POTOMAC VALLEY SWIMMING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
MEETING NOTES
7:00 PM – WEDNESDAY, June 12, 2007
River Falls Community Center
River Falls, MD
Attendance: Board Members: Jim Garner, Chair; Mark Faherty, John Hirschmann, Dan Jacobs, Bill Marlin, Don Riedlinger, Bill Stephens. Non-voting Board members: Janet Auger, Linda Klopfenstein. Guests: Ward Foley, Paris Jacobs, Brian Pawlowicz, Jim Thompson and Greg York
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at approximately 7:02pm by Jim Garner, General Chair.
Agenda: Jim provided the Board with a proposed Agenda. The awarding of host bids for 2007-2008 PVS sponsored meets was added to topics to cover under Senior Division.
General Chair Items: Noting that several members were still in route to the meeting, Jim Garner deferred action on approving the Minutes of the April 25, 2007 meeting. Greg York, incoming General Chair, asked to defer his comments to the Board until all had arrived.
2007 Swimposium: At Garner’s request, Paris Jacobs briefed the Board on the status of the planning for the 2007 Swimposium. The Athlete’s track will be comprised of a Mutual of Omaha BREAKout! Swim Clinic that will entail a brief one-half hour introduction, following by a one and one-half hour session on freestyle and backstroke, an additional presentation, a one and one-half hour session on breaststroke and fly and a thirty to forty-five minute closing session. Two Olympic or National Team athletes will attend and the cost to PVS will be under the $7,000 amount previously approved by the Board for the athlete portion including all of the above, plus t-shirts, posters, DVDs and other souvenirs. (Arrangements to have Joel Black conduct the Officials Track had been completed earlier.)
In lieu of an ASCA program done at the last Swimposium, the coaches' track will include Dan McCarthy and Russell Marks presenting items from USA-S Sports Development (e.g., nutrition, website instruction, DartSwim and goal setting).
Paris is arranging to meet with Jon Rogers at Georgetown Prep to confirm and finalize arrangements and to determine the number of registrants that PVS will be able to accept and has begun work on the brochure which will be mailed out by mid-July.
Routine Requests: The agenda item was deferred.
Summer Elections for Athlete/Coach/Official Representatives: It was noted that elections need to be held at the upcoming Long Course Championship meets for the Board of Directors positions of Athlete Representatives (two), Coaches Representative and Officials Representative. The Board was informed that both Dan Jacobs (incumbent) and Jon Rogers have indicated their desire to run for Coaches Representative, while Virginia Ratcliff has indicated her desire to run for Athletes Representative.
The Administrative Assistant was requested to post notices requesting nominations for all three positions on the website. Nominations for the Athlete Representative and Officials Representative are to be sent to Jim Garner, while nominations for Coaches Representative are to be sent to Mark Faherty.
2007 United States Aquatic Convention: Linda asked for a list of the potential attendees to the 2007 United States Aquatic Convention to ensure she had blocked an adequate number of rooms. Potential attendees include: Austin Auger, Janet Auger, Arvydas Barzdukas, John Ertter, Mark Faherty, Ward Foley, Boots Hall, John Hirschmann, Dan Jacobs, Paris Jacobs, Linda Klopfenstein, Bill Marlin, and Greg York.
While the Convention begins on Wednesday morning, September 26th, Linda recommended that all attendees but the Athletes Representative arrive on Tuesday. The Athletes Representatives need not arrive until Thursday since their first activity is scheduled for 6:00pm.
Airline reservations are to be handled by each attendee and may be submitted for reimbursement once made. Linda agreed to handle all hotel reservations and to register all PVS attendees for the convention
Sufficient Board members arrived to allow a quorum to be established.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the April 25, 2007 meeting were approved. Don Riedlinger abstained.
Conflict of Interest Statement: The Administrative Assistant reported that all but one individual had submitted executed statements. Steps are underway to have the newly elected Board of Directors and Board of Review members sign as well.
Status of New Contract with Montgomery County Recreation Department (MCRD): Garner informed the Board that John Ertter had reviewed the new contract with MCRD and that only two items had changed: (1) The contract period is now 3 years, rather than 1 (with a one year extension) and (2) the maximum dollar amount is increased from $200,000 to $250,000. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved authorizing the General Chair to execute the contract.
Officials Committee: Prior to the meeting, Don Riedlinger had provided all Board members with a proposed amendment to the PVS Officials Requirement for each PVS club. Included with his proposed amendment, was an explanation that the Board had previously discussed exempting college affiliated teams, but had not thought it necessary believing that colleges would not register 25 or more athletes. Noting that one college coach with a team in PVS territory elected this year to register all of his swimmers with USA-S, Riedlinger stated his belief that the Board should take action to explicitly exempt from the calculation of this requirement, college athletes who are also competing for the same school or affiliated USA-S Club.
Without the discussion, a motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to modify the PVS Officials Requirement to include the following:
For purposes of applying this test, registered USA-S athletes representing that school (or its affiliated USA-S Club) who have participated in NCAA competition during the current year shall be excluded from this computation for that school/affiliated Club.
The Board next discussed the issue of clubs who register large numbers of “learn-to-swim” athletes and its effect on the PVS Officials Requirement computation. It was noted that “learn-to-swim” athletes do not need to be registered with USA-S and that the Board chose not to address any modification of the policy. In doing so it noted that these concerns were known when the policy was adopted last June, and clubs may be drawing other benefits by having these “learn to swim” athletes as official members of their team. It was noted that the Board would prefer to make the assessment of club support of the officiating program by comparing meet entries to the number of sessions worked by officials from each club. However, the data on the latter for the current year is too incomplete to permit this to happen. It is hoped that steps currently being taken will improve this for next year. The Board did however note it would be open to addressing this matter as part of any club’s appeal of its fines.
Senior Division
2007 USA Swimming Spring Championships: Riedlinger informed the Board that five clubs had applied for travel assistance on behalf of seven athletes who participated in the 2007 USA Swimming Spring championships. The Board was advised that their applications had been reviewed and they all satisfied the requirements for reimbursement. One was submitted as an “appeal” and the basis for the appeal was noted as “college.” The Board was advised of the specifics of the situation and agreed the circumstances satisfied the intent of the “college” provision. It was noted that the amount of travel funds set aside for this meet was $9,000, with a cap of $450 per swimmer. The Board approved payment of $450 per athlete to the appropriate clubs for these 7 athletes.
Recommendations from Competition Committee: Prior to the meeting, Riedlinger had provided all members of the Board with the following Competition Committee recommendations:
A) Election of 2007 PVS Eastern Zone Long Course Assistant Zone Coaches:
James Gully (OCCS), Peter McDonough (PM), Nathan Meadows (TIBU), Yuri Suguiyama (CUBU), Jenn Verser (MACH) and Denise Adams (ASA)
B) Club Sanction Requests for the Period September 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007: Competition was provided with a calendar indicating meets already approved and requests that have now been received for endorsement of sanction for additional club sponsored meets. Competition was previously informed that four meets (HACC Harvest Moon (October 13-14, 2007), FAST Qualifier (November 17-18, 2007), Blizzard Invitational Championship (November 30 - December 2, 2007) and Cassel's Winter Classic (December 13-16, 2007) had already been approved. Auger identified the 18 meets for which a sanction was now being requested as:
C) Club Sanction Requests for the Period January 1, 2008 to March 31, 2008: Auger informed the Committee that thirteen club meet bids had been received for this period:
D) Club Sanction Requests for the Period April 1, 2008 to May 31, 2008:
E) Scheduling of PVS Sponsored 2008 LC Meets:
F) Criteria for Receiving PVS Travel Assistance:
the athlete must have competed in a minimum of 4 swims in any PVS sanctioned meet during the 2007 LC season with no minimum requirement of swims in any PVS sponsored meets.
the athlete must have competed in a minimum of four swims in PVS sanctioned meets during the calendar period Apr 1 up to the date of the meet.
the athlete must have competed in a minimum of four swims in PVS sanctioned meets during the calendar period up April 1 to the date of the meet.
G) PVS/VSI Hosting of 2008 EZ LC Zones
The Committee recommended the offering of a two option plan to the Board regarding the housing of PVS athletes for this local zone meet.
Option 1 included hotel accommodations and group travel, while Option 2 included neither hotel accommodations nor travel.
H) Chase Starts:
Requested the PVS Board task the Officials Committee to investigate the potential introduction of chase starts at long course meets.
I) Modification to Event Line-up at PVS Open Meets:
Separate proposals to change the 2007 October Open event line ups and the 2007 November event Open line-ups both carried.
J) PVS Senior SC Championships:
Recommended that future PVS Senior Short Course Championship meets limit out-of-LSC athlete participation to 10% and that the format include four heats at finals.
K) Future Meet Announcements:
Recommended that language be included in all future meet announcements requesting that each participating club send one table worker or official if it entered 25 or more splashes.
Prior to opening discussion, Riedlinger pointed out that although Jenn Verser had been elected as an EZ LC Assistant Zone Coach, she had since indicated that she would be unable to serve and that the Age Group Chairman is recommending she be replaced by Shelley Gesker (YORK). Following noting this change, it was also pointed out that several club meet sanction requests were proposed on the same dates as PVS sponsored meets and would require Board waivers in order to be sanctioned: These are the RMSC November Invitational (PVS November Open), Friendship Mini Invitational (PVS) (November Open), Speedo Eastern States Senior Circuit #3 (PVS January Distance Meet), York Friendship Mini Invitational (PVS February Distance Meet), PEAK “Right Weekend” Qualifier (PVS February Distance Meet) and AAC Winter Gator Mini Meet (PVS February Distance Meet). The Board agreed to grant all these waivers. In doing so, it noted that several had been granted in prior years. The Board was also informed that the new PEAK meet would not be offering distance event (it is on the same weekend as the February Distance Meet.)
It was also noted that except for the 2007 USA Paralympics Can-Am Meet to be held December 6-8, 2007 the House at its May 23 meeting had approved the travel assistance requirements recommended by Competition at its May 15 meeting – therefore no Board action was needed.
Following a recommendation to vote on all items except Item G and three of the meets already approved in Item F, the Board voted to approve the remaining Competition Committee recommendations. Action on Item G was deferred due to the current uncertainty regarding when and at what venues to the 2008 EZ LC Age Group Championship meet will be conducted.
Awarding of 2007-2008 SC PVS SPONSORED MEETS: Riedlinger reviewed with the Board the bids that had been received to host the 2007-08 SC PVS sponsored meets. He noted that bids had been received for three of the four November Open sites and that no bids had been received for the January Distance and February Distance meets. The Board was informed that they had just learned that day that one of the bidders for the November Open dual course site might be interested in hosting both sites. Therefore, the Board agreed to defer the award of all but one site pending learning of the club’s response. [Subsequent to the meeting, the bidder declined to host both sites at the November Open dual course.]
The Board voted to award the following meets on a vote of 6 to 1.
October Open
Lee District Potomac Marlins
Fairland CUBU
Fairland OCCS
November Open
Cub Run FISH
January Open
MLK RMSC
PGS&LC MACH
PGS&LC PM
14/Under JO Championship
MACH
SC Senior Championship
CUBU
Treasurer’s Report/Finance Division: Financial results for the period ending May 31, 2007 had been provided to the Board prior to the meeting. PVS’s current assets on hand as of May 31, 2007, were $753,489. The Board was advised that the GOA (General Operating Account) at M&T has gone up by $100K in anticipation of buying a new CD very shortly. The money came from the Restricted Operation Account (ROA) at the same bank.
Team B whose membership was suspended at the March Board meeting for non payment of amounts due to PVS -- has brought its account current - including paying a $100 late payment charge and a $25 bad check charge. Their club membership has been reinstated.
Age Group Division: Paris Jacobs, Zone Team Manager for the 2007 SC EZ meet, presented to the Board a situation involving an athlete whose parent took the athlete home following prelims on Saturday. This was in spite of PVS policy that athletes are expected to return to Washington with the team and in no cases are released to their parents prior to the conclusion of finals on Saturday evening. A motion was made to ban the athlete from participating in future Zone meets through 2008. A friendly amendment was made and accepted so that the ban would apply to the 2007 LC Zone meet and the 2008 SC Zone meet only. The motion, as amended, passed with one abstention. It was agreed that a letter, signed by both the General Chair, Jim Garner, and the Age Group Chair, Bill Marlin, would be sent to the athlete’s parents informing them of the Board’s decision.
Turning to the matter of a Zone Team Manager replacement, Paris explained to the Board that Dave Greene and Mark Faherty have agreed to share the responsibilities for the immediate future. The Board was informed that York, Paris Jacobs, Mark Faherty and Dave Greene had met the prior day to discuss arrangements. Transportation and lodging matters have already been arranged by Paris for the 2007 LC Zone trip. She suggested that Zone Team registrations be accepted through the close of the appropriate championship meets and will only be considered complete if full payment is made. In addition, she recommended that wording be added to both the information on the website and the registration packet stating that athletes have until 5pm on Monday, July 23rd to withdraw their registrations without penalty. This was because of the commitments PVS must make for lodging, transportation, outfitting, catering and meet entries ahead of time. Requests for refunds after this time will not be honored. Her recommendations were unanimously accepted by the Board.
Operations Division: Hirschmann reported to the Board on the difficulties being encountered in securing pools for one PVS sponsored meet during the 2007-08 SC season. To date, a venue has yet to be secured for 2008 SC Senior Championships. PVS had anticipated having the meet at GMU, but was recently informed by GMU that their pools would not be available. This is part of a major contraction by GMU in the number of weekends they will rent their pool for swim meets. Pools which currently appear to be unavailable as an alternative venue include GMU/Fairfax, GMU/Freedom Center, Fairland, and PGS&LC. Various options are being investigated:
One member suggested that PVS should consider purchasing a semi-portable multiple lane score board to enhance venues without permanent score boards if our championship meets could not be held at a pool with multiple line scoreboard.
In reviewing venues for the 2008 LC season, Hirschmann informed the Board that venues for the Senior/Age I and Senior/Age II have been secured and that no difficulty was foreseen identifying a pool the PVS Distance Meet. However, the outlook was currently challenging for the three PVS Championship meets. Neither UMD nor GMU where the meets are being held in 2007 are currently available and GMU decision appears to be final. Additionally, while GMU/Fairfax has offered its site for 2008 LC Zones; the offer is for one week earlier than the Zone meet is scheduled. The dates for this meet are set by the zone manual. Thus, such a change in meet dates would need to be approved by the Eastern Zone.
The Board agreed to accept FCPA’s offer of Lee District pool for the dates of February 22nd (PM), 23rd (AM and PM) and 24th (AM and PM) in 2008. Options for the use of the site included a PVS 8&U Camp, a slower than JO cut time meet for 9-14 year olds with a partial event line-up, and a 15-18 meet offering events not offered at high school meet. The Coaches Representatives agreed to develop final plans to be presented at the Fall Competition meeting. There was also discussion whether the meets should be club or PVS sponsored meets and what clubs might be potential bidders under either sponsorship arrangement.
Two issues were raised regarding the past weekend’s PVS Senior/Age Group I meet. Paris Jacobs asked for clarification as to whether PVS was permitted to enter a facility for meet set-up prior to the contract start time. It was agreed that this issue would be raised at the next FCPA Pool Renter’s Meeting scheduled for the next day. The second issue involved PVS’s ability to provide and support equipment to multiple sites for multiple meets held on the same dates. A suggestion was made that a check list be created and completed at the conclusion of meets to provide feedback to the Equipment Manager and the Equipment Manager should also make sure the equipment is in working order before sending it out to venues for use..
Administrative Division: Noting the action taken at the 2007 Annual House of Delegates meeting to create the position of an elected Officials Representative on the PVS Board of Directors, Riedlinger had prepared and circulated prior to the meeting a draft of the necessary amendment to the PVS Bylaws. He indicated that he had used as his foundation for the draft the position of Coaches Representative. In a preliminary review with Bruce Stratton, USA-S Rules & Regulation, he had been told that such a position was unusual, but permissible. A motion was made, seconded and passed, with one abstention (Bill Stephens) to adopt the Bylaw amendment as presented.
The final item to be determined by the Board was to define the criteria for an Officials Representative. By a unanimous vote, the Board established the criteria as follows: At the time of election, the Officials Representative must (a) be currently registered with USA Swimming and (b) be currently certified by PVS as Referee, Starter, Stroke & Turn Judge, Hy-Tek Operator or Colorado Timing System Operator.
Comments by Greg York, Incoming General Chair: Greg York, incoming General Chair, thanked Garner for giving him an opportunity to speak. He announced to the Board that he would be appointing Jim Thompson as Strategic Chair, filling the vacancy created by Bill Stephens’ election as Finance Vice Chair/Treasurer. Additionally, John Hirschmann has agreed to serve in the capacity of Special Assistant to the General Chair.. In an effort to ensure a smooth transition to the incoming Board members, he has encouraged communication between all departing Board members and the successors to their position on the Board.
Referring to the tabling of the Executive Director discussion at the 2007 Annual House of Delegate meeting, York emphasized to the Board his belief in the importance of the position. He conceded that the outcome may have been different had the position’s description been better defined, but re-emphasized that the current Board had consciously chosen not to restrict the incoming Board by its actions.
Bill Stephens explained to the Board that he had spoken with several members of the House of Delegates following the meeting regarding their concerns and objections. In response to their comments, he had rewritten the Executive Director’s Position Description that he had circulated to all Board members for their review prior to tonight’s meeting. Stephens and others emphasized the importance of receiving support from the House of Delegates to ensure the success of the position.
Addressing one of the objections raised at the House of Delegates meeting, Stephens explained that the description continues to be initially designated as a part-time position and that it is being established with a specific candidate in mind York explained that he ran for General Chair with that candidate in mind and that a part time position fits with that candidates current circumstances in light of his currently existing relationship with the LSC. York continued by stating that he envisioned the candidate remaining in the position for a few years, all the while refining the responsibilities.
Foley remarked to the Board that the revised position description addressed many of his concerns. He agreed that the association needed someone to look over and coordinate the day-to-day operations of its contractors and that PVS also needed a “face.” While acknowledging that the individual was a fine candidate, he stressed that he believed it would be a disservice to the association to not do a search for candidates and to not investigate compensation requirements. Noting that $50,000 in funding had been approved in the budget at the House meeting, Foley suggested that the candidate be hired as Director of Operations with duties less far reaching than those of Executive Director.
In a desire to re-open the tabled discussion of the Executive Director position, the Board decided to call a Special Meeting of the House of Delegates. After reviewing various dates and locations, the Board’s preference was to set the date and time as Tuesday, July 24th at 6:30PM. The Administrative Assistant was requested to check on the availability of McLean Community Center. [Subsequent to the meeting, the location was confirmed as McLean Community Center.]
Deferred Items: An inquiry on an item of New Business that had been deferred for several months was raised. It was suggested the Board should either act on the item or remove it from its agenda. The background for why the motion was being considered was explained. It pertains to athletes transferring into the LSC during the year receiving services from PVS, but not paying PVS any dues. A motion was made to not charge fees for transferring athletes into PVS from other LSC’s. The motion was tabled.
Next Board Meeting: The Chair announced that its next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday July 24, 2007 at 7:30PM, location to be announced at a later date. [Following the meeting, it was confirmed that the meeting would be held at McLean Community Center.]
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 10:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted by,