Meeting #1 - September 19, 1998

Saturday, September 19, 1998
Chang's Mongolian Grill
Seattle, Washington

Founding Members Present:
Matthew Brown Jim Burk Benjamin Dietrich Dustin Green Thom Johnson Jeff Kemper	Darren T Marchant Randy Rumley Curtis Snow David Stuart Virgil M Tye Chris Vancil

The meeting started promptly (ya sure) at 1:00 at Chang's Mongolian Grill.

After much individual discussion, Jim Burk's agenda paper was handed out and item #1, who to be secretary/note taker was discussed (as well as other officers). For this meeting I was chosen (since I do this for another group locally).

It took awhile to get anyone to be nominated for any offices.

Eventually, Thom Johnson was self nominated for Vice President.

Initial description of job of President and vice president: must get to work organizing the chapter, ie. meeting places, dialog with national org., passing on important info, and delegating tasks to members.

Darren Marchant self nominated for President. Problem, needs permanent phone #, address, e-mail.

It was discussed and decided that the people who take current offices will be interim officers. It will be decided later (hopefully by these officers) when actual elections will happen.

Thom Johnson left at 2:30 for another meeting.

Chris Vancil self nominated for treasurer.
David Stuart self nominated for treasurer.

They discussed it and decided David Stuart would be the money man. He already does this for the NSS Seattle chapter, so will not have great difficulty organizing it.

Darren Marchant (interim Pres.) passed out a tape of the "Beardstown ladies" on how to make some money for the chapter/organization. Check it out at local library.

Dustin Green self nominated as Secretary, says he takes excellent notes. (he's got my vote!)

Question asked: Are we non-profit? If so through national, or local? Answer, yes, through national organization.

Darren Marchant left at 2:45 for other activities

Discussion on Science teachers convention:
Jim Burk has been working with national to set this up.

Booth space costs $1100 normally, as non-profit/club, price cut approx. in half $593. Robert Zubrin / National organization willing to put this money up. (Zubrin will reimburse us but we still have to pay for it initially - Ed.)
Dates of convention: October 29, 30, 31, Thursday through Saturday

Location: Washington State Convention Center, Seattle

Need people to man booth at all times it is open. Check your schedules!
(Thursday: 11-5 P.M.; Friday 9-5 P.M.; and Saturday 9-5 P.M. - Ed.)
People in booth need to read up and have answers for questions asked by science teachers (we do not want to look like a bunch of backwoods bumpkins without a clue).
6 people are included in the price. others cost additional $. Need to know when we need to have booth and list registered. (No deadline - Ed.)

Materials needed: Books, Brochures (from national? under construction), posters.

We need books in bulk. We can aquire them at a discount from publishers. These books would be Zubrins The Case for Mars, and the coffee table book, Uncovering the Secrets of the Red Planet, and other books that are available. (Info on book orders below - Ed.)

We need to discuss this via e-mail to firm up attendence, book buying, what can be brought that teachers could use as teaching materials.

Any ideas on doing shirts with logo or picture of mars, etc. are welcome.

Last item discussed: Next meeting. As of now, the next meeting will be in the same place and time on the third saturday of October. However, to get the convention organized, it may be necessary to have another meeting (or two) before that.

Notes taken this time by Randy J. Rumley

Date:       Sat, 19 Sep 1998 19:49:04 -0700 (PDT)
From:       Jim Burk 
To:         Mars Society Puget Sound
Subject:    Mars Books for Convention

Here's some info from the Mars Society Website on the books we can get
discounts on:

Simon and Schuster has agreed to make copies of "The Case for Mars" by
Zubrin and Wagner available to Mars Society chapters at 50% off the
retail price of $13 if ordered in lots of 25 or more. Chapters can
keep the profit from book sales to help fund local activities or
donate it to support Mars Society projects at the international level.
Those desiring to order copies should contact Jaime Ariza by phone at
1-212-632-4910, or via e-mail at mailto:jaime_ariza@prenhall.com. 

Copies of "Mars: Uncovering the Secrets of the Red Planet" by Raeburn
and Golombek are also available for bulk discounted sale by Random
House to Mars Society Chapters. Orders of 1-23 books will receive a
25% discount off the list price of $40; orders of 24 or more books
will receive a 40% discount. To order, call 1-800-726-0600. Please
note that this is purely a transaction between your local chapter and
Random House; the bill is yours, the books are yours, and the proceeds
are yours. 

"Managing Martians" by Donna Shirley is now available to chapters from
Doubleday-Dell. The books sells for $25 retail, chapters can obtain it
for 50% off in lots of 12 or more. Those wishing to obtain copies
should contact Stephanie Kavanagh at 212-782-8881 (phone),
212-782-8904 (fax), or mailto:skavanagh@randomhouse.com. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, if we purchased the minimum amount required for the Discount for
Zubrin's book, the minimum amount required for the 40% discount of the
new Mars / Nat'l Geographic book, and say 15 copies of Donna Shirley's
book, it comes out to:

The Case for Mars - Zubrin   
25 books @ $6.50  (50% off $13) = $162.50   (retail $325)

Mars: Uncovering the Secrets 
24 books @ $24.00 (40% off $40) = $576.00   (retail $960)

Managing Martians
15 books @ $12.50 (50% off $25) = $187.50   (retail $375)

                                ----------
                            Total $926.00   (retail $1660)

Sale price $1660 - purchase price $926 = chapter profit $734

$926 sounds like a lot, but that's the potential to make all lot of
money for the chapter when we sell the books at retail price!  I'm
pretty confident that we can sell the majority of them at the
convention, and we will have many other opportunities to sell them
later.  I think if each of us (who can afford it, of course) throws in
some money we can get to $926.  Think of it as a two-month loan --
lend the chapter what you can afford, and after the convention the
chapter will pay you back.  The $734 profit will be enough for us to
recruit new members, register at other conventions, or buy more books
(so the chapter can get even more profit from them!)

To start us off, I'm willing to put in $200.  So we only need $726
now.  (Randy has also pledged $200.  We now need $526 - Ed.) 
Everybody who is willing to lend the chapter some money to buy
books should contact our de facto Treasurer, David Stuart, at
DSTUART@prodigy.net.

Once we have at least $926 (and hopefully more!), I will contact all
three of the people above and pay the shipping costs myself.  Since I
know for sure that I will be at the convention, I will be take
responsibity for getting the books by the time of the convention &
bringing them there.

Thanks,
-Jim