THE SENIOR MEN'S CLUB OF NEW CANAAN
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 19, 2002
President Lee Hindenach opened the meeting with 156 members present. Membership is 490 with 10 invitees and 26 on the waiting list.
Announcements: Ken DeGroot introduced new member Gary Christman. In the health field, Dick DePatie is recovering well from his bypass surgery, and Horace Crary just underwent bypass surgery. Don Hunziker is at home recovering well from his heart problem. Walt Hoffman gave an update on the YMCA fund drive and singled out Bob Witt for his information that enabled the Y to get a $250,000 grant from the Kresge foundation. The SMC is $84,000 short of its new goal, but half of that figure has been promised as a matching figure for future member contributions. Let's open up those wallets so we can get that elevator we need so badly.
Activities: Trailblazers next hike is April 24 to Macedonia State Park. Jack Murray said it is a real hike, so make sure your life insurance policies are paid up. No bowling today, but racquetball came through with 4 players this morning. Paddle still hangs on despite the heat, the party will be May 15. Tennis is still a no-go, but bridge as always is a definite go. 4Fs next luncheon will be at Trattoria via Sforza in Norwalk. Golf next outing May 8 at the New Canaan Country Club.
Couth: Washington D.C. is 4/23-4/25. 5/14 is the Bronx Zoo, 6/19 the Goodspeed Opera House, 7/27 the Ct. Jazz Festival, 8/8 the Port Jefferson Ferry and lunch on Long Island, 9/22 Belmont Park, 10/9 Oklahoma and 21 Club, 11/9 West Point, and December is Rockefeller Center.
Jester: John Berg told how Norman Schwarzkopf arranged meetings between God and terrorists in order to further their goals of reaching heaven with Allah.
SPEAKER
VP Bert Liebelt introduced fellow members Jim Malling and Pete Stair who discussed the new town website. Jim spoke first about the technical part of the program centered on "WAN" meaning wide area network. This is a high-speed fiber optic cable communication system with underground conduits provided by the state, which connect to all town facilities and schools. It is very cost efficient, the cable is only $1.50 per foot and can handle up to 450,000 calls at one time. It is a very reliable system with many fail-safe features. The town has appropriated $1.5 million for this endeavor and it appears that it will come in under budget. Pete Stair took over the second half of the discussion concentrating on the website itself. It will have many advantages including letting town residents communicate with various town departments and officials. We also will be able to get emergency announcements such as school closings, road closings, etc. We also eventually should be able to pay town taxes and parking fines through this site. What a great way to get frequent flier mileage. There will be no commercial activity or advertising on the site. The start up budget for all of this is $7-17,000, and yearly expenses should be less than $1,000 because of all the volunteer workers involved. Many of these volunteers come from the SMC. Kick off date is scheduled for July 4. It sure is a highly modern world ahead of us.
Eric Musa, Secretary