Varsity Crews

Beaumont Chapter Football Officials Association
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
March 24, 2003

Present: Pres. Gary Downey, 1st VP John Ballard, Sec/Tr. Geoff Kret, 2nd VP Greg Peveto, M/L Frank LeBlanc, Div. 1 Rep Bob Wortham, Div. 2 Rep Wayne Pratt, Div. 3 Rep. David Landrum, Div. 4 Rep Mike Defee, Div. 5 Rep Greg Sims, North Co. Assignor George Bryant

Absent: South Co. Assignor Larry Bennett

The Board of Directors of the Beaumont Chapter met at Bob Wortham's residence on 24 Mar 2003 for the second meeting of the 2003 season of the Beaumont Chapter Board of Directors.

The meeting was opened and chaired by President Gary Downey.

Minutes from the February 3, 2003 board meeting were handed out to the board members. The minutes were not read aloud on the strength of a motion by Mike Defee and second by Greg Peveto to waive reading and approve them as written. The motion carried unanimously.

Secretary's Report
The Secretary handed the board a list of members NOT in good standing regarding dues. The Secretary stated that he was NOT taking dues until the chapter meetings start in July, since there was no longer a monthly late fee payable to TASO and that reinstatements would not be submitted to TASO until then. A list of crews was handed out and reviewed, with changes noted. Since all crews were now filled, the Secretary announced that there would be no need for a mailing to the crew chiefs about the April 1 or May 31 crew deadlines.

Unfinished Business
The Secretary handed out a revised budget proposal which included line items for Scrimmage Fee financed activities. The Secretary pointed out that this budget had expenses greater than estimated income by $792. He noted that the previous three budgets had all resulted in year-over-year gains and that this shortfall would in no way hurt the chapter finances and indeed could strengthen the argument that the Beaumont Chapter is a non-profit organization. He further noted that the shortfall is within a few dollars of the estimated cost of additional accidental medical insurance coverage, which may or may not be purchased by the chapter as a member benefit, depending on details of the coverage provided by the National Federation through TASO. Bob Wortham moved to approve the budget as submitted, second was by Greg Peveto, and the motion carried unanimously.

Due to scrimmage fee income and a donation from the Bob and Karen Wortham Foundation in addition to the chapter line item, three scholarships are able to be awarded to 2003 graduating seniors. The scholarship committee recommended the scholarships be awarded to Angela Hollier of PN-G, Ehren Kret of Hardin-Jefferson, and Lacey Watkins of PN-G. Greg Peveto moved to accept the Scholarship Committee recommendations, second was by Mike Defee, and the motion carried unanimously. The secretary was charged with authoring letters of award.

Secretary Kret read a partial draft of a letter that he is composing to Coach Gary Martel of Anahuac. The letter addresses questions raised by Coach Martel in a video of his 2002 district game versus Hardin. The secretary was charged with completing the draft and sharing that draft with the board members prior to mailing it. He was also requested to secure another copy of the videotape.

New Business
President Gary Downey announced that the chapter would hold an informal spring meeting at 7 PM on Monday, April 14, at the Jefferson County Courthouse. The secretary was charged with providing a list of Division members to the Division reps so that they could contact their division representatives about the meeting.

Greg Peveto informed the board of the spring intra-squad scrimmage dates that he had been able to secure. All dates were tentative but in mid-May. Central, WOS, and Port Arthur were going to have spring scrimmages, and plans were still unknown for Vidor, Lumberton, and Ozen. The board gave direction that the objective of the scrimmages from an officiating standpoint is to be training.

The secretary read the TASO state football board meeting notes e-mailed to him from District 9 Director H.W. Urban. This brought up several questions about our insurance coverage from TASO dues and legal standing as an incorporated body. The secretary was charged with e-mailing Mr. Urban some questions in this area. Also, the matter of electing a new district director in 2003 was brought up. It was noted that the State Board voted down a previous year motion by George Bryant to extend the term of District Directors to 4 years. The board decided to strongly recommend that the membership approve an agreement with the Gulf Coast Chapter to elect district directors to consecutive two year terms, every four years from one chapter. This is a strategy designed to place smaller chapters and districts on an even par with large chapters who routinely sit one director on the state board for four years. Should the chapter membership move to adopt this arrangement, the Gulf Coast Chapter would be free to reelect Mr. Urban for a second two-year term starting in 2004, and the Beaumont Chapter would elect a District Director for 2006 through 2009.

The next item of new business could be considered old business, with new circumstances. The board has learned, by phone calls to Secretary Kret and President Downey from TASO in Austin, that a Beaumont Chapter football official was involved in an incident with a SFA Chapter baseball umpire at a Little Cypress-Mauriceville versus Jasper varsity baseball game in Jasper on March 8, 2003. One of the outcomes of this incident was that the LC-M baseball program and an assistant baseball coach were publicly reprimanded and placed on probation by the UIL. LC-M stipulated to the UIL that they would ban two fans, one of them Terry Landry, from any future baseball games. Mr. Terry Landry obtained a temporary restraining order from an Orange County court against the LC-M ban. These facts are in the public record. All other allegations are hearsay, and the board cannot act on them at this time. Mr. Downey has been charged by Bud Alexander with conducting an investigation and discerning a course of action, consistent with TASO Due Process procedures. Mr. Bob Wortham recused himself from any proceedings in this matter due to his and his crew's involvement in an altercation with Mr. Landry after a LC-M football game on October 25, 2002. It is worth noting that Mr. Landry is NOT an official in good standing by way of failure to file a 2002 season summary and not paying 2003 dues. Mr. Downey will report on the investigation at a later date.

Bob Wortham stated that the Beaumont Chapter could count on using the Monsignor Kelly High School cafeteria again for the 2003 pickings, despite the coaching change. Bob also stated that he had made reservations with Jefferson County Commissioner Jimmie Cokinos for the Jury Impaneling auditorium for the spring chapter meeting and all fall meetings.

Greg Peveto expressed a sentiment that the chapter needed to get a reminder letter out to coaches giving them the pickings date of August 2 so they wouldn't "forget" and take their games to the Houston Chapter. The Secretary stated that he already had a letter formed up for that purpose and would mail it in early April.

The Secretary noted that a golf tournament suggested by T.C. Welch would need to be rescheduled to a date other than June 28 due to a conflict with the Houston Rules Clinic. The Secretary also stated that he had a ruling from TASO that coaches from the schools that the Beaumont Chapter already serves could be invited as long as all coaching staffs were invited and all chapter officials were invited. No coaching staffs from schools outside of our season service area can be invited. Greg Peveto moved to proceed with organizing a golf tournament for fellowship, Greg Sims seconded, and the motion carried.

The next board meeting date will be set by President Downey.

Geoffrey Kret, Secretary
31-Mar-03