Things to Put on your “To Do” List
*Pay your TRPM dues! (If your dues are not paid up, this will be your last newsletter!)
*Renew your MSP application
*File your 2290 Form -- Heavy Duty Vehicle Use Tax by August 31, 2010
*Discuss a plan with your employees for the Maryland cell phone ban for drivers, which goes into effect October 1, 2010. Commercial drivers have two options: you may use a hands-free device or use “push to talk” technology. The fine for the first offense is $40 and the fine for the second  offense is $100.

Minutes of the last General Membership Meeting, Wednesday, June 2, 2010...
President Bowie called the meeting to order at Cambridge Yacht Club, in Cambridge, MD, and he thanked everyone for coming. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Jeff Hurley. Mark explained that the Secretary was unable to make it to the meeting and asked for a motion to dispense with the minutes from the last meeting. A motion to dispense with the minutes was made & seconded.  Mark asked Will Cain for the education report. Will stated that at the last board meeting we
discussed asking Wreckmaster to do a basic training class for the association in this area.  Wreskmaster stated that Level 1 is for insurance adjusters and dispatchers. This is not the training for the drivers who will be operating the trucks. Justin is telling him that they will have something concrete in the next 3 – 4 months. Wreckmaster is getting an “Association Course” ready for us and everything is in the process of being ironed out.
Will has gotten information on an air brake adjuster certification class. This class is going to be held at Wareheim in Baltimore. Will and the instructor are getting dates together now. We are going to try to hold one class during the day and one in the evening so that everyone who wants to be certified can get it done. Will said that the instructor charges $350 so how ever we want to do it is fine with him. Rachael Rogers asked if there was a way to get a class in the area. It’s 154 miles from Pocomoke to Baltimore so it’s not feasible to send drivers all that way for a class. In return, the  drivers are missing out on the available classes. Will said the easiest thing to do was to send one driver up and let him teach the others. Will
said if there’s enough people – we’ll get it done. Will asked for suggestions or interest in any classes. Mark asked if there were any questions. Question asked: if they get a group together in the area, would the instructor come to the Eastern Shore to teach the class?
Mark and Will had a discussion and Will said that we will get someone certified and have them come to the area to teach the class. How many people could get into the class for the $350 instructor fee? Will said that the instructor likes to keep the number of students at around 15. This way they can get through the class and students can ask questions if need be. Mark asked if there were any other questions. There were none.
Mark asked Jeff Hurley to bring us up to date on what’s going on in the area. Jeff stated that the Ocean City Council was thinking about privatizing the towing contract. They had a work session that started around 11:00 am but they didn’t get to the topic of towing until about 4:00 pm. Just about all of the towers from the area were present. Jeff attended on behalf of the TRPM members in that Region. The Council let the towers speak and several towers didn’t think they had enough input.
Afterwards Jeff spoke with one of the Council members on the committee and to the towers and told them what TRPM could do to help them out.  Subsequently, the Council decided not to change the procedure. It’s still a rotation but permit fees were raised from $150 to $500 per company. Towers complained that prices weren’t in line with the national scale. Towing charges used to be on a scale depending upon what equipment had to be used but now that fee was raised to a flat fee of $175 and of that, $25 goes back to the city for maintaining the storage lot and personnel for releasing vehicles. The way it is set up is that accidents go to the individual tow yards and police calls or private property impounds go to Ocean City’s storage yard. Storage charges went up from $9 per day to $40 per day. Jeff said all of the towers seemed to
be happy that it wasn’t going to be up for bid.  Jeff said the state police in Worchester County had a meeting with some of the towers. Right now the county has 3 sectors - Northern, Central, and Southern. Tow companies aren’t allowed to be in more than one sector twice. ABC and DBS can both be in one sector but otherwise only one company can be in the other sectors at a time. Both companies can’t be in the Northern sector and the Central sector at the same time. Currently there are 24 light duty towers and 4 heavy duty towers for all sectors. The heavy duty towers will now be on a rotating list across the entire county. Mark Nixon asked when the meeting is going to be held. Jeff said he is hearing this from another party but
it has taken place within the last week.
There was a discussion about Ocean City towers coming into other areas. There was a discussion about owner’s requests not being handled properly. Some members are complaining that there’s  a good old boy network and they are losing tows because of it.  Jeff stipulated that everyone has someone to answer to and certain channels needed to be followed. If the members aren’t getting any satisfaction from the Tow Sgt., then they need to go to the Lt., then to the Capt. Jeff said the Captain is from this area and he will handle things if he knows about them. Mark and Jeff are going to get together to see if there’s anything the association can do to help the TRPM members. This will be discussed further at the next Board meeting.
Mark reported on the Legislative Report. There’s not much to discuss because they are out of  session but if anyone knows of any fundraisers in the area. they should try to go or donate something.  We need friends in the House and in the Senate and our constituents need to see our names.  President Bowie asked if there was any old business. Will said that there was a question about  Auto Return in Baltimore County and the type of training or certification they require. He has researched
it and they are accepting any accredited training course for certification.  Betty stated that several people have asked about the big cash drawing and where it’s going to be held and when. She told everyone that the Board has decided that there will be something like a Fun/Fund Day and the big cash drawing will be tied into that. As always, the tickets will start being
sold and the first drawings will be at the August meeting and there will be additional information in the July/August newsletter about the venue.   President Bowie asked if there was any new business. Larry and Joyce are still looking into the bus trip to Chattanooga. They have received information on bus companies, the tow museum, Miller Industries, and hotels. Everyone discussed whether they would like this to be a 3 day trip or a 4 day trip. The more people we have – the better deal we are going to get. They are asking to be contacted by phone or email or speak with Betty so that they have a head count for better deals.  Don said that we are planning a Fun/Fund Day and he is pretty sure that we can get the Howard County Fairgrounds donated for the day. We want to have a tow truck show, a car show, a tow truck roadeo, face painting for the kids, etc. There was a discussion about which charity is going to get the money and if there is a percentage that has to be given or if we can plan one event for the charity. Betty said that the Board will decide which charity we will be raising money for at the next meeting. There was a suggestion to invite your local politicians.
President Bowie opened the floor up to general discussion. He asked if any of the members had any comments or concerns. He said that he is hearing concerns from the members that it is difficult to participate with the association. He is going to go door to door and find out why we don’t have the turnout that we should. He is asking for suggestions and input for the website. He would like the site to help TRPM members, advertise, add a ‘members only’ section, etc.
Mark asked if anyone would like to bring anything up. Don said that if Mark wanted to come door to door in Montgomery County – he would gladly go with him. There are approx. 14 towers and  only five of those are members. Mark said that numbers are power and we need numbers. Vinny is going to go door to door with Mark in his area as well.
Mark explained that the Association is here to take the heat for the individual companies that it represents. We are a statewide association. You have to try something or nothing will ever happen.  We are here to try to make something happen for our members. Jeff assured everyone that things are going to get done. Vinny said that if anyone has any friends in the Western district to let him know so that we can make them members.
Rick from Md Carrier brought in tow lights for a door prize, which was won by Linda Teets.
Mark asked for the 50/50 raffle to be drawn and Don Clagett won. Greg Hayden, G&M Auto Service,
your meal’s on us!
Betty wanted to mention that we have 3 associate members with us tonight: Rick from MD Carrier Wrecker Sales, Kara from Franklin & Prokopik, and Dave from TransCom. Rick was thanked for being at all of the meetings.
President Bowie asked if there was any further business, and being none, he asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. A motion was made and carried. Mark adjourned the meeting.
Respectfully Submitted, Tina Boram, Secretary