but trying to get the Museum back to a stable position has been painful.
In the meantime, Jim Buel for the Burning Tree Restaurant has filed a claim against us in small claims court for about $2500 we owe. Jim Buel was the caterer for our brunch and dinner trains last year. We have acknowledged to him that we owe the money and we have been paying him about $300 a month each month to pay the amount we owe him. He had filed a claim because he wants his money NOW and he is charging us for the dining car #4054 that was loaned for our use by the Carriso Gorge Railway for the previous dinner trains. In other words, he is trying to charge us for something that was provided free of any charges. We will be appearing in court on June 5, 2003 to defend our position and provide documentation as to why we do not owe Jim Buel for railroad equipment which was donated for our use.
A brief summary of our income and expenses for the three month period ending March 31, 2003 is as follows:
REVENUES
Memberships ............................................$ 2,825
Gift Shop Income .........................................9,138
Campo Train Operations /Photo
Shooting...................................................... 22,237
Restricted and Unrestricted
Donations and Three Kings Train ............8,077
Annual Dinner .............................................3,326
Other Miscellaneous....................................2,900
Total Revenues .........................................$48,503
EXPENDITURES
General and Administrative......................$ 7,376
Gift Shop Expenses...................................... 3,433
Railroad Operations.................................... 11,460
Museum Services Division......................... 6,517
Total Expenditures ....................................$28,786
Excess of Revenues over the Expenditures (Profit) ............... .$19,718
Understand that this indicated "Profit" is not really available to us, as it is being used to pay previously existing debt to various vendors and suppliers. While this process is going on the day to day expenses of most restoration and maintenance at the museum is being paid by the volunteers doing the work. We have great people working hard to get us out of this and more volunteers are coming out so things are looking up. A more detailed Annual Report will be prepared and made available to the members at the end of the year.
Weed whacker Rich Warner takes on the spring growth near the SD&A mainline in early May. In the background is the museum's SD&AE tank car waiting to work itself near the top of the restoration priority list. Beyond the tank car is the Campo meadow. We are really lucky to be adjacent to wetlands that will never be developed.
Ken Hanson Photo
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