The Equalizer

Sabine District Transportation Club

Member of Traffic Clubs International

 Please keep our troops and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Volume 07 Issue 12, December 2007                                                                                                                S.D.T.C.,  PO Box 20103,   Beaumont, TX  77720  

 

                                                Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

 

                                                                           

 

 

 

We hope each of you and your families have a safe & joyous Holiday Season!

 

 

Be sure to join us beginning January 8, 2008 at 11:30 am at the Cattle Company as we start the new year off with three important events for the club!

Lamar Students to be awarded Scholarships

 

Two Lamar students have been chosen to receive scholarships from our club from the Business & Marketing department.  These two students, along with Dr. Kabir Sen will be our guest at the January 8 luncheon at the Cattle Company. 

 

Please mark your calendar for this event and show your support for these young folks.

 

 

 

Recognition of Dependent Scholarship winners

 

In August, the Board awarded two dependent scholarships to Lacey and Logan Theriot, daughter and son of Anthony Theriot of Yellow Freight.

 

January 8, has been set aside to meet and greet these two young students as well.

 

 

              

                          

 

 

 

Election of 2008-2009 SDTC Officers & Board Members

 

It is that time of year again to vote in the new leadership of our club for the ensuing year beginning in March.  These officers and board of directors will be elected to their positions by our members through a ballot vote. This ballot has already been sent in the mail to our members.    Be sure to return your ballot in time to be counted! 

 

However, in case of a tie, there is a run-off election that is held during the meeting on January 8, so it is important that our members be present to vote on the candidate of their choice. 

 

                                                           January 2008 is Election of 2008-2009 SDTC Officers

 

 

                                                             SUMMARY  OF  ELECTION  PROCEDURES

 

 

1.      Names of the candidates nominated by the nominating committee shall be furnished to members not later than twenty (20) days prior to the annual elections (12-19-07).

 

2.      At least fifteen (15) days before the election date, twenty (20) or more resident/resident life members may submit names of additional officers and/or directors to be included on the official ballot (12-24-07)

 

3.      At least fifteen (15) days before the election date, ten (10) or more additional names for non-resident/non-resident life members may submit additional names for non-resident director to be included on the official ballot. (12-24-07).

 

4.      Official ballots shall be mailed to each eligible member at least seven (7) days before the election.(01-01-08)

 

5.      Official ballots must be returned to the club secretary not later than 5:00 pm on the day of the election (01-08-08).  Specific directions for handling the mailing will be shown on the ballot and envelope and should be followed.  Particularly no names on the ballot return envelope.

 

6.      Official ballots will be tabulated at the annual election meeting by a teller committee of three (3) members, appointed by the President.  In the case of ties or no majority, a run off election will be held at the election night meeting between the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the office or directorship involved.  The run off election will be decided by a majority vote of

      members present.

 

 

NOTE:  Date shown in ( ) are deadlines for the item indicated.

 

 

THIS IS YOUR OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF CANDIDATES AS OUTLINED IN ITEM 1.

 

 

 

 

If no additional names of candidates are received by 12-19-07, the official ballots will be mailed as soon as possible after that date, in order that members can receive all ballots in time to be returned by 01-08-08.   

           

 

                                         Don’t forget to mail your ballot!

                       

The 2008-2009 Nominations are:

                                   

President:                               Danny Phillips, Burris Bekins

        

1st Vice President:                 Joe Ochoa, Wilson Warehouse Co. of Texas, Inc.

 

2ndVice President:                  John Cole, ABF Truck Lines

 

3rd Vice President:                 Gene Landry, Briggs Equipment                                               

                                                 Bobby Sullivan, Briggs Equipment

 

Immediate Past President      Ronnie Hicks, Port of Port Arthur

 

 

Secretary/Treasurer               Sherry Eckerle, Wilson Warehouse Co. of Texas, Inc.

                                                ________________  (write in candidate)

 

Board of Directors:

                                                Al Anselmo, Texas Broderick Storage

                                                Scott Traylor, Burris Bekins

Sandy Olson, A-OK Moving & Storage

Mike Standley, Jevic Transportation

Robert Ferguson, Burris Bekins

Sam Serio, Port of Beaumont

James “Buz” Brown, Bill Clark Pest Control

                                                Mike Garza, ISP Elastomers

Bubba Metz, Neff Brothers

Carol Blount, Wilson Warehouse Co. of Texas, Inc.

Non-Resident Director:         Chris Popjoy, KCS Railroad

                                                 ______________________________(write in candidate)

 

Please keep in mind that as you vote for these positions, the Board requires regular attendance for monthly board meetings.

                                                                                

Ballots for our new 2008-2009 officer elections have been mailed in December as well as the 2008 due notices. If there are any changes in membership, please contact your secretary at Sherry.Eckerle@sbcglobal.net or by phone at (409) 791-3259.


Board Meeting Announcements:
There will be a Board of Director’s at 11 am on January 8, 2008 at the Cattle Company.

 

Upcoming Events:

 

January 8, 2008

. Scholarship recognition

. Election day

. 11:30 am luncheon at the Cattle Company

 

February 12, 2008

. Installation of Officers & Board

. 11:30 am luncheon at the Cattle Company

 

March 11, 2008

. Port recognition

. 11:30 am luncheon at the Cattle Company

 

April 8, 2008

. Annual Shrimp boil

. Harvest Club

 

Web Site Update:  To reach the web site from the Internet: http://www.txsdtc.org 

To retrieve the Equalizer from the server:  http://www.txsdtc.org/equalizer/december2007/   or from the web side: txsdtc.org

 

If you do not have an e-mail address or simply wish to continue to have the Equalizer mailed to you, let our secretary know.  

 

Be sure to visit our sponsors listed both in the Equalizer and on the Web Site…

 
                                                                           TWIC Card Update!

The TSA has now opened local facilities available for enrolling for the TWIC – Transportation Worker Identification Credentials. 

 

Congress, through the Maritime Transportation Security Act, or MTSA, directed the federal government to issue a biometric transportation security credential to any individual with unescorted access to secure areas of facilities and vessels and all mariners holding Coast Guard issued credentials or qualification documents.  Controlling access to secure areas is a critical component of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to enhance port security.

 

 

 

                        

 

 

 

 

 These two sites are now open Monday through Friday from 8 to 5 pm.

Beaumont:
Ford Convention Center
Tyler Room
5155 IH-10 South
Beaumont, TX 77705-4213

Port Arthur:
3800 Highway 365
Suite 123
Port Arthur, TX 77642-7566

How long does it takes? If you don’t wait to the last minute to apply, the average time is about 5-7 days. You can pre-enroll online or in person at one of the sites listed for Beaumont/Port Arthur area. From a personal experience, the enrollment in person takes about 15-20 minutes. Then they will call you back & let you know when the card is ready for you to pick up at the site where you applied.

 



 

The actual implementation of compliance for the TWIC programs is slated to kick-off on September 25, 2008.  The compliance date for each zone will be published via notice in the Federal Register 90 days prior to the compliance date.

 

There is a list of the documentation that can be used to apply for the TWIC card.  You will either need one of the documents from List A or two documents from List B.  If you go to the TSA Web site under Frequently Asked Questions, Transportation Worker Identification Credential, Page 10 will provide you with a detail list of the enrollment process, a list of required documentation, along with the credentials of who can/must have a TWIC Card. The Homeport page for the Coast Guard will provide you with the same information.

 

There is a help desk for the TSA’s TWIC Program.  The phone number for the help desk is 1-866-347-8942.  The help desk will be available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 12:00 am EST. 

 

If you find that you need additional information about where to start, we would be glad to assist any of our members & help them find the right direction for information.

 
Did you know?                                                         New Year Around The World                                                         Editor:  Larry Kelley                                                                                                                source: Coolquiz.com
China celebrates this holiday for several days between January 17th and February 19th, at the time of the new moon. The Chinese called this time of feasting and celebrations Yuan Tan. Lanterns illuminate the streets as the Chinese use thousands of lanterns "to light the way" for the New Year. The Chinese believe that evil spirits roam the earth at the New Year, so they let off firecrackers to scare off the spirits and seal their windows and doors with paper to keep the evil demons out.

 

 

 In Scotland, the New Year is called Hogmanay. In the villages of Scotland, barrels of tar are set afire and then rolled down the streets. This ritual symbolizes that the old year is burned up and the new one is allowed to enter.

New Year's Day is also the Festival of Saint Basil in Greece. Children leave their shoes by the fireside on New Year's Day with the hope that Saint Basil, who was famous for his kindness, will come and fill their shoes with gifts.

               

 

 The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah. It is a holy time when Jews recall the things they have done wrong in the past, and then promise to do better in the future. Special services are held in the synagogues, children are given new clothes and New Year loaves are baked to remind people of harvest time.

In European countries such as Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands, families start the New Year by first attending church services. Afterwards, they visit friends and relatives. In Italy, boys and girls receive gifts of money on New Year's Day.