DeWitt Soccer Club

Meeting minutes – Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Board members present: Dave Barnhill, Wendy Embs, Mark Kellogg, Mark Thomas, Chuck Murdoch, Angie Schneider, Larry Tait, Tony Harris, Toni Harris (voted in as secretary)

Guests: Lisa Toth, Robin Goodenough, Dave Krackow

Meeting called to order: 7:45 p.m

Review meeting minutes

Thank you’s for sponsors t-shirts – materials given to Angie, need volunteer to complete and send out

Agenda:

Mark Kellogg moved to approve minutes as written, seconded by Mark Thomas – approved

1) Mark Kellogg – Bylaws information – first draft

• handed out information
• requested comments, suggestions, changes at least 2 weeks before next meeting via email
• Section 1.2A – unsure if we are a membership, organization, etc.
• Suggests to avoid membership
• We are governed by a board, get away from being a membership org
• Article 3 – page 4 – All voting and governing body is under board of director according to information handed out.
• Article 4 – Section 4.2 – Board of Directors positions decisions must be made
• Only require President, Treasurer, Secretary to function
• Suggest any other positions be appointed as necessary for business to be done
• Mark Thomas suggests appointing "members at large" – agreed to by members present – no motion
• Discussed board members having three year terms, officers having one year terms
• Distinguish board of directors and officers – officers are members of the board selected after determining the number of board members making up the board.
• Quorum definition and voting
• Number of board members to make up board – 7 or more

2) Sprinkling System – Watering AYSO fields at high school

Chuck Murdoch

• $3000 estimate for well to irrigate fields from June to August because we can no longer use an open meter where we pay $50 / gallon rather than $50 / month in addition to $250 yearly permit
• Wendy inquired about the possibility of sponsorships to pay the fees; we would be required to monitor usage; issues re: recognition of sponsors – must be temporary such as banner; if we become 501(c)(3) organization, donations may be an option
• Will we continue to use the fields and maintain – suggests a well
• Need commitment from school on long term use
• The cost of the well would be recouped in 3 years. In addition, there would be monthly electric costs to maintain
• DeWitt Junior Panthers put in a well – how did they accomplish it and how do they maintain it?; what were their costs and where do they get their electric supply?
• Must work with school to get the electricity there because it’s on school grounds and everything on the property beyond their primary meter is the property of the school.
• DeWitt Baseball wants to put up a shed and asked if we wanted to share; didn’t realize that we already have one.
• Check all organizations that may benefit if we decide to get a well and getting funds from those organizations, including the DeWitt Booster Club.
• Tabled to allow Chuck Murdoch to continue investigation re: costs, time commitment, limitations on use – Chuck estimates having all information by early 2004.

3) Board Membership

Open positions: Secretary, Education and Training

Introduction by guests – Dave Krackow, Robin Goodenough, Lisa Toth

Chairperson of Concessions – Diane Thomas, Robin Goodenough, Lisa Toth

• sponsorships solicitation starting in November – need several volunteers soliciting sponsors; lost sponsors from previous years which reduced our profit
• 4x4 committee meetings separate from DSC
• Another person may have volunteered for 4x4 referee committee – Mark Kellogg will verify whether they want the position
• Communication gap between coaches and parents for volunteer expectations of parents
• Suggest handout provided at tryouts re: 4x4 time commitments required if your child makes the team.
• Set up meeting in November to address topic of sponsorship and sending letter to allow companies to earmark money for charitable donations re: both golf and 4x4 – Larry and Angie scheduled a meeting for November 5 at 7:30
• Angie to schedule Banquet Center for 7:30
• Send email to coaches
• Golf committee sponsorship – combine sponsorship request with requests for 4x4 and send out together
• Hawk Hollow wants date commitment – suggests May 7
• Angie to call Kirk Sherman and request later date but rate goes up as date goes later – Angie will inquire re: most economical rate and latest date

• Tom VanderWoude – Chuck spoke with him and wanted to be considered for a position and probably Training and Education; requested to have his name placed on the ballot

• Dave Krackow – no commitment tonight; concerns about three year term

• Lisa Toth volunteers to help with 4x4 concession

• Mark seconded Chuck’s motion to nominate Tom Vanderwoude for Training and Education position– motion passes unanimously

• Wendy nominates Toni for secretary - Angie seconded –motion passes unanimously

Round Table Discussion

• No meeting in December

Tony Harris - soliciting current email addresses for Chuck and Larry

• Chuck Murdoch – cgmurdoch@comcast.net
• Larry Tait - tait@karmanos.org
• Mark Thomas – bobbycub@hotmail.com
• Wendy – alochuck@hotmail.com

• web site is still old site

• 4x4 photo disk provided to Tony Harris for website and DeWitt Bath Review re: championship teams

• requests 4x4 and golf outing forms for web site that can be filled out and sent to Larry’s and Angie’s web addresses.

• Suggests creating a DSC packet with emails and other information
• Angie will get prices for DSC flyer for next month

Larry Tait

• need representative for the memorial board for the 4x4
• must go to meetings of memorial board that plans Ox Roast

Mark Thomas

• end of season is on November 1
• fields:

• painting and using Fuerstenau and costs
• U12 & U14 AYSO teams play on full fields – suggest playing on Sports Park field; Chuck will find out what rental cost for the field is and AYSO Board agreed to split the cost for using that field for games
• We will work with USSF for game schedules
• Let’s give players a nice field to play on and motivate them before high school
• Mark K. says AYSO can pay for it themselves; his team pays for his team’s use of the field
• Mark T. and Chuck propose that the Board pays half of AYSO cost
• Wendy indicates that field is not being maintained already with just use of USSF and others; the more it’s used, the worse it gets. If they are getting more money, there are expectations for upkeep and maintenance.
• AYSO is justified charging an increased fee for larger uniforms and field use (estimating about $35 fee for game; increase $10 fee increase per player for playing, then AYSO can cover half of field costs)
• We are a soccer club and all kids should be treated same way and have opportunity to play on the field
• CASL fee pays insurance, Hope field, registers and schedulers
• Tabled until more information on costs is available

Mark Kellogg

• no treasurer’s report – still getting hand off from Bruce
• over $30K in general fund
• in 4x4 fund
• Light fee paid - $13821.13 due, paid $15,000 with extra toward principal
• next payment of $ due August 30, 2004
• refinancing possibility
• Mark seeks approval for paying $15,000
• Wendy moves to approve, Chuck seconded, motion passes unanimously

Wendy

• USSF season has gone well
• Will ask coaches to get information to Tony to post on the web site
• All coaches have flags
• After next registration for coaches, this is a good time at the coaches meeting to discuss 4x4 and golf sponsorships, tryouts
• Wants Tom VanderWoude to get training for coaches going by next season
• Mark Thomas can get MLS to provide fee free training
• Chuck and Wendy and Mark T. spoke about lines on the fields – Wendy wants to seek volunteers to line fields so we always have fields lined. Should establish weekly schedule for lining fields; USSF teams responsible for lining two larger fields; AYSO responsible for lining smaller fields.
• We need to continue asking for volunteers or pursuing other ideas, even if it’s not worked well in the past. Come up with a new solution.
• Hang a carrot to attract volunteers – practice times and game schedules

9:15 - Chuck makes motion to adjourn; Angie seconds- motion passes.