Issued Bi-Weekly from State Headquarters at Watertown, SD 57201
Ron Boyd – Department Adjutant – Public Relations Officer
www.sdlegion.org Email sdlegion@dailypost.com
No. 2901 July 13, 2005
MINUTES ENCLOSED
Enclosed for Post Adjutants and members of the Department Administrative and Executive Committees are the minutes of the July 9th meeting of the Administrative Committee meeting. The Administrative Committee met at Department Headquarters for the purpose of framing the 2005-2006 Department budget.
ADMIN COMMITTEE FRAMES BALANCED BUDGET
The Department Administrative Committee met Saturday, July 9, two weeks after the closing of the 2005 Department Convention and proceeded to work on framing the 2005-2006 Department budget. Members of the Committee were fortunate this year as the projected income for the coming year is up from the previous year. The increase in the projected income is due to a couple of different factors. The projected income from Paid Up For Life members is up from the previous year, as are the projected royalties received from the Legionnaires Insurance Trust.
Among the recommendations from the Administrative Committee are the following items:
· The addition of a new line item in the budget that provides funds for a $200 stipend to National Convention Delegates who attend the National Convention in Honolulu, HI and are not entitled to any other form of financial support
· The Administrative Committee is recommending that the Executive Committee increase the per diem rates for reimbursement of expenses within the Department to 35˘ per mile for mileage (currently at 25˘ per mile), $40 per night maximum for lodging (currently at $35 per night maximum), and meals to be reimbursed at the rate of $4 for breakfast, $6 for lunch and $9 for dinner (currently at $3, $5, and $8). The recommended increase in per diem will impact on all areas of the proposed budget that are used for expense reimbursement.
· Decreasing the Rehabilitation Committee Expense from $500 to $100.
· Increasing the Employment Committee Expense from $0 to $100.
· Increasing the DSO Salary from $26,500 to $28,500.
· Decreasing the DSO Expense from $6,500 to $5,000.
· Decreasing the Americanism Expense from $2,300 to $1,800.
· Increasing the District Americanism Expense from $1,200 to $1,400.
· Increasing the Legislative Committee Expense from $500 to $750.
· Increasing the Vice Commander Expense from $3,000 to $4,000.
· Decreasing Special Activities from $2,500 to $2,000.
· Increasing the Executive and Administrative Committee Expense from $12,000 to $17,000.
· Increasing the Historian Expense from $500 to $600.
· Decreasing the Cemetery Committee/Memorial Day Expense from $800 to $250.
· Increasing the Adjutant’s Salary from $36,200 to $37,000.
· Increasing the Secretary and Bookkeepers Salaries from $26,740 to $27,540.
Overall the 2005-2006 budget reflects an increase from $311,250 to $328,880, or an overall increase of 5.66% over the previous year’s budget.
The Department Administrative Committee will provide its recommendations to the Department Executive Committee when that committee meets to finalize the Department’s 2005-2006 budget, Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24.
FIVE TO TRAVEL TO INDIANAPOLIS
Department Commander Phil Anderson of Piedmont, Membership Chairman Mark Weinmann of Canton (Hudson Legion Post), Department Adjutant Ron Boyd and Department Service Officer Warren Aas and PDC Gerald Goetzinger will all travel to American Legion National Headquarters in Indianapolis, IN, July 27 – July 31.
Commander Anderson, Adjutant Boyd and Membership Chairman Weinmann will be attending the 2005 National Membership Conference. PDC Goetzinger, who serves as the Vice Chairman of the National Membership and Post Activities Committee, will play an important role in the conference as one of the primary presenters.
DSO Warren Aas will be attending the annual Department Service Officer School administered by the National VA&R Division which is held at the same time.
COMMANDER’S HOMECOMING
Piedmont Valley American Legion Post 311 of Piedmont has announced the selection of a date for newly elected Department Commander Phil Anderson’s Homecoming. The date selected is Saturday, August 27, 2005. Activities are planned for The American Legion Post 311 Home in Piedmont.
The event is still in the planning stages and more detailed information will be released as soon as possible.
PRESIDENT’S HOMECOMING
The Homecoming celebration honoring newly elected State American Legion Auxiliary President Marsha Boyd will be held Saturday, July 16, 2005 in Watertown, SD. The event will be hosted by Codington County Auxiliary Unit #17. Activities will start with a social and registration at the Codington County American Legion Post Home, located on West Highway 212, at 1:00 p.m. The Homecoming program will commence at 2:00 p.m. and will be followed by a light lunch served by the Watertown Auxiliary Unit.
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Registration / Social
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Program
4:00 p.m. – Light Lunch (Free-Will offerings accepted)
All American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and SAL members and families are invited to attend.
40 POSTS HAVE NOT YET CERTIFIED
Forty (40) Posts within the Department STILL HAVE NOT CERTIFIED their officers for 2005-2006 with State Headquarters. The certification of officers should be accomplished prior to the installation of new officers – and should be the last official act of the outgoing Post Adjutant.
The membership cards for the 2006 membership year were mailed out last week. Those Posts that have still not certified their new officers have not and will not receive their new membership cards for 2006 until all the required officer certifications have been received by State Headquarters. Without your certification, State Headquarters has no way of knowing to whom or where to send your new membership cards.
Don’t postpone your Post’s start on the new membership year. The sooner you commence working on your 2006 membership drive, the sooner you can devote more of your time and effort to working the other important programs of The American Legion. Delaying the start of your membership drive and other programs will only make the tasks more difficult. Get your officer certifications sent in immediately if you have not yet done so. Even if your Post officers are the same as last year, or for the past 15 years, you must still certify them to State Headquarters on an annual basis.
Posts which have not yet certified their officers or who have filed an incomplete certification include:
District 1 – Harrisburg Post 45, Centerville Post 43, Hartford Post 118, Davis Post 176, and Colton Post 176*
District 2 – Aurora Post 230, Chester Post 136, Wentworth Post 161, Carthage Post 51, Canova Post 61, and Egan Post 97
District 3 – Carpenter Post 153, Brandt Post 107
District 4 – Bristol Post 203, Webster Post 40, Roslyn Post 253, and Old Agency Post 314
District 5 – Miller Post 38 and Seneca Post 163
District 6 – Plankinton Post #5, Kimball Post 130, Salem Post 140, Pukwana Post 201, and Alexandria Post 41
District 7 – Greenwood Post 257
District 8 – COMPLETED
District 9 – Norris Post 310, Midland Post 143 and St. Francis Post 297*
District 10 – COMPLETED
District 11 – Little Eagle Post 239, Lemmon Post 66*
District 12 – Nisland Newell Vale Post 233 and Box Elder Post 315
District 13 – Manderson Post 302, Pine Ridge Post 251, Kyle Post 265, and Oglala Post 321
District 14 – Frederick Post 273, Bowdle Post 264 and Warner Post 137
AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL
American Legion State Regional Tournaments will be the place to be the next couple of weekends in South Dakota. “B” Regional Tournaments must be completed by Sunday, July 24. “A” Regional Tournaments must be completed by Sunday, July 27. For information on the Regional Tournament in your area contact the Regional Officers in your region or check with your local Post Athletic Officer or American Legion Post Baseball Team coach for details.
The State “B” Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday – Sunday, July 27 – 31, 2005 in Groton, SD. The First-Round pairings for the tournament have been established as follows for Wednesday, July 27:
Game 1- Region 1B vs Region 6B 10:00 a.m.
Game 2- Region 2B vs Region 3B Doubleheader
Game 3- Region 7B vs Region 4B 5:00 p.m.
Game 4- Region 5B vs Host Groton Doubleheader
The State Championship Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday – Sunday, August 3-7, 2005 in Rapid City, SD. The First-Round pairings for the championship tournament have been established as follows for Wednesday, August 3: (games for the Championship tournament are played according to the same time schedule as outlined above)
Game 1- Reg 2A Runner-up vs Reg 1A Champs
Game 2- Reg 3A Champs vs State B Reps
Game 3- Reg 1A Runner-up vs Reg 3A Runner-up
Game 4- Reg 2A Champs vs Host Rapid City #22
Get out and enjoy America’s Favorite Activity and Support Your Local American Legion Baseball Team. Take in an American Legion Baseball Game!
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
2005 membership stands at 25,609, or 98.06 percent of the Department’s 2005 membership goal as established by National Headquarters.