Here’s a quick update/recap, for the 2018-2019 elected and appointed officers. Officers were elected by acclamation at the regular board meeting in June and took office last week.

In the meeting, since we’re a volunteer organization of weather enthusiasts and hobbyists (some with full-time jobs), I recommended the idea to the elected and appointed officers, that they consider choosing assistant(s) who can represent or assist them in the case that they need support/can’t make it to an event or meeting. This way, each of us has a backup plan (much like VP is the President’s backup plan for running the monthly meeting).

Looking forward to a productive, safe new year, with ambitious goals! (More about that in our upcoming August meeting.)

Elected Officers:

• Secretary
  Justin Glass, N0ZO
• Treasurer/Membership
  Bill Rodgers, K4FSO
• NWS Liaison, Operations Officer (Appointed)
  Russell Thomas, KV4S
• Vice President
  Johnnie Knobloch, KJ4OPX
• President
  Casey Benefield, NZ2O

Appointed Officers:

• Public Information
  Bill Rodgers, K4FSO
• Operations
  Russell Thomas, KV4S
• Training
  Michael Lamb, KK4OHW

Board of Directors:

• President
  Casey Benefield
• Immediate Past President
  Dale Chambers 
• One Year Term Member
  Johnnie Knobloch
• Two Year Term Member
  Mark Wells

Good afternoon everyone!
The election of officers for ALERT happened at our Tuesday, June 12, 2018 meeting. This was from the election being tabled, by motion of the members, at the May 8th meeting.

THANK YOU, to all of the officers and board members for your service to ALERT, NWS, other hams, and our communities in the past year.

The results are as follows, by vote of acclamation (only nominations made/no challengers voiced at the meetings).
These officers take their official position in July, per the bylaws:
NZ2O: Also included, is a quick description the roles of each officer according to bylaws. I’d say we have been in pretty good shape from last year!
We have a few things to do, to get the year underway.

• Secretary
  Justin Glass, N0ZO
  Roles in Bylaws:
  Maintains the official minutes of meetings of ALERT.
  Maintains copies of bylaws and keeps a record of all changes to the bylaws.
  In the event of the President and VP becoming unable to fulfill the office of President, the Secretary would hold the office for the remainder of the term or until a special election can be held to fill the vacancy.
• Treasurer/Membership
  Bill Rodgers, K4FSO
  Roles in Bylaws:
  Receives all monies, and maintains accurate record of all receipts and expenditures.
  Reports activities and treasury status at each monthly meeting, including regular/emergency expenditures.
  Maintains member roster and collects dues, notifies members of dues becoming due.
• NWS Liaison
  Russell Thomas, KV4S
  Roles in Bylaws:
  Serve as the official contact person between ALERT and the NWS for issues/changes in radio operations that need to be addressed by ALERT/NWS.
  Keeps and updates the official callout lists and schedule.
  Upon NWS request, issues call-outs to the NWS, coordinates the response/shifts.
  If needed, contact responders and remind them of scheduling.
  Provides NWS with a ‘callout tree’ of personnel who may initiate callouts, in the even the liaison officer is unavailable.
• Vice President
  Johnnie Knobloch, KJ4OPX
  Roles in Bylaws:
  Assists president in duties.
  In event that the President is unable to perform duties of office, the VP steps in to perform the duties in absence, and if necessary becomes President and holds office for the remainder of the term.
• President
  Casey Benefield, NZ2O
  Roles in Bylaws:
  Appoints the nominating committee of 2 members in March for next election.
  Presides/conducts all meetings.
  Votes only in case of tie at regular meetings.
  Secures meeting space for meetings.
  Appoints committees for specific tasks, be a member of committees.
  Appoints non-elected officers

Next steps:

• President names appointed officer positions (coming soon):
  • Operations (Off-site events)
    Roles: Resolves any communications problems outside the NWS (repeater, link trouble). 
    This officer has charge over ALERT-owned computer and communication equipment, with leeway to modify, repair, augment or enhance ALERT’s capabilities as he sees fit.
    The Operations and NWS Liaison Officers shall work to keep the training officer informed of any new procedures and equipment, to keep members updated.
  • Public Information (Social Media Engagement)
    Roles: Be a liaison between ALERT and news organizations.
    Currently, this includes web/social media engagements, as our involvement with the news is somewhat limited.
  • Training
    Roles: Maintain and update the procedures manual for operations at the National Weather Service.
    Provide workshops at the NWS to all Operational Members of ALERT, intended to provide hands-on training in the operations of the K4NWS station Amateur Radio and computer equipment.
    As new equipment and technology is adopted, the training officer shall provide update briefings or trainings to members to keep them aware of the changes.
• President names new board of directors (coming soon):
  Casey Benefield (President)
  Dale Chambers (Immediate Past President)
  A two year member.
  A one year member.
  The board of directors reviews challenges to membership approval, member standing, discipline, constitutional amendments submitted to the board (to present to membership), hardship review for dues,  and conducts any other ALERT business not delegated otherwise in the bylaws.
  Meetings are held every June, September, December, March, or any time the President calls a special session.
  *Board meetings, except for executive session, are open to ALERT’s voting membership.
• There has been no motion to update ALERT’s formal written budget at this time.
  If such a motion is made by a member of ALERT, the budget is to be reviewed by old and new officers of ALERT along with expenditures from previous year, agree on a new budget, and vote in August.
• The board of directors appoints or continues the trustee of the K4NWS callsign.

It’s an honor to work with you all, and an even higher honor to continue that work.

73,
Casey Benefield, NZ2O