MARYLAND STATE FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATION RETREAT 2009

1. MARYLAND STATE FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATIONRETREAT 2009 July 17-19, 2009Paul Hall Center Piney Point, MD

2. Welcome • Opening Comments • Chief Charlie Dickinson, Deputy United States Fire Administrator, (Retired), Chief of Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire.

3. Welcome • Opening Comments • President Roger Powell • 1st Vice President Doyle Cox • 2nd Vice President David Lewis

4. Introductions • All Attendees • Program Facilitators • Charlie Dickinson • Lee Sachs • Ron Siarnicki

5. Purpose • The Maryland State Firemen’s Association holds strategic planning retreats every three years • This is the year, now is the time, and YOU are the individuals to help guide our Association

6. Agenda • Friday July 17, 2009 • 1900 Opening Session • Introduction to the retreat • Methodology • Issues to be addressed • Selection of break out groups • 2100 Socializing at the Paul Hall Lounge

7. Agenda • Saturday July 18, 2009 • 0800 Breakfast • 0900 Short general session • 0930 Small Group Breakouts • 1230 Lunch

8. Agenda • Saturday July 18, 2009 • 1330 Afternoon Session • 1800 Dinner • 2000 Evening Social

9. Agenda • Sunday July 19, 2009 • 0730 Breakfast • 0900 Group Presentations • 12:00 Adjourn

10. Agenda • President Powell has set the agenda for discussions to include the following three areas: • Communications • Convention and Conference • Finances

11. Structure • General Sessions • Group Interaction • Open Discussion • Breakouts • Small Group Sessions • Team approach • Plan Development

12. Format • Discuss the Objective • Create a Performance Statement • Identify the Tasks to Implement • Establish a Measurement Process • Develop a Work Timeline • Committee Assignments

13. Sub-Group “A” • Communications • Bobby Balta, Stu Carter, Richard Snader, Ralph Thompson, Frank Underwood, Richard Yinger, • Facilitator – Chief Charlie Dickinson • Potomac Room

14. Group “A” Agenda 1. Continuation of communications mediums. a. Trumpet b. Internet c. PIO d. Marketing e. Convention proceedings book f. Convention book g. Fire laws book h. Other media and methods. 2. How should each of our communication methods be formatted and published? 3. If the trumpet is continued how many issues per year? 4. Should the trumpet be reorganized?

15. Group “A” Agenda • 5. Constituency of committees dealing with communication issues. • 6. Should there be a umbrella committee styled “communications” which then has sub committees under it? • a. Fire laws • b. Website • c. Trumpet • d. Proceedings books • e. Convention books • f. PIO • g. Marketing • h. Other committees • 7. Content and Format of each form of communication . • 8. Self sustaining process for each form of communications medium

16. Sub-Group “B” • Convention and Conference • Mark Bilger, Bill Hildebrand, Tom Mattingly, Jackie Olson, Roger Steger • Facilitator – Lee Sachs • Tidewater Room

17. Group “B” Agenda • Explore all issues associated with the convention including:a. Locations of future conventions • b. Schedule/content of opening business sessions, awards session, memorial service, installation officers banquet, parade, family picnic, beach party, flea market, basket bingo other social events including hospitality rooms. • Should all these events be continued or changed and if so how?c. Training seminars - Should they be continued? - scheduling seminars.

18. Group “B” Agenda 2. If the convention format is to be altered, suggested new format, re-suggested locations other then Ocean City and reasons for relocating the convention. 3. Should the convention be “broken up” with the business meetings to be in June in accordance with the constitution which can probably be done in one day and other portions of the convention scheduled at a different times and locations other then the business meetings? 4. Pros and cons should be itemized for each recommendation.

19. Sub-Group “C” • Finances • Fred Cross, Danny Davis, Bobby Jacobs, Gene Worthington • Facilitator – Ron Siarnicki • Maryland Room

20. Group “C” Agenda • 1. Examining income resources. • 2. Pursuing new income resources- fundraising method. • 3. Scholarship funding. • a. MSFA Foundation • b. Examining current resources communicating with current donors • c. Should we look at state funding- the use of officers and legislative committee to continue securing of budget money? • 4. Funding of Committees. • a. The budget process • b. Allowable expenses

21. Group “C” Agenda 5. State Funding Strategies, Need for new legislation. a. VCAF b. 508 c. Trustees funds d. Appropriations 6. Financial Structural Control. a. Should all issues dealing with money be placed under an overall chairman of the financial team with the various officers and assistant officers working as part of that team? b. If so why c. If not, then why?

22. Group “C” Agenda • 7. Solicitation of membership levels. • a. How should these membership levels be styled? • b. Who should be responsible for pursuing the new membership levels? c. How should they be approached-marketing? • d. New committee? • e. Should all phases of membership be placed under a overall membership chairman with subcommittees dealing with the various types of membership? • i. Regular membership • ii. Individual membership • iii. Supporting membership • iv. Associate membership • v. Other

23. Getting Started • Open Discussion • Items of Concern • Three Year Plan • Questions

24. Now the work Begins.

25. Don’t let the events of the past blind you to the possibilities of the future. Jarrod Aldom ‘97

26. The Maryland State Firemen’s Association 2009 Retreat Planning Groups Report Summary of Discussion And Recommendations

27. Sub-Group “A” • Communications • Bobby Balta, Stu Carter, Richard Snader, Ralph Thompson, Frank Underwood, Richard Yinger, • Facilitator – Chief Charlie Dickinson

28. Current Mediums That Facilitate Communications And Their Targets Sidebar

29. Recommendations Of Communications Medium Sidebar • Trumpet – Transform the Trumpet into a Bi-weekly, One Page, HTML based E-Mail document provided via a publicly Accessible E-Mail Subscription. Publish an annual • Internet – • Expand the website coverage to include Multi-Media Content of Executive Committee Meetings, Officers Actives and Other Events. • Build a presence for the MSFA in Facebook, Twitter, MySpace. Use these as a communications tool for short one liner Information.

30. Recommendations of Communications Medium Sidebar PIO – Should continue to be the single point of contact for the media. Provides Interviews, or Coordinates interviews for the Officers during High Profile Events. Convention Proceedings and Program Book – No change unless there is a new Marketing Approach developed that they needs to comply with. Should be accessible via online access as well.

31. Recommendations of Communications Medium Sidebar Fire Laws Book – Not considered a “Communications” tool. It is a regurgitation of the Active Fire Laws in the State of Maryland.

32. Constituency of Committees Sidebar The Constituency of committees should be based upon the work required of that committee and the recommendation of the committee chair.

33. Umbrella Communications Committee Sidebar The functions of all of these committees are large and varied. In a volunteer structure, the chairman of a committee often is expected to make sure the work of the committee is completed thus the committee chair should have input into the size of the committee. Recommend that the Marketing Committee Provide guidance and framework to each committee regarding format, issues to be covered, and MSFA policy on Marketing. Individual committees implement Communications in their area of responsibility using the marketing committee’s recommendations. We do not recommend combining these committee’s functions under a single umbrella.

34. Content and Format of Each Form of Communications Sidebar Develop Formats for Standardizing MSFA emails, reports, and written communications. Make them available on the Website for use by officers, committees, etc.

35. SIDE BAR MESSAGE Special Consideration should be given to modify the name of the organization to more accurately describe the broad character of our Association’s constituency. Products we sell or give away should always contain our website URL, and the Logo should include “Voice of the Volunteer Fire, Rescue and EMS”

36. Sub-Group “B” • Convention and Conference • Mark Bilger, Bill Hildebrand, Tom Mattingly, Jackie Olson, Roger Steger • Facilitator – Lee Sachs

37. Group “B” Agenda • Explore all issues associated with the convention including: a. Locations of future conventions: • Committee agreed that we would not explore other options of other locations due to Ocean City offers the family affair concept and some of our members utilize our convention as their family vacation.

38. b. Schedule/content of opening business sessions, awards session, memorial service, installation officers banquet, parade, family picnic, beach party, flea market, basket bingo other social events including hospitality rooms. Should all these events be continued or changed and if so how?

39. Should all these events be continued or changed and if so how? The Committee addressed the following: • Saturday & Sunday: - no changes • Monday: Opening Ceremony Business Session (morning) Nomination of Officers Keynote Speaker (afternoon) Report of Partner Agencies Monday Night Event change of location/time fireworks – downsizing cost

40. Tuesday: Voting Awards (morning) AYCE Family Picnic (afternoon) No seminars (afternoon) Installation of Officers change of time: 1800 hours Pajama Parade & Costume change of time: 2130 hours • Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – no changes

41. Training seminars - Should they be continued? – scheduling seminars Training seminars – should they be continued? - scheduling seminars: • Seminars only on Sunday and Monday • Check into Continuing-ed credit seminars • Possible two day seminars (4 hours each) • Topics to include required training, i.e. protocols

42. Group “B” Agenda (con’t) 2. If the convention format is to be altered, suggested new format, re-suggested locations other then Ocean City and reasons for relocating the convention. • Possibility of moving convention to end of June

43. Group “B” Agenda (con’t) 3. Should the convention be “broken up” with the business meetings to be in June in accordance with the constitution which can probably be done in one day and other portions of the convention scheduled at a different times and locations other then the business meetings? The committee suggested that we adopted the already presented recommendations and looked at reformatting and a possible date change.

44. Group “B” Agenda (con’t) • 4. Pros and cons should be itemized for each recommendation. Our Facilitator addressed the pro and cons in previous slides.

45. Group “B” Format Discuss the Objective: To improve the Annual MSFA Convention and Conference in all aspects to include attendance, financial and overall appeal to all members.

46. Group “B” Format Create a Performance Statement: As you can see, the committee is very much in favor of keeping the location of Ocean City since it is a family oriented atmosphere and feels that the reformatting of our current convention and conference, as well as the date change will help in promoting a successful convention.

47. Group “B” Format Identify the Tasks to Implement: • Program Change - Committees & Members • Notification to Award Chairs and Nominees • Schedule change to MSFA Partner Agencies • Warn the Ladies Auxiliary to changes

48. Group “B” Format Establish a Measurement Process: • Survey after 2010 Convention & Conference • Review and address comments • Adjust as necessary

49. Group “B” Format Develop a Work Timeline: • Present recommendations to the MSFA Convention and Conference Steering Committee for immediate approval • Present to Convention and Conference Committee • Implement changes as approved (Committees) • Timeline: ASAP to implement for 2010

50. Group “B” Format • Committee Assignments: • Convention and Conference Steering Committee • Convention & Conference Committee • Individual sub committees to implement