MINUTES – BOARD OF DIRECTORS – DISTRICT 9

MARCH 24, 2004MIAMI REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

MIAMI AIRPORT HILTON HOTEL

 

 

DIRECTORS PRESENT WERE:

Roberta Birdt (243), Carla Burke (219), Michael Burke(219), Carol Clifford (128), Bette Cohn (102), Bud Dean (128) , Harriet Eaton (128), Val Habicht (243), Marshall Hall (128), Craig Hemphill (128), Phyllis Kaplan (128), Michael Kassay (102) Janet Laudenslager (128) Sterling Odom (128),  Bob Parlin (128), Jim Schorner (240), Jayne Thomas (128), and Jim Tully (240).

 

DIRECTORS ABSENT WERE:

Arnie Malasky, Charlie Miner, Virginia Waterfield, and Larry Westholm.

 

ADVISORS PRESENT WERE: 

Shirley Seals, District 9 Director, and Patty Johnson, Director in Charge.

 

The meeting of the Board of Directors of District 9 was called to order by President Jeff Overby who read the following letter to the board:

 

April 23, 2004

 

Mr. Jeff Overby:

 

Please be advised that your appointment as a Unit 128 representative to the District Board of Governors in no longer in effect.

 

Marshall B. Hall, President, Unit 128”

 

Jeff stated that this creates a quandary: 

(1)     Whether the District by-laws, that say that an Officer is elected for a two year term, controls   or

(2)     Whether if I am not on the Board anymore, and Marshall can removed me effectively as President, by removing me as a representative from Unit 128.

 

I do not know what the right answer is at this time and because of the late hour this notice was provided to me last night, I was unable to contact anyone with the League to find out what happensIn the abundance of caution, I think I should turn the meeting over to the Vice President; unless this board has some desire as to how they would like it handled. 

 

Marshall Hall responded that since there are presently thirteen (13) Unit 128 board members allowed to be appointed to the District 9 board, and Jeff Overby is no longer one of the appointed; he, therefore, has no standing on the District board.  

 

The board was reminded that Unit 128 by-laws state that the Unit appointees to the District board Must Be members of the Unit 128 Board of GovernorsPresently, two appointed members from Unit 128 to the District board---Craig Hemphill and Jayne Thomas--are Not members of the Unit 128 board.

 

Bette Cohn, Vice President, read an e-mail from Jeff Overby dated March 26, 2004 to the entire board which stated:

 

“These problems with the publication were never my intentI apologize to all concerned if any of you believe, it was badly handled. ……… I understand that at least one person is upset with that decision, and he has gone so far as to suggest that there were some improprieties on my partFor that reason, I would like the entire District Board to make the hiring decision regarding the District Publication Editor.”

 

Bette asked the Board to table any motion that would take the Presidency away from Jeff Overby. 

 

Marshall stated that the Unit 128 by-laws allow the President to appoint at will members to the District 9 boardA vote was taken at the Unit 128 board meeting last evening which allowed him to suspend the rule which requires appointees to the District board to be members of the Unit board.   

 

Phyllis Kaplan asked the District board to allow the Unit 128 to have a short recess to discuss Unit 128 businessPermission was granted by the District boardPhyllis Kaplan made a motion, seconded by Harriett Eaton, that we recess the District 9 board meeting temporarily to allow Unit 128 to have meetingMotion carried.

Marshall Hall, President, Unit 128 said he had no intention of convening a Unit 128 board meeting todayThe next Unit 128 board meeting will be during the Marco Regional Tournament.

Phyllis Kaplan withdrew her motion.

 

Motion made by Phyllis Kaplan, seconded by Michael Kassay, to suspend the District 9 by-laws/rules for the duration of this meetingMotion carried.

Opposed were Craig Hemphill and Marshall Hall.

 

Motion made by Jim Tully, seconded by Marshall Hall, for Bette Cohn, Vice President of the District, to preside at today’s meeting.

Motion carried:  10 Yes, 7 No, 1 Abstain

 

Motion made by Sterling Odom, seconded by Carol Clifford, to allow Jeff Overby and Ellie Hanlon to remain in attendance at the board meeting.

Motion carried.  Opposed by Marshall Hall.

 

Motion made by Michael Kassay, seconded by Carla Burke, that Jeff Overby and Ellie Hanlon be allowed to vote at this meeting. 

Motion withdrawn. 

 

DIRECTOR IN CHARGE:   PATTY JOHNSON

The tournament is up 5 ˝% over last year---1013 tables—through Friday evening session. 

 

APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES FROM SARASOTA DATED FEBRUARY 21, 2004Minutes were approved.

 

AMENDMENT TO THE ORLANDO BOARD MINUTES DATED JANUARY 10, 2004

Marshall Hall made a motion to amend the Orlando Minutes to show the following motion was made and carried in the Orlando Board Meeting.

“Motion made that after interviewing the three (3) current candidates, that the District 9 Publication Committee be allowed to pick/hire one of those three (3) candidates for the first two (2) issues of the Sunshine Bridge News; i.e. September 2004 issue and November 2004 issue.”  Motion seconded by Bud DeanMotion to amend the minutes failed. 

Orlando Board Minutes stand approved as presented. 

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT:  JEFF OVERBY

The big issue is what the District board wants to do about hiring a Publication Editor for the Sunshine Bridge News. 

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

The Publication Committee met after the Orlando Board meeting. The Committee stated after interviewing all three candidates, that their recommendation to the District board would be to hire Peggy Higginbotham to be the Editor of the September & November 2004 issues of the Sunshine Bridge News. 

 

The decision of the Board at the Sarasota Board Meeting in February was to not hire Peggy HigginbothamCharlie Miner made a motion at the Sarasota board meeting as follows:  Motion was made to allow the Publication Committee to make the final decision on the hiring of the EditorThe Editor is to be offered no more than the budgeted amount of $2500 for this jobMotion Carried.

 

 

Following this directive by the board, Jeff Overby met with Committee members Bette Cohn and Charlie Miner and their decision was to offer the job as Sunshine Bridge News Editor to Liz DennisThe offer of the job as Editor to Liz Dennis was rescinded after the objection by Committee member Marshall Hall, who was not present at the Sarasota Board Meeting..

 

A Motion was made by Jim Tully, seconded by Jim Schorner, to hire Liz Dennis as Editor of the Sunshine Bridge News beginning September 2004Voting members were:  Jayne Thomas, Craig Hemphill, Marshall Hall, Carol Clifford, Sterling Odom, Harriett Eaton, Bud Dean, Bob Parlin, Jim Tully, Jim Schorner, Michael Burke, Carla Burke, Janet Laudenslager, Roberta Birdt, Phyllis Kaplan, Val Habicht, Mike Kassay and Bette Cohn. 

Bette Cohn, Vice-President and elected Chair of this Board meeting,  requested the board to vote by written ballot.

The vote was 10 Yes votes, 8 No votesVotes were initialed and certified by Craig Hemphill, Legal CounselMotion carried.

 

Marshall Hall asked for a polling of  the boardHe conceded that there were no irregularities in the voting.    Marshall Hall asked that a notation be made that Bette Cohn, the sitting chair, denied the request for a polling of the board.  

 

Motion made by Marshall Hall, seconded by Jim Tully, that District 9 adopt a policy to allow Juniors, up to the age of up to the age of 21 years of age to pay a $3 entry fee at all District 9 Regional tournaments , and Juniors, from the age of 21 to 26 years of age to pay a $5 entry fee at all District 9 Regional Tournaments.    Juniors being defined as a person 26 years and younger who is a full time studentMotion carried unanimously. 

 

TREASURER’S REPORT:     SHIRLEY SEALS

A District 9 Balance Sheet dated March 31, 2004 and a Profit and Loss Statement for the first six months of the Fiscal Year was distributed to all board membersDistrict 9 is in sound financial condition.

A NABC Hospitality Fund Balance Sheet dated March 31, 2004 and a Profit and Loss Statement for the first three months of the Fiscal Year was distributed to all board MembersThe balance in the NABC Asset account is $100,831.

 

Motion made to adjourn at 11:00 a.m.

 

 

 

Shirley Seals, Secretary, District 9