Minutes

Minutes

WBL Board Meeting

September 19, 2001

In attendance: Kathy Kruskal, Steve Robinson, Barbara Shaw, Don Berman, Dave Ruderman, Michael Carroad, Fred King, Bill Cole, Dick Wegman, Lee Jensen, with guests Abby Heitner, and Charity Sack.

Vice-President Kathy Kruskal called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.

The revised minutes of the August 15, 2001 Board Meeting were approved without objection.

Treasurer Steve Robinson reported that we have $4345.01 in our checking account. Also there are additional funds which belong to the Mid-Atlantic from the Alexandria Regional. The report was approved without objection.

Barbara Shaw reported that she had received correspondence from the ACBL informing us that three clubs in our unit had been cancelled. Those clubs were Guy Mason, I.O.N.A., and the Chevy Chase Bridge

Club. The reason given was lack of reporting results to the ACBL. The forms were given to Clubs Chairman Bill Cole who will look into the problem.

Kathy Kruskal then recognized Charity Sack who presented a report on “Easy Bridge”. Charity said that Bridge at the Smithsonian was a tremendous success. The only complaint was that the course was too short. The Smithsonian requested from the ACBL proposals for further courses in 2002. Ron Kral will take the lead with support from the ACBL. Recommendations were to send local experts and Board officers to help during the classes, and to mail a letter to the participants offering a free play or special game at the Unit games on Thursday nights. Smithsonian members paid $78.00 for the course while non-members paid $108.00. The information was mailed to over 100,000 people.

Charity also reported that Barbara Summers is starting an “Easy Bridge” Class at the Washington Bridge Center on Friday evenings at 7:30. She will be the teacher for the first 6 weeks and Leslie Shaffer

will take over for the remainder of the classes. We need to get the word out to younger people interested in learning. This class is geared to the 20-40 year age bracket. She also stated that we need to make it more social and fun for people to play and learn. Fred King and Barbara Shaw said they would help with the class.

Kathy Kruskal then recognized Abby Heitner who gave her report on Appeals Committees. The members of the committee are Donna Rogall, Bob Bell, Ted Ying and Eric Landau. She reported that we are required to have appeals procedures. At the Nationals the Directors handle the appeals since they are not as busy running the games. The committee recommended that we have a panel of people available versed

in the laws of bridge and bridge theory. Flight B and C players who are willing to be trained should also be included on the panel. They also discussed that Unit committees did not necessarily have to meet that

night but before the next week’s game. However, people like to know the decision right away not the next week. Appeals forms should be filled out and given to Donna Rogall. Perhaps we need to choose a new panel chairman since the panel chairman should be someone who regularly attends the Unit games. If they are not going to be there then they need to appoint a substitute chairman for that night. Abby stated that at Nationals, Directors appoint the committees. Michael Carroad thought that would be bad at the local level because often the committee convenes because of a difference of opinion concerning a director’s call. The director could then be accused of prejudice when choosing the committee members. Handling appeals by phone was rejected by the committee. A list should be complied of people who should never serve on a committee. Michael Carroad said that the advantage of an immediate committee is that people can then ask questions about the problem. Barbara Shaw questioned who would choose members of the panel. The answer was the WBL Board of Directors. Abby was then asked to E-Mail a copy of the committee’s report to all board members. The panel idea was looked on favorably. The discussion will continue at next month’s board meeting.

Dave Ruderman reported that the extra lights greatly improved the game at the Church.

Dick Wegman stated that the Church is not available for the November 8th game. We are looking into alternative sites which include the Washington Bridge Center and the JCC. The church is pleased with our arrangements and said that we are welcome to rent from them into 2002 and beyond. It was agreed that either side wishing to terminate the rental agreement will give the other three month’s notice. We pay $225.00 per night and $50.00 to the custodian for set-up and removal of the tables.

Dick Wegman also reported on the progress of the committee looking into C&E procedures. The committee consists of Bill Cole, Dave Ruderman, Don Berman, Machael Carroad and Dick Wegman. They are working on how matters get to the C&E committee through the Tournament Director, President of the Board, or Recorder forms. Also they are working to establish the procedures followed once the committee convenes and what sanctions should be assessed.

Steve Robinson reported that the WBL Round Robin play-offs are going along. Flight C qualifying will be complete by September 30. He also said there are discussions about how to do away with ties. Currently if a team is tied at the end of their regulation match there is an 8 board play-off. These are very difficult to schedule.

Bill Cole reported that the Sectional in Clubs is currently be scheduled for June 14th, 2002. He is unhappy with that date since it is during the National Team Trials. He is hoping to find an alternative date.

Lee Jensen stated that the state may be changing the use regulations for their National Guard Armories due to the latest terrorist crisis. The White Oak Armory may no longer be available. We are looking for fall back up places.

Fred King, Education Chairman, said he talked to Jim Allen about teaching “Easy Bridge” lessons on Thursday night before the Unit game. He is looking into running ads in local college papers to attract younger players to the game. Dick Wegman suggested that maybe Bob Levy could publicize bridge in the Washington Post with perhaps an article about one of our younger players. Leo LaSota was suggested. It was also suggested that an article about Leo in the Diamondback, the U of Md. paper, would be good since he is a recent Maryland graduate. We need to get some publicity in the press. Wegman and Kruskal will work together to pursue an angle with perhaps pictures and getting articles in the local journals.

Don Berman, the Unit Recorder, reported that he went back for the four years that he has been recorder and found that there have been 20-25 recorder form filled out per year. That is a steady average of two per month. He tries to talk to the people involved if the form is not frivolous.

Barbara Shaw reported that the Convention Card article for the bulletin is ready to go. She and Dave Ruderman worked together with input from Bill Cole and Barbara Doran and will forward the finished copy to Bryan Coleman for publication.