Hudson Mohawk Road Runners Club

General Meeting

Point-of-Woods Community Center

October 13, 2004

7:30 PM

Attendance:  Dave Bacon, Susie Bacon, Lori Christina, Jessica Spatz, Mark French, Jim Gilmer, Robert Irwin, Barbara Hammond, Gregg Hammond, Neil Snedeker, Tim McGuire, Ray Newkirk, Vince Juliano, Robert Moore, Don Wilken, Elaine Humphrey, Jim Thomas, Jim Tierney, Nancy Briskie and Debbie Beach.

 

Call to Order (J. Gilmer/R. Irwin):  Jim Gilmer called the meeting the order at 7:32 pm.  Jim thanked all the officers and committee members for all the help and work.  Jim presented Jess with a going away gift in appreciation of her work.  His final act was to pass the baton (literally) onto Bob.

 

Reading and approval of minutes (D. Beach, B. Hammond):  Motion made by Ray to accept the minutes as written with a second from Susie. Motion passed.

 

Reports of Officers:

 

President (R. Irwin):  Bob thanked Jim and feels HMRRC is a club that promotes health and wellness which are similar to the reasons he chose his profession.  Bob received some concerns/criticisms regarding the marathon, specifically chip distribution, which he passed onto Elaine.

Executive Vice President (R.Newkirk):  No report.

Executive Vice President – Finance (J. Thomas):  All is fine and a budget is being prepared.

Secretary (D. Beach, B. Hammond):  No report.

Treasurer (M. Hannah):  No report.

 

Reports of Standing Committees:

 

Membership (N. Briskie):  Nancy reported for the month of August there were a total of 34 new individual memberships, 2 family renewals, 14 family memberships, 85 individual renewal memberships, 6 people interested in volunteering, two donations and 1 gift membership.  For September there were 11 new family memberships, 30 new individual memberships, 21 family renewals, 50 individual renewals, 5 people interested in volunteering and two donations totaling $188.00.  Ken Orner represented the club at the Health Fair that was held at Thomson Delmar Learning Center on September 24th and reported all went well. An ad was put in Adirondack Sport and Fitness (about business card size) to solicit new members and to direct them to the website. This ad costs $29.00 per month. Don made a motion to continue the ad with a second from Robert Moore.  Motion passed. Vince offered to take membership brochures when he promotes the Stockade-athon.  Lori suggested trying e-group/chat room be established again as Nancy has been getting frequent requests for information regarding running groups, etc.

Volunteers (T. McGuire):  Tim reported that recruitment for the marathon went fairly smoothly. Vince requested volunteers from the Schenectady area. Ray offered to pull out the Schenectady zip codes out of the membership list.  

Public Relations (P. Murray):  No report

Race Committee (D. Bowden):  Debbie read Doug’s report (submitted by e-mail), which is as follows:

 

Town   of New Scotland 7.1 Mile Race: Congratulations to new directors, Russ Hoyer and Jim Thomas, who had a recent record of 107 finishers, including 21 Team Utopia runners. In the past five years, the race has usually attracted 70-80 competitors. Jim Thomas provided a complete financial report.

Marathon and Half Marathon: Elaine Humphrey reported that 400 registered for the half marathon.  There were 407 finishers marathon with 460 registered.  The course had to be changed by a 1/10 of mile due to Columbus Day parade.  She is in contact the parade coordinator to discuss a possible cooperative venture for 2005.  She is also going to explore the possibility of doing a race weekend in Albany possible with Race for Literacy.  No financial report is available at this time. Elaine explained the problem with the chips.

Race Schedule:

Winter Series Race #1: This year’s race has been rescheduled from December 12 to December 5, 2004. UAlbany changed the date of the Winter Commencement to December 12, 2004 and requested that we reschedule our race to avoid a conflict with the graduation. The November Pacesetter will display the new date in a box on the cover. All other media and electronic schedules have been adjusted.

2005 Race Schedule: The 2005 schedule is posted on www.hmrrc.com. The schedule will be printed in the December Pacesetter. Changes from the schedule originally presented at the September 8th club meeting include:  (1) at the request of race directors Pat Glover and Ken Skinner, the date of the Anniversary Race has been changed from September 11th to September 18, 2005. The Arsenal run is the following weekend, September 25th; (2) the date of the Fall Marathon is currently shown as T.B.D. (To Be Determined) to allow consideration of dates other than the Columbus Day Weekend.

Winter Series Race Directors Meeting: Ed Thomas has scheduled the meeting for Monday, November 15 at 6:00 PM at his home.

Race Insurance: Certificates have been received for the Stockade-athon and Turkey Raffle Run.

Race Equipment: Doug Bowden has purchased 25 new traffic control flags and a case (12 cans) of yellow, temporary spray marking chalk for $290.24. New equipment will be stored at USATF.

National Running Industry Conference, February 3-6, 2005, San Diego, CA: Doug recommends that the club send Mark French and one additional major club event director to the conference. Conference registration is $395 per person (by November 1, 2004). With air fare and lodging, total cost would be about $1250 per person. Doug expects to spend approximately $2,000 less than was budgeted for race committee expenses in 2004. Doug recommends spending $790 of this surplus to register two race directors for the conference by November 1, 2004 and rolling the remainder of the surplus into 2005 to support attendance at the conference.                                                                                                                                                                      

A discussion of Doug’s recommendation to send Mark and Elaine to the conference followed.  Mark explained the conference and benefits of attending.  Mark has had e-mail contact with the director of the event.  Lori mentioned the positives of networking.  Jim Thomas made the motion the club pay the registration, air fare and lodging for Mark and Elaine to attend the conference with a second from Gregg.  Following further discussion the motion was passed.

 

GHI Challenge: Mark French presented information on the GHI Challenge.  The management committee has decided to dissociate the GHI Challenge from the national event.  He complimented Al Maikels for leaving great records as the former race director and the 15 people on the current management committee.  The 2005 event will be the 25th anniversary.  A public relations firm has been hired for $12, 000 to help promote the event and they have had experience with other not for profits.  A launch event will be held in January 2005.  The Honorary race director for 2005 is John Gray from Fox 23.  The charity is Vanderhyden Hall. The team aspect of the event will be the focus of 2005 with hopes of increasing registration by 10%.  The GHI contract is between club and GHI and following a legal review by Ray Newkirk, Mark will give it to Bob Irwin to sign.  At the next GHI meeting there will be a chip timing presentation by Granite.  Arrangements will be made for team photos. An informal focus group compromised of hopefully representatives of 50 teams will be held at Desmond to discuss specific topics.  The tribute teams for 2005 will be from education profession.  There was a 10% growth in teams in 2004 when compared to 2003.  Total revenue was $102,740.50 with $69, 242.79 in expenses which left $33, 497.71.  The amount of $6,500.00 will be kept in the event account leaving a total profit to club of $26, 997 from 2004 event. Discussion was made that as the race is going through a major transformation a budget of the 2005 event be available for the club.  Don made a motion to endorse in principal a type of event that Mark is putting together and that a when a budget is available, it should be brought to the club, with a second by Vince.  Motion passed.

                         

Race Committee Treasurer (S. Bacon):  Debbie provided Susie’s report.  She had an opening balance of $5473.22 and a closing balance of $5043.94.  The Winter Marathon reported a loss of $568.90 compared to $142.00 in 2003.  The Pentathlon reported a profit of $50.75 compared to a loss of $66.00 in 2003.  The Bethlehem Cross Country Series reported a profit of $159.92 compared to a loss of $11.00 in 2003.  The Anniversary Run reported a loss of $192.30 compared to a loss of $220.00 in 2003.  Outstanding reports include The Mother’s Day Race, SEFCU Labor Day 5K and MHR Marathon.  

Safety Committee (H. Hennessy):  No report. 

Pace Setter (D. Wilken, E. Neiles):  Don reported the Pace Setter is humming along smoothly.  There are 3 production editors.  Don’s responsibility has become recruiting writers and photographers.  Don requested Bob form a committee to search for an editor. 

 

Reports of Special Committees:

 

Grand Prix Subcommittee (J. Moore):  No report.

Hall of Fame (C. Kelly):  Tom Bulger is the 2004 Hall of Fame inductee.

Pace Setter Editor Search Committee:  Bob reported that this committee will be formed following a discussion with Jim Gilmer.  A chairperson is needed.

 

Unfinished Business:

 

Legal Review of Scholarship Procedure (B. Irwin):   Bob reported that he had received an e-mail from John Vero requesting information from Jim Thomas concerning the clubs not for profit status. 

Safety Campaign Report (J. Gilmer, J. Merlis):  Jim Gilmer reported that the person doing the work has not produced.  He will be following up with a letter which will request a product or the matter will be taken to small claims court.

Strategic Planning Committee (J. Gilmer):  No action and will discuss with Bob Irwin. 

 

New Business:

 

Stockade-athon Health and Fitness Expo (Don Wilken):   Don has been in contact with a podiatrist, Jennifer Hutton, who has volunteered to be available and even recruit one or two others to man a booth (a 6 hour commitment) representing HMRRC and/or to conduct a seminar at the expo.  Don requested that the club pay the $500.00 for the booth.  A discussion was held.  Don made a motion to pay $500 to have a booth, which was seconded by Vince.  The motion was passed.  Don will follow-up with Jennifer and the coordinator of the expo from the Daily Gazette. 

Banquet (D. Beach, S. Bacon):  Debbie reported an ad will be in the Pace Setter for November.  Times will be set for the presentations of awards.

Stockade-athon:  Vince reported an ad campaign has started in Gazette and Adirondack Sport and Fitness.  150 runners are already pre-registered.  1000 runners expected.  The Stockade-athon is the 4th oldest 15K and 10th largest in the country.  Ed Witlock is coming back due to the hospitality he received and he enjoyed the race. 

ARE (Robert Moore):  Robert reported that the ARE is going to Niagara Falls to run marathon and half marathon.

Nancy Taormina (Debbie Beach):  Deb reported that in the United Technologies Greater Hartford Marathon held on October 8th, Nancy was the 8th woman overall and the 3rd master in a time of 3:09 in a field of about 1250 finishers.

 

Announcements:

 

Refreshments:  Sign up list for the upcoming months will be passed around at the November meeting. 

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:21pm, with a motion made Ray, seconded by Nancy.  Motion passed.

 

Respectfully submitted by,

 

Debbie Beach