Thanks for starting the thread in a thoughtful manner.
I'm not sure how the tax issue can be communicated more clearly, but it IS an issue, and opening the entire meet to the public is a non-starter. (Covered very well by Dave45861's post above).
Since we can now buy trains anywhere and anytime, York should concentrate on what makes it unique, which is that it's a gathering of people. Also, we need to realize that many members have transitioned from acquisition mode to building and operating. So, I'd like to see more focus on meetings, seminars, and demonstrations. Publicize them well, and hold them in convenient and visible locations during meet hours. Now that the brown hall is no longer used as vendor space, perhaps this would be a good venue.
And most of all, I'd like to see the establishment of a York meet "street team" to walk through the halls and perform the following tasks: 1) wake up the sleeping vendors, 2) provide basic customer-service training, and 3) hand out "your items are ridiculously overpriced" tickets to certain members.
