American Legion Post 118 Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Executive Board Meeting Minutes
April 20, 2024

Attendees

Officers:	Commander: Scott Swanson, First Vice: Douglas Williamson, Second Vice: Carl Fitzgerald, Sergeant at Arms: Joe Cook, Service Officer: absent, Finance Officer: absent, Chaplain: Kim Schnepper
Trustees:	Paula Abeyta, Ron Szych, Robert Abeyta, Bill Harrington
Members:	Garry Branstetter, Phil Merriweather, Donna Harrington, Jay Wilcox,
Guests:	Rose Williamson, Zandra LeBech

Minutes

Meeting called to order at 12:06

Hand salute

Pledge

Prayer

OWW Empty Chair

Motion to accept March minutes as read. Kim motioned, Doug seconded apart from the building fund report being incorrect (1st vice and finance officer will work on correcting the report). Minutes accepted.

No guests

The Finance Officer was absent, therefore Ron read the finance report. Doug motioned to approve, and Carl seconded. Finance report was accepted as read. Ron read the membership report as well. We are ranked #10 in the State with 593 members (our quota is 579). We are 102%. We now have 36 SAL members

Chaplain reported that one of our members lost their mom, Mary P. Please keep her family in your Prayers. There is a sympathy card at the bar for everyone to sign

First Vice:

None

Second Vice:

Cinco de mayo will be held on Quattro de mayo. There will be a fajita bar, corn hole, pinatas, and a DJ/karaoke.
May 31st the Post will have a band. The event committee is deciding between two local bands.
June 23rd we will have a kid's carnival with dunk tank, cotton candy etc. Any items needed will be rented from the Base. All proceeds will go into the building fund.

Housing committee:

Jay reported they are working on the lighting in the game room, still planning to paint and make entrance wider. Tony will lay the flooring once we purchase it.
The panels for the RV hookups outside will be installed on Monday.

Service officer:

Absent

Unfinished business:

None

New business:

Doug made a Motion for debit card to purchase food for the kitchen (James). The Post will create a new account for the food only. Garry seconded the motion. The account can be revolving and will replenish and will be $500. Currently money is being put into the general account and then being pulled back out. Everyone approved and the motion was carried.
1st Vice stated that the quote for the mini splits is $13,500 total. They are LG and 7% of the $13,500 is needed to secure a date for installation ($975) *no taxes. A request was made to move the mini split from Kim's office into the kitchen to help with the temperature control (it would have its own circuit). Motion on the floor to get a check for the deposit to get into the schedule to get the mini splits installed. Carl motioned; Donna seconded. The $975 was approved by all members, motion carried.
Kim stated that the installation of all new officers should be done on Friday April 26th at 6:00 pm (for Post, ALR, Auxiliary, and SAL). Doug seconded. Everyone agreed the motion passed.
Bill questioned opening the bar at 11am on Fridays and Saturdays if attendance does not support it. The Bar Manager will keep track of patronage and may move the start time back to 2pm. The opening time of 11am will stay in place for one more month.

Betterment of the post

The committee discussed how to encourage more involvement from SAL. The Commander named Phil as the SAL Commander.

Meeting adjourned at 12:49