Have You Read the Exemption Bill?

Jim,

I am sure the ownership had a hand in crafting the requirements that are listed in the legislation, and likely wrote most of the Bill that awaits a vote.

Wesley

Back in the stone age of the early 1980's the company hired a "traveling consultant" in fire fighting safety from Philadelphia. [am reasonably sure he was from Philly] "Smokey Batzer (sp?)", a live wire type older gentleman. He would come aboard and with a group of crew present on the Bow would demonstrate types of fire extinguishers, how to use them on the type of fires each was designed. This demonstration would be done several times to include all Unlicensed crew from all departments one small group at a time.

He traveled with his wife, a retired GYN a wonderfully gracious lady in contrast to his full steam ahead no holds bared approach. He had great stories of Great Lakes Steam Ships.

Oh, but..

....that's too practical!

I read the bill carefully and if the owners drafted the bill then they committed suicide.
Jim's right the schooling, initial and follow ups will be terribly expensive. Paper work will be a killer. All I see are big dollar signs.

*This exemption bill no 'shoo in/Read closely.'*
Steamboating colleagues:
First, I don't want to write/say something here that some would regard as an offense or out of orthodoxy RE: the long, slow DELTA QUEEN exemption bill. And if I do, then that's too bad also. And again, there are a dwindling few like me who were there back THEN working with Betty Blake and the company with all here now. And then again on other exemptions; and then again.

I DID read the exemption legislation and gasped with what I saw. Read AGAIN and underline in red or green marker the vital sentences with legal and economic impact. I did NOT like what I read. Why would some be jumping up and down in euphoria just reading what appears on this web? Better take off the rose colored glasses and read again.

Sure we have--and continue to--write, E=Mail, phone our reps--but with lessening interest on their parts with no doubt. And again I heard, "Thanks for your interest on this matter but we have received communications from you previously. Who are these people continuing to send appeals?" OUCH! Congressional reps in your own district fine; but don't contact those in others or you're dismissed the moment they see your zip code. Congressional districts or not; constitutents in those districts mean our representatives should vote on issues for ALL the American people. Also need to control off-hand comments we have heard, read from some working on this exemption that were either wrong or misleading. The sword cuts both ways. We see the AMERICAN QUEEN running well in its own right; other companies running or with plans. What's wrong with that? And by law ANY corporation, organization, interest or individual can hire a lobbyist for whatever. If we can lick em with a lobbyist then join em. Lobbyist a bad word used by others--but not when we need one for our own interests.

With what happened in Washington on this past momentous Friday, do we really think these men and women in congress have the DELTA QUEEN issue stuck on their computer screens with all the turmoil, other pressing legislation? Yet, again, I hope--and work--for the best. I just don't want anybody here telling me I "dont' get it...understand what I read...don't know the other factors...just make it happen." With the "10% annual" reworking of the boat's structure and factors in the Coast Guard report, I can only wonder. I daresay the reincarnation of Betty Blake would be in futility. There will never be another Betty Blake. I guess I don't know much after all these years around the DQ. Yeah, right. Please, no 'Private Messages' to me from here telling me how wrong I am or "what I don't see and understand."

R. Dale Flick
Old Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

None of us want the DQ's owners to have already set themselves up to commit suicide. My thoughts are if the current owners are investing so much energy, time, treasure, and talent without any guarantee of seeing the boat operating again just imagine what they'll do when the boat has a valid COI !

The market will eventually decide if the Old Gal can pull her own weight or not if given a chance by Congress.

Bill, I wonder if any of the current owners/management have ever had to go through a Coast Guard audit of a mandatory program such as random drug testing. Oh how I dreaded seeing them show up in the office every June. The paper work and proof we had to show was almost overwhelming. It was cheaper to employ a third party to conduct the random selection process and testing than it was to do it ourselves with the chance of facing extreme penalties if we did something they didn't approve......of course if we asked them before hand if what we were doing was acceptable, they wouldn't say yes or no.

Did you know that each county in Kentucky that borders the Ohio River can charge a tax for transiting through their county? They justify the tax by saying that if an emergency occured on a boat the boat would use that county's emergency services.....such as EMS.
The counties gets their information from the lock reports which are public record. The taxes weren't much, maybe $30 a year per county, and not all counties are the same.
With having to notify each state and port of call that the vessel does not meet safety requirements, I'll darn well betcha' the Ol Gal will be taxed to the hilt.

I remember Smokey...came on our boat at Baton Rouge ( late 70's?? ) and had us all gather around on the stern deck. He said..." Hey fellows, lemme' show you something!"...and asked me to lay down on a steel deck in the Louisiana summer sunshine...just about when I was going to scream in pain from the hot deck he soaked me with a CO2 extinguisher and announced..." fellows, that's how you put a man out!"
My butt was blistered and my front was frozen...misery on all kinds of levels!