Rotary Gram

Durango High Noon Rotary Club

September 26, 2002

"Sure it costs a little extra to have another mouth to feed. But what you gain outweighs any negative aspects"

Rotarian host family, Rosemary Brady

Chessa Gill, PEN, opened the meeting in Jeff Brown's absence. She called for Carl Clark to provide the invocation and to lead us in the pledge.

Guests were introduced, including:

Tim Jackson, Speaker

Marcia Wean

Walter and Mary Nowotny

Sue Wright

Jim and Ruth Jackson

Joe Colgan

John Anderson, Jr.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kiwanis Pancake Day: Chessa called for a show of hands of those that attended to show our support for Kiwanis' efforts in the community. There were a lot of raised hands.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Oktoberfest!!!: Oktoberfest coordinator, Paulette Church, gave us more details of the October 24th event, including that there will be no regular meeting that day, since all hands are involved in setting up, preparing, serving, cleaning up etc. Tickets are available from John Marshall and in his absence (September 27th - October 2nd), from Frank Valen at Acordia. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children. Dinner is served from 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM, with music by the Alpiners from 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM.

So, get your ticket packets (you only have 10 to sell), get 'em sold and be sure you have signed up for a task at the event.

Blain Immunization Grant: Spencer told us of the successful receipt of funds that will be given to San Juan Basin Health to support immunization projects. It is at least $1,000 over the next 2 years, perhaps more. Speak to Spencer for more details.

Trash Pick up: The annual trash pick up will be on October 19th, with participants meeting at 8:00 AM at the Kennebec Cafe for a no-host breakfast, with work to begin at 9:00 AM. Get in touch with Pam Moore if you plan to work.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE

No Meeting October 10th: Instead of a meeting at our usual time, the Oct. 10th meeting will be held on October 12th, Saturday, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the train museum. It will a joint meeting with the evening and daybreak clubs and a reception for and presentation by the GSE Team from Argentina.

Group Study Exchange (GSE) Team Arrives: Chip reminded us that the GSE team will arrive on Saturday, October 12th. He reminded us to sign up for the reception and presentation that evening. A host was found for a second team member.

CLUB SERVICE

Newest Member is Walter Nowotny: Chessa asked Bill Wright and Walter to come to the podium to be inducted and to tell us more about Walter, his career and family. They were joined by Jill Bruce who presented Walter with a club roster and other materials.

Walter and his wife Mary are from Missouri, where he earned his undergraduate degree, while participating in ROTC, later serving in the United States Army and earning his J.D. He served in the MO Attorney General's office, going into private practice with a focus on mining, milling, smelting and recycling.

Prior service includes the Lyons Club, the local school board, his church and other civic endeavors. He worked with some famous and infamous 'characters' in the past and made contact with Rotary and Rotarians over the years. He indicated that he is happy to be part of the finest service club in the U.S.

Welcome Walter!!

Sergeant At Arms: This week's duties were shared by Rick 'O and Jim Wotkyns. A number of `voluntary not so voluntary contributions were made including Tom Galbraith's announcement that he become a grandfather, that the Bayfield Wolverines were undefeated and that Ducks Unlimited banquet tix were available from Tom Brossia.

Visiting Rotarian, the Honorable Joe Colgan, drew a card from the deck, but the HNR lottery still has no winner.

PROGRAM

Chessa thanked Jim and Rick for their efforts and introduced our speaker, Tim Jackson, a Rotarian and lobbyist for the NFIB, National Federation of Independent Businesses. Tim was in town for a forum on health care insurance, and while donning his Rotary blazer, said that he has visited 107 different clubs. He was a GSE team member years ago and visited 17 clubs in Italy.

Tim indicated that the population of Colorado has grown from around 2 million in 1970 to over 4.4 million now. Presently, there are 265,000 businesses in the state, most very small and 62% are owner operated with no employees. Of the remaining 38%. 96% have fewer than 100 employees, 78% 10 or less and 59% with 5 or less employees. 3/4 of new jobs created in the state are in small businesses.

Small businesses members of the NFIB list several threats to their success, including:

the Federal Government

Unions

Lawyers

Big business

Recognizing the importance of the NFIB, Fortune ranked it as #4 among all lobbying organizations. It is now #3 after the NRA and the AARP. Tim indicated that NFIB members have accurately predicted the outcome of certain elections 8 times out of 8, but would not publicly state the sense of the members for elections in November.

When the membership was asked to list their top problems in successfully operating their businesses, the top 10 responses were:

Health Care costs

Federal Taxes on business income

Qualified workers

Unreasonable government regulation

FICA taxes

State taxes on business income

Worker's compensation insurance costs

Federal government paper work

Cash flow

Cost of fuels

98% of the membership reported increases in health care costs of up to 50%, with a 4th straight year of increases of 20% or more in 1/2 of those reporting. Cost drivers in health care include; increased utilization of newer technology; litigation; new mandates and a cost shift.

Tim ran out of time, but not information and stayed after the meeting to take additional questions. Chessa presented him with the Rotary Speaker's mug and thanks from the club for his presentation. With nothing more for the good of Rotary, Chessa closed the meeting.

COMING UP

Oct 3 Adult Ed Center / County Commissioners

Oct 10 NO MEETING ON THURSDAY.

Oct 12 Argentine GSE Team Arrives

Oct 12 Reception for GSE Team Members and the presentation of their program. Train museum, 6:30 PM

Oct 15 GSE Mid-Tour Break begins

Oct 17 American Cancer Society. Denise Maurer

Oct 19 Trash pick up, Kennebec Cafe, 8:00 AM

Oct 24 Octoberfest Dinner at Fairgrounds

Oct 31 Mercy Medical Center

John E. Marshall

3005 County Road 207

Durango, CO 81301

970-259-6248 p

970-259-4498 f