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VALLEY FORGE MOUNTAIN ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING • JANUARY 31, 2024

VALLEY FORGE FIRE COMPANY • 7 PM

 

  1. Welcome & Opening Remarks - Dave Blazek

 

  1. Introduction of Board Members - Dave Blazek

    1. John Calloway

    2. Blair Pink

    3. Melissa Cross

    4. Sham Billah

    5. Randy Gurak

    6. JR Abbott

    7. Marcie Langerhans

 

  1. Summary of 2023 Highlights & Achievements - Dave Blazek

    1. 2023 accomplishments

• Completion of Pavilion project / Bricks Project Update

• Electrification of Pavilion

• Establishment of Pavilion Policies & Reservation system

• Plans for continuing Pavilion needs … cutting down and capping of drains … continued annual filing of water mitigation plans

• Rapid Replacement of Playground in conjunction with    Committee

• Received tax reduction

• Re-examination of VFMA insurance policies

• Re-examination of park maintenance costs

• Successfully moved to posting meeting agendas and meeting minutes on website

• Successful Dinner Dance with more attendance than previous year. Worked to find new venue for this year.

• Successful summer membership drive

• Continued buildout of the website with virtually all memberships moved to online payment method

• Extensive cleanup of Sun Bowl complete with:  cabling of trees to protect Pavilion, Construction of Firewood Rack + Splitting of Wood, fence repair, grass seed and a retaining of all the picnic tables

• Added a Community Bulletin Board to kiosk

• Mike Reynolds and Field of Dreams improvements

• Successful Easter Egg hunt

• Worked with neighbors to stage Hootenanny & Cornhole for a Cause Events. Worked with Scouts for Playground Bench Rebuild. Worked with local dance studio to allow dance revue

• Several rounds of visits to new neighbors. 

• Successful New Neighbors party and Melissa Cross’s home

• Successful Oktoberfest that broke even

• Food Drive for Phoenixville PACS Food Bank … 43 households participated … 1200 pounds of food and supplies were delivered … PACS says we provided for 371 families over the holidays

• Ladies Wine & Cheese

• Successful auditing of VFMA books and accounts

• Securing of VFMA documents and keepsakes

• Recruitment of new Board members

 

    1. 2023 misses

• Unable to have 4th of July Picnic in 2023

• Unable to have Santa visits in 2023

• Still trying to complete accurate VFMA database

                  • Still trying to create new and accurate online and print directories

                  • Postponed Playground Repaving

 

  1. Financial Review & Highlights - JR Abbottt (see attached)

 

  1. Playground Committee Update - Marla Stevens

    1. Found unsafe - fall 2022

    2. Deconstructed unsafe are - March, 2023

    3. Committee formed

    4. The check writing campaign raised almost $40,000

    5. Swingset installed - April, 2023

    6. Completion - June, 2023

    7. Blacktop and BB court repairs still needed.

 

  1. Proposed ByLaws Changes and Q&A - John Callaway

    • An effort to modernize the bylaws originally drafted in the 1960’s. (i.e. Board operation and inclusivity, protection of Sunbowl, maintain 501 c4 status.)

 

  1. Vote on Bylaws Changes - unanimous vote to update bylaws

 

H.  Community Partners presentation

    • Valley Forge Park Alliance - Amy Johnson

    • Schuylkill River Heritage Center - Barb Cohen

 

I.  Open Q&A on All Matters

    1. Dinner Dance

          • Garden Party Theme

          • April 6, 2024

          • Rivercrest CC

          • Buffet

          • A little more expensive than previous years

     2.   Open mike night 3/8/24

     3.   Hootenanny 5/4/24

 

J.  Thank you to departing members - Dave Blazek

    1. Randy Gurak

    2. John Calloway

    3. JR Abbott

    4. Dave Blazek

 

K.  Introduction of New Board Members - Dave Blazek

    1. CLaudia Tramell

    2. Tracy Severn

    3. Rami Dirani

    4. Kat McCarthy

    5. Syntel Noviello

 

l.  Vote on New Members. All new members approved.

 

J.  Closing Remarks

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