July 23, 2005, 1:25 pm
Antone's Famous Po-Boys, Houston, Texas

• The next set of officers will be officially elected in September
  • Carl is interested in being Secretary (putting together agendas and minutes)
• Possible newsletter editors: current AIAA newsletter person or a co-op or two
  • The newsletter could be changed into an AIAA column rather than a standalone newsletter for wider distribution
  • The AIAA newsletter is distributed monthly
  • Making a Mars Society column in the AIAA newsletter would require an AIAA member vote
• Marianne is willing to continue as Treasurer
  • The new President will need to be added to the bank account signature card
• The person who helped the Houston Ballet with its 501(c)3 filing will help Bebe with ours
  • The paperwork is expected to be finished within 3 to 4 months
• Steve previously expressed interest in being VP
  • Webb Byford is also a possibility, but he is not formally a candidate yet
• Nominations should run through August (and open now); write-ins are acceptable
  • Has been announced in newsletter
• Nominations are now open
  • Carl nominates Bebe for President; Amiee seconds
  • Bebe has a possible President in mind, but needs to discuss it further
  • Bebe nominates Steve for VP, Carl seconds
• Checking account has a balance of $42
• The chapter will get a smaller P.O. box and write in the new number on the current checks
  • Rent for the box will be $34 for six months instead of $63 for six months
• Bebe nominates Carl for Secretary; Marianne seconds
• Marianne nominates herself for Treasurer; Bebe seconds
• The Toronto Mars Society has a couple of medium Mars Society t-shirts, but they don't want to print more
  • They ordered them from Harry @ Customwear Screenprinting Inc
  • Toronto told us to work directly with the printer and order what we wanted
• Carl is willing to lend a couple hundred dollars to have shirts printed
• Marianne needs to talk with the space store-possibilities are to sell them on consignment or to have the store produce them and give us a percentage of sales
• Bebe has all the display boards and handouts from Patt and Tam
• Congress voted 350 to 15 for funding for space
• Wisconsin Public Radio emailed Bebe as PR Director asking for an interview with Carl as MSOH Pres. The request is probably in response to Carl's editorial in USA Today
• What to do next year?
  • Keep up the image we've created with our banquet and popcorn series
  • Be an advocacy group for the right way to get to Mars (the general plan rather than engineering specifics)
    • Explains why we need the Mars Society if we already have the space Vision
  • We need to sell the "why" for going, not the "how"
• Space is our future resource (in a positive sense)
  • Point out how Apollo inspired a generation
  • Seek our own budget, not other people's
• Education and awareness, always positively
  • Sustain the Mars image
• Steve Clifford will present a lecture for the popcorn series in October
• The goal is a monthly popcorn series lecture during the school year, a banquet, and a holiday party
  • Lectures in Oct, Nov, Jan, Mar, Apr, May
  • Banquet in Feb
  • Holiday party in Dec
• Possible new event: Martian Rendezvous similar to Lunar Rendezvous, maybe during other half of year
• Have a party every 26 months for each Mars window
• Borrow a Mars float and get in some Houston parades
• Continue having a banquet with a dinner and speakers, but have the program be free
  • Could return to Bay Oaks Country Club and charge extra to sponsor head tables (no room fee at Bay Oaks thanks to the Boeing people)
  • Space Center Houston is too expensive
• Bebe will talk with Patricia Reiff about having lectures at Rice. Those are restricted to 4pm
• Tom Hanks' Moon IMAX will be at HMNS; could put up booths for the big opening
• Marianne is willing to talk with potential sponsors, but she needs a specific goal for funding
• Long-term goals: get a NASA grant
  • Applications are usually due in July; try for next year
  • Marianne could run the grant starting in January
• Carl will take over the minutes once this is submitted

• October meeting minutes approved
• Put out a call for officer nominations in next newsletter
• Carl will get a slate of officers to Tam
  • May include Richard Rodriguez
• Bebe knows a paralegal who can look over the 501(c)3 paperwork
• If someone will deal with the 501(c)3 paperwork, Carl will put in $100 towards the application fee
• The P.O. box needs to be paid for in July or August ($60)
  • A smaller box could be cheaper
  • Marianne will check prices on smaller P.O. boxes
• Patt & Tam will be moving at the end of June
• Carl is interested in being VP next year
• Chapter dues of $0.50 per month or $6 per year recommended
• Membership renewal will take place in the fall
• Dues will be collected at election time (the bylaws state when elections should be held)
• Have everyone pay at the fall event
• Marianne motions to vote on dues
  • Passed unanimously
• If Bebe can't find someone to take over the newsletter, Marianne may be able to find a young writer to do it
• Webb Byford might be interested in being President
  • Alternately, could recruit him for Treasurer
• Stacy renewed the domain name for another year ($10)
• Possibly add a redirect page from the national Mars Society web page
• The NAL is having a reception for new Administrator Griffin between the May and June launch windows-could we co-sponsor?
• Bebe will tell Marianne how to set up the Mollyguard/PayPal account
• Bebe needs to find out how to send PayPal monies directly to the MSOH account
• Carl will ask Patt what display materials she will be taking with her
  • If Patt will be taking most or all of the materials, someone needs electronic graphics to create another display
• Let people pre-order shirts on the web in advance, then have them made
  • Have shirts on consignment at Rocket Town
• Bebe would need funding to have MSOH shirts made, but the 501(c)3 must be filed before we look for donations
• Carl will get info on buying shirts in bulk to Marianne
• Steve will look into embroidery for golf shirts
• Stacy will send his design for a shirt to Steve
• Marianne is willing to set up the shirt consignment if she gets the vendor info
• Steve will send out an email looking for officers