MINUTES – BOARD OF DIRECTORS -- DISTRICT 9

FEBRUARY 21, 2004 -- SARASOTA REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

HYATT REGENCY SARASOTA HOTEL

 

The Meeting of the Board of Directors of District 9 was called to order by President, Jeff Overby at 10:00 a.m. A quorum was established.

 

DIRECTORS PRESENT WERE:

Muriel Altus, Roberta Birdt, Carol Clifford, Bette Cohn, Bud Dean, Ellie Hanlon, Phyllis Kaplan, Janet Laudenslager, Arnie Malasky, Charles Miner, Sterling Odom, Jeff Overby, and Jayne Thomas.

 

DIRECTORS ABSENT WERE:

Harriet Eaton, Betty Grandoff, Val Habicht, Marshall Hall, Craig Hemphill, Jim Tully, Virginia Waterfield, and Larry Westholm,

 

ADVISORS PRESENT WERE:  Shirley Seals, District 9 Director, and Patty Johnson, Director in Charge.

 

ADVISOR ABSENT WAS:    Steve Warner

 

GUEST PRESENT WAS:   Bruce Reeve, ACBL President

 

APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES FROM ORLANDO DATED JANUARY 10, 2004.  Minutes were corrected to show Phyllis Kaplan was absent.

 

ACBL PRESIDENT BRUCE REEVE REPORT:

Shirley Seals has been appointed to Chair the Junior Committee on the National Board with the responsibility to target programs to increase Junior Membership and how best spend our money.  The rate of Membership Retention in ACBL has increased from 50% to 61%, which is a 20% increase in one year.  2004 has been designated as the Year of the Volunteer and we are all encouraged to increase our level of volunteering.

 

DIRECTOR IN CHARGE REPORT:   Patty Johnson

The tournament is up 14% over Orlando in January 2004.  The Sarasota Regional is predicted to have 3300 tables.  Patty thanked the Sarasota volunteers for doing an outstanding job.

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT:    Jeff Overby

The main thrust of this meeting is to finalize plans for the District wide publication.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT:    Shirley Seals

The district is in sound financial condition.  A Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Statement dated January 31, 2004 were distributed to board members and are attached to these minutes.  Also, the NABC Hospitality Fund Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss statement were distributed.   The balance in the Hospitality Fund as of January 31, 2004 is $85,000.

 

A question was  asked if the by-laws of the District set the entry fees at Regionals.  Jeff Overby stated that the District 9 by-laws set the date and place for the tournament and it is up to the local organization to set the price.

 

Motion made and seconded to accept Treasurer’s Report.  Approved.

 

NABC 2004 NATIONALS REPORT:  Bette Cohn and Jayne Thomas

A Thanksgiving Dinner will be subsidized with Hospitality Funds. 

The $30 dinner (all inclusive) will cost $20 to the players and tickets will be sold by Wednesday noon so the catering staff will know how to plan.  Shirley Seals has volunteered to be in charge of selling the Thanksgiving dinner tickets.   Also, we will have psychics entertaining the first Saturday night.

 

 Each Unit will be asked to provide volunteers for specific days.  A list showing the number of volunteers and the dates needed will be sent to each Unit in September.  Each list will show the number needed at the Registration Desk, Prize Desk, etc.

 

DISTRICT – WIDE PUBLICATION COMMITTEE:    Jeff Overby

The District – Wide Publication Committee met after the January 2004 board meeting in Orlando to interview the three candidates who had applied for the position of Editor.  Committee members present were Jeff Overby, Marshall Hall, Charles Miner and Bette Cohn.  Virginia Waterfield proxied her vote.

Peggy Higginbotham, Ruth Howard and Liz Smith were interviewed.

The Committee voted to recommend that Peggy Higginbotham be hired on a probationary basis.  Peggy was to be given two or three issues to produce and then,  if her work was satisfactory and at the pleasure of the board, she would be made the permanent editor.  Peggy was asked what her compensation requirements would be in order that the board could approve this expenditure.   Her compensation requirements and fringe benefits exceeded the Publication budget.  The board decided to decline Peggy’s offer for employment and to proceed to interview the other candidates.

Motion was made to hire someone other than Peggy Higginbotham for the job as  Editor.  Motion carried.

 

Motion was made to allow the Publication Committee to make the final decision on the hiring of the Editor.  The Editor is to be offered no more than the budgeted amount of $2500 for this job.  Motion carried.

 

Muriel Altus was added to the District – Wide Publication Committee.

 

The Board members considered all of the names submitted to name the new publication and the name decided on was SUNSHINE BRIDGE NEWS.

 

OLD BUSINESS: 

Ellie Hanlon reported that our card tables were dirty and falling apart.  Patty Johnson and Karl Miller will be notified that cleaning supplies should be taken to each tournament and the tables cleaned as they are put up.

 

Shirley Seals reported that the General Liability Insurance policy and the Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance policy have been applied for and are now in effect. 

 

Unit 240 barred two players from the Orlando Club and the Unit will attempt to settle this matter prior to the District Board Meeting in Miami.  If the Unit is not successful in 60 days, the matter will be turned over to the District 9 Board.

 

The next board meeting will be Saturday, April 24, 2004 in Miami at the Southeastern Regional Tournament.

 

Motion to adjourn.

 

 

Shirley Seals, Secretary, District 9