September In Person Meeting Poll

Polls – STAHI

STAHI Members,

REMINDER: It was agreed at the June meeting that there would be no regular STAHI meeting for the month of July due to the lack of pressing business and the scheduled July Inspect-Out. There will be NO JULY REGULAR MEETING.

It was decided at the May meeting that the August regular meeting will be held in-person at the Spot and it will include NYS CE. Charlie will make the arrangements for the CE program to be announced later.

JULY INSPECT-OUT CANCELLED

Continuing Education Coordinator Charlie Reiman advised:

On Mon, Jul 3, 2023 at 6:49 PM Charlie Reiman wrote:

Hey Guys,

I went to my friends camp on Arnold Lake and to The Wagon Wheel pub to make arrangements for the inspect out yesterday. Unfortunately my friend Betty told me that her family has decided to stay at the lake until Labor Day. There were a bunch of people there yesterday. She said we’d be welcome to do the inspect out in September. The restaurant was ready. I really was no position to say anything but okay.

The back-up location also fell through:

On Sat, Jul 8, 2023, 3:57 PM Nathan Mann wrote:

The house that I know on Arnold lake just had the family return for the summer. I don’t think it will be an option. Nate

Charlie is planning to move the Inspect-Out to September.



Larry


Lawrence C. Ames, Proprietor

NYS Licensed Home Inspector, #16000075469

607-766-1830  .  Larry@AmesInspection.com

President, Southern Tier Association of Home Inspectors , STAHI (2017-2018, 2019-2020, 2021-2022, 2023)

Director, New York Association of Home Inspectors, NYSAHI (2021-2023)

Secretary, NYSAHI (2022-2023)

Website: Welcome to Ames Inspection Services

Website: Welcome to STAHI

Website: Welcome to NYSAHI 

Message from STAHI President

STAHI Members,

Welcome to Summer!

The in-person meeting at the SPOT of 6/20 was poorly attended (5 persons including myself). Notice was sent to all members 11 days in advance with an agenda. A follow-up reminder was sent the day prior to the meeting. Charlie had said in the last meeting that he would arrange for this meeting with the SPOT based on a minimum of 20 persons.

Quora was not met and no business was conducted other than to decide that there will be no July business meeting as there is the scheduled inspect-out social event that month.

The August meeting is scheduled to be in-person at the SPOT with NYS CE. This assumes that they will have us after this last poor showing.

The 5 of us had some good discussions. Discussion of the need to revisit the change from the previously member approved meeting program was included and will be on the agenda for August. Multiple important related matters were not addressed prior to the change. Not the least of which is the SPOT’s tolerance for infrequent and/or poorly attended meetings there. Keith observed that the SPOT’s meeting room sees substantial activity. The revised meeting plan depends on their commitment to scheduling the room for us and that was not nailed down prior to making the change to quarterly in-person. I am also concerned about our remote members and others who prefer the convenience of Zoom meetings. They joined for 2023 based on Zoom regular meetings with quarterly social events. This change seems like bait-n-switch to me and unfair to some members.

After so much ongoing pressure by some to get together in-person, it was disappointing and frankly embarrassing to have such low attendance. The SPOT had set aside the room for us and arranged for staff. It was not fair to them and i would not be surprised if it hurt our relationship with them.



Larry


Lawrence C. Ames, Proprietor

NYS Licensed Home Inspector, #16000075469

607-766-1830  .  Larry@AmesInspection.com

President, Southern Tier Association of Home Inspectors , STAHI (2017-2018, 2019-2020, 2021-2022, 2023)

Director, New York Association of Home Inspectors, NYSAHI (2021-2023)

Secretary, NYSAHI (2022-2023)

Website: Welcome to Ames Inspection Services

Website: Welcome to STAHI

Website: Welcome to NYSAHI 

Proposed By-Laws Changes

From Larry Ames, President

EXISTING – DUES

ARTICLE IV: DUES

2. Annual payment of dues for membership shall be required for continuing membership no later than the date of the Association’s first meeting in January (the third Tuesday of January).  Advance notice relating to the amount and due date should be sent by the Treasurer by e-mail to each person in the current membership (except Retired Members) monthly from the prior October until the January when payment is due.  Such notice should include payment instructions and dues amounts by membership category.  In addition to methods of payment offered in the notice, payments in cash will be accepted at the January meeting.

Any member who is delinquent in payment of dues shall be dropped from STAHI membership on June 30th of the year delinquent and shall be sent prompt notice of such by First Class Mail by the Treasurer.  Such notice shall include instructions to the terminated member to immediately take down the STAHI logo along with any representation of their membership in or affiliation with STAHI, from their website, business card, social media or other forms of promotion, advising that failure to do so may constitute a violation of New York State regulations Section 197-4.8 “Fraud, Misrepresentation and Dishonesty”.

During any member’s period of dues delinquency, they will not be eligible for State Continuing Education credit for any STAHI education program and no certificates for such shall be given them.  Such State CE credit may not be conferred by STAHI retroactively when past due dues are paid up.

Ex-Members may be re-instated to membership upon payment of un-discounted past due annual dues in full, along with payment of a $25 administrative fee.

EXISTING – MEETINGS

ARTICLE XII: MEETINGS

1. The Association shall hold regular meetings. The place, date, and hour of the meetings shall be designated by the Board and announced to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to each meeting.

PROPOSED – DUES

ARTICLE IV: DUES

2. Annual payment of dues for membership shall be required for continuing membership no later than the date of the Association’s first meeting in January (the third Tuesday of January).  The Treasurer may authorize late payment by an individual in the case of invoicing/communication difficulties, medical/family emergency, or other exceptional circumstance. Each current member (except dues-free members) should be invoiced along with payment instructions by e-mail by the Treasurer on, or about, the first day of November and December prior to the January when due. Payment may be made by funds transfer as instructed on the invoice. Payment will be accepted by mailed check, postmarked no later than due date, to STAHI c/o Treasurer at the current mailing address.

(Currently: STAHI, PO Box 5909, Endicott, NY 13763)

Any member who is delinquent in payment of dues shall be dropped from STAHI membership and shall be sent prompt notice of such by First-Class Mail by the Treasurer.  Such notice shall include instructions to the terminated member that their presence on the STAHI website will be removed and that their privileges of access to STAHI on-line resources, including access to online continuing education records, will be revoked.  They will also be advised to immediately take down the STAHI logo, along with any representation of their membership in or affiliation with STAHI, from their website, business card, social media or other forms of promotion, advising that failure to do so may constitute a violation of New York State regulations Section 197-4.8 “Fraud, Misrepresentation and Dishonesty”.  Only current individual STAHI members may make public representations of their STAHI membership or affiliation.  Businesses may not use the STAHI logo or other such representations of membership or affiliation unless it is clearly attributable only to an active individual STAHI member.

Former members may be re-instated to membership upon payment of the current year dues in full, plus a $25 administrative fee.

PROPOSED – MEETINGS

ARTICLE XII: MEETINGS

1. The Association shall hold regular meetings on the third Tuesday of each month starting at or about 6:00 PM.  Meetings shall be held remotely by Zoom unless otherwise announced.  A majority of the current Officers may decide to change the date of a regular meeting or may decide to hold a meeting in-person.  In that case, the place, date, and time of the meeting shall be announced by the Secretary to the membership by e-mail at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the rescheduled or regularly scheduled meeting, whichever comes first.

February 2023 Meeting Agenda

From Larry Ames, President

STAHI February 2023 Regular Meeting Agenda

(Via Zoom)

2/21/2023

Call to Order: 6:00 PM             

Round-the-Table Introductions

Determine Quorum (by Secretary based on current membership) minimum required 50% or more of full membership plus presence of President or Vice President)

Requests from Members for Modifications to this Meeting Agenda?

Approval of January 2023 Meeting Minutes as posted on STAHI website.

Secretary’s Report (Seeking Candidate for this Office)

“Tech-Czar” Report (Jamie Arnold)

Treasurer’s (Ross Relyea) Report and Approval

  • 2022 Year-End Treasury Report
  • Transition of Funds and Records from Past Treasurer.
  • Treasury acceptance audit by new Treasurer.
  • February 23 Treasury Report
  • Extension for dues payment due to start-up issues and orientation to new Cashflow system.  Accepting dues from any that had related issues.
  • Other?

Education Coordinator Report (Charlie Reiman, Education)

  • Projected CE Training
    • NetInspect:  5 ea, 2 credit NYS.  (Schedule sent NYSAHI e-mail blast) 
    • Keith’s 2 NYS CE program on Ethics approved (May?)
    • 12 credits for 2023 approved and ready to go
    • Remote Training Program submitted and approved by NYSDOS
    • Looking for seasonal home or lake house for Fall Outing Inspect-Out (3 NYS CE?)
    • Other CE Offerings in the works: Inspect-Out (Lake or Seasonal home?), Others?
    • Other?
    • Tonight’s Bonus CE Program: NYS HEAP Program – by Larry Ames
  • Tonight’s NYS Approved CE Program:  After Business Meeting

“The Last Gas Furnace Class You Will Ever Need (until the next one) Code: L2689-02 (2 NYS CEU) – by NetInspect – Tom Sherman

NYSAHI Report (Larry Ames & Russ Fontaine (2022-23 STAHI Representatives)

  • Meeting held by Zoom 2/14/21.

Old Business

  • Corona Virus Conditions – CDC Risk by County

In Broome/Tioga County, New York, community level is Medium.

  • If you are at high risk of getting very sick, wear a high-quality mask or respirator (e.g., N95) when indoors in public.
  • If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for getting very sick, consider self-testing to detect infection before contact, and consider wearing a high-quality mask when indoors with them.
  • Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including recommended booster doses.
  • Maintain ventilation improvements.
  • Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
  • Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
  • Follow the CDC recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
  • People may choose to mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a high-quality mask or respirator when indoors in public.

Even persons with mild COVID illness may develop Long COVID complications that may be very debilitating.  These are varied and not well understood. Be Careful Out There!!

  • Continuing Call for new CE Opportunities from Members
  • Officer’s List of “Duties” Status (V.P & Treasurer outstanding)
  • STAHI Secretary Needed !!!
  • By-Laws Changes (Draft of text for Previously Authorized Revisions)
    •  November Meeting at regular time, Executive Committee date adjustments for conflicts, etc
    • Annual Dues due by January Meeting date


New Business

  • Tech-Tip: EPDM and Asphalt Products – by Larry Ames
  • Suggestions for NYSAHI Articles, Answers to your questions…
  • Others:
  •  

Adjournment  (Next meeting Tuesday 2/21/23, 6PM via Zoom)

NYS Approved CE Program:  

“The Last Gas Furnace Class You Will Ever Need

               (until the next one)”

 Code: L2689-02 (2 NYS CEU) – by NetInspect – Tom Sherman

Thank You Letter from 1890’s House
Bank Transfer Payments

Members:

Great meeting last night!  I expect those who attended learned much about contracts and liability.  I did.

I had sent out a notice suggesting you hold off on payment through our new KeyBank CashFlow invoicing system so I could run down some concerns.  There were some administrative startup issues that are being resolved. But my biggest concern was that I found out that invoiced members were being marketed to buy Bill.com financial services after they set up their accounts to enable transfer of funds from there account directly to STAHI’s.  I had not been advised that this would happen and I wanted to make sure that I understood any member exposures as best I could before I gave the go-ahead.  Bottom line is that members who do not wish to establish subscription financial services with Bill.com, that are offered when a payment account is opened, should be careful not to select any option to enable those services. Otherwise, there should be no charges or fees to establish your payment transfer account or to use it anytime you get an invoice from STAHI.  Members are encouraged to read the related Term & Conditions to establish their payment account.  Confirmation of your reading and understanding those is required when you set up your payment transfer account and those are your contract with Bill.com.  Once your account is established, the other services become available through that account if you select them and they are addressed in the initial Term & Conditions. 

I was not pleased that this promotion by Bill.com would be part of what had been represented as a straightforward invoicing and payment transfer system. But that is how most are doing business these days and I guess it’s something we have to put up with. In any case, if you wish, you can go ahead and set up an account and pay your invoice that way through the secure payment transaction system.  Otherwise, you may send your dues by check, postmarked no later than January 31, 2023, to STAHI, PO Box 5909, Endicott, NY 13763.

Be careful out there!


Larry


Lawrence C. Ames, Proprietor

Ames Inspection Services

NYS Licensed Home Inspector, #16000075469

President, Southern Tier Association of Home Inspectors (2017-2018, 2019-2020, 2021-2022)

Board Member, New York Association of Home Inspectors

607-766-1830

Member New York State Association of Home Inspectors 

Website: Welcome to NYSAHI