HTC Executive Board Meeting - 26 September 2005

Board Members Present: David Purinton (President), Kathy Youngren (Treasurer), Harold Tinsley (VP-Communications), Anne Park (Secretary), Jim Oaks (Appointed Member—Cotton Row Director), Suzanne Taylor (Appointed Member—Rocket City Marathon Director), Craig Armstrong (Appointed Member—Past Officer), Ashley Cain (VP-Programs).

Board Member Absent: Dick Franklin (VP-Races & Equipment)

The meeting was held in the conference room at Southwood Presbyterian Church, Huntsville, Alabama, and began at 6:45 p.m. Suzanne started the meeting off with a marathon update. So far we have $18,000 in sponsorship money. Jack Daniels will be our speaker and we hope to have him arrive on Thursday before the marathon. Most of the shirts are in, and when the rest arrive we will proceed with the printing; race numbers are being taken care of. A few fast runners have already registered. After some discussion regarding start mats to be used in conjunction with chip timing, it was agreed that mats should extend across four lanes to provide for a smoother start. Suzanne will talk with Sgt. Mark Shahan about Police and Fire Department acceptance of our proposed start layout. All marathon preparations are proceeding very well. The next marathon meeting will be held on October 10.

Suzanne received a request from a gentleman who would like to be a wheelchair participant in the race. Despite Suzanne's attempt to discourage him, he insisted that he would like to participate. The board discussed the numerous safety issues surrounding this request and it was agreed that wheelchair participation is highly inadvisable because it would be extremely difficult for us to ensure the safety of wheelchair participants and it would also greatly complicate the operation of the race. It was decided that Suzanne will invite him to come to Huntsville and preview the course so he can see first-hand the difficulties that this course would present and show him why it would not be in his or our best interests to open this race to wheelchair participation.

David presented the board with a request from James Reid, race director for the 15K, that he be allowed to use race information from the 2005 race for a research project. The board approved of his request on the condition that runners supply only the usual information on the finish card, and then whatever additional information James would like to have from the runners for his research project would be plainly marked on the card as optional, and that an announcement explaining this finish card change would be made at the race start.

David then presented a request from Shahin Hadian that he be allowed to increase the entry limit in the Sprint Triathlon from 400 to 500. He would also like to add one more step to the entry fee date increase tier to encourage earlier registration. A discussion followed regarding how the higher numbers would affect all aspects of the race. Jim said that scoring the finish times in all events would not be a problem. Craig mentioned that with ever-increasing participation in this triathlon we may need to review the bicycle situation in the parking lot, as it may become a safety issue. After some discussion, Craig agreed to meet with Shahin regarding this possible problem. David then presented Shahin's request for approval, and approval was unanimous.

Jim requested board approval for the purchase of an additional Time Machine ($800) and a Dell Laptop with Pentium processor, 512 MB memory with XP Professional operating system (approximately $1,300). These purchases would be made from excess money from the 2005 Cotton Row Run. The board unanimously approved these expenditures. Jim also asked for approval for donations from the Cotton Row Run account in the amounts of $1,000 to the Red Cross for Katrina relief and $500 to the RRCA Gulf Coast area clubs. These allocations were approved. These funds will only be used by RRCA clubs. Craig suggested that the HTC match this Cotton Row Run contribution to the RRCA Gulf Coast area clubs with $500 from our general fund and donate $1,000 to Habitat for Humanity for Katrina relief building from the general fund. David presented this request to the board and it was unanimously approved.

Jim also requested a slight change in the prize money structure for Cotton Row Run winners, considering that the present prize structure has remained the same for the past ten years. His proposed change represents a slight increase in a few of the categories plus increasing the open men and women prize money to seven deep instead of the present six. The total additional expense to the race for this change only amounts to $1,800 and is intended to be done more as a goodwill gesture than of any other particular benefit. Suzanne moved that we approve this request, David seconded the motion, and the motion carried.

The restructuring of the Grand Prix has been under consideration for a while now and input was requested from the membership regarding some proposed changes. We received eight responses in favor of a change and three opposed. Harold presented a brief history of how the Grand Prix came into being and the fact that it wasn't intended to again reward age group winners since they receive awards in each race, but rather to recognize outstanding runners. The board agreed that we should discontinue giving certificates to the top ten in each category and rather give something more substantial to a much smaller number of runners. It was agreed that the present open category should remain as it is, 0-39, that the master's division should be changed to include ages 40-49, and that a grandmasters division be established which includes those 50+. Awards will then be given to the top 10% of scorers with at least one guaranteed place (subject to the 3 race rule). Crag made a motion that we accept this new Grand Prix structure, Suzanne seconded the motion, and the motion carried. It was also noted that in a few years this issue will be revisited to determine whether more changes are needed to adequately represent the age demographic of HTC races.

David presented the board with the new Bandit Policy to be included in our HTC Handbook which the board had already discussed at previous meetings. The policy was again reviewed by each member and Craig moved and David seconded that this policy be accepted. The motion carried. The new Bandit Policy reads as follows:

"3.5.17.1 Unofficial Runners – Enacted 26 Sept 2005

Runners who have not officially registered for an event shall not be allowed to participate in said event. This policy shall include but not be limited to running the entire event distance or any portion thereof. This policy shall also extend to runners participating in an event for the sole purpose of rendering aid to another competitor. Unregistered runners, often referred to as “bandits,” shall be asked to leave the event course or officially register for the event if time permits. They will not be listed in any results posting for the event. Repeated violations of this policy shall result in the offender being banned from further club events. The HTC Executive Board shall have final authority to punish offenders. The intent of this policy is not to deter parents/guardians from running with children in fun runs and as such the policy shall be enforced at the discretion of the HTC Executive Board with safety of all participants being the overriding factor of any decisions. Failure of the HTC Executive Board to punish violators under this policy shall in no way prevent valid protests by competitors or their representatives for violations of pacing or bandit rules enacted by governing bodies of the sport to which the HTC is a member."

Next the board submitted names of possible recipients of the 2005 Annual Awards. There was much discussion and a list of those to receive awards was completed and approved.

There were a few more items of general business: Ashley provided the board with a date of October 30, 2005 from 2:00 to 4:00 for the HTC Picnic which will be held at the Monte Sano Pavilion. The club will provide the chicken from Tenders, and everyone will be asked to bring a desert or salad type dish. The Awards Banquet will again be held in the Monte Sano Lodge but a date has not yet been set. David also reminded the board members that many of their terms will expire in January and requested that they consider whether they would like their names submitted for reelection.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.