APPROVED MACA Board Minutes of 2-13-00

Attendees (alpha list):  Donna Alarie, Stephen Dann, Walter Driscoll III, Steven Frymer, William Gennert, Gus Gosselin, Peter Lee, George Mirijanian and Harvey Reed.  MACA member Robert King was also present.

The meeting at the Kennedy Senior Center was chaired by Harvey Reed who called it to order at 1:15 p.m.

Motion 0029:  (Dann moved, Alarie seconded)  The motion to accept with regret Michael Gosselin’s resignation as both Vice President and Board member was approved without dissent.

Motion 0030:  (Dann moved, Mirijanian seconded)  The minutes for the January 9, 2000 meeting were approved without dissent.

Donna Alarie’s resignation as a Board member was accepted unanimously.

Motion 0031: (Dann moved, Gosselin seconded)  It was moved that, with Steve Frymer’s resignation as Treasurer, Donna Alarie becomes Treasurer, and Steve Frymer will be a Board member, effective immediately.  The appropriate resignations and appointments were approved without dissent. 

Life Memberships:

Motion 0032:  (Alarie moved, Dann seconded)  Nick Troisi was approved as a MACA Life member without dissent.  Motion 0033:  (Alarie moved, Mirijanian seconded)  Robert Cruickshankwas approved as a MACA Life member without dissent.  Motion 0034:  (Alarie moved, Dann seconded)  Franklin Herman was approved as a MACA Life member without dissent.  Motion 0036:  (Alarie moved, Lee seconded)  Walter Driscoll III was approved as a MACA Life member without dissent.

Motion 0035: (Alarie moved, Gosselin seconded)  The acceptance of Marc Rotenberg’s $250. contribution to the L.M.C. Fund in memory of Harry Lyman was approved without dissent.

 Motion 0037:  (Dann moved, Gosselin seconded)  The Board voted unanimously to authorize Donna Alarie to open a MACA checking account at the Spencer Savings Bank and to close the one at Citizens Bank. 

 Motion 0038:  (Mirijanian moved, Gosselin seconded)  The motion to table any action to fill the vacant Vice President’s position was passed by a 5-2 vote. 

Membership Secretary Donna Alarie had prepared a  handout, showing among other things a total MACA membership of 708 as of January 20, 2000.  Based on the formula in the bylaws, this means that 11 Board members will be voted in at the next election.  Donna has made progress in updating the membership data base.  More entries still have to be made from the information obtained from recent tournaments.

Election Commissioner George Mirijanian distributed the list of nominations for the election.  February 13 was the deadline for accepting candidates.  He also noted the requirement that bylaws changes be approved by the Board at least 90 days before the annual meeting.

Motion 0039:  (Driscoll moved, Alarie seconded)  The Board voted without dissent to mail the voting ballots together with the bylaws revisions, the announcement of the annual meeting and a flyer for the Mass. Open tournament.  The ballots will be sent out on April1 and should be returned to Election Commissioner George Mirijanian, 176 Oak Hill Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420. 

Motion 0040:  (Mirijanian moved, Alarie seconded)  It was moved that the ballots and enclosures should be sent by first class mail on April1.  At Walter Driscoll’s suggestion the motion was amended so that the ballots and enclosures will instead be sent by bulk mail with address correction requested.  The amended motion was passed without dissent.

Bylaws Committee:  Chairman Donna Alarie distributed copies of amended bylaws Sections 1.1-2.3.  It was voted unanimously that this amended version be accepted as written.  However, further discussion resulted in the following change.

Motion 0041:  (Alarie moved, Lee seconded)  It was moved that Section 2.1b of the amended bylaws should be changed to read “Junior members have voting rights.”  The motion was passed by a 7-2 vote (Driscoll and Gennert dissented).

Motion 0042:  (Alarie moved, Gennert seconded)  The motion to appoint Gus Gosselin as Chairman of the Scholastics Committee was approved 8-0 (Frymer abstained).  Gus will assume this position on March 13. 

Tournament Committee:  Chairman Steve Frymer reported that Donna Alarie will be the Chief Tournament Director for the Mass. Open, with Robert Messenger as Assistant Director. Robert Messenger will also direct the Mass. Game 60 tournament.

The discussion of liability insurance coverage for Board members was deferred until the March meeting at Donna Alarie’s request. 

The discussion of the U.S. Cadet tournament, scheduled for July, 2000 centered on the anticipated expenses and the potential benefits for MACA.

Motion 0043:  (Alarie moved, Gosselin seconded)  It was moved that MACA should respectfully decline the sponsorship of the U.S. Cadet invitational tournament.  The motion was passed without dissent.

 Steve Frymer also reported on the 2001 U.S. Open which would take place in Framingham.  Major issues are the potential financial risk of $3,000. (guarantee against loss)  and the 50-50 split of any profit with the U.S. Chess Federation. 

Motion 0044:  (Dann moved, Gosselin seconded)  The Board approved the motion without dissent to establish a committee to report on whether MACA would sponsor the 2001 U.S. Open at the Board meeting in March. 

Motion 0045:  (Lee moved, Driscoll seconded)  The motion to appoint Donna Alarie as Chairman of the committee to investigate MACA’s sponsorship of  the 2001 U.S. Open in Framingham at the next Board meeting was approved 8-0 (Alarie abstained).  Bill Gennert, Gus Gosselin and Robert King volunteered to be on the committee,. 

The names of MACA candidates to serve as USCF delegates has been mailed to the USCF.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:35 p.m.  The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 12, 2000 at Palmer High School, starting at 1:00 p.m.

                                                   William R. Gennert