Official Minutes

POTOMAC VALLEY SWIMMING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
MEETING NOTES

7:00 PM – WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2007
Oak Marr Recreation Center
Oakton, VA
 

Attendance:  Board Members:   Greg York, Chair; Art Davis, Riley Eaton, Mark Faherty, Boots Hall, Bill Marlin, Virginia Ratcliff, Jim Thompson, Ron Whalen.  Executive Director:  John Ertter.  Non-voting Board members:  Janet Auger, Jim Garner, Linda Klopfenstein, Jim Van Erden.  Guest:  Ashley Gels, FCPA; Tim Husson, Terri Marlin.

Call to Order:  The meeting was called to order at approximately 7:08 pm by Greg York, General Chair.

Opening Remarks from General Chair:  Greg York, General Chair, began the meeting by welcoming Ashley Gels, introducing her as the primary contact at Oak Marr.   

Referencing the recently completed USA-S Convention and PVS Swimposium, York emphasized that all Board members should be proud of their positions and of PVS, as well as their contributions to PVS.  He continued by requesting that members continue to concentrate on performing the duties and responsibilities of their positions, without straying into the domain of other members’ responsibilities. 

Citing one of the greatest challenges facing PVS as the lack of pool availability, York distributed a flyer for the USA-S sponsored, “4^th Annual Build-a-Pool Conference,” scheduled for April 9-12, 2008 and encouraged members to distribute the information.

Agenda:  John Ertter, Executive Director provided the Board with a proposed Agenda.

Approval of Minutes:  The minutes of the September 11, 2007 meeting were approved.    

Appointment of At-Large Board members:   York recommended the appointment of Karl Hellmann, Linda Klopfenstein and Brian Pawlowicz as At-Large members of the Board of Directors and noted that, per PVS By-Laws, these were non-voting positions.  These three newly created positions had been authorized by the House at its May 2007 meeting. The Board unanimously endorsed the appointments.    

Athlete Representatives on Board of Review:   The Board was reminded that  recently enacted modifications adopted at the USA-S convention to the USA-S Model Bylaws for the LSC’s now require that the Board of Review, and any panel hearing a case shall have a sufficient number of athlete members to constitute at least 20% of its membership and that, when a matter is being heard by less than the full Board of Review, the panel hearing the case shall include a sufficient number of athlete members so as to constitute at least 20% of the hearing panel.  PVS By-laws also provide the members of the Board of Review are to be elected by the House. Given these modifications, the Board acknowledged that, in the event a Board of Review hearing is called before the next House of Delegates meeting, the appropriate number of athletes would be appointed to the panel so as to be in compliance.  The PVS By-Laws also do give the General Chairman authority to do so under 10.3.11 if none of the Board of Review athlete members is available or eligible to serve.   It was also agreed that the House needs to be asked to address this situation on a more permanent basis when it meets in May, 2008.

PVS Travel Assistance for 2007 USA Swimming Junior Championships:  Linda Klopfenstein, Travel Assistance Coordinator, informed the Board that 5 clubs had applied for travel assistance on behalf of 25 athletes who participated in the 2007 USA Swimming Junior Championships.  The Board was advised that their applications had been reviewed by the Travel Assistance Committee and they all satisfied the requirements for reimbursement.  It was noted that the amount of travel funds set aside for this meet was $3,750, with a cap of $250 per swimmer.  Due to the number of approved requests, the payment per swimmer was established as $150 so as to not exceed the maximum of $3750 budgeted for this meet.  The Board approved payment of $150 per athlete to the appropriate clubs for these athletes.

PVS Travel Assistance for 2007 ConocoPhillips Nationals:  Klopfenstein informed the Board that 5 clubs had applied for travel assistance on behalf of 19 athletes who participated in the 2007 ConocoPhillips National Championships.  The Board was advised that of the nineteen applications, thirteen were received by the due date.  The Board agreed to accept for consideration three of the late applications due to extenuating circumstances due to an unexpected transition in the top leadership at the club just prior the submission deadline.  Of the 16 applications considered, the Board was advised that 8 of the applications, including one “college appeal,” satisfied the requirements for reimbursement, while the remaining 8 did not.  The Board was provided with information as to why the 8 athletes did not satisfy the requirement and concurred with the findings.  It was noted that the amount of travel funds set aside for this meet was $9,000, with a cap of $450 per swimmer.  Therefore, the remaining 8 could be paid if approved upon appeal without violating the meet cap.

A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to follow the Travel Assistance Committee’s recommendation to provide assistance on behalf of 8 athletes and deny reimbursement to 8 athletes.  The Board approved payment of $450 per athlete to the appropriate clubs for these athletes.

At York’s request, the formation of a PVS Travel Assistance Committee, comprised of the General Chair, Senior Chair and Travel Assistance Coordinator, was approved by the Board.  This formalizes what has been PVS’s practice in reviewing travel assistance requests for many years.

Report on Meet Management & Marketing Workshop:  Terri Marlin provided a summary of her written report to the Board on her attendance at the USA-S Meet Management & Marketing Workshop, October 3-4, 2007, in Colorado Springs.  In noting that the workshop’s primary focus had been on larger national level meets, she indicated that she would be providing several suggested improvements for the 2008 Sectional and Eastern LC Zones meets that are scheduled to be held in PVS.    

York offered a motion that a Zone Management & Marketing Committee be formed to assist in implementing the workshop’s suggestions.  The Board endorsed York’s motion and appointed John Ertter, Dave Greene, Mark Faherty, Dan Jacobs, Paris Jacobs, Bill Marlin, Terri Marlin and Virginia Ratcliff to serve, requesting that updates be brought periodically to the Board.

Competition Division:  Marlin presented to the Board for its review and approval various items arising from the Competition Committee meeting on October 3, 2007.

Commencing with items not requiring Board action, Marlin announced the selection of the 2006-07 Distance Award Winners as follows:

He next announced Anna Johannes as the recipient of the 2006-07 Outstanding Swimmer with a Disability Award and then the recipients of the 2006-07 PVS Outstanding Athlete awards as:

Marlin next reviewed the following Competition Committee recommendations to the Board:

 1.  Election of John Cyganiewicz as 2008 Eastern Zone Short Course Head Coach and Mike Kraeuter as 2008 Eastern Zone Short course Assistant Head Coach.  The Board endorsed the election results.

 2.  Criteria for receiving PVS Travel Assistance for 2008 Olympic Trials and 2008 US Paralympic Trials: 

• 6 Swims in at least 2 PVS sanctioned meets
• Time trials to count as required swims
• Swims to occur from 9/1/07 until meet entry date
• Reimbursement to be set at $600 per athlete with no meet maximum payable amount set by PVS.

In discussing this item, it was pointed out that Competition’s responsibility is to recommend the reimbursement criteria, however the responsibility for recommending the reimbursement amount lies with the Budget Committee.  The Board unanimously agreed to adopt the PVS Travel Reimbursement criteria.  It also agreed to acknowledge and forward to the Budget Committee for its consideration when they initiate preparation of the FY 2009 budget in early 2008, Competition’s recommended reimbursement schedule of $600 per athlete with no meet maximum payable amount.  [Subsequent to the meeting, the Board was advised that reimbursement for the 2008 US Paralympics Trials had been included in the FY08 Budget in the amounts of $600 per athlete, with a maximum payable for the meet of $1200.]

3.  Scheduling of 2008-09 PVS Sponsored Short Course meets:

• October 10-12, 2008, PVS October Open  [This is the original date recommended by the Competition Committee; however, date was modified (see below) by the Board to October 17-19, 2008.]
• November 7-9, 2008, PVS November Open
• January 3-4, 2009, PVS January Distance Meet
• January 17-18, 2008, PVS January Open
• February 15-16, 2009, PVS February Distance Meet
• March 6-8, 2009, PVS Junior Championship*
• March 12-15, 2009, PVS Senior Championship
• March 19-22, 2009, PVS 14/Under JO Championship

*Permit faxed entries to Senior Champs for qualifying times achieved at this meet.

After reviewing the schedule, Marlin informed the Board that, following the Competition Committee meeting, Janet Auger realized that the PVS October Open had been endorsed by Competition to be scheduled on the historical weekend for the Harvest Moon meet.  Noting that he was recommending the Board modify the scheduling of the PVS October Open later by one week, a motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to adopt the proposed schedule from November 2008 through March 2009.  A motion to modify Competition’s recommended date for the PVS October Open from October 10-12, 2008 to October 17-19, 2008 passed on a vote of 8 to 1. 

4. Approved sanctions for club sponsored meets for the following meets:

For the Period 1/1/08 to 3/31/08

• Spring Finale – RMSC -- March 7-9, 2008 -- Rockville & Olney
• Mini Championships – RMSC -- March 8-9, 2008 -- Olney
• Spring Blast Invitational – MAKO -- March 29-30, 2008 -- GMU

For the Period 4/1/08 to 8/31/08

• Machine Long Course Classic – MACH -- April 26-27, 2008 – Takoma
• Early Bird LC Invitational – MSSC – May 3-4, 2008 -- Fairland
• VA Long Course State Championships – PM -- May 16-18, 2008 – GMU

Prior to discussion, Marlin explained that Spring Finale was a new meet with “No Faster Than” qualifying times of both PVS Senior and PVS 14/Under Junior Olympic Championships.  Additionally both the Spring Finale and Mini Championships meets were proposed on the same dates as PVS Senior Championships and would require Board waivers in order to be sanctioned.

A motion was made and seconded to approve the meet sanctions.  In the discussion that followed, Board members raised concerns as to MAKO’s ability to adequately staff officials should the Spring Blast Invitational – particularly should it be run as a dual course meet.  The motion was modified to defer action on this meet pending further discussions between the Operations Chair and MAKO.  The motion, as modified, to approve sanctioning the remaining five meets passed unanimously.  

5.  Recommended format of Age Group B/BB Championship Meet to be held on February 22-24, 2008 at Lee District.  Mark Faherty explained that this would be a new PVS sponsored meet and that he had contacted several clubs to assess their interest in serving as host.  He continued by informing the Board that several coaches had requested that item 3 of his handout be modified to permit times achieved at the meet as entries to the PVS 14/Under Junior Olympics Championships.  The Board voted to approve both the format and the addition of the meet to the PVS schedule; it however, deferred action on the matter of the entry times pending discussion with the host of the 2008 PVS 14/Under JO Championship. The concerns pertained to whether they could accept them so close to the meet entry deadline and the fact a formal meet program to be sold has historically be done.  PVS clubs will be invited to bid to host this meet for PVS.

6.  Marlin explained that at the recently concluded Convention, USA-S had adopted a modification to its Rules and Regulations to state that any requirements pertaining to what “entry time” time you may use to enter meets should be covered in the meet announcement, as the requirement to use your best time would no  longer be mandated in Rules and Regulations.  The significance of this change was that athletes would no longer be required by USA-S rules to enter meets with their best times, rather the decision now rested with the LSC when preparing its meet announcements.

Therefore, he advised that Competition had recommended the following for entry times for championship meets:  Entry times for individual relay events shall have been achieved within the two years prior to the meet entry deadline; however, the times need not be the best competitive times of the swimmers but can be any time they have swum equal to or under the event qualifying time.  Swimmers entered in the 800/1000 and 1500/1650 freestyle do not need to enter their best times, but may enter themselves at their fastest time or at the time standard.

A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to adopt the entry time language, as presented.  

7.  Athlete Selection Requirements for PVS 2008 SC Zone Team:  Voted to continue to be selected as it was in 2007 – i.e., based on the two fastest times (limited to those swimmers eligible to represent PVS on the zone team and who apply to be on the team).  The selection period would start September 1, 2007 and end for 15-18 athletes at the conclusion of PVS Senior Champs (March 9, 2008) and for 14/Under athletes at the conclusion of PVS 14/U Age Group JO Champs (March 2, 2008).  Times to be considered remain the same as in 2007 with adjustments made based on the meet dates.

Without discussion, the Board unanimously voted to approve the recommended 2008 PVS Short Course Zone Team selection process.

Concluding Competition matters, Marlin informed the Board that a bid had been received from CUBU to host the 2008 PVS January Distance Meet.  Noting that RMSC had previously agreed to host the 2008 PVS February Distance Meet, the Board unanimously voted to award these two meets.

Committee Reports:

Athletes:   Virginia Ratcliff reported to the Board on her experience at Convention, noting that she found it quite informative. She also informed the Board that she and Tim Husson, PVS Webmaster, were developing a survey to generate feedback from athletes.

In anticipation of his absence at the meeting, Austin Auger submitted a written report to the Board.

Administrative:  Prior to the meeting, Art Davis provided all Board members with a discussion memorandum regarding compliance with USA-S registration policies for coaches, athletes, and officials.  Commencing with athlete registrations, Davis recommended that PVS adopt the policy of banning on-deck USA-S registrations at all PVS sanctioned meets.  Following a motion and second, the recommendation was unanimously approved effective immediately.  [November 10, 2007 update—following the Board meeting of 10/10/07, the Insurance Committee of USA Swimming considered prior policy of PVS found in Policies and Procedures C-9f, second sentence as follows: “The club will then have 14 days to register the athlete,”  for athletes not registered at the time of the meet and confirmed prior informal opinion that this is outside the leeway granted an LSC to administer  athlete registration.  USA Swimming staff has been notified of the policy revocation of any grace period in connection with the banning of on-deck registrations.]

In response to a question regarding a Meet Manager’s ability to ensure USA-S registration when processing deck meet entries, the Board agreed to adopt the policy that deck entries would only be accepted with evidence of current USA-S registration, such as a copy of the athlete’s USA-S registration card. 

It was agreed that these two changes in PVS policy be promptly communicated to the PVS swimming community via a posting to the website, flash mail and alerting the meet directors of immediately forthcoming meets

Addressing the matter of coaches with expired certifications, Davis explained that that the status of coaches with expired certifications should properly be switched to “other” and such individuals should be banned from the deck.  Various suggestions for enforcement were offered including requiring coaches to show evidence of current certification at meets before receiving meet programs and/or  sealing the deck (by checking credentials at control points) at meets and providing access only to those who demonstrate current certifications.  Davis indicated that he would send an email to the Head Coaches of all PVS clubs informing them of the necessity that coaching certifications be current.  No formal action was taken by the Board at this time.

Davis’ next recommendation to the Board was that it clarify the apparent discrepancy between the recently approved Bylaw amendment (PVS Bylaw 2.1.2.D.) and USA-S Rules and Regulations regarding the permitted duration of Seasonal Athlete registrations.  At his suggestion, the Board unanimously agreed to establish the Seasonal Athlete registration period as April 5^th though August 31^st.  This reduces the period to 149 days whereas the prior period of April 1-August 31 was 153 days – which exceeded the maximum permitted period of 150 days.

Concluding administrative matters, Davis explained to the Board that all applicable clubs had been notified of the status of their PVS Officials Requirement fines.  A motion was made, seconded and passed that Davis provide the PVS Controller with copies of the penalty letters and that the fines be recorded on the PVS financial records.

Finance / Treasurer:  Financial results for the period ending September 30, 2007 had been provided to the Board prior to the meeting.  PVS’s current assets on hand were $716,950.  In his transmittal, Bill Stephens indicated that the statements did not include a liability to USA-S in the amount of approximately $40,100 for registrations that occurred in September. 

Two additional documents had been prepared by Stephens and distributed to all Board Members:  PVS Audit Committee Proposal and a report on the USA-S Risk Management Conference.   No action was required on the latter and the former was tabled due to Stephens’ absence.

Operations:  Ron Whalen requested and received approval from the Board to purchase a set of ten touch pads for the PVS October Open.  Noting that the USA-S House of Delegates, effective October 1, 2007, removed the requirement from the rules that Marshals be registered non-athlete members of USA Swimming, York requested Whalen to confer with Bill Stephens on the matter and develop a recommended policy for the Board’s consideration.

Executive Director:  Noting the late hour, John Ertter requested the Board to consider action on only two of the five items contained in his report.  Per his recommendation, a motion was made, seconded and approved to deny a request for PVS to pay the swim training fees for an athlete. 

The second item discussed was the inability to configure the host site pool for the 2008 PVS Senior Championship meet to accommodate long course finals due to the yet repaired floor hydraulics.  Ertter informed the Board that he would pursue the matter with PGS&LC. Others noted that this meet had been originally put on the competition schedule in September 2006 and all planning and pool contracting up to now had been done on the assumption that meet would be entirely short course.

Officials:  Boots Hall presented to the Board the Officials Committee’s Official Education Travel Reimbursement criteria for the period September 2007 through August 2008.  She presented the Committee’s recommendation that the requirements in effect during the prior year remain in effect and that a maximum reimbursement of $250 per trip and a maximum of three trips per official during the above period, subject to the availability of funds.  A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to adopt the criteria, as presented.

Other Business:  John Hirschmann provided the members a copy of his requested agenda item outlining his proposal that the Board modify its observation sanction fee schedule for college meets.  He made this in light of USA-S’s data base now capturing all NCAA Division I times. As a result USA-S will also allow the times to be also be used for entry into USA-S meets, if the meets are properly observed. This is in contrast to prior policy which only allowed championship and major invitational meets to be observed on a routine basis. Hirschmann’s original proposal that a flat fee of $100 be charged for observing each college’s season was modified to only include each college’s dual meets – the additional fee of $100 for Invitational and/or Conference Championship meets would remain as currently assessed.  The proposal, as modified, passed.

The Board was informed that Mark Faherty had applied for and was entitled to receive a Coaches’ Continuing Education Grant for his attendance at the ASCA World Clinic, September 4-8, 2007, San Diego, CA. by virtue of his service in 2005 as PVS Short Course Head Coach.

Greg apologized to those who came to the meeting expecting to give reports and /or have the Board address their agenda items.  He urged that, in the future, Board members speak concisely to their concerns and recognize when presenting their agenda items, the need of the Board to consider many other agenda items during the meeting.  [Additional report prepared, but not covered:  Webmaster’s Report]

Ertter said he would be developing a plan prior to the Board’s November meeting to assure agenda items are circulated well in advance of the meeting.  Attendees would be expected to have become familiar with their content in advance of the meeting so that discussion could focus on the desirability of the proposal, rather than having to first introduce and provide background on the subject.

The remaining Agenda items were deferred until a later date due to the need to conclude the meeting by 9:30PM.

Next Board Meeting:  The Chair announced that its next Board meting will be held on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, 6:30PM at McLean Community Center.

Adjournment:  The meeting was adjourned at 9:29PM.

Respectfully submitted by,
Janet Auger
PVS Administrative Assistant