Members Present:� Ray Grant (SSA), Kathy Dacey (BGSC), Michele Bernal-Sweeney (BGSC), Carol Healey (SAC), Mariella Allard (UN-NE), Ray Grant, Jr. (SSA), Pam Warner (UN-NE), Bob Gauvin (SCA), Ev Crosscup (BAT), Matt Craven (SAC, Chuck Batchelor (ABF) Laura Matuszak (GMA), Dave LeBlanc (YNS).� Guests:� Tyson Wellock (CUDA), Mary Riddell (UN-NE), Rick Osterberg (UN-NE), Sherry Wingfield (HRY), Elizabeth Michels (BGSC), Josh Stern (BOSS).
Secretary�s Report,
Kathy Dacey (BGSC):� Minutes from
Treasurer�s Report, Carol Healey (SAC):�
Checking Account:� ���������������� $114,622.36
as of
��������������� ��������������������
Lengthy discussion regarding looking for a different venue for the savings account, one with higher interest return yet a conservative risk.
Kathy Dacey (BGSC) informed the Board that the address of
record for the Association needs to be changed with the
Reimbursement, Mary Riddell (UN-NE): �Mary Riddell presented the requests for reimbursement, motion made to accept the requests as detailed by Mariella Allard (UN-NE), second by Carol Healey (SAC), one abstention, motion passes.
Short Course Calendar, Bob Gauvin (SCA):� There are meet format issues with 13 & Overs, primarily the concept of an age group meet vs. open meet.� Lengthy discussion regarding pros and cons of each program.� Mary Gentry (NCAC) was asked to run an age-group meet � NOT an open meet with a separate 13-14 and 15-18 breakdowns. Ray Grant (SSA) feels that this is Laura Matuszak�s (GMA) decision as Age Group Chair � and Laura Matuszak (GMA) feels it should be an Age Group Meet.� It was advertised as such so it should remain as initially advertised.
Mariella Allard (UN-NE) asked that supplies for the meet be
purchased from the profits of the meet, although lap counters will be provided
by teams throughout
Long Course bids are due February 15th.
Discussion about the summer New England Open, scheduled to be at MIT.� Initially it was discussed that the meet be Wednesday through Saturday, to give people a day for travel (Sunday).� MIT has a problem with a camp it is running, and it can only be Thursday through Sunday.� NES either looks for a new site or goes to a Thursday � Sunday format.�
Lengthy discussion regarding the placement of this meet on the NE calendar, either prior to or following Junior Nationals � should NE be promoting this meet as an opportunity to qualify for Juniors?� July 7-9th is available to run a senior level meet.� Bob Gauvin (SCA) will speak with Mike Parratto (SSA & Senior Chairman) about what days work for the senior calendar.
Officials:� Meets are being appropriately staffed, and applications are coming in.
Coach�s Report:� There is concern that Regionals, particularly in the 13-14 & 15-17 age groups are over-subscribed, primarily because Open cuts are so tough.
Technical Committee:� No report.
Athlete�s Report:� Ray Grant (SSA):� Distance awards were given at the Senior Meet.� Longer warm-ups were scheduled at the Senior Meet and they were well-received.� Athletes would like longer warm-ups available at all meets.� Discussion regarding the reality of pool availability for this longer period of time, the committee will suggest to groups running meets that they try to accommodate longer warm-ups, although nothing can be promised.�
Camps:� May 13th there will be a Catch the Spirit Camp.� It is suggested that the athlete reps do emails to senior athletes on each team to promote this within each team.� An application can be taken off of the website.�
Senior Meet:� Josh Stern (BOSS) reports that a profit of $560 was made after the stipend was awarded.� He is upset because several coaches on the Senior Committee did not attend the NE Senior Meet.� Teams were split between MIT, Bowdoin and his meet at Brown.
Reimbursement Policy:� Chairman Ray Grant (SSA) recommends eliminating the NCSA Junior National meet from the list of approved meets on this year�s reimbursement policy.� Chairman Ray Grant (SSA) feels that NE should not change the figures which were already approved for THIS YEAR only.� Chairman Ray Grant (SSA) proposes that NE adopt the United States Swimming guidelines for awarding of deck passes for Sectionals, which reduces the number of awards made per team.� He also suggests limiting individual athletes to $1,500) per year, maxing out at 2 Senior National applications for reimbursement per swimmer.� The cap for coaches would be for the same 2 senior meets � maxing out at $1,000 per year per coach.� An evaluation of the potential impact of implementing these policies means that NE could potentially have (based on last year�s figures) reimbursement request of up to $28,000, which is still $12,000 over the budgeted amount.� For this year only, it is possible to re-allocate the $4,200 from the distance camps which was not used this year. �
Motion to amend � with these suggestions:� by Laura Matuszak (GMA),
1.� No Junior Meet (NCSA)
2.� Cap each swimmer at $1,500 allowable at max for each year.
3.� US Swimming Coach�s guidelines for awarding deck passes for Sectionals to limit no. of coaches from each team eligible for reimbursement from each team.
4.� Coaches are capped at $1,000 per calendar year.�
Dave LeBlanc (YNS) suggests a friendly amendment which caps at $5,000 for each season (spring and summer) the amount available to be reimbursed.�
There are 12 members of the Board present, 2/3rds required to pass (8 votes).� The following voted for the proposed plan:� Bob Gauvin (SCA), Pam Warner (UN-NE), Ray Grant, Jr. (SSA), Dave LeBlanc (YNS), Mariella Allard (UN-NE), Carol Healey (SAC), Kathy Dacey (BGSC).� Motion fails.�
Eve Crosscup (BAT) brings back the proposal with Dave LeBlanc (YNS) seconding it.� Original motion back on the floor with an amendment to award $100 for each eligible request for the NSCA Junior meet, with a $3,000 cap on the total amount awarded for attending that meet.� 12 Board members present, 8 required to pass.� Motion passes unanimously.�
Meeting adjourned at
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Dacey, Secretary