| Minutes of the SFTGG General Meeting |
| Monday, November 13, 2006 |
| Meeting was held at the Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 39. |
| President Mary McCloy called the meeting to order at 6 PM. |
| 1. |
Members introduced their guests and some guests introduced themselves. |
| 2. |
Mary outlined the achievements made by the Guild and its Board of Directors over the past year: |
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The Guild held a farewell party for Anne Meagher of Mana Allison & Associates, one of the Guild’s founders. |
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A new Study Guide was published. |
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An electronic system is in place to keep track of members’ attendance at educational tours, meetings, and other qualified Guild activities. |
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The Program Committee arranged two educational tours at a rate of two almost every month – more than ever before. |
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The Roster has been placed on the Guild web site. |
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A great location for the Holiday Party was secured at the Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel. Mary acknowledged the volunteer contributions of Pam Dahlen (jobs for members), Nancy McCormick (Certification requirements), and Chris Cavalier (mail at the Guild post office box). |
| 3. |
GUEST SPEAKER Denise Rasmusen of Hornblower/Alcatraz. |
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The tours now leave from Pier 33. The ferries to Alcatraz will keep the same schedules as in the past. |
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The tour has been expanded to include information on the Indian occupation, and the Mandarin and Dutch languages have been added as options for the audio. |
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The company is testing new services on their website at www.alcatrazcruises.com. |
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Tours may be booked online. |
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Fees are now $22 per person. |
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A guide or DMC may call the Concierge Hot Line at 415-559-3108 from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, but only for same-day scheduling. |
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REGARDING THE HANDLING OF GROUPS FOR ALCATRAZ TOURS: |
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One individual must come to the ticket booth ahead of time. |
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Audience members raised the question of problems securing tickets in advance. |
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The reply was that the Park Service wants to get into special events tours at some restricted times. (Guild members, including DMCs present, are not satisfied with the current arrangements.) |
| 4. |
Mary discussed the By-Laws and said that the Guild really needs to institute definite Policies and Practices. |
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According to the By-Laws, members must attend at least two Guild events in order to renew their membership. The Board has decided that from now on the policy will be that at least one of these events must be an Educational Tour. |
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Mary informed the group about Pam Dahlen’s report on jobs for members. Please see Pam’s report attached here. |
| 5. |
THE GUIDEPOST – Ulla Kaprielian, Editor |
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Ulla reported that very few members have looked at the Guidepost on the Guild web site. From now on, if a member wants it mailed to him/her, this will be done at no charge. Ulla introduced her co-workers, Renate Coombs and Jason Cohen. |
| 6. |
PROGRAM COMMITTEE REPORT – Joan Wollenberger |
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Joan welcomed Ted Bravo of ITMI and representatives of DMCs present at the meeting. She thanked Mary McÇloy and Claire Manhart and the members of two years’ Boards with whom she has worked. |
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(Claire Manhart) Claire thanked Joan for co-chairing the Committee with her and also gave thanks to the following members who have led tours this year: Frances Gorman, Susan Guerguy, Barbara Dimas, Jay Alexander, Joan Wollenberger (2 tours), Jean Feilmoser, Craig Smith, Ulla Kaprielian, Robin Perry, Sunny LaGardo. She asked for suggestions from members of tours they would like to lead and/or attend. |
| 7. |
CERTIFICATION – Edie Marwedel |
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Edie thanked the people who updated the Study Guide and Certification Exam. She offered congratulations to newly certified members Matt Chatta, Susan Guerguy, and Andy Hartman, all of whom have served with distinction on the Board of Directors. She also welcomed newly certified members Patricia Hunting and Romano Marchetti. |
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Edie outlined the certification requirements which can be found on the SFTGG website, as well as on page 2 of the 2006 Membership Roster. Edie encouraged members who are ready to take the Certification Examination to contact Nancy McCormick, a founding member of the Guild, who will be very helpful to them in verifying their fulfillment of requirements. |
| 8. |
HOLIDAY PARTY – Cecilia Olkowski |
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Cecilia announced that the Holiday Party will be held on December 4 from 6 to 9 PM, in the Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel and handed out printed invitations. The charge is $35 per person, but it is the Board’s decision that members need only pay $15 and the Guild will supplement that amount. Guests will pay the full charge of $35. Toys will be collected for the Toys for Tots Program, as well as food for the San Francisco Food Bank. |
| 9. |
MENTORING - Cecilia Olkowski |
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Cecilia reported that the program has been very helpful. She encouraged members to participate. |
| 10. |
MEMBERSHIP – Andy Hartman |
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Andy welcomed members who have joined since the spring general meeting: Jim Campbell, Amy Reynolds, Gabriel Guerriero, Camden Barbour, Emiliano Benevides Fernandes, and California Wine Tours. He also thanked Barbara White for printing membership cards. |
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Membership has always been on a calendar year basis. From now on we will use a pro-rated system for new members in 2007. |
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Regarding requirements for renewal of membership, he has distributed the attendance list for Guild activities. Members should check the list and make any necessary changes. If a member has not attended enough events, he/she will be classified as a “Friend of the Guild”.* Certified members will be reinstated as such when they meet the attendance requirements. |
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NOTE: AFTER THE MEETING, THIS RULE WAS REMOVED FROM REQUIREMENTS FOR RENEWAL OF MEMBERSHIP. |
| 11. |
TREASURER’S REPORT – Susan Guerguy |
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Susan distributed a Financial Report at the meeting and it is attached here. |
| 12. |
NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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Nominees must submit a statement for the ballot, which will be posted on the web site. Voting will close January 1, 2007. There will be six vacancies on the Board, and 3 of the new Board members must be Certified. |
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Nominees are as follows: |
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Barbara White (Certified)
Joe Ries
Wolfgang Borgstede
Jason Cohen
Madelon van Lier (Certified)
Diane McNeely
Bert Holmberg (Certified)
Mike Buckey |
| 13. |
OPEN DISCUSSION TIME |
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Susan Driscoll, Board President in 2005, thanked this year’s Board as well as all the current members. She is moving to St. Paul, MN in March. |
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Jet Lenssen announced that the Joie de Vivre Hotels advise their guests that the hotel will match them up with a volunteer to act as their personal tour guide. |
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Jean Feilmoser announced the upcoming meeting of the WFTGA in Cairo, Egypt. |
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Jean also announced that she has made arrangements with the new Bloomingdales store on Market Street for a special Tour Guides Tour, to take place in late February. Members will receive invitations. |
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Michael Stortz asked what the views of the Guild are regarding pay rates, etc. Mary replied that 2007 will be a good year for these discussions. |
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Mary McCloy spoke on the advantages of Certification, i.e., self-satisfaction, sometimes better pay rates from DMCs, and referrals from the Guild for jobs. |
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Sunny LaGardo raised the issue of guides’ full names on their badges. She feels this is dangerous as guides might be tracked by unauthorized persons. |
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Sunny also expressed the need for an emergency “911” code for calls from guides to the DMCs and lead guides on tours and other jobs. |
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Mary McCloy thanked Craig Smith for his work on the Guild Information site. |
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Ted Bravos of ITMI reported that many of their recent classes have not included any students from the Bay Area. |
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RAFFLE PRIZES were handed out, including many bottles of wine donated by Pine Ridge Winery. |
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Meeting adjourned, 8:30 PM. |
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Respectfully submitted, |
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Liz Burton, Secretary |
