LI ABATE membership meeting 4-14

LI ABATE membership meeting 4-14-15, Ronkonkoma, NY
110 people in attendance.
Heroes, salads, coffee and cookies served.
7:45 Meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance
Minutes for the March 2015 membership meeting were published in the April newsletter.
Motion 12-2015: Motion to accept March 2015 membership meeting minutes as published in
the April newsletter. (Seconded) All in favor.
Treasurer’s Report: income and expenditures were reported by Jim, in Bill’s absence.
Motion 13-2015: Motion to accept treasurer’s report. (Seconded) All in favor.
Board Changes: In wake of the death of Stavros Dalambakis, there was a vacancy among
voting members on the board. Nick LaMorte, previously 2nd Vice President, has moved up to
be the 1st Vice President. Nancy Gee has been appointed to the position of 2nd Vice President.
She has, in turn, given up her voting position as public relations. Mike Lauro has volunteered
and been appointed to the position of public relations.
Committee Reports
Kim / Membership: Long Island ABATE currently has 1,200+ members. For those whose
memberships will soon expire, a renewal letter has been mailed. We have introduced three
renewal incentives: 1) $5 off for each new member you bring in, up to $20. This will make your
renewal free. New membership applications must be included with your own renewal
application. 2) You can become a lifetime member for $10 per year up to your 25th year. That is
half the cost. 3) A five year renewal is $80. That is one year free. These incentives will be
outlined in the renewal letter. You can renew membership by mail, online or at a membership
meeting. Memberships can be renewed at any time. Your current membership will be
extended for one year. It is imperative that members renew and that we keep our membership
numbers up. It is the only way we can be effective when we meet with public officials, as we are
representing over 1,200 members. If you are not receiving LI ABATE newsletters or e-mails,
please let Kim know and she will update her data base.
Nancy / Website: The website has been updated with pictures from our chili party, along with
our 2015 Motorcyclist’s Handbook. New memberships, as well as membership renewals, are
accepted on the website through pay pal. Guitar raffles can no longer be purchased on our
website. Newsletter: Please send Nancy your motorcycle event flyers for a free one month
publication in our newsletter. If anyone is having difficulty with the newsletter link, please let
Nancy know.
Doreen / Legislative Liaison: Doreen invited elected officials to speak at our Motorcycle Safety
and Awareness Run. Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Dwayne Gregory and Suffolk
County Legislator Rob Calarco were present and spoke to motorcyclists before the run. Doreen
informed members of NYS Senate Bill S02757 / Motorcycle Awareness and Safety Inclusion in
(5) Hour Pre-License Education Course, sponsored by Senator Kevin S. Parker and Senator
Tony Avella. Attorney Dan Rogers wrote a supportive letter representing LI ABATE, to be sent
to officials sponsoring this bill. (Dan Rogers is a defense attorney that Jim met at the Jason
Monet court proceedings. Attorney Rogers is now part of LI ABATE’s legislative committee.)
Doreen also spoke of the anti profiling legislative bill that remains in committee in Albany.
Details about this bill will be found in the newsletter, as well as on the COIR (Coalition of
Independent Riders) Facebook page: New York COIR. Please read the bill on Facebook, like it
and share it. Links to contact your NYS Assemblymen and NYS Senators asking them to support
this bill (Assembly Bill A03147 and Senate Bill 3764) are available in the newsletter, as well as
through New York COIR e-mail alerts. Only one state in the nation, Washington State, lists
motorcyclists as a protected class, meaning that motorcyclists cannot be profiled. Members
continue to fill out victim statements, saying that they had been profiled because they were
riding a motorcycle. These statements will support LI ABATE and COIR when we go to Albany to
lobby this anti profiling legislation. Mike Pastore (member of the legislative committee) has
been researching manufactured exhaust pipes. Currently, if you alter the exhaust pipes on your
motorcycle, you can be subjected to a fine (a $700 fine is being proposed). The intended
purpose of this law is so exhaust pipes will not exceed the NYS decibel level of 82 decibels.
Mike has found that the decibel level on manufactured exhaust pipes is 70 – 80 decibels, thus
not surpassing the NYS decibel level. He is pursuing counter legislation to allow the use of
legally manufactured exhaust pipes.
Joe / Safety Officer: Joe will be attending the Suffolk County Traffic and Safety Board meeting
tomorrow to discuss road hazards.
Kathy / Products: LI ABATE t-shirts in a variety of colors is now available at $10 each. Several
requests have been made for long sleeved flame shirts, which have been reordered and are
being sold at $20 each. Kathy is running a t-shirt design contest (can also be long sleeved). All
designs must have LI ABATE on it and be appropriate for everyone to wear. The winner will
have bragging rights, along with a free t-shirt and a 5 year free membership to LI ABATE.
Old Business
Handbook: Our 4th annual motorcyclist handbook is sold out. Thank you to Lorenzo for
chairing this committee and to Christie for doing all of the artwork. This handbook again, was a
great success. Many vendors put discounts in their ads. Please support these advertisers and
let them know you saw their ad in our handbook.
Grant: LI ABATE continues to pursue grant funds to help us with motorcycle safety and
awareness. Tanya Cruz is now assisting us in this process to get the grant proposal written and
submitted.
Court Case: The felony charges against Jason Monet, the driver who hit motorcyclist Sid
Hughes, will most likely be dismissed in court on April 17th, in lieu of a plea agreement. The
drunk driving charge cannot be sustained due to a lack of breathalyzer and toxicology reports,
thus the reckless endangerment charge cannot be supported. The 2 nd charge, leaving the
scene, is not supported because the passenger did call in the accident. In the plea deal, Monet
will plead guilty to drunk driving and also name the establishment where he was drinking. This
will allow Sid’s attorney to file a civil suit to help him with the medical costs and financial
distress he has endured since the accident last June. LI ABATE will not protest this plea
agreement. Through this experience, LI ABATE has established a relationship with the District
Attorney’s office and creditability with the Honorable Judge Comacho. We have established
the fact that we are watching these proceedings now and in the future.
Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Run was a great success. Approximately 400 motorcycles
were present. We raised approximately $10,000, which will go strictly toward our 2015
motorcycle safety and awareness campaign. This year we had a billboard truck following the
motorcycles, making the public aware of the purpose of this run and to “watch for motorcycles”
this season. Suffolk County Legislator Rob Calarco, who was affected by the death of Stavros,
offered a proclamation to Stavros. We also witnessed a proposal of marriage by Jared to
Margo. Happily, she said “yes”. Newsday printed a half page article about our run the
following day. On behalf of LI ABATE, we would like to thank Full Throttle Magazine for cosponsoring this event and the Bikers for Christ MC for blessing each motorcycle on the run. We
would also like to thank Crusaders for CARE MC for volunteering to help with registration and
parking, and to the Brickhouse Brewery for offering complimentary food for run participants
afterward.
New Business
LI ABATE Booths: We would greatly appreciate any volunteers who would like to help us in a LI
ABATE booth this season, signing up new members and dispersing motorcycle awareness
materials. We set up a booth almost every weekend at motorcycle events, street fairs, etc. If
anyone would like to volunteer, please see Steve Sorensen or Nancy G.
Sign Committee: We have motorcycle awareness signs to be posted on county roads for the
motorcycle season. If anyone can volunteer to help post these signs, please see George, Sgt At
Arms.
Golf Outing: LI ABATE will be sponsoring a hole at the 1st Annual New York Sportscene
Children’s Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic, honoring Brandon Steiner. Many professional
athletes will be in attendance. We will be offering a 2016 Road King to the first golfer who gets
a hole in one at the LI ABATE designated hole. Oakdale Harley will deliver and set up the
motorcycle on the green.
Port Jefferson Parking: LI ABATE is once again pursuing free motorcycle parking in the Town of
Brookhaven parking lot in Port Jefferson. Jim has contacted the Town of Brookhaven and Port
Jefferson BID (Business Improvement District) who are on board. Additional details to follow.
Motorcycle Only Checkpoints: At a recent LI HOG meeting, police stated that they will do two
more motorcycle only checkpoints this season. Jim has already followed up on this report,
requesting a meeting with SCPD Highway Patrol to discuss what was said.
Proclamation honoring Stavros, presented by Suffolk County Legislator Rob Calarco at the
Awareness Run was read.
LI ABATE Run / Event List
June 14- Veterans Appreciation Run: Bill has once again secured three sponsors who will
match any funds raised on this run. We will be riding to Montauk, with a ceremony at Montauk
County Park at the conclusion of the run. Additional details will follow.
August 15 & 16 – Campout: The campout will be held at Cathedral Pines County Park.
Campout tickets are now available; $30 advance sales $40 after August 8. Bands will include:
Yankee Rebel, Wildflower, Southbound and Simple Days. Additional details to follow.
November 8 – St. Mary’s Food and Toy Run
December 12 – Holiday Party
Motorcycle Clubs Runs / Events
Club events are listed in the centerfold of the 2015 motorcyclist’s handbook.
Pastor Gerry / Bikers for Christ MC: 5/16 Swap Meet, 12 – 4 at the Rushing Wind Biker Church.
Vendors are needed. 5/30 Blood Drive 12 – 6, at the church. 6/13 Downed Biker Run.
Following the run there will be a barbeque and music. Again vendors are needed. Weekly
services at the church are Sunday at 10 and 5:30, and a Wednesday night meal and service.
Bereavement Group at the church, 2nd Thursday @ 7pm. Anyone who would like to talk to
someone at the church is welcome to come at any time.
Joey / President Riders of Fire: 4/19 - 12th Annual Blessing of the Bikes ride to the Shrine of
Our Lady of the Island in Manorville. Run begins at Applebee’s, Farmingville. KSU 1pm. $20
rider & passenger. Refreshments will be served at the end of the run.
Riders of Fire Ch.45: 6/14 Autism Ride
I Don’t Know MC: 5/23 – Annual Lend A Helping Hand (Help to put flags at the gravesites of
our veterans.) Meet at exit 49 Park and Ride on the LIE.
Lorenzo / Road Reapers: 7/31 – Midnight Run to Montauk. Leave Oakdale Harley at 10:30 pm.
Lorenzo sadly spoke of a member of the Road Reapers, Dave, who lost his life when he hit a
pothole while riding his motorcycle. There is a GoFundMe account established, which is now up
to $13,000+ and personal donations have totaled $5000 - $8000. All funds go directly to the
family. Lorenzo personally thanked Queensboro MC for contributing $1000.
Crusaders for CARE MC thank everyone for their support. Their hotline # is in the 2015
motorcyclist’s handbook.
Don Gomo / Empire State Motorcycle Safety Organization will be offering a new motorcycle
safety seminar 4/15 at the Hauppauge Library, 7-8:30. The seminar is free but you do have to
register. The information that is presented, combined with the Street Smarts class offered by
Steve’s Motorcycle School, will make riders much safer on the road this year.
Steve / Steve’s Motorcycle School will be offering another Street Smarts class, with a discount
for LI ABATE members. More information to follow.
Vinny Ammirati thanked the Bikers for Christ MC and all those who prayed for and supported
his brother who is recovering from a very serious motorcycle accident.
50/50: $170 to the winner.
Barbeque before our May membership meeting. Thank you to Joe Pizzo for all of the work you
are doing on the barbeque.
Motion 14-2015: Motion to adjourn. (Seconded) All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 9:14.