2008 Annual Meeting

New England Swimming

Wellesley Community Center

May 10, 2008

 

[Note: These minutes are tentative until they are formally reviewed and accepted at the 2009 Annual Meeting.]

 

Meeting began at 9 AM, with Chairman Ray Grant (SSA) thanking all for attending.

 

Secretary�s Report, Kathy Dacey, BGSC:Minutes from last year�s meeting accepted with 2 small typographical errors changed, motion made to accept minutes by Bob Gauvin (SCA), second by Carol Healey (SAC), motion passes.

Administrative Vice President Bob Gauvin (SCA):thanked the Calendar Committee for their hard work and dedication doing a difficult and tedious job, thanking in particular the Age Group Chairman and Senior Chairman for their valuable input to this committee.

 

Senior Chair Josh Stern (BOSS):Stressed the importance of having a New England Senior Meet once a year, and all should be aware that facilities will become even more of a challenge for New England with the Brown University pool going off line.(We will eliminate his heartfelt comment that �Laura Matuszak is a God!�)

 

Age Group Chair Matt Craven (SAC):no report, all is well.

 

Coach�s Representative Sherry Wingfield (NAS):Sherry Wingfield feels that she has learned a great deal being the Coach�s Representative and appreciates the opportunity to serve New England Swimming.She stresses the importance of communication within the ranks of the coaches and what a valuable tool email and the website are for this.She feels that the meetings are more constructive and that there is less complaining within the ranks.It is important to think carefully about who your elected representatives are within the organization because their vote dictates what happens within this LSC.

 

Technical Committee, Laura Matuszak (GMA):Chairwoman Matuszack thanked all of the members of the committee for their hard and diligent work throughout the year, particularly through some very lengthy meetings.She commented that the Committee worked hard to clarify ambiguities, and deal with issues which come to the board which are then passed on to Technical. A major goal of Technical is to put the policies on the website so that there is easy access to the information.She thanked all for attending this Annual Meeting.

 

Officials Committee, Bob Menck (UN-NE):Thanked all on the Board for their support of this committee, as the New England Officials Committee continues to stress training and education of officials for the highest quality events in our LSC.

 

Safety Committee , Priscilla Davis (UN-NE):Please tell your team representatives to let the Safety Marshalls know that there is a handbook now on line at the USA Swimming website.

 

Registration, Mary Riddell (NE-Office):Registration at last count is at 6,700 athletes, with 86 teams, 1000 non-athletes.New fees will go into effect this coming registration year, and please destroy the old forms as the rate has increased to $60.00.

 

SWIMS Chairperson Rosemarie Meisner (GMSC):the SWIMS system is upgraded constantly, and correct registration continues to be the most imperative part of this system.National Age Group Records will no longer be Top 16, but will be Top 10 for each age year (e.g., 10, 11, 12, 13, etc.)The New England Swimming records have been updated on the website.Coaches, athletes, swimmers, parents are responsible for letting her know if they believe a record has been broken, particularly if it is done out of district.She also continues to coordinate observed swims at high school, Division I, Division III meets all over the place!

 

Chairman�s Report, Ray Grant, (SSA):Ray Grant (SSA) thanked Vice-President Bob Gauvin (SCA), Secretary Kathy Dacey (BGSC) and Senior Chair Josh Stern (BOSS) for their years of dedication and hard work on behalf of New England Swimming.He commented that with 86 teams ranging in size from 6 athletes to hundreds of athletes per team, it is nearly impossible to keep everyone happy all of the time.The board gives careful and considered thought to the issues brought before it and works hard to put forward a program which will benefit all and what is in the best interests of the organization.

 

He stresses the many challenges which will face this organization in the near future, first and foremost the potential at some point to replace Mary Riddell and moving the office for New England Swimming.Mary Riddell is NOT retiring at this moment, but we need to anticipate that at some point she will, and at that point we will be faced with replacing the irreplaceable and finding space for the office.

 

The Calendar Committee will continue to face the daunting task of scheduling meets in an LSC with limited facilities, a raging problem within many LSC�s.With the economy slowing, there will be new issues which will present themselves as we move forward.He stresses that we must begin to think �outside of the box� for answers to fiscal issues and financial realities which will affect us all.

 

Financial Reports, Joe Frazier (BGSC) and Carol Healey (SAC):

As of 5/9/08���������������� Checking Account:���������������� $90,144.30

����������������������������������� Certificate of Deposit������������� $51,370.73

����������������������������������� Money Market/Mutual Fund:$126,467.83

Motion made to accept the Treasurer�s figures by Kathy Dacey (BGSC), second by Bob Gauvin (SCA), motion passes.

 

There is a new line item on the budget � a Board designated fund to create a future operating fund.

 

New England Swimming is now current on all federal and state tax reporting requirements.

 

Elections, Mariella Allard (UN-NE) Chairperson of Nominating:

 

General Chair:Laura Matuszak (GMA), nominated by Kathy Dacey (BGSC), second by Bob Gauvin (SCA), unopposed, secretary casts one vote.

 

Administrative Vice Chair, Ray Grant (SSA), nominated by Priscilla Davis (UN-NE), second by Murphy, unopposed, secretary casts one vote.

 

Financial Vice Chair, Joe Frazier (BGSC), nominated by Bob Gauvin (SCA), second by Carol Healey (SAC), unopposed, secretary casts one vote.

 

Secretary, Mary Ellen Tynan (PSC), nominated by Kathy Dacey (BGSC), second by Mariella Allard (UN-NE), unopposed, secretary casts one vote.

 

Senior Chair, Tim Murphy (MBM), nominated by Priscilla Davis (UN-NE), second by Josh Stern (BOSS), unopposed, secretary casts one vote.

 

Board of Review, Eve Crosscup (BAT), Jeff Johnson (PSC) and Bob Gauvin (SCA), nominated by Mariella Allard (UN-NE), second by Carol Healey (SAC), unopposed, secretary casts one vote.

 

Nominating Committee:Mariella Allard (UN-NE), Jamie Bloom (WYST), Matt Emmert (SOLO), Ray C. Grant (SSA), and Pam Warner (UN-NE), nominated by Matt Craven (SAC), second by Priscilla Davis (UN-NE), all unopposed, secretary casts one vote.

 

New Business:Nothing presented.

 

New Chairperson Laura Matuszak (GMA) thanked outgoing Chair Ray Grant (SSA) for his years of dedication and hard work on behalf of New England Swimming and stressed to all Ray Grant (SSA) did a superb job of leading this association as he considered the needs of many over himself.Chairperson Laura Matuszak (GMA) also thanked outgoing Vice President Bob Gauvin (SCA) for a tireless, eternal job of chairing the Calendar Committee, and thanked outgoing Secretary Kathy Dacey (BGSC) for years of hard work on behalf of the Association at Board Meetings, the Annual Meeting and announcing swim meets.

 

Motion made to adjourn by Priscilla Davis (UN-NE), second by Bob Gauvin (SCA), motion passes.Meeting adjourns at 9:50 AM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Dacey, Secretary

New England Swimming