Montgomery County Road Runners Club

Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting

Meeting of September 2, 2004

 

Called to order: 7:07

Present: Jean Arthur, Marty Horan, Gary Resnick, Christina Kichula, Bill Riggs, Craig Roodenburg, Cathy Blessing, Jim Rich, Janet Newburgh

Invited Guests:  None

Minutes Prepared By:  Gary Resnick, Secretary 

  1. Review Agenda
  2. Review Current MCRRC Calendar
    1. Sligo Kids Run , Sept. 12
    2. Needwood Race, Sept. 25
  3. Minutes of the previous board meeting
    1. Motion to Accept Minutes: Jean moves, Bill seconds, unanimous
  4. Business involving invited guest: None
  5. Treasurer’s Report
    1. Account Detail (as of August 31, 2004)
      1. Checking $32,846.83
      2. Savings   $25,568.70
      3. Savings — Clubhouse        $3,443.19
      4. Merrill Lynch       $31,226.50        (as of July 31, 2004)
      5. TOTAL Club Accounts   $93,085.22
    2. Marathon in the Parks Bank Accounts:   (as of June 30, 2004)
      1. Checking $11,398.00
      2. Savings   $1,408.26
      3. TOTAL MITP Bank Accounts   $12,806.26
    3. Pikes Peek Bank Accounts    (as of August 31, 2004)
      1. Checking         $10,214.30
      2. Savings           $2,058.38
      3. TOTAL PP Bank Accounts                          $12,272.68
  6. Halloween Young Run Bank Accounts (as of August 31, 2004)
      1. Checking ~$3,500.00
      2. Total HYR Bank Accounts ~$3,500
  7. September Financial Information:
    1. The August financial statements indicate a net loss of $2,031.79.  This loss is reported after a net income in July of $20,073.87 (updated number based on actuals - $7900 from XMP).  Significant income was received from:
      1. Membership dues  $3,062.50
      2. Experienced Marathon Program (XMP) $1,010.00
      3. RMS $1,573.39
      4. Mailing list rental  $1,916.37
    2. Significant expenses included:
      1. Rundown       $3,632.74
      2. Intervals        $1,260.25
      3. Club race program     $1,298.67
      4. New Equipment   (Printer for Mary, Reflective vests)      $984.26
    3. Old Financial Action Items
      1. Audit Update: Christina checked with an accountant and it would cost three to five thousand dollars, and we don't need it unless someone asks, so at this point the decision is not to go forward with one at this point
      2. Increase approved in May for the Pikes Peek credit card is still in progress but should be completed soon (Jean signed a copy of the May minutes and gave to Christina)
      3. HYR account to be opened with $3750; Account not yet opened
    4. New Budget Action Items:
      1. Need to reopen sales and use tax account to pay tax on book sales through the club. Need to gain a better understanding of how these sales are being conducted/recorded.
      2. Prepare 2005 budget
    5. MOTION: to accept Treasurer's report, Cathy moved, Bill seconded, unanimous
  8. Apportionment/ Committee Reports
    1. No reports were available
  9. Old Business
    1. Triathlon follow-up discussion regarding Craig’s draft statement.
      1. Craig drafted a resolution for discussion
      2. The resolution assumed the importance of cross-training, which may be in dispute by some so it should be not be used as a basis for supporting triathlons
      3. The resolution itself was considered as a good starting point: "Encouraging runners to and consider participation in triathlons is consistent with MCRRC's purpose to encourage running"
      4. Janet said to add as a premise "Whereas one of the elements in triathlons involves running therefore it is resolved ...."
      5. Jean suggested adding the word "duathlons" following "triathlons"
      6. Final resolution as follows: "Whereas one of the elements in triathlons/duathlons is running it is resolved that encouraging runners to investigate and consider participation in triathlons/duathlons is consistent with MCRRC's purpose to encourage running"
      7. MOTION passed: Jim moved, Bill seconded, unanimous
      8. Not discussed at this meeting is whether the resolution should be formalized as a club By-Law. This would require putting it forward for voting by the general membership at the next annual meeting. The Board will discuss whether or not to do this at the next meeting.
    2. Awards Dinner discussion on location, dates, etc.
      1. Cathy presented to the Board a handout prepared by Mical. The handout reviewed what the club has paid in recent years. In 2001, 2002 and 2003, the money paid to the Doubletree by the club varied between $1420 and $2868 (members each paid between $19 and $24 to attend), but that was in addition to the "additional costs." The additional items (DJ, photography, printing, invites) cost $784 last year, and MCRRC spent an additional $684 on door prizes and other venue costs to That's Amore. Each member paid $25.
      2. Based on information contained in the handout, the club did not have to subsidize meals in 2004 but it did subsidize meals in 2001, 2002 and 2003. The amounts subsidized in those years ranged between $1420 and $2868.
      3. There has been a steady decline in member participation in this event, so this year the focus is on increasing attendance by making a change in venue and format. The new format would have "action stations" and hors d'ouevres, along with a DJ, so that members can move around freely and socialize. Additionally, the speeches and awards would be less concentrated and would be spread out throughout the evening/afternoon. As a result of these changes, the Board considered that the club may have to pick up more of the cost.
      4. Mical and the committee for the Awards Dinner is considering various venues, including: Doubletree, Washingtonian Rio, vs. That's Amore, but she points out (in the handout) that the hotel options are more costly
      5. Mical suggested scheduling the party for either January or February. Board members liked the idea of February, to provide more separation from the holiday party.
      6. Board agreed to provide Mical and the committee with guidelines, with the expectation that she will report back to the Board at the next meeting with fully-costed options
      7. The guidelines are as follows:
        • Up to $25 per person, with club paying up to a budgeted amount and this amount includes everything, hotel plus the incidentals such as mailing, DJ, printing, etc.
        • Suggested date and time: Sunday afternoon in February
        • Format: Action Stations plus hors d'ouevres, maximizing socializing
        • Maximum club budget: is $1500 firm or can we pay more? It depends on how many members will attend, and it is hard to reach an estimate at this time, so the Board suggested we can be flexible on the amount, depending on what Mical finds out, up to roughly $2000 (for everything)
      8. Review Action Items from July 29, 2004 board meeting:
        1. The club gave $200 to Joe Aukward for his participation in the ParaOlympics, and Joe will write an article on his experience for the Rundown
        2. Apportionment: in progress, nothing new to report
        3. Club Brochure: Mary's daughter is working on it, hopefully we will see it next meeting
        4. Fundraising Corner on Web Site: Jean reports there is a redesign of the web site and when this redesign is finished, there will be a fundraising corner for club members to announce participation in fundraising events. It will not be included in the current web site, but in the upcoming redesigned web site.
        5. Clydesdale/Athena: waiting for the next Pikes Peek meeting, this is on hold
        6. Handicapped Age Grade Race: Craig reported there is no change but noted that DCRRC had a similar race and he will find out how they did it
        7. Policy Guidelines from prior minutes: Gary to work on guidelines before giving out past years’ minutes for Board member review (in order to summarize policy changes across the previous years)
        8. New Member's Night: still in progress, Jean is working on booking the room, date to be determined
        9. Woods Academy: no one was assigned the task of getting a book and sending it out with the letter, Jean volunteered to do this 
          1. ACTION ITEM: Jean will send a club book and letter to Woods Academy to thank them for providing space for a cross-country race
        10. New Business
          1. Fee for Links to RMS races on MCRRC website: A memo from Vince Guerrieri was passed around, in it he suggested a fee of $100 per month with a minimum period of 2 months
          2. During the Board discussion, additional suggestions were made, including limiting the opportunities to RMS clients of specific size, only to those who pay for the service, and the club retains the right to refuse a contract
          3. Discussion centered around wanting to encourage clients to renew with the club, and that offering this service would be a method of making the club's RMS services more attractive, perhaps offering a sliding scale, for the smaller races, e.g., for D races: $50 per month for a maximum of 2 months, logo and link already prepared
          4. Another view was that the size of the race doesn't matter because the amount of work is the same
          5. Issue: do we want to encourage RMS clients to make use of this service, or do we want to discourage?
          6. Also noted was that Pam needs to give guidelines, and there is a limit to the space on the web site for putting links
          7. MOTION: Jean moved, offering a fee of $50 per month for a maximum of three months, with the client providing the logo and the link meeting guidelines developed by Web Mistress, Bill seconded, unanimous
          8. ACTION ITEM: Jean will involve Pam in developing guidelines for client links
        11. Request from a club member to take coaching certification this fall, using the same arrangements previously offered to club members (half price of class paid by club)
          1. Ron Burr asked to attend the coaching certification course in Hartford, OR and he indicated he would help Tom Brennan with the Speed Development Program. Board members noted other club members who indicated an interest in taking the coaching certification course. There was discussion around making sure that all club members are made aware of the club policy. Existing club policy was that the club will reimburse half of the fee for members who attend and who then give back to the club in terms of coaching services. The problem is that this requirement (giving back) was never formally specified in the policy (or monitored consistently).
          2. MOTION: The Board agreed that the club will continue to reimburse half of the fee for members who attend a coaching certification course, upon proof that the member has achieved certification and committed to providing coaching services on behalf of the club. Bill moved, Craig seconded, unanimous
          3. ACTION ITEM: Jean will announce new policy on MCRUN to let members know
          4. ACTION ITEM: Cathy and Gary will compile a list of RRCA-certified coaches for the Coaching Corner on the Web Site
        12. AED/CPR for the club: we need to get a club member who is a doctor
          1. ACTION ITEM: Jean is continuing to work on finding a medical doctor in the club to sponsor the AED/CPR activities in the club
          2. ACTION ITEM: jean will look into when the club can offer the next AED/CPR course, she will ask Alyssa
      9. Announcements
        1. Marty asked who was volunteering for, or running in, the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K race, still need some course marshals, but the RMS job also needs workers
        2. Marty discussed the PR surrounding Carrie Tollefson (an Athens Olympian) for the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K
        3. Jean is working on the club calendar, deadline is soon
        4. Deadline for printing club budget is mid-November, so Board needs to work on it soon
      10. Closure
        1. Reviewed New Action Items:
        2. Old Action Items in Progress:
          1. Woods Academy: Jean will send a club book and letter to Woods Academy to thank them for providing space for a cross-country race
          2. Fee for Links to RMS races on MCRRC website: Jean will involve Pam in developing guidelines for client links
          3. Coaching Certification: Jean will announce new policy on MCRUN to let members know (see Motions Passed, below)
          4. Coaching Certification: Cathy and Gary will compile a list of RRCA-certified coaches for the Coaching Corner on the Web Site
          5. AED/CPR for the club: Jean is continuing to work on finding a medical doctor in the club to sponsor the AED/CPR activities in the club
          6. AED/CPR for the club: Jean will look into when the club can offer the AED/CPR course again, and will ask Alyssa Slotkin whether she would be willing to lead the course.
        3. Reviewed MOTIONS PASSED:
          1. Adding a resolution regarding club support of triathlons/duathlons: "Whereas one of the elements in triathlons/duathlons is running it is resolved that encouraging runners to investigate and consider participation in triathlons/duathlons is consistent with MCRRC's purpose to encourage running" Jim moved, Bill seconded, passed unanimously
          2. Fee for Links to RMS races on MCRRC website: Club will offer a fee of $50 per month for a maximum of three months, with the client providing the logo and the link meeting guidelines developed by Web Mistress, Jean moved, Bill seconded, unanimous
          3. Coaching Certification Policy. The Board proposes a standard policy for that the club will reimburse half of the fee for members who attend a coaching certification course, upon proof that the member has achieved certification and is committed to providing coaching services on behalf of the club. Bill moved, Craig seconded, unanimous
      11. Next Meeting: October 7, 2004, 6:30 pm at 101 Maryland Avenue, Rockville. Janet will bring food

       

Meeting adjourned at 9:01 pm

Gary Resnick

Secretary, Montgomery County Road Runners Club