Vermont Paddlers Club: Meeting Minutes

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	Meeting Minutes - October 9, 2007
	Meeting Minutes - October 9, 2007
	Full Page View back to list Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday October 9th, 2007 AGENDA: Officer Nominees for 2008-2009 November 4th Election Meeting Treasurer's Update IDW Stipend @ $100 VRC and AWA Sponsorships @ $100 each "Whitewater Fund" Proposal "Advisory" Budget Proposal for 2008-2009 Pool Session Proposal Trips Organizing 101 Revision OFFICERS IN ATTENDANCE: Dan Beideck, Rich Larsen, James Raboin, Tony Shaw The meeting was called to order around 7pm by James at the home of Dan and Ann. REPORT(S) FROM OFFICER(S): Treasurer's Update Cash on hand at the start of tonight's meeting is approximately $2700. Activities Director - Dan Brent has learned that the St. Michael's pool is NOT an option for the winter pool sessions, mainly based on concerns for keeping the pool area clean. Therefore, Dan will pursue timeslots at the UVM pool, aiming to schedule around 8 sessions from January through early April. Some of them will offer formal rolling instruction. Like last year, if the sessions are "profitable" in the early winter, then we will give discounts during the final pool sessions to frequent attenders, aiming to end in April neither making (nor losing) money on the pool sessions. The cost per session, etc., still needs to be negotiated with UVM. A general invite to other club members (especially those living outside the Burlington area) to organize pool sessions at different venues will go out shortly in VPCNews. OLD BUSINESS: Officer Nominees for 2008-2009 Only 2 of the members nominated for office during the online nomination process that ended October 1st accepted their nominations. They are Ryan McCall (secretary) and Rich Larsen (treasurer). Vermont requires non-profit corporations like ours to have at least 2 officers (President and Secretary - who cannot be the same person). Rich and Dan both brought lists of members who have not been nominated but who have been actively paddling with the club during 2007, and we agreed to divide up the list and contact the most promising individuals to suggest they seriously consider running for office. We also reminded ourselves that the club has had other "lean" election years, and has managed to survive and/or thrive in spite of this. November 4th Election Meeting Tony agreed to confirm someone for the slideshow entertainment ASAP. James agreed to compose a letter, to be mailed to all members, reminding them to attend the election meeting. NEW BUSINESS: IDW Stipend @ $100, 1x As previously approved by the board, Richard will mail a $100 stipend to Brent Osborne for the ACA Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) he attended this summer, and thank Brent for his willingness to help out as a 2008 Novice Clinic instructor. VRC and AWA Sponsorships @ $100 each Dan moved, Rich seconded, and the board voted unanimously to mail donations to the Vermont Rivers Conservancy (VRC) and to American Whitewater (AW), $100 each. "Whitewater Fund" Proposal We discussed the pros and cons of creating a set-aside fund, based on the principle that the money there would be held in reserve as long as this was feasible and ear-marked for purchases or projects that are clearly in keeping with the club's mission to promote paddlesports but which would be beyond the scope of the club's ordinary operating budget. Examples of such expenditures were offered, and could include retainers or inducements for whitewater park planning consultants, at-cost bulk order boat purchases, and/or other hard-to-fund projects that represent a long term investment in the club and/or the future of paddling in our region. Rich pointed out that ear-marking club funds in this way would need to be non-binding. If ever the general fund goes into the red, for example, these funds must still be available to cover operating expenses, and those in attendance agreed with this in principle. Dan moved to create such a fund and it was seconded and passed (3 yes, 1 abstention). Dan then moved to start the fund by "contribuiting" $400 to it from the general fund. Tony proposed an amendment to the proposal to round Dan's figure up to $500. The amendment and the proposal both passed by votes of 3 in favor and 1 abstaining. "Advisory" Budget Proposal for 2008-2009 See attached EXCEL spreadsheet and PDF version. We expect the incoming Board of Directors will appreciate Dan's effort putting it together. Trips Organizing 101 Revision In Dan's latest draft, we agreed to reword the paragraph that discusses the club's expectations re: getting participants to sign a waiver on trips that are NOT ACA sanctioned but that are included nonetheless in either the printed (Bow and Stern) or the online (Events Calendar) list of club events. We don't want signing waivers to be compulsory for these trips, but we do want to recommend that this be done. We will resurrect a copy of the group waiver, to make it as easy as possible. The meeting adjourned at 9:04. A date for the December meeting will be set after elections November 4th. ATTACHMENTS: 2008 Proposed Budget - EXCEL 2008 Proposed Budget - PDF Respectfully Submitted, Tony Shaw October 12, 2007