Minutes

WBL Board of Directors Meeting

May 28, 2003

In attendance: Dick Wegman, Steve Forsythe, Steve Robinson, Barbara Shaw, Ben Laden, Wei Bao, Fred King, Don Berman, Barbara Doran and non-voting members Donna Rogall, Michael Carroad and Millard Nachtway.

The meeting was called to order by President Dick Wegman at 7:10 P.M..

The Minutes of the April meeting were approved.

President Wegman welcomed new members to the Board. He said that he would like to discuss yearly goals at the end of the meeting.

Steve Robinson, Treasurer, reported that we have $9597.10 in the checking account and around $19,000.00 in our money market account. We are making money since we raised the entry fee. Dick Wegman said that he had heard only one complaint about raising the entry fees. The Unit game has been averaging 50 tables a night. The treasurer’s report was approved.

An area that we need to work on is a location for our Sectionals. The May Sectional was very small. Splitting the sites for the Sunday team games did not seem popular. The flight A BAM had only 10 teams. The B flight at the WBC had 11 teams and the 299er game had 6 teams. We may be using the Church for Thursday and Friday games and an area school for Saturday and Sunday games. Ben Laden the tournament chair said that we will use their cafeteria and their chairs but our tables. The church charges $500.00 per day plus the $50.00 set-up fee. The armory charged $2400 for 3 days.

Fred King reported on Unit growth. Steve Forsythe said that we have had 40 or 50 different people attend the Thursday night novice game at one time or another. We have 12 new members as a result. Although 4 are from the Bridgeatschools! program. Fred said that we would like to develop an interscholastic competition among the area high schools. We really need only 3 schools to get started. We are considering giving a $500.00 or $1000.00 prize to the winning school. We need to find a faculty teacher to coach & sponsor the team. Don Berman commented that it should be a teacher who plays bridge or one who would sponsor the team and one of us do the coaching. We also need to draft the letter and booklet to be distributed to the are real estate offices and welcome wagons. Steve Forsythe asked what about area colleges. We need to get publicity. We should at least get recognition for our charitable contribution in the organization’s newsletter to which we contribute. This year we contributed $300.00. The gazette will carry bridge articles if we write them. Millard Nachtway thought that we should at least get in the Calendar of Events section of the Post. Partnerships on the WEB will be headed by Barbara Shaw for Flight A and Charity Sack or Flight B/C. A notice will appear on the WEB announcing if you come to the Unit game you will be guaranteed a partner. A carpool notice will also appear in the Bulletin with Don Berman in charge.

The Unit survey was discussed. Barbara Shaw said that the issue most people cared about was zero tolerance. More people answered that question than any other approximately 105. Steve Robinson commented that we have a problem enforcing penalties. He suggested that the first time people be given a warning. Michael Carroad said that most complaints are about slow play. We are striving to obtain a relaxed, friendly environment to play bridge. Barbara Doran was appointed chairperson of a Behavior Committee. The committee will consist of Millard Nachtway, Steve Forsythe and Jane Sturgis. We will begin putting results of the survey in future bulletins. Donna was asked to put a small article about this in the June bulletin.

New Business:

Dick Wegman discussed the possibility of scoring across the Thursday night Unit games with the NVBA when possible. It was pointed out that that would be very difficult and would complicate our trophy races. It was also mentioned that we dont always play the same games each week. They might have a team game while we have a pair game. No decision was made at this time.

Don Berman asked if we could provide hand records for local Clubs that want to use them. Michael Carroad said that Millie and Rick Larkin are moving to Florida and we will need to find someone to run the duplicating machine and make boards who is not playing in the game Thursday night. It was suggested that we ask Lisa Lofton, one of our current caddies, if she would like the job and them we would train her to use the machine. Once we train a replacement for Rick, it would be possible to provide pre-duplicated boards to area clubs. The charge would be $12.00 per box of 36 boards. The machine operator would receive $9.00 and the WBL $3.00 of that fee.

Fred King, our Unit representative to the District 6 board, reported on the recent meeting held at the Richmond Regional. Gloria Brown, District Charity Chairperson reported that we has 306 tables playing in the charity game. It was discussed how to bring in new players. Kay Afdahl said that the District will give money for materials but not salaries. They gave $600.00 to Ron Kral for Easy Bridge. The STAC made a $4000.00 profit and had 2400 tables across clubs participating. The proposed date for next years District 6 STAC is February 23-29,2004. The alternate date was Easter Week. The Mid-Atlantic wishes to add a Regional for District 7. The Holiday Regional between Christmas and New Years is to be held in alternate years. District 6 expressed concern as to how that Regional would effect the Williamsburg Regional if it was held every year. Fred reported that there was $28,572 left over from the Washington NABC Fund. The District wanted our input as to what to do with th e money. Michael Carroad said that we donated $11,608.00 and District 6 donated $1,000.00. The District discussed giving it back proportionately to the amount contributed. Steve Robinson moved that we ask for all of the money we contributed be refunded. Barbara Doran seconded the motion. It passed unanimously. It was made clear that we did not want the money which was earned specifically for the Nationals by raising entry fees at the Sectionals refunded. Barbara Shaw was asked to write a letter to District 6 President Bill Cole informing him of our decision. There are to be Appellate Committee appointments. Each member has a three year term. The WBL has 3 members. 1/3 of the committee is new each year with terms staggered. The Williamsburg and Roanoke Regionals will alternate each year. We were asked our opinion about the new District Bulletin. We all thought it was great.

The Mid-Atlantic said that they have not received the budget for the Alexandria Regional.

Lee Jensen, Chairman, was to have had the budget in 90 ahead of the Regional. We have received a penalty of $175.00 as of June 1, 2003. Barbara Doran said that she talked to Lee and he said that he would send it one month ago. Pat Siler has not received it yet. He is also to provide accounting after the tournament. Dick Wegman said that he would talk to Kathy Kruskal, tournament co-chair, about the problem and see whether she could take on the job of tournament chair in its entirety. If she agreed, Dick would talk to Lee about resigning.

Dick Wegman then appointed the 2003-2004 duties. The list of officers and their duties is attached to the minutes. He then discussed his goals for the year which included Membership Growth, Location for the Sectionals and Publicity.

We then had a brief executive board meeting at which we elected new C&E Committee members. Completing their 2 year terms were Alan Tennebaum, Barbara Ames and Bob Bell. Remaining on the Committee for the last year of their two year term are Andrew Kaufman, Kathy Kruskal and Kefu Xu. Beginning their 2 year term are new members Carol Banks, Pat Foster and Eileen Houghton. Board members on the committee are Chairman Ben Laden, Barbara Doran and Fred King.

Steve Robinson placed back on the table his motion from the previous meeting to establish a building fund. We have a 501C4 status and are non-profit and non-charity. The vote was 5-4 not to establish the building fund at this time. But Dick did appoint a Building Fund Committee. He asked Barbara Doran to chair the committee with Steve Forsythe, Steve Robinson, Barbara Ames and Don Berman as members.

The next meeting will be Wednesday June 25th at Barbara Shaw’s. The August meeting will be August 6th with the place to be determined.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:28 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Barbara Shaw, Recording Secretary