New York State Ski Racing Association - Nordic, Inc.

SPRING MEETING MINUTES

SUNY Institute of Technology, Utica, Sunday, May 3, 2009

President Jim Kobak Called the meeting to order at 12:30 PM and welcomed those present including Rick Costanza, Margaret Maher, Tom Moffett, representing Northern Adirondack; Mitch Collinsworth, Russ Myer, and Lori Vezendy representing Central; Eric Hamilton, Tim Huneck, and Darwin Roosa representating Southern Adirondack; David Kvam held proxy for the cross country ski chairman; Sean Halligan, Russ Houck, and Carl Klossner were also present.  Southeastern, West Central and Western Regions were not represented.

Jim Kobak summarized that this past season was great with snow early and staying through the end of March.  He went on to thank those present for the organization that made the successful season happen.

Minutes of the fall meeting were accepted on a motion by Jim Kobak; second by Russ Myer; carried.

Treasurer's Report - Lee Mahood was not able to attend but provided a report (attachment 1) showing a balance of $19,071.22.  Jim Kobak noted that there are some obligations that are still outstanding.  Darwin Roosa moved; Russ Myer second that the report be accepted; carried.

Committee Reports

Empire State Games - David Kvam said the Empire State Winter Games will be the the weekend of February 26, 27, and 28, 2010.  Having lost their major sponsor the Games will be restructuring.  They will still have scholastic, open  and masters divisions, but the scholastic cross country will be broken into J1, J2 and OJ for medals.

Biathlon - Rick Costanza reported that Tim Halliday resigned as chairman.  Russ Myer, Darwin Roosa, and Carl Klossner comprise a nominating committee to find a replacement.  There will be a full schedule of summer biathlon posted at http://summer.nybiathlon.org/ and there will be training camps in Lake Placid.  More youth races are to be scheduled, some of them using paint ball.  The Club Championships will be Mar 12 and 13, 2010 in Old Forge.

Cross Country - Jim Kobak showed the tentative 2009 - 2010 schedule on line.  It can be found at http://www.nyssranordic.com/xc_2009xcsched_detail.htm then scroll down from the current date.  Or toggle from “agenda” to “month” or “week.”  The NYSSRA Championships are planned for Old Forge with biathlon and ski orienteering.  The ESG qualifier points list will be the same as the NYSSRA points list.  When youth do a BKYSL race the same day as a cross country qualifier they will get 10 points for finishing the BKYSL race.  

Jim Kobak presented the NYSSRA - Nordic championship banner to NYSEF noting that the club went to great lengths to get skiers of all ages out and racing.  Margaret Maher accepted in behalf of NYSEF.  

Ski Orienteering - Eric Hamilton reported that with the excellent season conditions we had 12 of 13 scheduled qualifiers actually held.  We need to encourage more "-18" participation in ski O.  We liked being with the Championship weekend, but ski O has to be the first event so those that participate in earlier championship competition do not have an unfair advantage.  There will be no embargo this coming season other than that imposed by the individual meet director so that we don't have competitors skiing a venue AFTER controls have been hung.

BKYSL Committee - Eric Hamilton thanked Lake Placid and the NYSEF BKYSL families for a well done Festival.  Our youth had a great time and didn’t seem to mind that they had a limited area on which to ski.  The committee has a new festival hosting criteria and guidelines.  No bids were received for the 2010 Mid Atlantic Bill Koch Festival.  After some discussion it was agreed that the following would host:

• Southern Adirondack in 2010 (with Shenendehowa lead);

• Central New York in 2011 (with Sunnycrest lead);

• Old Forge Polar Bears in 2012.

Ribbons are available for prizes your club’s competitive events compliments of NYSSRA - Nordic.  These are first place through fifth place and participant.  

Mid Atlantic - Margaret Maher reported that their will be six J O qualifiers rather than eight.  Discussion followed on large races where individuals were competing for a high school race, E S G qualifier or J O qualifier.  Race should be scored as one race; head tax applies to all competing; everyone is scored.  It is NYSSRA’s responsibility to assign a technical delegate, if they deem one is necessary.

Racer Camps - NYSEF will host camps at the OTC by invitation only.  They will be selective.  Questions should directed to Margaret Maher or Sean Burke.  Janice Sibilia will be hosting a Trout Lake Camp similar to what she did last year.

Newsletter     - Tom Chappel is putting together a News magazine that will be published twice annually.  The issue he is working on now will summarize the 2008 - 09 season.

Competition Manual - No report.  Bruce Mossberg will do the Manual again and Shawn Forney will keep track of advertising.  Copies of last season’s Manual were made available to all who wanted a supply.  Jim Kobak said that we will cut the calendar out next season and rely totally on the on-line calendar.  He went on to say that ultimately we will go to an on-line version only.

Web Site - David Kvam reported that the web site is complete.  The objective is to have a flashy presentation with logically arranged menus to avoid “scroll downs”.  Lori Vezendy suggested that we have a banner with the most recent new right up front.  Others thought that the blog did a better job of that, but we need a BKYSL blog.  Darwin Roosa summarized and pointed out that the new site format is great and that David Kvam should be congratulated.

Membership - Jim Kobak reported that membership continues to increase.  We have a record total membership of 823, up from 796 in 2007 - 08, and 757 in 2006 - 07.  This past year we had 50% of the renewals were done on line.  This coming year membership renewals will all be on line with a reminder card sent toward the end of summer.   Our partnership with NENSA was a great success.

Liability Insurance - Jim Kobak reported that the organization had been sued over an incident at the 2008 Tourathon.  The suit is not settled yet and no further comment could be made.

A. W. A. R. D . - Eric Hamilton said that he thought nearly 30 competitors could have received the AWARD, but only 3 people had provided the documentation.  Eric presented a gold to Tim Huneck who did 285 k of racing and a silver to Austin Huneck who did 207 k of racing.  He also that he received a silver AWARD.

Old Business

Amendment to the Bylaws - Jim Kobak noted that we had accepted a written proposal at the fall meeting to change the representation from regional reps to local club reps.  Discussion followed.  One concern was that there was not enough publicity about the proposed change.  We should have more participation for such a big change.  On the other side of the discussion it was noted that the proposed change had been accepted at the fall meeting, it was attached to the minutes, several blog entries explained it, and there was much “hype” before this meeting.  It was also noted that the same cross section of the membership are at this meeting that attend any NYSSRA meeting.

Jim Kobak moved; Darwin Roosa second that Article III 2 d drop the sentence, “ This is a non-voting membership;”  and add a provision one person, one vote per club, publish the bylaws and proposed revision on the web site and vote at the fall meeting; Carried.   Proposed bylaw revisions attached (attachment 3).

New Business

Race Officials - Russ Myers pointed out the need to establish an officials committee to develop a pool of race officials including technical delegates.  Discussion followed.  Russ agreed to contact Janice Sibilia about having third parties provide training for interested NYSSRA - Nordic members.

CCSAA - Eric Hamilton moved; David Kvam second that we have a standing resolution that we exchange memberships with the Cross Country Ski Areas Association and exchange advertising in our respective publications and on line presents; carried.

Fall Meeting will be September 27, 2009.  Discussion followed on having the meeting in Lake Placid in conjunction with an officials clinic.  Location of the meeting will be arranged.

Being no further business the meeting was adjourned on a motion by Eric Hamilton; second by David Kvam; carried.

Respectfully Submitted,

Eric J. Hamilton, Secretary  

------------------ATTACHMENT 1-----------------------------

NYSSRA NORDIC    

Spring Meeting 2009     

Treasurer’s Report     

Balance 5/3/09             $19,071.22

Balance 9/21/08            $15,191.13

Brian McDonald Fund             $397.00

Bill Thayer Fund                 $500.00

Biathlon fund               $2,023.27

Eastern High School             $476.23

Youth Development           $4,246.00

General Fund            $11,428.72

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--------------------------ATTACHMENT 2---------------------------

NYSSRA - Nordic Proposed 2009 - 2010 Season Schedule

Note that this is a work in progress that can be viewed at... http://www.nyssranordic.com/xc_2009xcsched_detail.htm

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--------------------------ATTACHMENT 3---------------------------

Proposed revision at the fall 2008 meeting to change NYSSRA - Nordic’s Board of Delegates from regional representation to local club representatives.  Specifically:

ARTICLE II, Paragraph 5.c. - Change “..on a regional level...” to “...at the local club level..”

ARTICLE III, Paragraph 2.d. - Remove, “This is non-voting membership.”  And add another membership class, “e. Life - consisting of an individual membership that is paid up for the individual’s life.”

ARTICLE IV, Paragraph 1. - Remove, “There shall be 22 voting members of the Board of Delegates:”

ARTICLE IV, Paragraph 2. - Replace with:

“2. Delegates - Each Club, as defined in Article III, Paragraph 2.d. above, shall be represented by a delegate who shall serve at the discretion of the regional or local club and entitled to vote in behalf of the club.”

ARTICLE IV,  Paragraph 2. - Add, "One delegate shall be appointed to attend each NYSSRA semiannual meeting by each member club.  Member clubs must be actively sanctioned by NYSSRA Nordic, Inc in order for the appointed delegate to vote at the meeting. The appointed delegate must be an active NYSSRA member and identified to the President prior to the start of business at the meeting. Individuals may only represent one member club when acting as a delegate.”

ARTICLE VI, Paragraph 1. - Change “...representatives from at least three (3) regions.” to “...representatives from at least three (3) clubs.”

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