USS BROOKE (DEG-1/FFG-1) ASSOCIATION
Business Meeting Minutes
September 24, 2016
The Handlery Hotel
San Diego, CA
9:05 AM – 10:00 AM
Meeting Opened:
1. The meeting was called to order in due fashion by Association President Tom Adametz at 9:05 AM.
2. Minutes of the 2015 U.S.S. Brooke Association Business Meeting were read by Tom Adametz.
3. Motion was made by Marc Apter to accept the Minutes as read. Motion 2nd by Tony Precie. Unanimous vote. Motion carried.
4. Fin. Secty/Treasurer Steve Hunt posted the 2015 Minutes in the Port & Starboard and on the website.
5. Written copies of the Association’s Financial Report were distributed to all attendees by Steve Hunt.
6. Steve Hunt said the Financial Report is a floating one and reflects credits/debits as they appear.
7. The Association has $4,200 in the bank, in cash/checks of $1,900 to add plus about $400 raffle funds.
8. Raffle tickets this year will be limited to $20.00 per member to afford equitable chances to win prizes.
9. Steve Hunt asked Tom Adametz how much the Association owes him.
10. Tom Adametz stated the Association took out a $1M liability insurance policy to cover the reunion.
11. The liability insurance covers actions and 100 members for four (4) days at a cost of $104.70.
12. Steve Hunt stated the Association does not sit on funds and tries to utilize the money to our benefit.
13. We have a $400 Bar minimum at the Hotel and on Luau night we spent $372 so he spent $29 more.
14. Due to meeting the $400 Bar minimum, the Association received $130 back from the Hotel.
15. Motion made to accept the Financial Report as presented by Buddy Harris. Motion 2nd by Dave Corcoran. Unanimous. Motion carried.
Attendees:
1. Twenty-eight (28) members and nine (9) ladies.
Old Business:
1. At the 2015 Reunion cruise, the 2016 reunion location was discussed but had no raffle due to underway.
2. The USS Brooke’s Roadrunner Flag was flown during the 2015 Reunion Cruise to Alaska.
3. Steve Hunt will mail out postcards to all members for them to select the reunion location for 2018.
New Business:
1. The Brooke 2017 reunion location was decided by member’s vote to be Jacksonville, FL with Colorado Springs, CO as a second choice.
2. Buddy Harris says the Zika scare is way south of Jacksonville, FL, the concern is the hurricane season.
3. The high point for hurricane season is late August and the rainy season ends at September.
4. The Association should try to have the reunion beyond October 1, 2017.
5. Jim Hanna stated he was aboard a tincan near Jacksonville during October and the season was good.
6. Some Brooke members and wives discussed the Brooke widows attending the Brooke reunions.
7. The widows, on fixed incomes, are burdened by the costs of the reunions, especially the banquets.
8. Buddy Harris motioned for the Association to pay for only the banquet dinner cost for any attending Brooke widow as a paid guest. Motion was 2nd by Tony Precie. Unanimous. Motion carried.
9. Steve Hunt said the Association membership is growing with some members renewing for 2-3-4 years.
10. Our first Executive Officer, LCDR Richard Blackington at age 86 renewed for 4 years.
11. Steve Hunt does not backdate dues if membership is not paid on time, just applies the dues as forward.
12. Currently, the Association has ten (10) 50th Anniversary ball caps on hand, with five (5) spoken for.
13. Steve Hunt is going to Jacksonville, FL in the 1st of November to research the hotels for 2017 reunion.
14. Steve will mention that we paid $9,000 for two (2) banquets with a member count of 231 room nights.
15. One room night is one (1) night that a member stays at the reunion hotel.
16. Room number count and money spent during the reunion is helpful in dealing with a prospective hotel.
17. Tom Adametz performed a Banquet Night walk-thru with the Hotel Manager on Friday night.
18. Marc Apter asked Steve Hunt which hotels in Jacksonville that he will be researching.
19. Steve Hunt replied, the Crown Plaza Hotel near the airport and would be convenient to those flying in.
20. The airport shuttle/ride to the hotel would be approximately 15-30 minutes, traffic permitting.
21. Dave Corcoran stated the room count is quite less on the East Coast, no offense to TX.
22. Jim Hanna says what helps are the “shoulder days” of the reunion hotel days, before/after periods.
23. Steve Hunt said Larry Whittaker received the Brooke Reunion daily rate of $119 for a total of 10 days.
24. Steve Hunt said the cut-off date should have no effect on our group rate to the number of members.
25. Steve Hunt said he usually brings a case of booze and often only 1 bottle was drunk, NOT this time!
26. Tom Adametz stated the intent of the 2018 reunion: to be held somewhere in the center of the country.
27. Possible locations: Nashville, TN with lots to see/do and Colorado Springs, CO.
28. First consideration is the cost to members and the second consideration is things of interest to members.
29. At our recent reunion in Branson the days were so full of activities that it was “Overload” for us.
30. After the 2015 Alaska cruise we asked the members if they wanted to visit ships but concern was stairs.
31. The Association slowed down the activities this year to provide the members more relax time.
32. Tom Adametz asked the members if they liked the extra time…YES, was the response.
33. At the Banquet, we need to know who the youngest member is…it usually is Robin Precie at 56 years.
34. BM Ralph Garcia is 55 years old, the youngest, and will be cutting the cake with the oldest member.
35. Marc Apter said Jacksonville may have a harbor cruise and lots of Civil War sites to visit.
36. Steve Hunt said he believes Jacksonville has a new DDG assigned there.
37. Tom Adametz said in Nashville, TN there is a lot of night life and many “pubs” throughout downtown.
38. Jim Hanna also said Nashville has Tootsies and the Grand Ol’ Oprey to visit during the 2018 reunion.
39. Steve Hunt mentioned that a 2018 consideration for Galveston, TX is to watch the weather.
40. Tom Adametz said another central location to consider is San Antonio, TX as a good site for 2018.
41. The Post Card questionnaire for the 2018 reunion location may have the following suggested sites: San Antonio, TX, Colorado Springs, CO, Albuquerque, NM, and Nashville, TN.
42. Jerry Hamling suggested Key West, FL to which Tom Adametz replied, Bravo-Yankee-Echo!
43. Steve Hunt said for the last six (6) years we included the Sonar Association members in our reunion.
44. The Sonar Association members attending dwindled to eight (8): should we continue to include them?
45. Steve Hunt had sent out mailings to over 400 Sonar Association members at a great cost to us.
46. Marc Apter said there is no hurt in inviting the Sonar Association members to our reunions.
47. Tom Adametz stated the Sonar guys will continue to be invited.
48. Steve Hunt said having the Sonar Association members as guests attending the reunion adds to the room numbers, in case we need the few extra rooms for a better host hotel room cost and amenities.
49. Bob Cook asked if any of the Sonar Association members had asked to be invited back to our reunions.
50. Steve Hunt replied, “Yes” and added that they were in heated discussion and pounding the tables.
51. Jim Hanna said our reunion growth is helped by the fact more “Brooke kids” are attending the reunion.
52. Tom Adametz said, “Yes indeed, we love the Pediatric unit of Brooke” and we hope some of the new members will accept the roles of the Association Officers to continue the reunions & association.
53. Steve Hunt stated it should be easy to take over as everything is all set up and can easily be learned with the help of the current Association Officers, while they are still alive.
54. Tom Adametz said the continued success of the Brooke Association will be evident when the “younger kids” take over the roles of officers.
55. Tom Adametz added that he and Steve Hunt will continue to do the best they can for the Association as a “labor of love”.
56. Marc Apter said most military reunions are every two years, alternately.
57. Steve Hunt reminded all of the words from his LPO, Foster Dunlop, years ago in San Diego at our very first reunion meeting regarding how often; “…have the reunions every year otherwise, members will lose interest and/or contact…”
58. Tom Adametz stated there will be a change in having the Shipmate Memorial Service this year: we will conduct it at the Saturday night banquet, immediately after the Opening, Flag Ceremony, and song.
59. Each year, we have some members who miss the Sunday morning Memorial Service due to their early departures from the reunion, so this way all members will have the opportunity to hear the names.
60. Steve Hunt asked Tom which names will be read.
61. Tom Adametz replied, “Only those we lost this past year…John Spivey and Billy Morrow”.
62. Tom Adametz stated a gentleman contacted Steve Hunt who said he was in possession of the Brooke’s Builder’s Plaque and said he would come to the reunion and allow the Association to either borrow it or purchase it from him.
63. Tom Adametz added that he does not know if the Builder’s Plaque is real, especially as the man never phoned back.
64. Steve Hunt suggested the man with the Builder’s Plaque should “discuss terms” with Buddy Harris.
65. Tom Adametz posts on Facebook, “Old Guy Thoughts”, his words of wisdom showing that he can grow old gracefully…or with grace.
Meeting Closed:
1. Buddy Harris made the motion to adjourn. 2nd by Larry Whittaker. Unanimous. Motion carried.
2. Closing was conducted in due fashion by Association President Tom Adametz at 10:00 AM.
Minutes by:
//s//
Anthony A. Precie