New England Swimming
Wellesley Community Center, Wellesley,
Massachusetts
December 9, 2002
Present:� Bruce Mohl, Kathy Dacey, Joanne Gallahue, Laura Matuszak, Ray Grant, Dan Warner, Harold Whitney, Rick Osterberg, Mariella Allard, Pam Warner, Priscilla Davis.� Guests:� Mary Riddell, Bob Gauvin.
Secretary�s Report:� Presented by Pam Warner, following changes to paragraph heading Other Business:� New England needs a policy for those who are approved to go to convention by the chairman that are not voting members.� Bruce Mohl will submit a draft for discussion for December�s meeting.� Priscilla Davis has been named Chairman of the USA Swimming Safety Committee by Ron Van Pool.� Rick Osterberg stated that meet information must be sent to him 11 business days before the 1st day of receipt of entries.� Marjorie Blackwell will continue as treasurer until the end of her term (she is moving to Connecticut in December 2002).� The Eastern Zone web site is set.� A New England team may lose their ability to run swim-a-thons since they haven�t paid their sanctions.� Motion made to accept minutes by Dan Warner, 2nd Ray Grant, motion passed.
Treasurer�s Report:� No report presented this month.
Reimbursement:� Connie Brown (MVP) will wait until the end of this season to see if she fulfills the requirements to receive reimbursement.� There has been a request for assistance to attend a disability event in Australia by a NE swimmer in a wheelchair.
Calendar Committee:� will wait until January 30, 2003 to finalize the calendar.
Meet Entries:� many teams are not complying with the requirements for meet entry forms.� Rick Osterberg feels that by May, 2003, we need complete, thorough directions on the website for all teams to complete their meet information forms uniformly and completely.
Privacy Issues:� question raised by a parent as to whether listing a child�s name in the results, which are then posted on the web raises a privacy issue.� Discussion followed.�
Question raised as to whether New England should allow advertisements for swimming related events, i.e., Swim Across America (which is seeking more participation from USA Swimming) to use our website to publicize their activities.� Discussion as to whether this is appropriate for our organization; would it infer that we are supporting these activities?� Discussion as to whether we should allow Help Wanted advertisements on the website.� Discussion about the situation at Dartmouth College, which recently announced its intention to drop its Men�s and Women�s Swimming and Diving teams.
Priscilla Davis made a motion that New England Swimming supports the continued efforts to retain Swimming and Diving at Dartmouth College.� 2nd by Bill Geary, motion passed.�
The Board decided not to allow commercial activities to advertise their events on our website, but would allow NE teams to list job opportunities.�
Technical Committee:� Dan Warner � no awards for 13-14 year olds at the Open Meet.� This decision is final.
End of Season meets:� Teams merging will have a dramatic effect on the distribution of teams at the end of the season which are divided between two locations.� Ray Grant will consider all of the implications and devise a plan.
Awards:� decision made to order 2 years worth of medals to take advantage of bulk pricing and have no meet designation on them, thus allowing them wider usage.� Small medals are ordered for Bronze and Districts, larger medals for Age Groups and Seniors.
Athlete�s Representative:� seeking feedback on Swimposium and the Banquet.� The reps are gathering information which will be posted on the website to publicize participation at the 2003 Special Olympics.�
Officials:� Bill Geary � presented a memorandum from USA Swimming titled �Discipline and Decertification Guidelines� created by the USA Swimming Officials Committee.� Bill Geary recommends that New England Swimming adopt these guidelines.� Recommendation accepted.
Coach�s Report:� suggestion made that as NE has a lottery system for meets which are oversubscribed, we look to stagger the due date for entries to meets on the same weekend, allowing teams who are shut out of their 1st choice location to prepare an entry for a 2nd choice meet.
The Catch the Spirit Camp will be held on May 10, 2003.
Other Business/Nominations:� There are 2 vacancies for At-Large positions on the Board.� Motion made to appoint Bob Gauvin (SCA � South Coast Aquatics) and Mike Parratto (SSA � Seacoast Swimming Association).� Motion carried.
There will be a General Chairman�s meeting in Florida on February 21, 2003.
Next meeting:� January 14, 2003.� Watch for emails and Newsletter Plus for any changes.
Motion made to adjourn at 8:35 p.m., accepted.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Dacey, Secretary