DISTRICT 6 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

DISTRICT 6 ANNUAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

5 July 2003

The District 6 Annual Meeting was called to order by the President at 10:35 AM at Alexandria, VA. Present

Officers: President: Bill Cole

Vice-President: Kay Afdahl

Treasurer: Steve Robinson

Secretary: Bette Dudka

Unit Presidents: Lynn Rattinger (231), Ethel Klavens( 135), Mike Fine (109), Dick

Wegman (147), Leo Cardillo (218), Wyatt Mapp (Proxy Unit 110)

Barbara Moomy (Proxy 146),

Representatives: Darwin Afdahl, Gloria Brown (146), Michael Carroad, Rae Dethlefsen, Barb Doran, Millard Natchwey, Nadine Wood, Kathy Kruskal. Don Berman (147),

Ron Spieker, Margot Hennings, Andre L’Heureux, Kathryn Kiley (218).

1. Minutes: The minutes were corrected to read under the I/N Report that “the MABC held a Club Directors Course ….”. With this correction, the minutes were approved as presented.

2. Treasurer’s Report: Steve Robinson distributed a written Treasurer’s Report indicating a checking account balance of $18,873.35, advising the Board that with the GNT expense of $11,169.44 to be paid in Long Beach that total will drop to $9,174.87. Bette Dudka asked how much the Table Talk bulletin cost per year. Mr. Robinson replied it cost $5800.00 per issue and about $34,000 per year. These prices include all postage.

3. District Coordinator’s Report: Millard Nachtwey reported that we were closing in on the 2004 schedule, but there is still some flexibility. We are starting to sketch in 2005. Mr. Nachtwey stated that he had received a request for a 5th StaC in 2003 for Bridge at Schools to be held during the week of 22-28 September 2003. This would be 2 ½ weeks after our already scheduled D6 StaC (3-9 Sep). Mr. Nachtwey said he needed some guidance from the Board on whether to approve this additional STaC. He also informed the Board that D6 is not the sponsor of this StaC. Nadine Wood made a motion that each Unit in our District decide whether to participate in this StaC. Steve Robinson seconded the motion. A weighted vote was taken. Motion failed.

4. Finance Committee Report: Andre L’Heureux stated a couple of issues the Committee discussed were the GNTeams and the NAPairs. Currently, the GNT and NAP are combined to try to make a “wash” on expenses, pay-outs, etc. This year, as in the past, the GNT has made money and are very capable of supporting themselves. The NAP has been losing money, and this year they lost about $4,000. The Finance Committee (FC) is asking the Board to vote on three recommendations. First, the Finance Committee is asking that the GNT be moved from a pay-out of $2400 for a team of 4 to a pay-out of $2,000 total whether the team is 4, 5, or 6. The second vote is deciding on the NAP -- how much we pay for the 2nd Pair, 3rd Pair, etc. The 3^rd vote will be whether we put our decision on the NAP into effect this year (2003). The NAP Conditions of Contest is already published, hence the reason for the vote.

(1) Mr. L’Heureux moved that the maximum pay-out for the GNTeams will be $2,000, whether the team consists of 4, 5, or 6 members. Steve Robinson seconded. Motion carried. Effective 2004.

(2) Mr. L’Heureux addressed the NAPairs. Steve Robinson stated the ACBL pays for the 1^st Place Pair -- 3 room nights plus transportation. For the 2d Place Pair, the ACBL only pays transportation and the District pays for 3 room nights. For the 3rd Place pair, the District has heretofore paid up to $600. The FC is asking that the amount be changed to $300 maximum per person. The Finance Committee is proposing that for the 2d place Pair, the District pay $200 per person for 3 room nights. Motion carried.

(3) The discussion then was when this should go into effect for the NAP. The FC asked the Coordinator (Barbara Doran) when she felt this should take effect. She said that since the CofC are already out, we should make it effective in 2004. The Finance Committee voted in session and it was agreed that this should go into effect this year (2003). Barbara Doran made a motion that we wait until next year (2004-2005) to put this into effect. Motion seconded and carried.

THIS SUBJECT WILL BE REVISITED AT HUNT VALLEY

5. GNTs Coordinator’s Report: Rae Dethlefsen reported that the GNT is completed and our teams will be on their way to Long Beach shortly.

6. NAPairs Coordinator’s Report: Barbara Doran said she had nothing more other than what has previously been discussed.

7. District Director’s Report: Nadine Wood said that one thing coming up in Long Beach was the proposed site for the 2008 Spring NABC. She would like an opinion from the Board. The Board of Directors is going to propose Detroit, Michigan. Detroit is a one-site location, everything is enclosed so you don’t have to go outside, restaurants are close by, plus there is a shuttle, casino hotel next door -- the facility is great. However, there has been some controversy. The city of Detroit is not the first place you’d like to go to if you had another choice. Right now, the BofDirectors have no alternate sites to present. The D6Board had no real opinion - sort of half-and-half.

8. District Charity Repot: Gloria Brown stated that Wednesday, March 10, AM, and Thursday

March 11, PM, has been tentatively set for the District-wide Charity Game. Kay Afdahl objected to having the AM game on Wednesdays every year and felt other days should be considered. Andre L’Heureux made a motion that we rotate on a yearly basis Monday through Thursday for the AM games. Kay Afdahl seconded the motion. Motion carried

9. STaC Report: Michael Carroad stated the District 6 StaC , the one we share with the Clubs, will be February 23-29, 2004..

OLD BUSINESS:

Report on Money Left Over from the 2002 NABC: The President stated that at the last meeting, Margot Hennings reported that there was $28,572.53 left over in the Nationals Fund. The first issue is since the District has responsibility for this money whether to take the $28,572.53 and put it in a fund separate from the rest of the District’s money. The second issue is that the WBL has applied for the return of the $10,000 they gave to the Nationals. The third issue is how to invest whatever money is left over. That issue can wait until the Hunt Valley meeting.

Kay Afdahl made a motion that the District take the $28,572.53 and set it aside and keep it separate from the D6 budget. Seconded. Carried.

Margot Hennings said she had copies of all the communications sent to the Board if any one needed a copy for ready reference. She said it was very important that this money be set aside for the next National. It was raised for that reason and that is what should be done with it. Ms. Hennings thinks this money should be set aside in a totally separate fund. A motion was made to that effect and was carried.

Dick Wegman said he learned about the surplus in the Nationals fund and talked to his Board members and they all felt that the money was given under the assumption that it was to be used for the 2002 Nationals. Mr. Wegman said the WBL will certainly support the next Nationals 7 or 8 years from now, but in the interim, WBL has a number of bridge programs they would like to pursue. Mr. Wegman made a motion that $10,000 of the surplus fund be returned to the WBL Unit. Barbara Doran seconded.

A lot of discussion ensued, and a lot of opinions were expressed. Barbara Doran said it was obvious that the consensus of the Board that the WBL was not going to get its money back, so she amended the motion to read that the money be set aside for the next Washington Nationals. Dick Wegman seconded the motion. This subject was tabled until Hunt Valley.

Appellate Committee: The Secretary reminded Unit Presidents to appoint players from their Units to serve on the District 6 Appellate Committee -- one person for a 4-year term, one for a 3-year term, and one for a 2-year term. These members would all serve until 2005. The Secretary said the appointees need not be Pro bridge players, but responsible people to sit in judgment on a conduct and ethics committee.

Annual Elections: There being no nominations from the floor, Andre L’Heureux (Chairman) stated all officers of District 6 ran unopposed and were deemed re-elected for another year. President: Bill Cole; Vice President: Kay Afdahl; Treasurer: Steve Robinson; and Secretary: Bette Dudka. He asked that the election of the 10 MABC representatives be postponed until the Hunt Valley Regional.

Williamsburg/Roanoke Regionals: The President stated that every two years D6 has a Williamsburg Regional in January. The MABC suggested we might want to put Roanoke in this rotation -- giving Williamsburg and Roanoke each a Regional every 4 years. Millard Nachtwey said the first time this could be considered is 2008 since Williamsburg has a signed contract for 2006. It was moved and seconded that we table this subject until Hunt Valley. Carried.

Charity Foundation: Andre L’Heureux stated the Charity Foundation had come to a complete halt. Unit Presidents have not responded to a request to nominate a representative for the District 6 Charity Foundation Board. This cannot be started until all Units appoint a representative. He asked that the Secretary put this request in the minutes and follow up.

Secretary’s Note: Unit Presidents: Please send me the name of your representative so the D6 Charity Foundation Board can be completed.

NEW BUSINESS: None.

The President thanked and congratulated Kathy Kruskal and Lee Jensen, their staff and volunteers, for hosting another hospitable, enjoyable Alexandria Regional.

Date of Next District 6 Meeting: The next meeting will be on Saturday, 23 August 2003, between sessions, at Hunt Valley, MD. As in years past, the Maryland Bridge Association has invited the D6 Board to a cocktail party in the McCormick Suite immediately after the afternoon session.