District 7 Board of Directors Minutes from Chattanooga
December 8, 2001

Minutes: Susie Clayman made a motion to accept the minutes from the Atlanta meeting as submitted, the motion was seconded by Jim Current and all approved.

Treasurer’s Report: the Treasurer’s report was submitted; Nancy Hetsko moved and Barbara Winzurk seconded that the report be accepted. Motion carried.

Easybridge!: Priscilla Smith was not present to report on Easybridge!, but she will have a report for the Hilton Head meeting.

Education Committee: Barbara Winzurk reported that the ACBL is still experiencing problems with second year membership retention; effective 1-1-02 the ACBL is raising the first year membership rate from $16 to $24 which is still 25% off the regular rate. Barbara also commented on various things the ACBL has available to teachers and bridge clubs to help stimulate interest in bridge education and to increase member recruitment, such as Bridge Bingo and other similar games, the Club Managers Newsletter (now on the web with lots of good ideas), marketing brochures (Barbara can make these available to anyone interested), and an 18 minute tape to promote Bridge education in schools. Barbara asked Nancy Hetsko to report on the Mini-Bridge meeting at the Fall Nationals in Las Vegas. Nancy indicated that although the emphasis so far has been using Mini-Bridge in schools, it seems like an excellent way to teach bridge to adults as well, because students are learning to play and defend bridge hands without the distraction of trying to learn bidding rules in the beginning. After the students are comfortable with playing, they can start learning the bidding. Nancy obtained the Mini-Bridge kits at the meeting in Las Vegas and will adapt the program for adult students and offer Mini-Bridge on an experimental basis at the Alpharetta Bridge Club sometime in 2002. Barbara also reported that the ACBL is offering Unit Growth Seminars run by Betty Starzec. These are 2 day seminars, which should be attended by unit officers, bridge club managers, teachers and volunteers to present new ideas for bridge promotion and increased membership growth. The ACBL pays for everything except Ms. Starzec’s meals. The ACBL has budgeted 5 seminars for 2002. Units interested in having a seminar in their unit should contact Barbara Winzurk.

Entitlement Funds: Barbara Heller discussed the current status of the Bridge in Schools project she initiated. So far, they have hired 2 full-time people to work on the project; one has already started and the other should start the first of the year. They have a pro bono attorney who is handling all the contracts, incorporation as a non-profit entity, etc. A web page for the Bridge in Schools program is under development. The program will receive additional funding from the Duplicate Bridge Association of Atlanta-the profits from the 2001 Holiday tournament in Atlanta will be donated to Bridge in Schools.

Barbara also brought up requests the Entitlement Funds Committee has received: three organizations in District 7 are currently teaching bridge in schools and have requested bidding boxes from District 7. They are getting manuals and other items free from the ACBL. The Committee feels that any bidding boxes provided to these organizations should be a loan; bidding boxes cost approximately $30/set if you purchase at least 24. Mike Kovacich moved that the District should buy 18 tables worth of bidding boxes to loan to these organizations and District should coordinate the purchase with the Mid-Atlantic to get the best quantity discount available. Bruce Reeve seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously. Mike asked how much the fund is currently, and Judy Nolan answered that $500 is budgeted for entitlement funds. Eldon Clayman indicated that his latest purchase of bidding boxes came to $358 including shipping and handling for 10 sets. Mike K. said that units and the District should try to piggyback orders with the Mid-Atlantic since the Mid-Atlantic is the ACBL’s largest customer.

Finance Committee: George Bloomer reported that there would be a budget meeting before Gatlinburg. The listing of Finance Committee members should be changed to delete Bob White and add Mike K.

GNT: There was no GNT report because Liz Swanson was not present, however clubs were encouraged to run as many GNT qualifiers as possible.

NAOP: Bob Heller reported in Wayne Hollingsworth’s absence. The ACBL has changed its policy regarding the subsidy for NAOP winners. The new policy is that the first place pair in each flight will receive airfare and 6 hotel ½ room nights; the second place pair will receive airfare only. The District currently is giving $500 per person for the third place pair in each flight. The concern is that this will result in the third place pair getting more from the District than the second place pair gets. Wayne suggests that the District give $150 per person to the second place pair and $350 per person to the third place pair. Mike K. moved to accept this recommendation and Paul Dickson seconded. This generated considerable discussion. Bob Heller said that he would like to see the 2^nd and 3^rd place pairs both get $500 per person, with the 2^nd place pair’s subsidy reduced by the amount of airfare (subsidized by ACBL). Mike K. pointed out that the NAOP generates approximately $1500 but we currently spend $3000, and that Bob’s proposal would increase that to about $3900. Bruce Reeve thought Bob’s proposal would add about $1500 to the NAOP expenses. Bob Heller asked whether the NAOP and GNT should be considered as self-sustaining programs, or should we channel extra money to these programs. He feels that the District has the money. Paul Dickson commented on the contrast between our previous budget squeezing regarding the bidding boxes for students versus giving extra funds to send people to the Nationals. Jim Current pointed out that a fixed dollar amount seemed nonsensical given the different geographic areas that the Nationals are held in. Olin Hubert suggested paying 3^rd place airfare and a fixed cash amount to both 2^nd and 3^rd place. David Klein pointed out that what’s pertinent is the amount above the airfare. Bob Heller liked this suggestion, but someone asked who would monitor the airfare? Bob answered that the ACBL stipulates that the airfare must be supersaver. At this point, Wayne’s original motion was voted down- 6 for and 11 against. David Klein suggested that the District’s policy should be to give the 3^rd place pair supersaver airfare and a fixed dollar amount and the 2^nd place pair would get the same fixed dollar amount. Mike K. said that he would move to increase entry fees to cover this. After more discussion, consensus was reached that the fixed dollar amount should be $150 and that the treasurer should not cut checks for the 3^rd place pairs without proof that the airfare rate is supersaver. This change in policy was approved.

Tournament Coordinator: Bob Heller handed out the latest tournament schedule and requested that people please look at the dates on his tournament schedules because they change. Tournament attendance has not shown any real pattern for the year. According to Chuck Whidden District 6 attendance is down about 15% and District 7 is up about 9%. Bob pointed out that there are 65+ tournaments per year and people are asked to contact Bob with ideas & suggestions concerning scheduling, and tournament chairs should plan as far ahead as possible. Sanctions should be turned in 1 year ahead of the tournament date; currently there are several tournaments scheduled for the first quarter 2002 without sanctions. Effective 1-1-02 there will be no more paper applications for sanctions-you should email to Bob. There are only 40 available weekends for sectionals.

Oversight & Insert Committee: No report

MABC Vice-President: Mike Kovacich introduced Andre L’Heureux, the Mid-Atlantic President. Mike mentioned the Mid-Atlantic STaC scheduled for next week to benefit Nationals held in Mid-Atlantic locations. $25,000 will go to the Washington Nationals and $25,000 will go to the Atlanta Nationals. The VA Beach tournament has been approved in principle, and the Greenville ’05 and ’07 tournaments were negotiated together resulting in the same room rates for both tournaments. The Greenville Chamber of Commerce wanted to assist in the negotiations, and we got free parking. We should have reduced rent for the Jekyll Island facility because Millard Nachtwey will go through the list of rooms so that we will rent only the minimum # of rooms needed for the tournament. The Gatlinburg ’02 contract provides for reduced rent if the tournament does not move back into the space used by the bands after the bands leave. The ’05 Hunt Valley contract specifies $104 room rates. In the past, we have not known the actual room rate until 6 months prior to the tournament. There will be a year-end regional in Charleston, South Carolina in 2002.

District Director Report: Bruce Reeve talked about Jay Baum, who has been tentatively approved as the ACBL’s new CEO. Mr. Baum is a bridge player with approximately 4200 points. He is from Omaha, and has good experience with the Visitor’s Bureau. A break-even budget for 2002 will be difficult to achieve. Wayne Hascall has been the acting CEO and has accomplished a lot of good things, such reducing the number of employees and uncovering a lot of problems that need to be dealt with. The E-Bridge contract is a bomb- we are losing money. The Better Bridge magazine is now Play Bridge magazine. The ACBL paid Audrey Grant $250,000 but failed to obtain the rights to the "Better Bridge" name. The Education Foundation has been arguing over nickel and dime stuff. They voted down funding for the best Science and Math High School, but voted to pay to teach bridge in prisons. The Salt Lake City Olympics will have a Bridge Spectator Sport Demonstration for the first time. Bruce expects that there will be tight security.

Old Business: The dates for future meetings were discussed. Bob Heller moved and Jerry Vaughan seconded the suggestion that District meetings be held at Hilton Head, Gatlinburg, Columbia (Annual Meeting) and Charleston in 2002. Motion passed.

New Business:

Columbia was approved as the site for the MABC meeting.

Olin informed the board that Bob Leonard has turned down the ACBL’s offer of part-time directing for 2002 and therefore this will be his last tournament. Jim Current moved that the board write a letter thanking Bob for his years of service. Eldon Clayman suggested that we have a party in his honor in Raleigh, and Bruce said he would ask Bob if he would attend. In the meantime, the board will send Bob a letter; Nancy will draft the letter for Eldon. (Subsequent note: Bob L. has been reinstated to full time status)

Bruce Reeve brought up a perceived problem coastal locations have with the current policy on geographical limits for sectional tournaments and made a made a motion that the policy be changed such that if a sectional tournament is sanctioned to be held in an area located within 25 miles of the Atlantic Ocean then the distance that another sectional may be sanctioned without special permission shall be 250 miles. There was no second and the motion died. Mike K. said that Bruce should send this to the Oversight Committee.

Bob Heller inquired who is behind the club and cruise director program advertised for Hilton Head, as the district board did not approve it. No one knew the answer.

Bruce Reeve moved that we have a CDIN in Raleigh; Mike Kovacich seconded and the motion was approved.

Bob Heller thanked Andre for coming to the meeting.

Mike Kovacich wanted the meeting minutes to reflect the Board’s gratitude to Reba Jernigan for all of her hard work putting the tournament on.

There was a rising motion to adjourn.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Hetsko

Nancy Hetsko
District 7 Secretary
Return to D7 Minutes Index