A Letter from the Commander

August 2014

Comrades:

I have been your Commander for two months, and it seems like I have a full-time job. We have had a lot to deal with these first two months and I hope it slows down a little for hunting season this fall.

The City has passed the new ordinance regarding our Liquor License. We can now be licensed as a “Restaurant/Bar”, instead of a “Club”, or we can remain licensed as a “Club”. We will vote on these issues at our October, 2014, meeting. I will permit two people to talk for a “Club License”, and two people to talk for a “Restaurant/Bar License,” at our September, 2014, meeting. Each will be allowed two (2) minutes of time to speak. I have to be fair to both sides of the issue at the meeting.

Last month in my Commanders letter, I spelled out problems the canteen has been having financially. With that letter I presented a list of programs and projects within the canteen where we can save money and gain income to balance our financial picture. Our “House Committee”, met on these issues on July 21, 2014, and approved most of my proposals. All of these issues were presented to the floor at our monthly meeting and most of the issues were approved by the “Members Present”.

We have been trying to find a new Gambling Manager and I have decided on a candidate for the job, but we are working out some logistics for the position. I proposed to the “House Committee” and the “Membership Floor”, that we make the position a full-time position. When the individual is not working on “Gambling” administrative work, he/she will be working with a “Planning Team”, to increase and improve activities within the club for Gambling and the canteen.

In addition to the changes with the Gambling Manager, I am forming an in-house “Planning Team”, to plan, organize, evaluate, and implement activities within the club. The purpose is to implement a variety of activities to expand our draw from the public to increase our foot traffic through the door. The “Planning Team” will be made up of the Commander, House Committee Chairman, Club Manager, Gambling Manager, and the cook. These people should be able to work together to organize these activities within the club and function in harmony.

I would like to finish by expressing my gratitude for the understanding and encouragement that I have received from my fellow Comrades in working with these issues. I feel we are moving into a new operation direction with VFW Clubs. We have to change our scope of operations to meet the challenges of our time. My first Technical College Instructor used to tell us: “If you are going to succeed in life; you have to Role with the Punches”. His way of saying that you have to change with the times and events, to succeed. In years to come I hope that we can look each other in the eye and say: “Well, we tried and we succeeded!”

Respectfully submitted:

Gabe Pipo, Commander

A Letter from the Commander

July 2014

Comrades:

I have to admit that this is not a leadership position that I really planned on. However, when I was approached and asked by several members of the Post if I would consider running for Commander, I really gave it some serious thought. I concluded that VFW Post 936, has really been there for me over the years and I owe the club a little pay back. The club was there for me when I needed classroom supplies to start the DARE program in Douglas County, and without the clubs help it might not have gotten off the ground. The club has helped me out with a park meeting hall and has helped me with some personal benefits over the years. I am really grateful to this VFW Post, and I plan to help the organization out as much as possible.

I don’t plan on coming in and trying to set the world on fire, but, because of bad timing I am taking over at a major decision making time for the club. No, Joe Nemo did not drop a coconut on me in the beginning. He has been very helpful in this transition and we all owe him a big thank you for his multiple times as Commander of the Club. However, because of a major process with the City of Alexandria, and other restaurants in the city, we are facing a major change in our “Liquor License”, fee’s, and scope of operation.

In the past we as a club have been able to operate with a “Club” Liquor License, which has restrictions of sales to “Members and Bonifide Guests”. Because of a Minnesota Supreme Court Ruling, the way we have been permitted to operate is more than likely not possible in the future. Because of a poor definition in State Law, and a subsequent interpretation of what a “Bonifide Guest” is, we find ourselves perhaps “illegal”, and therefore our liability insurance could become useless. In the future it appears that we will have to be licensed as a “Restaurant Bar”, instead of a club. The City of Alexandria, has been very gracious to accommodate us in this matter, and officers of the club have been attending meetings with the city and doing research to make sure we end up with a workable situation. The bad news in all of this is that the new license will cost $3600, instead of the $500, we now pay.

Not all of this is bad news. We have done research with other Cities and VFW clubs who have gone through this and have had good results. First of all, we can keep our charitable club status. Secondly, we would be able to serve liquor to the public without the restrictions we now have. We can maintain a closed door and membership and guests books the same as we do now. Thirdly, our liability insurance would actually go down because we could now bundle our liability insurance with the rest of our insurance. Fourth, we could choose to be open seven days a week. Most important: “The clubs in other cities that have gone to this type of license have seen a major increase in business”

I know some of you may have strong feelings about this and have heard some rumors. If you want to have some input into this process, I would encourage you to come to the meetings. We meet at 7:15 PM, on the Second Tuesday of every month, and we have a “free will dinner” for Veteran members and their wives, prior to the meetings. Remember, if you don’t attend the meetings and participate, you forfeit your rights to any major input. It is very important that you all attend our monthly meetings.

I am looking forward to your input.

Gabriel J. Pipo,
Post Commander