Advisory board authorizes a price check for February Tallahassee trip, keeps travel limited to small delegation

The Blasting Advisory Board voted to authorize staff to check flight and hotel prices for the February Tallahassee "date days" and to proceed with booking for a small delegation if costs fall within available travel funds.

"I make a motion that we look into the pricing," Speaker 3 said during the meeting, asking staff to check flights and hotels and to book the earliest feasible flights that allow the delegates to be present on Feb. 10–11. Speaker 1 seconded the motion and the board approved it by voice vote.

Members discussed budget constraints ahead of the motion. Speaker 5 reported the board's fiscal-year budget is $4,500 total with $3,000 allocated for travel and $1,500 for marketing. Board members referenced prior trip totals (examples discussed during the meeting included $4,070 and $5,600 figures for previous years) and urged early booking to control costs.

The motion was specific to checking pricing and did not commit the board to a final passenger list: Speakers agreed that only two members would likely travel unless estimates showed it was feasible for more. The board set a near-term internal schedule to get pricing before the regular January meeting so any booking decision could be made in time for the Feb. 10 date days.