COMPILED/SUBMITTED BY:  ADJUTANT Shawn R Taylor   

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES – Date: 11 February 2025

Reviewed and approved By: COMMANDER Terry Ward, POST 281, Tyler Cates, Dept of TN      

CONVENED:  1830   ADJOURNED: 1950  

MEMBERS PRESENT: __24___   VISITORS: _1____   POST OFFICERS: _5____  TOTAL: _30____

ASSEMBED

At 1800 hrs., the doors of the Mt. Juliet Senior Activity Center (MJSAC) were opened for food and fellowship.  Sergeant-at Arms, Don Barnes, provided pizza and soft drinks for members and guests.

GUESTS AND SPEAKERS

• Zabrina Seay – Wilson County Veterans Service Officer
  • May 3^rd Mental Health fair, 100% Life Insurance
  • Mar 1^st at 8am breakfast
  • Mar 29^th at 0900 in the Veterans’ Building – No Vet Left behind
  • Open discussion with members regarding veterans’ benefits

OPENING CEREMONY

At 18:30 CMDR Ward called the Post to order and Chaplain Hale offered prayer, followed by placement of the POW/MIA Flag at the designated memorial table by Sgt-at-Arms Don Barnes.  This was followed by The Pledge of Allegiance and the Preamble of the Constitution of The American Legion.

Past Commanders and Distinguished Guests

CMDR Ward recognized Post 281 Past Commanders Lew Hightower and Max Wix.

New members welcomed:

•  Mike Bishop

READING OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

A motion to wave the reading and accept as written last month’s general meeting minutes that were posted on the post’s website was made by CDR Ward.  Seconded by FMR CDR Max Wix and   the motion approved.

OFFICERS REPORT

• COMMANDER – Terry Ward
  • Spoke about Day on the Hill and what the legislature is doing for veterans.

The issues addressed in the session were the sponsoring of current bills being submitted to the state General Assembly in regard to :

1. Disabled veteran property tax exemptions/exemptions
2. Establishment of a state dedicated method of raising funds for Veterans issues through the state lottery with a dedicated scratch off ticket that would generate funds through lottery sales statewide.
3. Changing eligibility terms for the state sponsored “helping Heroes” education grants to include trade schools and not just college or universities.
4. Funding for the exploration of using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for PTSC and brain injuries for Veterans.

 Post members Mike Faoro and Jeff Mattingly attended the session on the Hill with CDR Ward and called upon Senator Mark Pody and State Rep Susan Lynn to support these bills in support of our membership and other veterans with the state and nation. 

• 1^ST VICE – Mike Faoro
  •  Nothing to Report

• 2^ND VICE – Bob Snuck
  • Monthly breakfast will be February 15^th, at the Flat Tire at 0900.

• ADJUTANT – Shawn Taylor
  •  Excused

• FINANCE OFFICER – Steve Iles
  • Post 281 finances are healthy. 

• SERVICE OFFICER – Patti Whitmore
  • Nothing to Report

• CHAPLAIN – David Hale
  • SICK CALL
• George Barnes.  Hanging in there.  Struggling.  Can not sit for long.
• Lew Hightower. Doing well.
• Fred Higdon.  Knee replacement.
• Pat Constanzo.  Needs and wishes from members along with prayers.  After the passing of his wife Betty.
• Max Wix.  Has lymphoma Leukemia.  Nugget passed away.  He had belonged to their daughter, Robin, before her passing.
• Hoss Peterson, dealing with unexpected cancer issue

• SERGEANT-AT-ARMS – Don Barnes
  • Nothing to Report

COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Honor Guard – Capt. Steve Wren
  • 496 Ceremonies

• Sons of the American Legion – Squadron Commander Robert Fields
  • Lew Hightower is back to being the adjutant.  Don Barnes has stepped down to give his full attention to the SAA position for TAL.

• Oratorical – Bruno Padovani
  • 5 District competition was on February 8^th.  There were 3 participants.  Next competition is on March 8^th at Post 82 in Inglewood, and the final competition to be held at Department HQS, March 22^nd  in Donelson.

• Website/Webmister  Jeff Mattingly discussed recent changes and additions to the website to include the page title Post Everlasting for past members, that have gone beyond this realm of reality and the intent of the page to honor them in an ongoing legacy. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

• Nothing to Report

NEW BUSINESS

• Boys State for 2025.  Del Webb Veterans Club will sponsor 1 boy and 1 girl.  Dates are May 25 thru May 30.  The cost is $425 per participant for the guys and $500 for the gals.
• Tree Sale in partnership with the auxiliary will be on March 29th.  Information for making purchases is located on the website on Face Book page.  Post 281 has been asked to support the event with traffic control and with a few trucks with trailers to move trees from the larger trailer to staging locations in the parking lot at FBC, MT Juliet. 
• Honoring America’s Flag will be in May.  Terry talked about sponsoring a race car for this year and next year.  Terry brought up maybe sponsor the moving wall for the flag day in May.    The exchange club would like help with solicitation of doners for the flag event.  
• Commander Ward informed the members of the information listed below in an MFR regarding the relocation of the post meetings to a new location. 

• NEW LOCATION FOR POST 281
  • Memorandum for record (MFR) for members of the American Legion Post 281 Executive Committee, recorded 19 February 2025, from Post Commander Terry Ward:  

• This is an information update on the movement of our Post meeting location from The Senior Activity Center (SAC) in Mount Juliet to the Mt. Juliet Community Center at Charlie Daniels Park,  in their main building, in Room B, for all future meetings.

• On 3 Feb 2025, I received a phone call from the SAC director, Valisa Saindon,  providing me an update to the completion schedule for the new Mount Juliet Police Department’s building and how the current SAC was being sold to the highest bidder,  the Mt. Juliet Church of Christ.   SAC’s operations will be moving to the new community activities building in 2026, which is the current police department’s headquarters building in Mt. Juliet.  Ms. Saindon recommended that we could continue to meet in the SAC until December of 2025.  She advised that if we wanted to continue to meet in the newly proposed Community Center, where the SAC is moving to, we would need to contact the Mt. Juliet Parks and Recreation Department Manager. Rick Lee, aka “Rocky”, and get our Post’s name on their list of prospective tenants.

• On 4 Feb, I visited with Rocky to establish contact and to get our name on the list for consideration. Shortly into our conversation, he told me that he had a better deal that he was going to recommend, that being an offer to meet in the Charlie Daniels Park, Mt. Juliet Community Center’s  (CDP-CC) conference room, Room B, free of charge.  (This is the room where most of Mt. Juliet’s residents vote during elections.)  He stated how we could consider the Center’s Room B to be our new home for the foreseeable future. He gave me a quick tour of the room and told me of an attached storage room where we could store the Post’s meeting support items.   There are over 100 chairs in that storage room and 6 tables that we can use for our meetings.  We will have access to a kitchen area, including an icemaker,  that is adjacent to the room.   The room has an overhead projector, with a drop-down screen.   We will need to furnish American and State of TN flags.  We will also need to secure a desk top podium.  

• On 6 February, I returned to the CDP-CC with two members from the Executive Committee, Bob Snook, and Jeff Mattingly.   I also invited Post member Bruno Padovani to join us.  We were well received by Rocky and his assistant parks director, Melinda Troutman.   In our conversation, Rocky offered the executive committee the opportunity to meet in CDP-CC’s conference room for our future EC meetings, using their large conference table that seats 12.   Rocky also commented that if there is ever a conflict of schedules with other community events being held in the building, he will find a different place for us to meet.   We addressed the need to have a storage locker or tub where we could keep a few items we use in our regular meetings.   Rocky stated that he’d have no concerns in that regard.  Signage for our Post is an issue for further development, but Rocky was agreeable to our need to have a signage that advertises our existence and meeting location.   The center is open from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM, so we will not need a special key, but that could be considered if we have a need in the future.  

• On 18 Feb I visited the Hermitage Home Depot to look at storage tubs to be used for our Post equipment used in our meetings.    For less than $50, with no tax, we can purchase a black plastic storge tub that measures 44.9” long, 23.4” wide, and 22.3 “ high, that has small rear wheels for mobility, and a top can be locked with separate combination locks.  I’d recommend using two locks due to the size of the top. The locks will cost less than $10, each. 

• Regarding an American Flag and TN state flag, in a quick search on Amazon ( which I personally would rather avoid using), I found an American Flag, with an 8’ pole and a gold base plate, with a gold eagle on top.  We would get a set of two US flags with poles and the bases, for $98.00.   With this set, we could purchase a TN flag so we would have matching poles and bases and an American and TN Flag.   I want to check for other deals, without tax, if possible, before we buy from Amazon but if nothing else this will work.  I do not believe they will honor our tax-free status without hours of phone time and a lot of documentation.  If you know of an alternative deal, please advise.   Personally,  I would offer to pay the tax difference out of my pocket before spending hours of my time to claim tax-free status.  

• In search of collapsible desk top podiums on Amazon, I found the following for $70:  

• At the 11 Feb Post meeting, I announced the basic details of this information to all Post members in attendance.   I further advised the members present that we will plan on meeting at the new meeting location for our March 11^th meeting.   It is my intention to publish a “news and notes” update with this information, published in our Post’s blog/website and sent to all members and other subscribers. 

• These items, as presented in this memorandum, will be the topic of discussion at the next EC meeting to be held on 4 March at the SAC at 5:30.  If all EC members are in concurrence with the move to the new location and the recommended purchases, as appropriate to the move, all Post support supplies will be moved and stored in a newly purchased storage tub and the meeting will be held in the CDP-CC.   I request all EC members to respond, accordingly,  with your decision and concerns.    

FOR THE GOOD OF THE AMERICAN LEGION

• Member John Herko notified members of the Del Web Veterans Club and their upcoming hosting of Susan Hunter, the author of 77 letters, and our guest at last year’s Christmas Banquet.  Susan will be speaking at the Club House on 4 May, starting at 6:30 PM. 

MEETING ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to attend , the closing ceremony was conducted, with closing prayer offered.  The POW/MIA Flag was retrieved for storage.  This was followed by honors to our flag and the meeting was adjourned at 1950 hrs.