The Board of Directors of
The Potomac Curling Club of the National Capital Area, Inc.
MEETING MINUTES: Season 2005-06 Meeting 4
September 27, 2005
Board Members present:
Dominique Banville
Barry Bass
Nick Datlowe
Ann Drummie
FL Ettlin
Brian Galebach
Dave Hamilton
Mark Hartz
George Shirk
Board Members absent:
Michael Fry
Caitlin Shaw
Others present:
John Bittner
Howard Griffin
Charlie Jennings
Barry Nichols
1) Call to order
7:25pm
2) Approve minutes of August 30, 2005 Meeting
Motion - Hartz
Second – Ettlin
Vote – Passed.
3) Special Issues
a) Organization Chart
Some names are being identified within the subcommittees.
Caitlin Shaw is being added with FL Ettlin to Outreach
Banville
Drummie
Banville
b) Ed Ericson Memorial Service; Tributes
The service on Saturday September 24 went well.
A means of paying tribute is to still be discussed.
c) Fall Member Meeting
The mailing is out and all members should have received a telephone call.
Dominique arrive early to set up tables, ensure plates, napkins, etc.
Some people will already be at the club painting the ice.
The speakers have been identified. No handouts are anticipated. Members will be directed
to the website for information.
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Season 2005-06 Meeting 4
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4) Financial Report ending August 31, 2005
Hartz
A report was not presented. As of Saturday, Mark Hartz had received all of the financial data
and books from Rich but it is not yet set up on Mark’s and Charlie’s computers. At a basic
level, the club has funds.
Mark reported that we have a member-not-in-good-standing. Four checks were received but
they did not all go through. The member curled the entire year, but only paid the equivalent
of one quarter of the appropriate fee. He believes the individual intends on curling this year.
Mark will call the member re needing outstanding 2004-05 dues plus first half 2005-06
season to be paid in full, not by check, before being allowed to play.
Mark and Charlie presented some financial operating procedure guidelines. See attachment.
Mark also presented a desire to move the fiscal year from beginning October 1 to beginning
July 1. Drummie suggested considering even June 1 to align further with an Annual Meeting
close to the end of the season. Ettlin asked if this would facilitate collecting dues earlier.
Hartz agreed, that this should allow members more time to budget their payments. Ettlin also
asked if the fiscal year is required to align with the budget. Hartz confirmed that they do not
need to correspond. The topic will be submitted to the By-Law Committee to be prepared for
the Annual Meeting in June 2006, along with the topic of amending our audit commitment.
5) Committee Reports and Recommendations
a) By-law Committee: (tabled until October Meeting)
Bass
b) Finance Committee:
Hartz
i) Debt Restructuring
The next step toward debt restructuring is getting our financial statements in order,
and per above, the books have only recently been received by Hartz and Jennings.
Jennings will take some time to get up to speed. Note, the balloon payment is not
until 2007.
ii) Insurance and Releases
Both versions (adult and minor) of the waiver are now completed and available.
George will arrange to have a binder to file them and keep them organized.
iii) 2005-06 Budget
The budget is all set.
iv)Fundraising Initiatives
The Fundraising Committee has started meeting, as 4 people headed by John Bittner.
No definitive initiatives have been developed yet. Mark is arranging for PCC to be
on the combined federal campaign, for government employees to have the
opportunity to make a contribution through their employer as a bi-weekly donation.
Board of Directors of The Potomac Curling Club of the National Capital Area, Inc.
Season 2005-06 Meeting 4
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v) Stock Donations
Mark Hartz work with John Bittner for Mark to gain control of the stock portfolio in
order to receive a stock donation similarly to receiving a check.
vi)Credit Card Fees
Our initial thinking had been to accept the costs of credit card transactions in the
hopes of getting dues sooner and to minimize bounced checks. Mark reminded the
Board that it costs us $7.50 (1.05%) when a member pays their $450 dues by credit
card. He suggested we consider a convenience charge or fee next season. In the
meantime we will try to let members know the magnitude of this cost and they can
make their own decision on how to make a payment and/or make a donation to cover
the fee.
c) Operations Committee:
Hamilton, Datlowe
i) Bar Project
There has bee definite noticeable progress but it won’t be ready before the Member
Meeting. It is anticipated to be ready by Open House. The idea of having a raffle for
a flat screen TV will be brought to the Fundraising Committee to review.
ii) Kitchen Policy
Mark will work with the Kitchen Committee to simplify the policy into reminder
signs / bullet point posters.
iii) Locker Policy
The prices last year were: $12 $15 $60. The prices will go up this year to: $20 $30
$70. People from last year will have priority, then the remaining lockers will be
assigned on a first come first served basis. Nick will be handling the locker
assignments while John Bittner and Doug Andrew also have access to the lock box of
back-up keys. All of the lockers are now locked, except the bottom row of lockers
will remain unlocked for occasional visitor use. The lockers are a member service
and a form of revenue that we trust members to use appropriately.
iv) Rental Policy Brochure and Package
Private function: Dave Hamilton presented a proposed policy paper and application.
They will be available on the website. No other promotional materials are available
at this time. Dave is the contact. The rates are based on per head but applied at the
nearest 8. Instructor fees are included and not billed separately. The rental is for 4
hours in the facility, including set-up and clean up. A rental of more than 8 people
will be guaranteed exclusive use for those 4 hours, with members possibly coming
in/out outside of those hours. Other activities, like members wanting to watch the
television, will be addressed with the group’s permission. There is always room for
negotiations, for example if a group wants to stay for 6 hours.
For a group of 8 exclusive use cannot be guaranteed and a member for example might
be able to practice. These groups will likely be recommended to come for a lunch
time event or to integrate into the Thursday Drop-in for $10 each.
Board of Directors of The Potomac Curling Club of the National Capital Area, Inc.
Season 2005-06 Meeting 4
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Member hosted event/private function: Dave’s suggestion is $200 for a group of 8
then $100 increments per additional 8.
Dave and Communications well work to share the information of a Private Event with
the members to alert them of a club closing. Primary media will be the white board
and the website.
d) Ice Committee:
Fry, Hamilton
i) Ice Installation Schedule
The installation is on schedule with the plan to painting hopefully on Friday.
Dominique has the World logo to put in the ice.
ii) New Scraper
Barry Nichols wants to add a new cordless scraper to our inventory. Total cost is
$9,000 US includes shipping and extra blade. If it is ordered this week we should
have it before the Inaugural. It will speed up the weekly ice maintenance time. The
proposal is to initiate a side fund, like the kitchen and the bar were funded, outside of
the budget and outside of the $42,000 we need fundraise to balance our operating
budget. Any surplus donations, like the other side funds, will transition to
unrestricted funds in the general ledger. We need to be sensitive to how many of
these side initiatives we pursue. A donor is already willing to make a $5,000
donation and a $4,000 loan. George Shirks start-of-the-season clinics are set up to
raise donations to a scraper fund. The Treasurer would administer the fund.
Motion to establish a dedicated fund for the purchase of a scraper estimated at $9,000
– Ettlin
Second - Bass
Vote - passed.
Motion to accept from Barry Nichols a $4,000 loan for the purchase of a scraper, to
be paid back from the scraper fund; terms of the loan shall be10 years at 0% interest. Hartz
Second - Datlowe
Vote - passed.
e) Outreach Committee:
Ettlin
i) Modified Rental Brochure
Dave Hamilton and FL Ettlin will give the details more thought on rental charges to
non-profits.
f) Membership Committee:
Bass, Fry
i) Membership Form
Barry Bass, Mark Hartz, and Ann Drummie will coordinate having the received forms
copied and respectively filed.
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Season 2005-06 Meeting 4
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ii) October Open House
All members have already been notified about Open House when they were called
about the Member meeting.
g) Training Committee:
i) Officials’ Clinic Fall 2005
No developments.
Shirk
ii) Instructors’ Level I Clinic Fall 2005
Dominique Banville will be hosting a Level I clinic on November 19th 2005 9am4pm; Registration at 8:30am. She will coordinate with the Breakfast League and any
Ladder games.
iii) Fall Workshops/Clinics
George Shirk summarized the line-up of classes and indicated that sign-up sheets
were on the board.
iv) Training for Open House and LTC
There will be a call for volunteers during the Member Meeting, the workshops, etc.
Natasha Prather is compiling a list of instructors. No problems are foreseen.
h) Events Committee:
Datlowe, Galebach
i) Inaugural Bonspiel
About 20 teams are entered and paid already. Dominique shared that the committee
seems optimistic that we’ll reach 32 teams. The cap for Potomac teams has not been
reached yet. There is a continued call for volunteers.
ii) Internal Bonspiel/The BIG Spiel
Brian Galebach had a handout of the concept. The aim is for 16 teams. There are
restrictions on team make-up to encourage integration of beginners. Sign-ups can be
as a team or individuals. Juniors will be allowed to play. The cost will be
$10/person. The deadline to register will be November 20. Barry Nichols has offered
to make a trophy, to be displayed early to generate interest. A liquor license is not
anticipated. A fundraising goal is also not anticipated.
iii) Men’s Qualifier
If the total number of teams entered across the nation is lower than 32, then the first
round will be cancelled, and therefore we won’t need to host our regional round. As
soon as the magic number is reached, we will be alerted. The latest we’d hear is by
the deadline, which is about 5 days before the event. If the USCA cancels the round,
they will still give us part of the financial commitment.
The Committee will review the question of getting a liquor license two weeks
beforehand.
Board of Directors of The Potomac Curling Club of the National Capital Area, Inc.
Season 2005-06 Meeting 4
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i) Communications Committee:
Drummie
i) Coordination with Gardens
Ann will check on getting on the Open House announced on the Garden’s Old
Gunpowder Road board.
ii) GNCC Fall Meeting
No developments.
iii) New Club Brochure
In the long term we will need new brochures. In the short term, the Committee will
develop some kind of graphic take-away for the Open House.
iv) Website
We finally own it!
v) Calendar
Distributed.
vi) Next Year’s Calendar
The organizers of the Mid-Atlantic Women’s Bonspiel want to announce at this
year’s event (the same weekend as our Open House) when their next year’s event will
be. They have asked us to confirm when our Inaugural will be. We have suggested
that assuming the ordering of Open House – Inaugural – Learn to Curl works well
this year, that we’ll keep the same timing.
6) Other Business
None
7) Next Meeting
Sunday October 30, 2:00pm to end before the beginning of Pizza league
FL Ettlin will likely be out of town.
Adjournment
Motion - Hartz
Second –Shirk
Vote – Passed, 9:45pm
Submitted by: Ann Drummie, October 9, 2005.
Attachments:
• Organization Chart
• Mailing: letter, membership form,
league sign-up
• Financial Operating Procedure
Guidelines
• Kitchen Policy
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Draft Facility Rental & Use Policy
and Application
Member Training Classes
Inaugural Bonspiel flyers
The BIG Spiel details
Calendar