Cincinnati Bridge Association:  Board of Directors Meeting

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 18, 2010


Board President Potter Orr called the meeting to order at 5:37 p.m. Present were: Anirudh Pandit, Treasurer, John Burpee, Mary Clifton, Patrick Hoffman, Gayle Keaney, Everitt Kitchen, Barb Levinson, Potter Orr, Chris Schwartz, AJ Stephani, John Stoppiello, and Jean Sturtevant. Members Absent: Debbie Cummings and Mike Purcell


The April minutes were approved.


Potter reported that attendance at our regional was about 100 tables higher than the previous year.

He also reported that at the District Meeting, a motion passed to increase the charge to each Unit for the Midwest Monitor from the current $2000/ year to $4000/ year. This increase is needed to cover the higher costs of the higher quality Monitor adopted earlier this year. Part of the rationale for the increase to the units is that our district(11) allows individual units to run regionals and keep much of the income. Other districts run their own regionals and apply part of the income towards district publications such as our Monitor.


Gayle Keaney raised a concern about the poor timeliness of the Monitor relative to promoting tournaments. She reported that her copy of the Monitor reached her home following the start of our last sectional tournament. Other board members expressed the desire for improved content, perhaps, for example, by using articles found in unit publications like our ALERT.


Support for the March 2011 Louisville National Tournament was discussed. A national promotion week will be held from 8/31/10 through 9/6/10 with a recommendation to charge a $1/ game/player fee to support the national. The board agreed to adopt this fee for the club Tuesday night game, and will recommend the practice to the other unit directors. Each Unit is being asked to provide 50 person days volunteer help for each of two days during the national tournament. It is not clear yet how many hours per day will be needed or if volunteers can also play bridge on the days for which they work.


Anirudh Pandit, treasurer, provided financial reports for the first quarter of 2010. Net income was $136.40 for the first three months. Anirudh reminded the board that we will be paying about $8,000 in extra leaseholder costs this year.


The board passed a motion made by Gayle Keaney that the game fee for the next Sectional be $8/game, the same as last year, and that the fee for the two session event on Sunday be $20 which will include lunch.

Chris Schwartz volunteered to prepare a flyer for the Sectional featuring local restaurants.

John Burpee volunteered to explore tournament lodging rates for the sectional.


Gayle Keaney pointed out the need for a club cleanout. Potter asked that Gayle and Debbie Cummings agree on a date for a cleanout session.


Following a discussion of the status of Electronic Scoring, Potter proposed that he and Debbie Cummings prepare and provide to the board a few days before our next meeting a proposed schedule and costs for implementing electronic scoring at CBC.


Barb Levinson recommended that the board consider providing future new life masters an alternative to the pewter cups trophies which have increased to $25 in cost. Engraved cocktail glasses were suggested as an alternative. Also since some members chose to not accept a cup, the board agreed that the President can write a Letter of Congratulations to new life Masters asking them to confirm that they wish to received a trophy


The meeting was adjourned at 6:40 p.m.


Everitt Kitchen, Recording Secretary