November 2015 Meeting Minutes

Hudson Mohawk Road Runners Club

General Meeting

Point of Woods Community Center

November 11, 2015 @ 7:30 p.m.

____________________________________________________________________________

Attendance: Tom and Marcia Adams, Doug Bowden, Frank Broderick, Ray Lee, Robert Moore, Ed Neiles, Ray Newkirk, Chris Nowak, John Parisella, Jon Rocco, Cathy Sliwinski, Lara Stelmaszyk, Jim Tierney, Mark Warner

Call to Order (John Parisella):

1. Approval of October 14, 2015, minutes. Motion made by Marcia Adams to approve minutes, seconded by Robert Moore. Motion passed.

2. Reports of Officers

2.1 President (J. Parisella): Mentioned that HMRRC is getting solicitations from not-for-profit organizations looking for donations and sponsorship. Loan of equipment okay, but not donation or sponsorship. Organizations can apply for a grant, however.

John also read Jenn Gish’s STEM report (see attached).

2.2 Executive Vice President (F. Broderick): No report

2.3 Executive Vice President – Finance (R. Newkirk): His 2016 budget (attached) is to be voted on in December. He has updated the format to include more information (including profit and loss numbers from races) and explanation.

He has secured a copy of QuickBooks Online. Cathy Sliwinski (Race treasurer) has entered and uploaded her information; Jon Golden (Treasurer) will also be doing so. This program will make it easier to reference the club’s financial information by providing the full picture in one place: all profit-and-loss statements, budgets, and even real-time bank-account records.

Ray has been looking into whether HMRRC has to register with the Charities Bureau of New York State. He thinks so, but he and Cathy S. also think that HMRRC can file for an exemption from some of the more onerous reporting requirements.

2.4 Secretary (L. Stelmaszyk): No report

2.5 Treasurer (J. Golden): See attached report. Total of accounts: $248,463.87

3. Reports of Committees

3.1 Membership (D. Fisher-Golden): See attached report.

Total membership: 2,998

Change in membership: -6

New memberships: 18

Facebook followers: 2,436

Twitter followers: 214

Chris Nowak came to talk about Facebook ads—should be easy to manage, he says, and to select what demographic HMRRC wants to reach, how much money to spend, and how long ads should run for.

3.2 Volunteers (M. Adams): Need volunteers for Winter Series. Thanks to all volunteers at recent races.

3.3 Public Relations (R. Moore): Things are going well. Thanks to all the volunteers at the Marathon and Half Marathon Expo and at Fleet Feet for the Stockade-athon. Will have T-shirt and sneaker collection at Fleet Feet next year’s packet pickup. Sneaker collection at Marathon/Half Marathon was very successful, with over 500 pairs collected for the Max Cure Foundation, which funds research on pediatric cancer.

3.4 Race Committee (J. Rocco):

One race since last meeting: 40th MVP Health Care Stockade-athon

1st place, men: Yonas Mebrahtu, from Arizona (46:10)

2nd place, men: Eric MacKnight

3rd place, men: Sam Morse

1st place, women: former Saratoga standout Hannah Davidson (51:19). Her time was just ten seconds off the record, set in 2014 by Megan Hogan, and the 2nd fastest in the race’s history.

2nd place, women: Salome Kosgei

3rd place, women: Jodie Robertson

William Dixon, 68, ran a 59:38 net and led all runners in the age-graded category, with a 90.83%. A record 14 women broke an hour.

Race attendance:

2015: 1568—first time below 1600 in 5 years; 52.6 percent female (avg. age: 39.6); 47.4% male (avg. age: 43.6)

2014: 1671

2013: 1871 (highest)

2012: 1639

2011: 1603

Mark Mindel has run all forty Stockade-athons.

Thanks to Vince Juliano and to the main sponsor MVP Health Care, other sponsors, coordinators, and volunteers.

Some discussion about drivers being held up by the race and getting frustrated; a letter to the editor complaining about this was published in the Nov. 11 Gazette. Some discussion about ways to ameliorate this problem, such as preparing information on alternate routes, for drivers who need it. Or maybe police helping a bit more with this.

Up Next: Turkey RaffAL—November 22. It is the last time Al will be directing the race; his 1st was in 1989.

Mohawk Hudson River Marathon and Half Marathon: Maureen Cox will be holding the wrap-up meeting November 12. Maureen will be directing the race in 2016, but a new director will be needed for 2017.

Winter Series: Meeting on November 16th at Ed Thomas’s house. Barb Sorrell, HMRRC sanctions coordinator, is working w/ USATF Insurance on securing all certificates of insurance; then we will send our proposal on to the State Office of General Services (OGS). At the end of Nov., we will do an e-mail blast to advertise WS Race #1 and will strongly encourage members to preregister.

HMRRC trifold race brochure: working w/ new printer, Media Well Done.

Grand Prix: Finalizing results for the year.

Last race of the year: Winter Series #1, December 13. Registration is currently open.

3.5 Race Committee Treasurer (C. Sliwinski): Please see attached report.

3.6 Pace Setter (E. Neiles): December issue under way. Transitioning to online-only edition. Discussion about launch of new website, which hopefully will occur January 1, 2016.

3.7 Conflicts Committee (R. Newkirk): No report

3.8 Safety Committee (VACANT):

3.9 Grants Committee (R. Newkirk): Should post the availability of grants on the website. And maybe extend deadline to February rather than January because of the website changeover.

3.10 Long Range Planning Committee (E. Neiles): See “Unfinished Business.”

3.11 Just Run Program (K. Skinner): Had fall event at Tawasentha last Wednesday—very successful. 550 kids. Event was reduced to one day (from two days last year); eight races completed in one hour. Parking was an issue. Permit needs to be on file; some confusion related to that. Has submitted budget for next year to Ray Newkirk, based on fall 2014-spring 2015 expenditures. Thinks the program will expand, but at some point it may need to be capped, since there is no revenue associated with it. Planning for spring program will probably begin in January; may be up to 28 schools in the spring. Ken suggests that the new website have a button people can click on that will redirect them to the national Just Run program’s website, so that HMRRC won’t have to develop information (no need to reinvent the wheel).

4. Unfinished Business:

Bylaws discussion. Motion to bring the motion to amend the bylaws back on the table for a discussion and a vote, made by Marcia Adams. All present seconded it. Election and implementation process discussed. Motion to implement new bylaws effective October 1, 2016, made by Chris Nowak and seconded by Marcia Adams. With a vote of 15 in favor, 2 abstentions, the new bylaws have been accepted.

5. New Business:

Motion made by Cathy Sliwinski to amend paragraph 3b of the HMRRC Certificate of Incorporation to reflect that the purpose for which the corporation is formed is to accept, receive, and solicit from members and administer gifts, legacies, bequests, devices, funds, money, or property of any sort or nature, including property without limitation as to amount or value; to hold, control, manage, invest, reinvest, and sell and exchange the same, and to collect, receive, use, and apply the income and profits therefrom for the corporation’s purposes.

Further, motion made to amend paragraph 8 to reflect that the address to which the Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any notice required by law is: The Hudson-Mohawk Road Runners Club, Inc., P.O. Box 12304, Albany, NY 12212.

Ray Newkirk seconds the motion. Vote proceeded: all in favor.

6. Announcements:

Adjourn:

Motion to adjourn, made by Marcia Adams. Seconded by Frank Broderick at 8:55 p.m.

Loading Conversation

Partner Clubs

Partner clubs offer group runs and local races to the Capital Region running community

Create Account



Log In Your Account