That was my question to the group assembled for the Two Firsts Post meeting that had been scheduled
since last week.
Why was I so agitated?
Because the men of Post 36, with the exception of Doug Andrews, are not using the group message thread that is supposed to keep everyone informed.
The men of Post 500 use it.
The women of Posts 36 and 500 use it.
Maybe that will change after this, maybe it won't, but I let all know just where I stand on the issue.
The problem began earlier yesterday afternoon just after 1 PM.
Brenda sent out the text reminder of the meeting, as usual.
Brenda: Good afternoon. Reminder: Meeting today at 5:30 PM. See you then.
Sabrina: ???? [She missed the meeting on March 4.]
Faustina: I will be there!
Eddie L.P.J.: ??????? [Odd, as he was at that meeting.]
Doug: I think that was a proposed meeting, but I think it is OBE... overtaken by events. The couple who run Betty Bombers at Post 135 have agreed to consider opening their second restaurant [at] 5509 Montgomery St. Mike Kozik & Kathrine Hancock.
Faustina: Doug, I have in my notes the same as Brenda. Namely, that we have meeting today at 1730 to discuss the funding paperwork that Mike gave us.
Brenda: Agree.
After that, no word for two hours.
I'd hoped to catch a movie before the meeting, but didn't want to miss any news of a change.
Now, it was after 3 PM and I needed to know.
Faustina: So, what's the verdict? [That was an inside joke for Doug, as he works in criminal law.] Are we meeting tonight or not? If not, I have other places to be as a busy, vibrant woman.
Brenda: Are we meeting or not. Please respond.
Another two hours pass with no word.
Then, at 5:17 PM, we get the following.
Doug: Eddie just called to say we are meeting!
Seriously???
This is no way to run an American Legion meeting.
Waiting until the last minute to respond, with members having to drive in rush hour traffic, along two of the busiest streets, to that location?
WTFH???
Then at 5:32 PM, there's this one.
Eddie: Joe Cetti Billy Cope myself and Michael Powers are here.
For that to be true, they were already there when Eddie had called Doug to say the meeting was on.
Now, I was steamed.
Faustina: Okay, on the way. Wish someone had confirmed.
So, I got there at almost 6 PM, due to DeRenne traffic.
Eddie Patterson, John Parker, Brenda Pough, and Sabrina Scales of Post 500 were all there.
So were Doug Andrews, Michael Powers, Joe Cetti, and Billy Cope of my Post 36.
Plus, there was someone else, a stranger, who had been talking but paused to fetch another chair to the table.
I took advantage of the lull in the action to speak my mind, including a rant about people not responding to the meeting thread.
I finished with "I have a full schedule that I've broken several times for these special meetings. I need to know in plenty of time so I can be here"... or words to that effect, to let folks know I felt I'd been excluded.
Joe Cetti pipes up with "Well maybe you should take a hint."
WTFH????
My response?
"Joe Cetti, did you just say that? As the Historian of Post 36, I feel an obligation to attend these meetings to have a record of progress. If I don't need to be here, then let me know and I'll be on my way."
I was talking, and looking, at every member of Post 36.
Joe mumbled something about just kidding...
then the stranger stepped in to break the tension.
He was Art Peltier, of Post 135, and he'd been called in to speak about the new owners of Betty Bombers.
Here's the problem with that.
All he succeeded in doing was muddying the waters.
We had decisions already in place and now I feel that we're starting over.
By the time 7 PM rolled around, Peltier had essentially talked us into keeping the bar to ourselves and only giving out the kitchen.
As I told him, we had been only too glad to have Kozik and Hancock step in to run both because none of us wanted to do that and none of us (with the exception of Michael Powers) have any experience doing any of that.
Peltier had looked at me like I'd grown antlers, then he turned to the rest of us and said "If that's true, then I advise that you rethink that situation. Those two don't have any experience running a bar, either."
Damnity damn damn.
Not that I'm casting any aspersions on Peltier.
I still don't know who invited him to rain on our parade.
He had a lot of good advice, too.
He told us the contract needs to include the kitchen inspection frequency, where kitchen mats will be cleaned, where deliveries will occur, who maintains the hood, who maintains the tables and chairs and kitchen equipment and bar equipment.
He told us that everyone who comes in contact with liquor, even if it's just loading boxes into the bar, must have their own bar card from the City of Savannah.
He told us the contract must include the total square footage for the kitchen, bar, and dining area that Kozik and Hancock will be renting.
He told us that at Post 135, the couple have their own food and business license, as well as booths that they built after they bought the business.
If the couple is running the bar as well, then they will need to have the liquor license, which is $6600 from the city; no, there is no discount for the American Legion.
As Joe Cetti commented, "That's a lot of beer that has to be sold to make up for that cost."
No kidding.
And for Two Firsts Post, an LLC and not an American Legion post, to be able to have the bar area open on Sundays, it's necessary for the kitchen to be selling a threshold amount of food on that day, which means every drinker needs to also eat.
That brings us right back to this endeavor being a restaurant first and foremost, not a bar.
Plus, as Peltier brought up, it is necessary that both Post 36 and Post 500 agree to abide by the bylaws of Two Firsts Post and that their constitutions include language that states that.
Again, this must be a restaurant first, a canteen that happens to have a bar as a sideline, because a church also rents space in this building.
Moreover, this needs to be a members-only club and the bar will also need to have the state liquor license, as well as the one from the city.
Then Peltier took his leave and we addressed other issues.
Eddie mentioned that the tint on some of the windows was reversed, allowing people to see in at night.
Sabrina told us she had contacted the sign people, but they need to meet with one of us to be told exactly what will be on the sign, the sign dimensions, how many signs, and where the sign will be placed.
Billy brought up the storage container issue, as the 40-foot will not fit, but we could have two 20-foot containers instead, though there are logistic issues with their installation.
Eddie reminded us that the doors all need to be reinforced, the security cameras need to be purchased and installed, and the TVs will also need to be purchased and installed.
Not much of this is new.
Most are issues we have been discussing for a year.
I thought Doug said we had the Shag Club wanting to hold their dances here, as they had at our Post 36 installation on Victory Drive.
If Two Firsts Post is a private club, couldn't we allow them to bring their own food and beverages?
If Two Firsts Post is a private club, and Hunter Army Air Field wants to hold events here, why can't we go ahead and allow that?
Why do we need to have the kitchen and bar matter decided before we can rent out this ballroom space???
I'll try to remember to bring that up at the next meeting.
It's scheduled for Tuesday, March 24th, at 5:30 PM.
Let's hope it goes forward.
