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Forums » List all forums » Forum: HACK! Official Meeting Minutes » Thread: OFFICIAL MINUTES FROM HACK MEETING - JANUARY 25, 2009 |
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houstonartcarklub
Veteran  Joined: Sep 20, 2006 Posts: 79 Status: Offline |
Thank you to all who attended, big turn out. My apologies for not getting these minutes out sooner, I've been a bit under-the-weather.  We talked about a number if things, but I had something important I needed to discuss, so I appreciate the large attendance. Big Star Bar is a great place for a meeting, and Ceder Creek is a cool place to hang out, especially if they get your order right. So, let's get to it: HACK AND THE COMMUNITY: I wanted to get feedback from everyone about promoting HACK in the community. We do a lot of events around town, we insert events in Houston's Art Car Weekend, and I wanted to get a feel for how everyone felt about how much acknowledgment we should get as a group. Not much as it seems. Flying under the radar is ok with the majority. We do what we do because we have fun doing it. It was decided that we would somehow like to see if we can get some publicity into the Orange Show's newspaper advertising about the Saturday Night Time Illuminated Cruise up and down Heights. I've tried like crazy, but no one seems to hear me or publish our Cruises. One year the Orange Show included our Cruise in their newspaper advertising and we had an audience, but not since then and in turn no audience. I'm hoping we can work something out.  This is the only event HACK produces during Houston's Art Car Weekend that we really feels strongly about publicizing. It was decided that if the general public found us at any of our other events, they basically belong there - except for our private annual NYE time together.  MY ROLL AS PRESIDENT OF THIS KLUB: On that same basic road, I needed to get a feel from members about how they felt about HACK, where HACK is in the community, why we do what we do, what are we trying to get out of HACK. You see, I do this for fun, but it's a lot of work for me.  I was planning on resigning as I thought that maybe I was the only one who felt this way.  But I'm not. Overwhelmingly you told me that HACK doesn't need to change. When I asked you if you were ok with being flexible and inserting events into Houston Art Car Weekend around the OS's events, you overwhelmingly said yes!  You want to continue doing this same thing, making the weekend one long party and contributing to its success. There are a LOT of different personalities, differing ideas and beliefs, and for many, the only thing any two of you may have in common is the fact that you've both made an art car (no small feat). I found out from you that nothing has changed since I joined this Klub or taken over as President. I have to know what you want as a GROUP in order to lead or represent you as a GROUP. I was stunned  at the people who, usually quiet, stood and spoke, questioning an undercurrent of bad feelings between the Klub and the Orange Show, about how art car wouldn't be what it is today without the Orange Show, how art cars certainly wouldn't exist as they do now in Houston without the Orange Show, how we have a symbiotic relationship, how working together benefits everyone - so much so that there was also a comment made to a question I had about raising the entry fee $5-10 and it was, "Hell, I'd be happy to pay 10 more dollars for this entire weekend of playing and I don't even have to go out of town!!" (I'll get to that later in these minutes) I was incredibly happy to hear that the art car community wants to participate with the Orange Show in making Houston's Art Car Weekend a success. I was happy to hear from YOU that we do this for fun, and like minded people find us and want to play and in turn we make new friends. I've never carried a meeting with this tone of talk, and it distressed me to do so.  Not everyone is in agreement, some don't like the way the Orange Show runs the Weekend, but this is a large group of people and not everyone will be happy with every single thing HACK or the Orange Show does or every event that might happen on Art Car Weekend, and to that I had to say, "then don't go - don't go to every event - if it doesn't fit your schedule or you don't like the venue, then don't do that particular event". So, I will work with the Orange Show and in turn tell you what they need, we vote, we create, we have fun. Works for me. It's pretty much the same as it has been for years, I just needed to make sure I was doing my "job" adequetely.  And you were all very kind that night - thank you for the words of praise and support.  Maybe at some point the Orange Show won't produce Houston's Art Car Parade, but while they are, right now, HACK will be backing them.  NON-PROFIT STATUS: I also discussed, at great length, with as much understanding as I have about it, HACK being "umbrella'd" under a non-profit vs becoming a non-profit. I discussed the cons of being a non-profit. A HACK member has been working on fitting us under an existing non-profit, making basically little or no work for us, and no change in the way HACK currently exists. It was decided that would be a great idea, that HACK doesn't want to be a non-profit, but benefiting under another non-profit could make us more known in the community, businesses would be more likely to look for us to attend their events, etc. As we exist now, we're just a club, a group of people who hang out and have fun together.  Amy Dinn graciously offered to sit in on discussions about HACK being umbrella'd as she has experience with this kind of thing, so thank you sooo much for this Amy! ST. JACK'S DAY: St. Jack's Day is our next HACK celebration. We will start at Jimmy's on White Oak near Studemont - you all know the place. We'll hang, then we'll have a processional from there and back to there, art cars and skaters. Then there'll be a little more hanging out, then the art cars can cruise into and around downtown for a second cruise with the skaters if they want or just hang out at Jimmy's. The "official" St. Jack art car/skater skate will be the first processional. When I get the times, I will forward them on to you. St. Jack is turning 60 this year, so it's going to be a big evening full of fun things! Remember, our color is BLUE and our symbol is the WHEEL. Saturday, February 14. SWAP MEET: Fred and Pam will be hosting a swap meet at their place. Debbie Elliot had the idea. Swap only, no money exchange. Bring all that artsy stuff in your closets, garages, guest rooms, etc, and swap for something you need! CHILI COOK OFF: Thank you so much Ken Crimmins for offering to make chili on behalf of HACK and entering the Odd Fellows Chili Cook-off next Saturday - it's on the calendar!  HACK will pay the $25 entry fee. BATON ROUGE MARDI GRAS: February 20 - info is on the calendar and you can contact Terry Brooks for more - tbrooks@pantechengr.com HACK CALENDAR: Check it often for updates, add your events so everyone knows where they're supposed to be and what they're supposed to be doing!  FACEBOOK: I can't believe it, but I'm encouraging you to join Facebook. There are a LOT of people you know on there!  ENGAGEMENT: Noah Edmonson and Mary Forbes are engaged. Yes, I've sent this out before, but I announced it in the meeting so I have to include it here. Congratulations again! Mid March wedding with the Honorable  Tom Massimin presiding. PORTACANS: Haven't been very impressed with the last 2 dealings I've had with our portacan people.  They went from a local to a national company and I can really tell. Especially when I had to chase them down at 3pm on NYE to get our portacans for our party that night at Kennywood. That was not good. Again, thank you so much Ken for the use of the space - we love Kennywood! HOUSTON'S 21ST ANNUAL ART CAR WEEKEND: PARADE ENTRY FEE: I was asked by a board member to check with HACK to see how you would feel if the Parade entry fee was raised $10 to $30 per entry. Overwhelmingly you said you didn't care. 2 people were against it - 1 said they had a lot of issue with how money was spent on/for this weekend. Another person asked why and I said it was to help defray costs of putting on the Weekend. While I did not mention any of the Orange Show's budget, it was pointed out to me by another person that in other parades, vehicles can roll for as little as $100 per entry. I've heard these comments before. I have no reply and am actually ambivalent about it.  I don't work for the Orange Show and have never dealt with their budget since 1991 and being part of this Parade in one way or another. I have my hands full putting on events within HACK. Before that I had my hands full with being Parade Chair, before that as Entry Recruitment Chair, before that as a member of Entry Recruitment - yes, we actaully needed a committee to find unusual car across the USA! If you feel strongly about the Orange Show's Parade Weekend budget, or you feel you have something to contribute to the Orange Show regarding its cost to produce the Weekend, I encourage you to talk to the Orange Show. Not being rude here,  just saying that commenting to me won't do any good and your ideas will pretty much die with me.... which would suck if they are good ideas and could actually help the Orange Show. They are interviewing a candidate for Director, that seat is still vacant. WEEKEND BRUNCH: The Brunch will always be in honor of Tom Jones, whether the Orange Show or HACK produces it. Johnny Rojas is the chef no matter who foots the bill, and it looks like it will be an Orange Show event this year. HACK EVENTS FOR ACW 2009: We will solidify what events HACK will put on and how we'll do it at our next meeting. OUR NEXT HACK MEETING - SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND. Yes, I'm sorry that those doing Baton Rouge Mardi Gras will miss this meeting - or not, you could roll right on in - 5pm, BIG STAR BAR. Thank you so much for attending. Remember, when you attend meetings you get to vote on super fun things!  Nicole ---------------------------------------- -- Posted by, or on behalf of, Nicole Strine. President, Houston Art Car Klub ---------------------------------------- [Edit 1 times, last edit by artcar at Jan 31, 2009, 10:00:57 PM] |
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