Present:
Leland Rich
Andy Anderson
Joni Cotten
Phil Draper
Bob Fenson
Peggy Hatch
Clark Higgins
Jack McNelly
Pete Mitchell
Elgie Noble
Tom Violette

Not present:
Richard Maskel
Bonnie Dixon

Also present:
David Garber, Executive Director
President Rich called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m.

1. Introductions, approve prior minutes, correspondence

Rich called for approval of the minutes of the December, 1999, meeting. Anderson read two amendments to the minutes, as proposed by Richard Maskel. After a discussion, motion by Noble, Fenson second, to approve the minutes as published, with no amendments. Approved.

a. Budget to actual projection. Anderson distributed a report projecting budget variances for fiscal year 2000. The projection indicates a total unfavorable variance of over $20,000, which would result in a reduction of the budgeted surplus from $40,000 to about $19,000. Major unfavorable variances for expenses include depreciation (which was not included in the budget), meeting expenses, costs related to the 2000 Nationals in Ogden, and a loss of value-in-kind world team uniforms. Revenues are projected to be near budget except for some uncertainty regarding the USCA Donation Program. Rich encouraged the committee to look for possible savings in their areas between now and fiscal year-end.

b. Dues and eligibility. Anderson asked the committee to consider a policy regarding impact on athlete eligibility when the athlete’s club dues are unpaid prior to championships. A discussion ensued regarding timely dues collection. By consensus, the committee re-confirmed that the USCA Club Member Certification form will continue to be the operative document for athlete eligibility related to club membership. Anderson and Mitchell distributed membership and dues projections showing essentially no change from FY1999.

3. Governance & organizational issues

a. By-Laws revisions. Anderson reported that the board will be asked to approve By-law amendments that will effect compliance with all USOC requirements relating to athlete definition and representation.

b. Grievances, investigations. Anderson reported. In the past few weeks, the committee denied a grievance related to Mixed Championship substitution; another grievance related to Men’s substitution was withdrawn. Both grievances resulted after rulings by the Rules & Officiating Committee. A grievance denied in December is still active, as the member involved has demanded binding arbitration. Two committees have investigated an issue related to residency in the 1999 playdowns. No action is planned during these Ogden meetings.

4. Executive Director

Garber gave a brief update on staff operations, and stated that the staff work report will be included in the various committee reports.

5. AAC

Violette reported for Maskel, who is competing. The AAC has elected Andy Roza and Ann Swisshelm to replace Lisa Schoeneberg and Paul Pustovar. The term of the USCA’s rep to the USOC Athletes Advisory Council expires after the Sydney Olympic Games. A vote for the next term, 2000-2004, will be conducted by mail ballot in May or June.

6. USOC (McNelly reported)

The new USOC CEO is Norm Blake. He is reviewing USOC operations. It is expected that Blake will make changes in USOC operations in the next few months. Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC). The USCA’s main concern is access to the Olympic venue, The Ice Sheet, between now and the 2002 Games. Discussions between the USCA, SLOC, and The Ice Sheet management are ongoing.

Joint Marketing Agreement. The USOC has made a verbal commitment to the USCA that an offer to renew the Joint Marketing Agreement for a 4.5 year term is forthcoming soon. The value will be essentially equivalent to the last contract, with slightly less cash (although front loaded) but with a new Value-in-kind component.

2002 Olympic team housing. McNelly is exploring several attractive options for housing the 2002 Olympic curlers, family members, and USCA officials.

Paralympic integration. How best to fund paralympic athletes and programs is currently a major issue in the Olympic community. One option is to maintain separate organizations, the other is integration with national governing bodies. In either case, the issue is how to achieve a system of equitable funding for both able-bodied and paralympic athletes.

7. WCF (Noble reported)

The World Curling Federation General Assembly will conduct elections next month in Glasgow. Denis Fox is the USCA nominee for Director of Finance. If Fox does not win election, he will be the USCA member on the WCF Executive Board.

8. USWCA

No report. (Dixon has submitted a written report to be presented to the board on Sunday.)

9. Member Services (Mitchell reported) Status and results of the USCA club membership marketing seminars. The next round of sessions for additional clubs is scheduled for May. A results analysis of last year’s seminars is being devloped. Generally, clubs that took the seminars to heart last season have succeeded in increasing their membership this season. Follow up seminars for these clubs are being planned.

Relationships with member regions. Mitchell attended the winter meeting of the Minnesota Curling Association in Duluth, to present the USCA Strategic Plan and to discuss with the region how the USCA and the MCA can best work together to grow curling. Follow-up communication is planned.

10. Competitive programs (Hatch reported)

USOC "Podium" grant program implementation. The Podium Team and Coach Grants and the Athlete Development Director Grant have been fully utilized. The USCA expects to utilize the World Team Support Grants between now and the end of the junior worlds and worlds. Planning is underway for the athlete camp grants.

2002 Olympic team selection. The Elite Programs Committee, which meets Friday, will propose an Olympic Team Selection procedure to the USCA board Sunday.

ADD hiring process for next season. Rich has appointed McNelly to chair a selection task force including Sharon O’Brien, Warren Lowe, Ann Brown and three athletes including Wright, Maskel and an athlete to be named. The process will commence May 1 and will conclude by June 30.

11. Championships (Fenson reported)

National events. The Ogden, Bemidji and Utica nationals, and the Eau Claire 2^nd Chance have all been or are shaping up to be successful events, from the competition and other aspects.

Site selection. Peggy Rotton will report to the board on the status 2001 and future championship sites.

Drug testing. Peggy Rotton will ask the board to approve a USCA sanctions protocol for athletes and their teams.

12. Marketing (Draper reported)

Outdoor Life Network (OLN) will broadcast a television production from the Ogden finals. Patzke did an exemplary job putting the deal together with no budget. The Curling News and USCA web site will have notices of the April 1 and 3 broadcasts, scheduled for April 1 and 3, and a notice on how curlers can contact OLN to express their interest in the broadcasts.

Internet marketing proposals. The USCA is exploring about 10 proposals from Internet companies in which the USCA could earn revenue while expanding member services.

Affinity credit card. The USCA will change its Bank issuer for its credit card this spring.

13. Operations (Draper reported) Draper complimented all five staff members on their continued excellent performance.

14. Unfinished business and new business

2002 Scots Tour. Higgins reported. The USCA will ask the Royal Club if the 2002 Men’s Tour to Scotland can be rescheduled to 2003. This is to accommodate the many USCA men who may wish to apply to participate, who, in addition to the annual USCA events, will likely be working on the 2001 Olympic trials, the 2002 Olympics, and the 2002 Worlds in Bismarck.

Automated dues payment. Higgins reported that he is developing a method to facilitate direct dues payment via computer disk or email.

Board actions database. Higgins is near to finishing an Access database of USCA board and executive committee actions over the years.

15. Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was approved. Rich adjourned the meeting at 1:10 p.m.