Members Attending (13): Debbie Rodriguez, Kevin Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Bill Dowd, Pat Bailey, Andy Leyhane, Charlie Foote, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Becky Raymond,Tony Morris, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown.

Guests (1): Debbie Morris.

President Debbie Rodriguez presided over the session, held at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant. She noted the presence of a quorum.

Meeting Notes:

• Two donations were re-proposed and approved, a carryover business item from last week when we did not have a quorum: $150 to the USS Slater, the destroyer escort floating museum docked in Albany, in memory of our late member Bill Wyld, who was a longtime member of the U.S. Navy and volunteer for veterans’ activities; $100 to the District in lieu of a gift basket for the upcoming Rotary Foundation Dinner.

• Debbie issued a reminder that Rotary shirts and sweatshirts are being sold as a Foundation fundraiser. Payment is not required until the items are delivered. Anyone wishing to order should contact her and use the order form that has been posted for some time on the club website.

• The matter of the size of a meeting quorum was discussed. Currently, 12 members are required to be present to achieve that status which is necessary to vote on any business coming before the club. With sporadic Zoom and in-person attendance in recent weeks, it has been suggested we consider lowering the number. Bill Dowd spoke against such a move, saying “I don’t want our club to be like the Postal Service which recently announced it is lowering its service standards so it could meet them. If we dropped to, say 9, as has been suggested, we might as well pack it in. I’d rather we made a stronger effort to improve attendance instead of tinkering with our Bylaws.” He pointed out that the Bylaws already allow members to be present by proxy, and proxies count toward a quorum. As he noted, any proxy must be specific that it is a “yea” or “nay” vote, and should be sent in advance to the President. In addition, Kevin Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, and Jim Leyhane are working on the details of streaming our in-person meetings via Zoom, which would give members a third way to attend and obviate any perceived necessity to lower our quorum. After more discussion, those present agreed by consensus with that stance.

• Bill and Debbie reminded members that our Clynk container recycling effort in support of ShelterBox continues. Bill asked anyone needing barcode stickers to affix to the collection bags contact him. The bags may be purchased at Hannaford supermarket customer service counters.

• Becky Raymond reported that she and Debbie R, have been involved in purchasing supplies for hygiene kits for a joint Rotaract/Graduate Student Organization project scheduled for October 28. Rotarians are invited to participate in assembling the kits in a session scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. at the UAlbany School of Public Health in Rensselaer. … Becky and Debbie will attend a Rotaract board meeting on Friday.

• In lieu of a speaker, Peter and Debbie Brown shared anecdotes of their recent 13-day trip to France in which they traveled across the Brittany peninsula and visited Paris.

• NEXT MEETING: 7 p.m. Thursday, October 21, via Zoom. Check the club website calendar page for the access link.

Members Attending (12): Debbie Rodriguez, Kevin Leyhane, Terry Brewer, Pat Bailey, Jim Leyhane, Andy Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Dean Calamaras, Roberto Martinez, Phil Kellerman, Charlie Foote, Becky Raymond.

Guests (4): District Governor Bruce McConnelee, District Governor-elect Denise DiNoto, Mary Drumm, Lorraine McConnelee.

• President Debbie Rodriguez presided. Jim Leyhane requested a moment of silence in remembrance of former member Bill Wyld (see obituary).

• District Governor Bruce McConnelee presented the club with a 2021-22 Rotary pennant. He said this year’s motto is “Serve To Change Lives.” He also touched on a variety of topics such as the upcoming Foundation Dinner and its “Roaring Twenties” theme; Ballston Spa club is selling shirts as a Foundation fundraiser at prices ranging from $25-40 depending on style (see order form here); new clubs within Rotary include a Veterans Club in Glenville focused on military veterans and an international, online Heartbeat Club; the annual RI convention, scheduled for Houston in 2022 after two years of virtual events due to the pandemic; a Membership Diversity Team, headed by Ken Baxter, now has 10 members.

• Bruce distributed new Rotary pins to those in attendance. Anyone still in need of one can pick one up at the October 14 meeting.

• Club treasurer Murray Forth is hospitalized after having a knee replacement removed. He will undergo rehab and extended treatments.

• Dean Calamaras reported that 120 people participated in the Gift of Life Golf Tournament at Pine Haven Country Club in Guilderland. SRC had three foursomes. Final financial report is pending.

• Jim Leyhane revived discussion that we began in 2019 (see report here) on a potential school bus camera program. The aim is to help enforce the state prohibition on passing a stopped school bus, which problem that seems to be on the rise in recent years. The cost is about $1,000 per camera. Jim said he knows of two school districts that would be interested and said this could be a self-sustaining initiative if properly drawn up and implemented. The matter will be brought up for additional discussion.

• Next Meetings: We will meet virtually at 7 p.m. next Thursday, October 7, via Zoom. As always, members can access the meeting via the club website calendar page. The following Thursday, October 14, we will return to Moscatiello’s (5:30 social time, 6:15 dinner meeting).