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By Jesse L. Harrup, Jr, DC-B
We have completed another year of activities in the Boating Department, and I’d like to start off the new year with a brief summary of where we’ve been in CY 04 and where we’re headed in CY 05.
PERSONNEL:
- We have “hired” 1 DVC and 5 BCs since the 2004 NACON and we appreciate the patience shown by all members in their interactions with Boating Department personnel during these understaffed periods.
- Since the 2004 N-TRAIN report, there has been a 53% turnover in personnel, but as of 1/18/05 we’re at 100% staffing to serve the members.
SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE NACON 2004
- This year was the first time that the NASBLA leadership agreed to use USCGAUX documentation, (our new SLO Handbook), as part of an orientation session for new NASBLA members. Furthermore, NASBLA officials agreed to offer our SLO handbook to all new NASBLA members in all future orientations. This is great step toward furthering our relationship with the states.
- A total of forty-one (41) applications have been received by BoatUS as of January 1, 2005 , totaling over $117,853.86 in local Flotilla RBS needs that are currently unfunded.
- The revised USCGAUX/West Marine MOU was signed on 03 Sep 04 at NACON in Costa Mesa , CA and posted the next week on key auxiliary web sites. During CY 05, we expect a link between West Marine and the auxiliary public site to become a reality. E-Commerce should also begin with West Marine during CY 05.
There are several provisions of the new West Marine alliance which require involvement at the flotilla level; these include establishing structured contact between local auxiliary personnel and store management, having store space available for PE classes, public safety booths, and VSC stations, posting course schedules and VSC locations to stores for posting and distribution to customers, providing West Marine discount information to PE course students and those who complete a VSC, and inviting store management to make presentations at local auxiliary meetings concerning products of interest to auxiliarists. The Liaison Division will need to consult with West Marine management on a preferred process to accomplish these goals. Then we will need to prepare and communicate proposed plans of actions to DCOs, appropriate NADCOs and DCs.
- BC-BLB Ray Gibson and BC-BLW Dave Naumann will be actively involved in working with appropriate National staff officers as well as the POC’s at main offices for West Marine, Boater’s World and BoatUS Foundation. Efforts will focus on implementing the various elements of the alliances as well as getting the word down the chain of management and leadership to the flotilla membership level. Methods used to implement the alliance elements, not already in place, will involve multiple contacts with the organization POC. Methods to transmit the agreement benefits and requirements down to the flotilla level will include a primary liaison with the RBSVP at the National level, which appears to have the job description best suited for developing liaison on the local level with Boater’s World & West Marine.
The preceding is just a very brief summary of issues which have and will affect in CY 05 both our department and the flotilla membership and I wanted to share them with you. More information will be shared after N-Train 2005. Please be sure and visit our B Department webpage; “‘till then; keep’r ‘tween the buoys” .
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