Rotary Roundup

Meets Noon Mondays at the Hilton
www.hbgrotary.org
Executive Director: Linda Freedenberg Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Telephone: 717-234-1208
Fax: 717-234-3234

Speaker: Timothy Potts, Co-founder DEMOCRACY RISING PA

Topic: "WHAT DO WE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR PA GOVERNMENT"?

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Your Program Chair took the opportunity to invite Tim Potts, a past well received Rotary speaker, to share an early, up front result of the 2012 INTEGRITY POLL released a few weeks ago! "By hugh margins, the citizens of Pennsylvania have a far different vision for Pennsylvania government than their elected officials". Tim Potts    The poll was conducted in December by Terry Madonna Opinion Research, Franklin & Marshall College, funded by citizen donations.

Greeter and Good News Reporter:  Charlie McNutt
Invocation:  Jeff Boswell
Mini-Classification Talk:  Joe Arthur
Club Singing:  Caryn Carr
Publications:  Dave Freet

Corporate Member

BIRTHDAYS
Gib Parthemore  MAR 29
Barry Kain          MAR 31
Andy Rebuck      MAR 31

UPCOMING PROGRAMS
at the Hilton   
4/2    Tiffany Brown Manager, Donor Recruitment, American Red Cross 
Blood Drive:10-2 at Hilton
Sign up today
4/9    NO MEETING
 For complete programming go to our website: www.hbgrotary.org
and click on calendar.
For meeting cancelations:
Check your e-mail or call the
Rotary office at 234-1208.

PROGRAM:
"Looking at decades of public opinion, pollster George Gallup once said the American people have always been far ahead of their political leaders on important issues like civil rights, women's rights and the environment. Today, Pennsylvania citizens are far ahead of their political leaders on principles of integrity, value, transparency and citizen confidence in government. It's time to let our citizens take the lead through a Citizens' Constitutional Convention where these principles can serve as the basis for creating the best state government in America."

    * One of three "Citizens of the Year" for 2005 - The Philadelphia Inquirer
* Public Service Achievement Award, 2006 - Common Cause/PA
* Director, Pennsylvania School Reform Network, 1997-2005
* 22 years as a senior advisor in the legislative and executive branches, including the PA House of Representatives and the PA Departments of Education, Public Welfare, and Commerce

NEWS AND NOTES:
• Roster information sheets are available:  Please check the information for accuracy, circle the committees you would like to be on for 2012-13 and return to Linda.
• The Rotary Club is saddened to learn of the death of long time Rotarian Harry Banzhoff.
•Congratulations to Rotary Club of Harrisburg Member, Ryan Riley and his wife Kim, on the birth of their son Brennan Thomas Riley who arrived today at 7lbs 11oz.  All are healthy and well.
•Rotary/Red Cross Blood Drive:2nd Blood Drive will be on April 2 at the Hilton.  We will have our regular Rotary meeting that day in the banquet room with a speaker from the Red Cross.  Please sign up for time slots 10 AM - 2 PM (blood drive in another room) and you can still attend our meeting.  You will also receive future attendance credit for your blood donation.  

Below are the Links to sign up sheet for Blood Drive April 2 and the Red Cross Donor info site:  http://www.timetosignup.com/ipackman/signupsheet/7485   ---- use this link to sign up to donate blood

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements  ---use this link to read the donor requirements

• FREE IMAX show:  Whoa, hold on to your hat!  That's right, we are face to face with a tornado on the horizon my Rotary friends!  Thursday, April 19th at 7 PM sharp you and your guest are invited to a complimentary showing of the IMAX thriller Tornado Alley!  Please RSVP to Linda as soon as you can. There will not be tickets provided, just show up at the Whitaker Center IMAX for open seating when doors open at 6:40.  The IMAX seating is limited to 200 and we hope to have a full house of family and friends join us for a windy, good time. Oh, yeah, plan to bring a few dollars so you can grab a tub of popcorn!  ALSO – you get attendance credit!

• Rotary Evening at the Ballet on Friday, April 20, 2012. All Rotarians and guests in the district are invited to attend the evening for only $15 per person.  Typically, the seat and the food cost would be close to $60.  Respond to Dan Zalewski This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in attending.

DISTRICT NEWS: 
• District 7390 Conference to be held at Williamsburg, VA on Friday, March 30 through Sunday, April 1, 2012 at the Williamsburg Lodge.  Come experience all that the Colonial Williamsburg has to offer Rotarians and their guests.  Dinner at Shields Tavern is included in the total package plan.  Register online at www.rotary7390.org for the conference and contact the Williamsburg Lodge at 1-800-261-9530 (Group #15318) for overnight hotel accommodations.   

• The February Governors Newsletter is available at:
http://www.rotary7390.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Ok1pspPQ9Sk%3d&tabid=113

LAST ROTARY MEETING:  3/19/12      Minutes by Steve Baloga:
President Bob brought the meeting to order at the Hilton with the invocation led by Dave Warren, singing of My Country ‘Tis of Thee, led by Karen Paris, and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Bill Spahr introduced the many visiting Rotarians and guests. There was hardly an available seat in the house, so popular was our speaker!

Hava Pell presented the club with a flag from the Poipu Beach, Kauai (Hawaii) Club. Dick Goldsmith presented the club with a flag from the Tokyo Rotary Club. He also encouraged our members to strive for 100% Paul Harris Fellow participation and 100% participation in the Wounded Warrior program. He requested that our collection of flags from other Rotary Clubs be displayed at a meeting or meetings. (Not a bad idea! It would be fascinating to see.)

We need 13 more blood donors for our blood drive to be conducted April 2 at the Hilton.

Andy Rebuck reminded members of the upcoming IMAX showing of Tornado Alley on April 19 at the Whitaker Center. E-mail Linda if you plan to attend.

Steve Feinour reported on the Youth Exchange Weekend held this past weekend, noting 26 inbound and outbound students attended. He thanked all those who helped make the event a success.

Linda distributed committee sign-up sheets for the upcoming club year. Please return to Linda when completed.

President Bob announced that we have secured our second corporate member in Pinnacle Health, pending approval of the Board. Capital Blue Cross is, of course, our first corporate member, and we are pleased to have their support!

Bob Hostetter introduced David Unkovic, Receiver for the City of Harrisburg. Mr. Unkovic delivered a fascinating yet grim summary of his efforts to remediate the City’s financial difficulties. He is the first Receiver in the history of the Commonwealth, appointed through state statutory action. He reviewed some the many formidable challenges the City faces – a crushing debt load; a structural deficit (i.e. even without the debt issue, the City’s expenditures exceed its revenues) that has been masked over the years through utility fund transfers; deferred maintenance and environmental issues associated with the utility systems; a need for a strengthened City management team; a need for cooperation among elected officials, management, creditors, unions, taxpayers, and other stakeholders; ongoing litigation; missed general obligation bond payments; and the need to execute the Recovery Plan, among other things.

He then discussed the Recovery Plan stating that the first step was to determine the value of City assets that could be used to liquidate some of the debt. The values are to be based on actual proposals from interested buyers. Assets of interest include the incinerator, the parking system and the water and sewer systems. After the asset values were determined with precision, then the extent of the deficiency could be determined and efforts to address the deficiency could begin.

He discussed the fundamental limitations on revenue potential faced by the City, being the state capital and a county seat. He also noted the revenue limitations faced by most cities in Pennsylvania due to various state laws, mandates and limitations.

Mr. Unkovic stated that his over-riding objective was to maintain the vital services the City must deliver to support its citizens. His efforts to implement the Recovery Plan are focused with that objective in mind.

OFFICERS:

DIRECTORS:

Robert S. Saline              
Una Martone
Karen F. Snider
John P. Judson, M.D.
Carolyn Dumaresq, Ed.D.
William B. Boles
Richard Utley                

President
President-Elect
Vice President
Immediate Past President
Secretary
Treasurer
Sergeant-at-Arms

Sandra Beck
Caryn J. Carr
David E. Freet
Kent E. Frese
Lisa Lewis
Thomas A. Peluso
Andrew R. Rebuck
Robin Scaer