MINUTES OF MACA BOARD MEETING – 9/11/2011
President G. Mirijanian called the September Board Meeting to order at 5:30 PM at the Papa Gino’s in Natick. Seven people were in attendance: President George Mirijanian, Treasurer Robert Messenger, Clerk Nicholas Sterling (departed 8:06 PM), and Directors Stephen Dann, Robert E. King, Brian Mottershead, and Larry Eldridge (arrived 5:40 PM). The Minutes of this Meeting were taken jointly by N. Sterling and Assistant Clerk R. Messenger.
Minutes of the July Board Meeting were distributed by Clerk N. Sterling.
(i) * * MOTION (911-1a) made by R. Messenger and seconded by S. Dann to suspend rules of order to be able to amend the wording of Motion 711-6. The VOTE was taken; the MOTION passed unanimously. * * (ii) * * MOTION (911-1b) made by
R. Messenger and seconded by R. King to change the wording “Marriott Logan Hotel” in Motion 711-6 to “Hyatt Harborside Hotel (at Logan Airport in East Boston)”. The VOTE was taken; the MOTION passed unanimously. * * (iii) S. Dann asked for, and was granted, a 5-minute break to study the Minutes in more detail, because he had questions about some of the Motions’ wording. After the break, * * MOTION made by
R. Messenger and seconded by R. King to accept the Minutes as distributed. The VOTE was taken; with 6 votes in favor versus 1 abstention, the MOTION passed. * *
Treasurer’s report was read by R. Messenger.
(i) Net income of the General Fund year-to-date as of 8/31/11: $1228.34 net loss. Memberships brought in double the revenue of last year’s figure to-date, in part because of new Memberships acquired at the New England Sports Academy August tournament, the New England Open, and by Continental Chess Association. (ii) (1) Year-to-date Special Fund income: $147.95, with $124.80 dividends. (2) Year-to-date Special Fund expenses: $1606.64. (3) Year-to-date Special Fund net loss: $1458.69. (iii) June 2011 Changes in Fund Balances: $2687.03 net loss.
Membership: R. Messenger read the 9/11/11 Membership numbers as follows: Adults 211 (+21); Junior 354 (+23); Life 218 (=); Affiliate 2 (+1); Complimentary 5 (=); D. Library 5 (=); D. Subscriber 21 (-8);Exchange 15 (=); Prison 276 (+9); Subscriber 22 (+1). Total change in Memberships and Subscriptions: +48.
Tournament:
(a) R. Messenger reported (with the stats included in the Treasurer’s Report) that the New England Open took a net loss of $481.70. A total of 123 players (excluding the Blitz Tournament) played, with 86 players in the main tournament and 37 Scholastic.
(ii) Bill Goichberg of CCA wrote a commentary stating that he believed that MACA’s entry fees were too low, and that Scholastic Sections were best discontinued.
(b) At the NECA Meeting (at which representatives of the seven member organizations – six New England states together with Western MA - convened) on Monday 9/5/11: (i) the same slate of officers was elected; (ii) a new Constitution has been accepted; (iii) NECA will make a bid to organize the 2012 New England Open, and S. Dann was nominated as the Tournament Committee Chair; bids are due in by 11/1/11.
(c) (i) The Greater Boston Open will be held on Sunday 10/23/11 at the Best Western Hotel in Marlboro. (ii) The Pillsbury Memorial Open will be held on Saturday 12/3/11 at the Leominster Veterans Center.
Scholastic:
(i) B. Mottershead reported the following dates: (1) Qualifier #1, Sunday 10/2/11; (2) Qualifier #2, Sunday 10/30/11; (3) Qualifier #3, 12/4/11; (4) Qualifier #4, 1/8/12;
(5) Holiday Team Challenge, 1/29/12. Qualifiers #1 and #2 will be held at the Holiday Inn in Woburn. (ii) High-school sections will NOT be held at the Qualifiers themselves; qualifying events for high-school players will be scheduled at different times. (iii) The decision about how to divide up sections (by grade, etc.) needs to be settled in a Committee meeting.
Harborside:
(i) S. Dann reported (partly on behalf of the Education Committee) that the prospective event under consideration to be held at the Hyatt Harborside Hotel (the subject of Motion 711-6) has expanded in extent into a “Boston Chess Expo” (well beyond, it would appear, the original wording of 711-6) consisting of, minimally, the following: (1) a tournament will be held, but it may have to be shared with Bill Goichberg and CCA; (2) there will be a book & equipment vendor pavilion; (3) there will be a “trade show”. (ii) Bill Goichberg has separately contacted the hotel for an event of his own, and will submit a TLA because he likes the site. (iii) * * MOTION (911-2) made by
B. Mottershead and seconded by L. Eldridge to discharge the Committee formed by Motion 711-6. The VOTE was taken; with four votes in favor, one against, and two abstentions, the MOTION passed. * * (iv) A Motion made by B. Mottershead, to instruct S. Dann to cease and desist from interacting with the hotel in any capacity representing MACA, went by without a Second.
Old Business: (a) S. Dann raised the question of whether the Bylaws provision, that a Member who fails to appear for the first four Meetings of the term may be removed from office, is yet in effect. Not yet; this is the third Meeting of the term, and in any event, a Member cannot be removed without an opportunity to be heard.
(b) (i) G. Mirijanian reported that the publication of Chess Horizons is in progress; he has to assemble game annotations, diagrams, and photos from the New England Open. (ii) The deadline for submission to the next Chess Horizons is 9/15/11.
(c) (i) Stephen Dann reported on his investigation of alternatives to MACA current insurance coverage (representing the Committee created at the July Meeting by Motion 711-2). (ii) * * MOTION (911-3) made by B. Mottershead and seconded by R. Messenger to renew MACA’s current insurance policy for one year. The VOTE was taken; the MOTION passed unanimously. * *
(d) (i) Stephen Dann reported on the Massachusetts Open travelling trophy (as follow-up to Motion 711-9 passed at the July Meeting).
(ii) * * MOTION (911-4) made by B. Mottershead and seconded by R. Messenger to amend Motion 711-9 to read: “Stephen Dann is authorized to purchase a new Massachusetts Open travelling trophy at a cost of up to $400.” The VOTE was taken; the MOTION passed unanimously. * *
New Business: (a) * * MOTION (911-5) made by R. Messenger and seconded by B. Mottershead to spend $500 each to sponsor the Boston Blitz and New England Nor'easters U.S. Chess League teams, provided that each team provide an article to be published in Chess Horizons. The VOTE was taken; with 4 in favor, 1 against, and 1 abstention, the MOTION passed. * *
(b) Stephen Dann reported that he had not yet identified any candidates for Chess Horizons Editor. He is continuing his search, but would like further direction from the MACA board in terms of the role of the editor, budgeting, and the relationship between the magazine and the web site.
President G. Mirijanian adjourned the September Board Meeting at 9:14 PM. The date, time, and place for the October Board Meeting are Sunday, 10/16/11 at 5:30 PM at the Papa Gino’s in Natick.
Respectfully submitted,
Nicholas Sterling, Clerk |