MINUTES OF MACA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING – 5/26/2025

President R. King called the Annual Membership Meeting to order at 9:12 AM at the Westford Regency in Westford, site of the 93rd Massachusetts Open.  Thirteen people were in attendance: President Robert J. King, incoming Vice-President Michael Urbonas, Treasurer Robert Messenger, Clerk Nicholas Sterling, Directors Elsie Smits, Dmitry Barash, Colin Scheriff (incoming); and six guests: Hal Terrie, Robert Ernest King, Charles Recchia, Matthew Phelps (outgoing Vice-President), George Mirijanian, and Natasha Christiansen.  A quorum of thirty being required by the Bylaws, the meeting was inquorate.

Treasurer: R. Messenger presented the Annual MACA Treasurer Report which covered 2024-2025 up to 4/30/2025.  Total Assets: $185297.39.  Total Liabilities: $187175.02.  There was discussion about: (a) the fact that the rental prices at the Westford Regency had gone up over the past two years, making it financially preferable for MACA to seek out less expensive locales for some tournaments; that effort did indeed save $$$; (b) the addition of a Women’s Chess Fund after USCF paid MACA a $5000 grant; the $$$ has been used to fund the women’s chess tournaments directed at BCC by Kateryna Odnarozhenko and E. Smits; (c) the addition of DGT Boards as an expense; these DGT Boards were used to broadcast the top Boards at the 2025 MA G/60 and the 2025 MA Open.

Membership: R. Messenger presented the 5/23/2025 Membership numbers, and distributed copies, as follows: Adults 213 (-1); Junior 585 (-36); Life 195 (-1); Affiliate 0 (=); Prison 366 (-36).  Total change in Membership: -74.  The drop in Junior Members and Prison Members was noted.  Even though Steve Frymer is less active than he used to be with the Prison Members, they are still listed in a separate category of Non-Members.

Election results were as follows (advancing candidates are in bold type)

        President: NM Rob King (51, unopposed), write-ins (2) 

        Vice-President: Michael Urbonas (54, unopposed) 

         Clerk: Nicholas Sterling (56, unopposed)        

        Treasurer: Bob Messenger (56, unopposed) 

        Directors: Kateryna Odnarozhenko (52), Elsie Smits (50), Dmitry Barash (47), Colin Scheriff (45, incoming), Larry Gladding (42, incoming), write-ins (23).  58  Members (M. Urbonas) voted altogether, with 55 electronic ballots and 3 paper ballots.  A question arose about a nomination that arrived after the election deadline as to whether that deadline was published clearly enough; the conclusion was that it was so published by e-mail blast and on the MACA website masschess.org.  It was additionally noted at the meeting that "Candidates for Director must receive at least ten (10) votes in order to be elected" in accordance with MACA General Bylaws, as amended on 30 May 2011: Section 4 - Executive Board; 4.2 - Election of Officers and Directors. No recipient of write-in votes met this requirement.  Therefore, for any write-in candidates to accede to the Board, they will need to be appointed later by approval of the Board.

New Business none

President R. King adjourned the Meeting at 9:40 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

Nicholas Sterling, Clerk