Meeting Minutes for August 14, 2013

ACBL Unit 143 Board of Directors

Attending:  George Hawley, Vice-president; Linda Seibert, Sec’y; Mary Dolan; Bob Griffin; Lee Hastings; Jennifer Luner; JoAnn Moore; Jay Shah; Helene Siegfried; Peggy Wald; Mike Carmen, guest

Absent:  Debbie Romero, President; Jeff Kopolow, Treasurer

VP G Hawley called the meeting to order.

Minutes of the June meeting were approved for posting

Corresponding Secretary’s report was approved for file

Treasurer’s report, submitted electronically, was accepted for file

August Regional: Publicity passed around a copy of the ABA Souvenir Guide from the July tournament showing the advertising for our tournament and their thank you for our lending them tables and bidding boxes. L Seibert will do registration. M Carmen will supply the registration gift, a convention card holder. Daily Bulletins—J Luner has Monday to Friday put together, needs news for Friday. Some of Eddie Kantor’s 52 bridge tips will be featured. P Wald will distribute Section Top Awards, not by strata.  There will be an overall award for I/N. L Hastings reported that the Restaurant Guide is a work in progress.  J Kopolow’s son-in-law will provide some meal coupons.  Photography: H Siegfried and M Dolan will be stationed at the corner where sun will not be a problem. J Shah will bring signs.  Bidding boxes are all set.  Jay Coleman is returning some of ours that were in a box labeled Unit 223.  These will need to be inventoried.  G Hawley reported that caddy assignments are filled with backups available.  Cleaning tables on Sunday: All board members will stay after Swiss Team game to wipe tables before they are returned to storage.  Some tables in Lambert and/or Orly rooms will need to be cleaned Saturday night.  S Zenk will handle partnerships.  ABA returned tables and bidding boxes in good condition so far as we know.   Not yet fully verified. M Carmen reported that the contract for August 2014 Regional has been signed.  M Carmen also reported booked room status is running significantly behind last year. Owing to timing of recent NABC, table count is expected to be down. He has taken steps to cut costs to reduce the impact of these concerns.

October sectional:  M Carmen reported that the Saturday KO has been losing attendance and that the A teams are not planning to come because the competition is not appropriate.  J Moore made a motion to drop the Saturday KO and add a Saturday morning single session Swiss
Team event.  H Siegfried seconded.  Motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS:  G Hawley reported that no scholarships were awarded for the July Bridge Camp as no applications were received by the deadline. Whether to award scholarships anyway was discussed.  The board agreed that such a precedent should not be set.  We may decide to award more scholarships next year to those who make timely application.

NEW BUSINESS:  H Siegfried will take over Partnerships from S Zenk after the Regional.  Date Book Status: B Griffin reported that he is lacking some dates.  Special events are not posted until late August or early September. September 199er Tournament will be September 28, the last Saturday in the month.  Post cards are being distributed this week:  by mail to out-of-town persons and clubs, delivered to clubs locally.  Beth Percich will direct.  Rick Beye will assist with paperwork.  In support of D Romero’s email suggestion, L Seibert made a motion to honor Jack Bryant with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the October Sectional recognizing his 15,000 points and service to the Unit. J Moore seconded. Motion carried.  An inscribable gift will be purchased and inscribed.

Unit Game Committee:  P Wald reported that J Bryant has ordered and received all the Unit Game sanctions for the rest of the year.

Website:  J Luner reported that the article announcing the 10th anniversary of the Unit Website received positive feedback.

Membership:  J Moore reported that 16 new and 2 transfers have been welcomed since the last meeting.

Announcements:  Next meeting will be September 11, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Motion to adjourn made and seconded.  Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Seibert, Secretary