November is here and it is cold...very cold. It is too early for this kind of winter-like weather. This month's photo is of me in St. Maarten (sic), with my cruise ship behind me. Don't mind the hat, I always wear my straw hat on vacation. I love my hat. I even wore it at my wedding. Anyway, I would first like to thank David Young for filling in for me at last month meeting. I understand that he did a great job and I know that he will make a great chapter president next year. October's panel discussion on the new TCNA (Tile Council of North America) guide went great. Thanks go out to Christine Stull-Walter and Susan Simon for all of their hard work in coordinating the program and to Erin Jennings for moderating the panel. I hope that this will lead to future joint meetings with the IIDA.   

            I also understand that the construction tour of the former Litho Press building went very well. Thanks go out to Joyce White, of Marbaugh, for coordinating the tour for the chapter. Hopefully, we will have more opportunities to tour various construction projects around the city.

            This month, we have a few things going on in the chapter. We will be having an afternoon education seminar on November 21 on code compliant door hardware. It will be presented by Laura Frye, of Stanley Security, at the Riverwalk, from 3-5pm. Registration is available on the chapter website.

            The evening program, also on November 21, will be a joint meeting with the ASPE (American Society of Professional Estimators) on an 11th hour bid simulation. Attendees will be split into teams for this bid exercise. Registration and additional information is available on the chapter website. The mock bid process will last 1 ½ hours, therefore we will be starting the program at 6:00pm. It is important that attendees arrive between 5:30 and 6:00 pm to be placed into teams. Dinner will be plated, instead of buffet and will be served during the mock estimate.In addition, before the program begins, there will be a brief presentation on the upcoming Riverwalk renovation that will begin in January. The board of directors is currently working to find an alternate chapter meeting location during this renovation period.

            I would like to thank those who took the time to complete the catering survey that went out about a week ago. We have received a lot of feedback from the members about the food service at the Riverwalk. The chapter board is working with Riverwalk and their catering staff to improve the catering at our chapter meetings and your feedback will be very helpful in achieving that goal. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or additional comments. Your input is always welcome.

            Finally, I know it has been a little while, but this month's letter marks the return of the President's question of the month. For new members, each month I will have a question at the end of each month's President's letter to give members a chance to get to know me. The first person to email the correct answer to ed@sebreearchitects.com will get a door prize. One guess per email address and you must be present at the chapter meeting to win and receive your prize.

November's question:

I was in the marching band in high school and in orchestra for part of college. I tried out for marching band in college twice but didn't make the cut. What instrument did I play?

• Trumpet
• Clarinet
• Saxophone
• Drums  

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and I hope to see you at the chapter meeting.

RAP - The Region Allocation Program (RAP) recommendations created by all of the Region Presidents, adopted by the Institute Board at their meeting at CONSTRUCT, were mentioned last month, but not detailed. The following are the highlights of the adopted recommendations:

• Keep the original RAP Program, but change the way funds are distributed to the Regions.
•  Remove language stating that Regions in violation of Institute policy could have funds withheld until the Board felt they were in compliance.
• Change the funding code to make the funds distributed to the Regions a pass through amount similar to how Chapters receive their funding. Remove the funds as line items (income and expense) to the Institute Budget.
• Continue the 7 percent of member dues back to the Regions rounded to the nearest dollar. The membership rate would apply to all membership categories. RAP is automatic and not optional for members. The RAP fund percentage would be reviewed by Region leaders every two years to ensure adequacy of funding and make recommendations to the Institute Board should changes be needed. In the future, if membership dues are increased, then the RAP fund would also be increased concurrently, based on 7 percent of the increased dues amount.
• Note in the Operational Guide or other document that any increase in membership dues will cause a recalculation of the funds to the Region to stay 7 percent of the total membership dues amount.
• Implement an informational campaign to educate members to ensure that RAP is fully explained and not confused or misinterpreted as a new fee or part of the membership dues increase.
• Institute Dues line items would not change in monetary value, however, a footnote on the application form should be made on the application form should be made indicating that 7 percent of the member dues provided to the Institute will be used to fund Region activities.
• Continue uninterrupted sending of 100 percent of the RAP funds (7 percent of member dues) collected by the Institute, to the Regions in a similar manner to the Chapter Dues that are collected and distributed monthly based on the Member renewal date.
• Establish and publish clear recommended guidelines to the Regions on leadership development, mentoring, and Institute-recommended budgeted uses of the RAP funds. These guidelines must contain measureable goals and requirements in order to allow the Regions to measure their successful compliance, however, shall not be mandatory or cause for the Institute to deem the Region not in compliance, forfeiting RAP funding. These guidelines may be in the form of a Region report card, itemizing the Region activities and illustrating how the Regions are implementing the use of the funds through leadership training and other Region/Chapter activities related to the enhancement of CSI.
• Reorganize the Chapter listing on the member application form, and list chapters by Region. Membership in a region would be based on zip code of the registration address, not Chapter affiliation.
• Supplemental dues charged by any Region should be listed as a percentage under the Region heading and shall be incorporated into the Chapter dues surcharge. There will be only a Chapter surcharge; however Region supplemental dues will be disclosed as part of a footnote.

The details are to be worked by the Institute Finance Committee. I believe that these recommendations will help establish the validity of Regions and ensure a healthy CSI.

Nominations - Institute Director, Thad Goodman and his Nominating Committee have established a fine slate of qualified candidates to run for Region Offices next Spring.

• President - Elect       Phiip Babinec, RA, CSI, CCS, CCCA - Cincinnati Chapter
• Vice President          Donald Bauman, CSI, CDT - Detroit Chapter
• Vice President          Jeffery Clark, CSI - Louisville Chapter
• Treasurer                  Henry Hondorp, CSI - Grand Rapids Chapter
• Treasurer                  Bob Schrock, CSI, CCPR - Cincinnati Chapter

CSI members from the Great Lakes Region, CSI, are slated at the top offices of the Institiute also to elected next Spring:

• President - Elect       Lane J. Beougher, FCSI, CCS, CCCA - Columbus Chapter
• Vice President           Gary L. Beimers, FCSI, CDT - Grand Rapids Chapter

Congratulations to all the candidates. Support the Great Lakes Region and VOTE.

Many thanks for all of your efforts to better the Great Lakes Region, CSI.