appreciation for the exemplary management by Hollis Holden and the committee for this year’s reunion.
There was a thorough review and discussion of the Association By-Laws, resulting in motions that were made, seconded, and voted upon. A preliminary discussion offered to conduct a computer poll for those who could not attend, but it was decided that these issues must be addressed at the meeting in person.
Article II: The Board will consist of five (5) voting officers: Commander, Vice-Commander, Secretary, Treasurer, and Information Officer. Two (2) non-voting Members-At-Large will assist the Board, one from the area East of the Mississippi River and one from the West.
It was voted unanimously to amend the language in this Article II to state, 'There may be (rather than will be) two (2) non-voting Members-At-Large to assist the Board.'
Article IV-4: Terms of office shall be for two years. Newly elected officers shall assume their term after their election at the reunion and serve until the next reunion.
The language in this Article IV-4b was voted on and changed to read, 'The newly elected officers shall preside from reunion to reunion,' recognizing that reunions may occur more or less frequently than every two years.
Vice Commander noted the invaluable contributions and input from former ship’s captains throughout all of our meetings, an opinion echoed by the present membership. Former Captains Fountain and Chabot graciously offered their continued availability.
1001 - A motion to adjourn was made, seconded, and carried unanimously.
WRAP UP OF SEA DEVIL REUNION VI 2013
Sent By:HOLLIS HOLDEN On:May 05/27/13 12:22 PM
SEA DEVIL SHIPMATES AND MATTRESSES,
WOW! What a great time we had with some of the best weather for SEGA during the 2013 Reunion! The Good Lord truly answered my prayers for good weather. I haven’t had so much fun staying up late for three consecutive days in ages. It is unfortunate that some members couldn’t attend and one had to leave early due to medical reasons. I’m disappointed we couldn't tour a Trident, but the visit to the Sub Museum and discussion led by Keith Post was the best option we could secure on short notice. Regarding the money you paid for the proposed tour, many of you suggested I allocate your deposits to the Sub Museum, with the majority favoring that choice. Since I couldn’t track all who expressed their wish, I plan to do the following:
1. For those who wish for their Sub Tour money returned, please SEND ME A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE, and I will return your deposit.
2. From the remaining funds, I will donate up to $300 to the Sub Museum in honor of SSN664/SS400 Crew Members who have passed. Any amount retained above that will be returned to the Association's treasury for future reunions.
3. I will refund the registration fee (minus the Registration Fee) for those who didn’t attend due to medical issues: Mickey Martin, Mary Jane Whelan, and Roger Hawke. PLEASE SEND ME A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE for the return.
4. IF I DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR ENVELOPE BY JUNE 15th, I WILL ASSUME YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR SUB TOUR DEPOSIT RETURNED AND YOU AGREE WITH MY PLANS.
OTHER ACTIONS:
1. While you did not consume much soda or regular beer, you enjoyed a lot of peanuts, candy, and light beer. I had $65.42 worth of soda (about 8 cases) left after everyone departed, which I donated to the local METHODIST HOME FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH in St. Marys. You should've seen the joy on the kids' faces as they helped me unload it, and they send their thanks.
2. I returned the drinks you didn't consume, including bourbon, vodka, rum, and regular beer, compensating the fund for the leftover items. Jeanette and I now have enough bourbon and vodka to last a year and enough rum for a lifetime. I’ll share the case of Bud and peanuts with my golfing partners on our upcoming trip to north Georgia while recounting the enjoyable moments we had.
3. For information, we consumed about $625.80 worth of beverages and snacks, including $37 worth of ice.
I had a GREAT time organizing this wonderful event, and it was a fulfilling and educational experience. I hope it made up for my absence at some previous reunions. I look forward to attending all future USS Sea Devil events, God willing.
Your Shipmate,
Hollis Holden