[K3pzn-board] MCC Project - the Future

Thu Feb 3 15:42:20 EST 2005

Fellow BoD Members

It is with a heavy heart and with great reluctance that I have to agree for
the most part with Keith.

 Without external support,  the MCC in the form of a van with $1000 +
insurance bills  and still requiring repair and other  maintenance, it will
be impossible to maintain.

We should wait a little longer  before making any final decisions as
proposals are on the table in several areas. Even though the county has
given the firefighters and sheriff something I believe on the order of
$650,000,  I read that approx $75,000 is still in the coffers and must be
spent in the next several months as it is last years money. Please don't
quote me on the $$$ exactly, but I believe those are ballpark.

Instead of just the inquiries that we were to make to  the County,
Bartlett's office and MEMA, we should put it strongly on the line:  The
CCARC is about to abandon the MCC  Van project for a lack of funding
support; we cannot go it alone. are you going to  support our effort? How?
When? What guarantees? If not, we will have to abandon our efforts".  Our
position, we get a commitment in 30 days or no MCC. I would be willing to go
with Chuck to meet these folks so as to add numbers, balance and maybe
different perspectives (good cop; bad cop).

In the meantime,  we should not drop the MCC, but start re-planning the
project ever so to use an old trailer/mobile home as its base. Personally I
feel this has a number of advantages as we would only need to insure the
trailer and contents for fire and theft.  It will automatically be covered
by the towing vehicle. There is an abundance of tow vehicles available. In
time of a disaster or call up, we should have a number of our own folks with
towing capability (almost all trucks and SUVs come with hitches and wiring
built in these days) who would be willing.   I'm sure we could find CC
Citizens or County vehicles to  tow it if a disaster required us to set it
up. There could be an agreement set up with Club members, the County (Roads
and other depts. with trucks etc.), fire departments, local towing companies
etc.

A mobile home would offer more room, could be paneled, partitioned and sound
proofed easily. License is cheap  $13.50 /year. No inspection as long as it
has the manufactures tag indicating certification (I believe ... ). No gas,
oil, engine repairs etc. Maintenance/rebuilding/wiring etc. is easy enough
that even I can do it. It don't have to be started every couple of weeks and
shouldn't require any credit card for its operation etc. It could be used at
FD or setup at various events to show off the CCARC and promote Ham radio.
The paint job doesn't have to be as good as a car and can be painted
probably with any paint that would work on aluminum and was compatible with
the original. I could spray that  (with maybe a few runs) and I'm there are
much better painters in the club than I am.  The mobile home could easily be
modified to put if necessary heating and air conditioning (maybe we would
find one with those things installed).  Windows and other equipment bays and
portals could be added.

As far as ongoing cyclic maintenance goes, it would be equipped with a
generator that should be run occasionally. Some logic could be added to run
the generator to exercise it and charge the onboard  batteries as required.
A number of  relatively simple and inexpensive methods to do this come to
mind. Other than that, exercise of the equipment periodically and being
physically checked for vandalism or weather damage is required.

I saw a mobile home in the paper several weeks ago. It was around 25 feet,
about 25 years old and was being sold for $3,500.  As long as it is sound,
that is all we need.  We should all be looking at the ads for good buys.

A better way to go might be to go and contact various mobile home dealers
and camping centers in the area and ask for a donation or reduced price on a
fixer-upper. Also, we could place an ad in the papers asking for a tax free
donation of an old mobile home that is basically sound and can be fixed up.
The exterior condition and structure (frame) probably the most important,
while exterior paint, minor leaks, and any inside condition being considered
as lesser problems.

I might be wrong again, but it may be easier to get a donation of goods vs.
money.

I would be willing to continue to work with the MCC Committee and follow
this direction,  which is one that I personally backed at the beginning of
this adventure. I think Keith, myself and Ambassador Chuck could set up
meetings with a couple  local dealers etc. and see what we could come up
with.

So as not to be an exercise in futility and a waste of our precious time, we
should first  finish exploring our current options and if they do not work
out in a set firm,  time frame, a decision to sell the van and pursue the
mobile home should be made..

I firmly believe in the need for the MCC project no matter what the
platform. What are your thoughts?

Have a nice day    .... I didn't know it was supposed to snow!!!!

Frank
K3MTT at verizon.net

-----Original Message-----
From: k3pzn-board-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:k3pzn-board-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Keith Krichinsky
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 8:41 AM
To: Board of Directors of the CCARC
Subject: [K3pzn-board] MCC Project - the Future

Gentlemen:

Unfortunately due to a work commitment with the State of the State
last week, I was unable to attend the January BoD meeting.  If the
minutes are correct as posted, I'd like to propose the following:

First, it is painfully obvious to me (Mr. Enthusiasm) that the good
folks at the County have absolutely no desire to utilize or support
our MCC.  This is probably due to the fact that the unit is 18 years
old.

Secondly, our club has had no support from the community for the
vehicle.  The only support has been generated by club members
themselves through out of pocket cash and personal time donations .

Third, the CCARC does not have the means, nor should it be expected,
to support the full costs associated with operating and maintaining
such a expensive endeavor.

Finally, the club itself does not truely support the idea as evidenced
by the pittiful turnout at work seesions and ARES/RACES training
classes.  Even our ARES EC has shown no interest in the MCC vehicle.
Hell, will there even be a club to support this?

Although we have come a long way, this obviously is NOT the path we,
as a club, should be persuing.  It is time to cut our losses,
reallocate funds, dispose of the vehicle and move on.

While it is true that this vehicle has opened up more that it's share
of "dialogs" and has afforded me a great deal of knowledge and insight
into the workings of the club and it's membership, I am smart enough
to see where this is ultimately headed.

Sure, I'm disapointed.  We gave it a good shot. But, I don't want this
to be an Albatross around the neck of the club sucking up sizeable
chunks of our budget.

--
Keith Krichinsky - W3MDC

"No genetically modified electrons were used in the
 preparation of this e-mail."
-----------------------------------------------------BREAK------------------
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Next Board Meeting Wednesday, February 23, 7:30 PM at the FTC.
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