At the request of the 2001 TCRCM President, Gordon Anderson, the Field Improvement Committee met to update the Five Year Plan (attached) that was issued and approved by the TCRCM membership in May 1998. The committee members are Bill Greger, Lyle Laughery, Terry Hane, Ron McMahan, and Bill Bowen. The Objectives, Assumptions, and Constraints of the original plan are assumed to be still valid. The following update to the original recommendations presents a status for each with the basis for changes as noted below.

Procured and installed a Sears 10 ft. X 17 ft. heavy duty shed including the concrete pad. Two new adjustable sprinklers were also purchased and installed.

Comment: The shed and pad have worked out very well,and the new sprinklers have certainly helped with water consistency needs of the field. The activities for this year came in on budget.

Installed new parking bumpers and graded/graveled parking lot to control dust. Also procured the balance of the needed sprinklers, and the ones that were on loan have been returned. The club purchased a temporary shade awning until a permanent one was available.

Comment: A good price was obtained for the sprinklers, which permitted the sprinkler that was planned for 2000 to be included and all were installed. The activities for this year came in $700 under budget.

The shade shelter was designed and built by a team led by Terry Hane. This very large shade shelter is very heavy duty and will last for many years. The design is based on the Othello R/C field. Electrical power with the box was installed inside the fence by the gate. The small-bore irrigation was upgraded with the savings from the large sprinkler purchase.

Comment: The shade shelter is premium quality, and came in on budget. The committee recommends that a second storage building is not needed, but the club needs to limit how much stuff members, that may be of some use in the future, bring. Storage is limited at the field and general housekeeping is becoming a problem. The activities for the year came in on budget.

This year was to install shade trees with drip irrigation and install a pad for an engine test area away from the pits/flight line.

Comment: The committee recommended unanimously that the shade trees with the separate irrigation system be deferred at least three years, and should be considered by the club for elimination. The current water shortage will certainly compromise the water needed for good grass growth, and adding more at this time is not practical. The new shade shelter also eliminates the need for additional shade, plus the irrigation needed for the trees would require a supply separate from the one now in use for the grass. In lieu of the trees the committee recommends the following improvements for 2001

• Paint the shade shelter. This needs to be done very early in the year ($150)
• Revise the sprinklers to support the new shade shelter. This also needs to be done early in the year ($100)
• Extend the electrical power to the shade shelter with 2-3 outlet boxes. ($50)
• Install a drinking fountain adapter to the spigot currently used for hoses and washing hands. ($50)
• Install the engine test pad as originally recommended, but decrease the size to 8-ft X 8-ft. Install adjacent to the storage building next to fence line, and include at least two eyelets for tying off model aircraft ($100).
• Provide some wall storage in the storage shed that will be sealed from the animals and elements for consumables used at the food services provided for events during the year.

The activities for this year were to procure and install equipment supporting various types of flying events and procure some metal bleachers for spectators.Comment The club interest for the special equipment has essentially disappeared, and spectators that come for special events have not needed bleachers. The club supplied plastic chairs have done well. It is recommended by the committee that all of the activities for the year 2002 be deferred for at least three years, and the annual need for replacement of plastic chairs is included in the annual maintenance budget at an estimated cost of $100. It is further recommended that at the end of 2001 the club reevaluate the need for any further improvements pending the outcome of the potential water issues. If the water issues are acceptable the club may be able to accommodate a decrease in dues.

The Field Improvement Plan has provided a well thought out path forward from 1998 to present. As noted above the committee does recommend changes for the years 2001 and 2002 based on the club operating experience over the last three years, and the current issues of water shortages being predicted for the near future. It is also important that the club give a high priority to painting the shade shelter and installing a revision to the irrigation in the area of the shelter to assure good grass growth.

The above represents the combined efforts of your entire Field Improvement Planning Committee. An electronic file of this correspondence is available from the chairman.

Submitted by,

William Bowen - Chairman

March 19, 2001