Sparks Bulletin Board

January 1, 2024

January 2024 Newsletter!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. In the new year comes great hope to build our club stronger and better than ever. A little over a week ago with about 20 plus members were in various stages of flying and noticed four or five small groups together. More importantly I noticed the outright laughter at each of these gatherings, including ours. My greatest pleasure is seeing a group of good friends enjoying their day having fun………enjoying life. Many thanks to everyone for the friendliness we all enjoy, what a platform to start a new year. THANKS.

Before going any further let’s recognize our new addition to the Board of Directors…..

Ed Ronshausen.

For the 3rd year we have all Officers and Board Members positions filled. Thanks to everyone for stepping up to make ours the best flying club.

So, on a note of carrying happiness into the new I wanted to briefly outline the new year. The club’s Officers and Board Members will be meeting within the first few weeks of January to outline fly-ins for 2024. The first tentative plane will be a SWAP-MEET the 27th (the last Sat. in January). More details and the firm date will be announced soon. For example, if possible, we want all to attend the Fri/Sat Mar 29-30, 2024 Tampa Bay AirFest – FREE EVENT. https://www.tampabayairfest.com/Two years ago we had 10 tables and over 30 static planes…….a well planned event that netted the club many new members. Many thanks to Mike V. Additionally, our 3-d event will probably happen in February, stay tuned.

A “Swap Meet” would clearly give everyone to make room in their hangers for our new Christmas toys.

As stated more details to come out via newsletter and on the bulletin board of the website.

Paul

President – Paul Jones P. Pres. -- Tom Simpson

Treasurer – Terry Smith (welcome) Secretary – Jimmy Kline

Safety Officer Jimmy Jewsald

Board - Ed Ronshausen (welcome) Board - Ken Elder

Board - Jerry Thorton Board - Luis Espinosa

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This is an early October 2023 Newsletter....

Sparksrc Club

September 6, 2023 NO CLUB MEETINGS IN September 2023!

OCTOBER 2023 NEWSLETTER:

Club meeting October 7th, at 10 am sharp! AT: Sparks field.

The October newsletter is weeks early to let all members know we’re having a meeting at the field at 10am Saturday Oct. 7th 2023. This meeting will kick off our annual election process of electing our 2024 Club Officers. This “General Membership Meeting” will be at Sparks. The field will be closed to all flying during this meeting. Flying before and after the meeting is ok. After the meeting there will be snacks available. This meeting will be 100% agenda driven, meaning it will be on point and time managed.

Let’s stay on topic.

This meeting is the most important membership meeting of the year so please attend and be part of the important election process of electing next year’s Sparks Officers and Board of Directors. Here is that process.

1. Brief overview: Oct. 7th, elect a “ Nominations Committee '' (generally it’s been someone that has been a member for a few years). This committee gathers all members' names willing to serve on the board for 2024, their names will be presented to our membership meeting November 4thth. We will put the nominated members on a ballot. These ballots and a locked “Absentee Box” will be available at the club house office for your voting from November 4th till December 2nd.

Please advise the Committee if you are interested in serving.

2. At the November 4th meeting, the nomination committee will announce all the nominees’ names. The floor will recognize any additional nominees to be added. The nominees list will then be closed (locked in) and voted on as the final "2024 “Nominees List". We will create voting ballots for the nominees... STARTING November 4th and ending at our membership meeting Dec 2nd, ballot voting will occur for all members to vote.

3. The “Absentee Box” is located at the clubhouse. Members can vote until the Dec. meeting, where a cut off will be announced, ballots counted. The 2024 NEWLY ELECTED will be announced.

Summary….of the process is:

· October, collect nominee’s names for the ballot.

· November, voting of nominees.

· December, at the meeting announce, our 2024 Officers and Board Members.

As your current Officers we are proud to have served in 2023 and want to thank everyone for your confidence in electing us for 2023.

Additionally, we have heard from Mike Merrel (Pinellas County). He has scheduled the entry road from the gate to our club to be repaved September 19th and 20th The field will be closed on these dates. Further announcements coming.

2023 Officers and Board Members.

President – Paul Jones VP. Pres. -- Tom Simpson

Treasurer – Terry Smith (Temp.) Secretary – Jim Kline

Board - Randy Bosang Board - Ken Elder

Board - Jerry Thornton Board - Luis Espinosa

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June/July Newsletter

Bob Shadroui, our treasurer since 2010 will be missed. We also lost another member Tony Gelfo. Sparks members offer our condolences to both families for their loss, these members will be greatly missed. This again reminds us to be kind and thoughtful toward others as we are all on bonus years.

In transparency to everyone, Bob had a will that specified what his family was to do with his 7 planes so this dictates what happens to his flying gear; unlike most situations we did not have much leeway in what to do. More to be announced regarding his planes in the near future.

With the help of Sparks officers, all things Sparks related that Bob did for the club as treasurer is 100% being handled. Sparks funds are secure with access only by two or more officer’s and with all officers of our club in agreement. In addition, all our vendors are up to date and being transferred to checking auto pay. A field maintenance person has been appointed since Bob also handled that.

Now to business at hand. The board is actively interviewing a member that’s qualified to be our treasurer. Once found that person will be offered to the membership as a bonded officer that can be voted into this position. If you are interested, please contact Paul Jones for setting up an interview with the other officers. Accounting and having Excel knowledge is much preferred for this position. Just make sure you have the time and desire to fill this position.

Looking into July……it’s hot. Please stay hydrated even if you don’t think you need a drink of water, we don’t need anyone to have a heat stroke. Most of this month will be searching for a new treasurer.

The board is working on putting together a general meeting to be primarily used to answer any questions you may have. A tentative date is set for three weeks, Wednesday August 2 at 7, more on this meeting as we secure the meeting room and location…..just too hot to meet at the field.

Bob’s remaining planes will be discussed in detail in another email.

Paul and Tom

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Post fly-in remarks

Sparks 1st annual 3D FLY-IN

A truly great flying event. If you missed the fly-in on the 24 of June you missed an awesome exhibition of a big plane event. Approximately 100 people enjoyed the day. Tom as usual did a super job planning any executing our cookout. Randy Gruber’s spouse brought two dishes which was enjoyed by all.

Sparks donations including landing fees, 50/50 and food, and plane raffles created $1,176.08 in deposits for the club.

This hosted first 3D fun-fly event had such a strong attendance we are planning a 2nd annual event at a time when it’s not so hot. Luis Espinosa secured an Extreme Flight Gamebird and a Flex VTOL which were auctioned off for $10 a ticket. Many thanks to Luis, James K., Tom, Mike Valletti and all the members that worked on putting this very successful event together. Can’t wait for the next one!

Mike and Paul

Directions

Minutes Sparks Officer’s meeting.

Attendance: Paul Jones, Tom Simpson, Bob Shadroui, Jim Kline, Jerry Thornton, Randy Bosang and Jimmy Jeswald. Attendance representing a quorum making the meeting official.

Financial Report from Treasurer.

· Meeting comes to order at 11:10am.

· Treasurer’s reports Club’s financial report. April’s starting checking account starts with

· Treasurer to review any possible benefits that come from savings being put in a CD instead of the current money market. Treasurer to report to board findings.

Discussion about club events this year.

· May 20th “Warbirds over Sparks” (any military planes). Warbirds registration table set up by Paul to collect a $5 landing fee from all Pilots flying in the Warbirds events. All Pilot’s to present proof of current ama membership. at registration. Each active pilot then will receive a chest badge with the name showing they have registered. Pilots, prior to flight, will announce their intentions to fly to our event director, Mike Valetti. Warbirds shirts and hats will be available to all for $20 each. Paul has notified all existing clubs of the met.

Only Warbirds to fly prior to lunch at 11am. At 11am and beyond, all planes may be flown. Randy will collect $5 for each meal at the plate end of the serving tables. Lunch will be hotdogs or hamburgers, chips and water. Bill Drummond will be our grill master, he will bring a spare bottle of gas and lettuce, tomatoes and onions, prepared by his wife Ann. Cookies to be furnished by Paul’s wife Reane. Sparks usual 50/50 drawing (winner announced during lunch) will take place throughout the morning for $1 per ticket.

Next event to be a 3D event.......Saturday June 24

Entry road repairs and gate lock discussions.

· Paul met with Michael (Mike) Merrell and Charles Managers of the Pinellas County Waste Division. In the meeting we discussed possible road repairs for the road to our club. Mike announced they would access the road for material needs and start the pavement procedure this week, the road is the county's responsibility. They also stated they knew it was in need of repair.

· Next, we agreed to a common gate locking procedure. To color code both locks and chain ends, white for Sparks and black for the County. If for any reason their lock is left unlocked, we would be doing them a favor if we locked their black lock, that it’s supposed to be locked at all times. If we don’t hear from them within two weeks Paul will contact them again as a reminder to let them know when they're going to be working on the road so we can close the flying field to our members, while they work.

Runway coating discussions.

· Many paving companies were contacted by Paul & Bob to recoat the runway. All verbal and one written quote were too expensive at this time. The stated reason was the pavers were too busy now with county area work and to check back this fall when their season might be able to give better pricing. We agreed to postpone this project till the Fall.

F.R.I.A. and letter of agreement with FAA (at PIE) and Sparks.

· Most know by now that the FAA is requiring Sparks to (in great detail) identify our designated flying area used to fly and summit them and get their approval by September 2023. Mike Valetti (having volunteered) is doing an amazing job in preparing the needed information to submit this application. Paul has met with the head of FAA and the St. Pete airport Tower Manager, Anibal Velazquez. The agreement letter was presented for their review and signature which Mr. Velazquez said he saw no problems with the agreement and their relations with Sparks has always been very good. Paul will follow up with the signed copy and provide to Mike.

Additionally, the following was discussed.

· A Sparks general membership meeting was agreed to take place at the field 10am on Saturday June 3rd.

· It was further agreed that Bob has volunteered to work with Tom to do all event food purchases.

· Agreed that our next club cookout event would be October the 14th. (Called Oktoberfest)

· Also, there would be two events per year the lunch will be free to members and their families. Oktoberfest being one of those two free lunch events.

Three New Rules.

There have been situations where a maiden flight has almost hit another pilot already in the air. This is a huge safety issue that can’t be overlooked.

1. All maiden flights of new or repaired aircraft must be first flown with no other aircraft in the air. It is up to the Pilot that is flying a maiden flight of any aircraft to make sure all other pilots are aware and that no other aircraft are flying until the plane is launched and trimmed at which time all other flights may resume.

2. All 3d aircraft must do all the 3d maneuvers over the grass area, not over the runway.

3. There will be no high-energy maneuvers of all aircraft that are aimed at the pit area.

Review of Sparks T-Shirts cost vs selling price. Agreed to sell the shirt or hats for $20 each.

It was also agreed to have a June 24 3D event headed up by Lois, Jim Kline and that Tom will be in charge of the event per our Bi-Laws.

All voting issues were affirmative by all.

MEETING ADJ0URDED AT 11:40AM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jim Kline, Secretary 05/08/2023

Paul