Varsity Crews |
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Beaumont Chapter Football Officials Association Present: Pres. Gary Downey, 1st VP John Ballard, Sec/Tr. Geoff Kret, 2nd VP Greg Peveto, Div. 1 Rep Bob Wortham, Div. 2 Rep Wayne Pratt, Div. 4 Rep Mike Defee Absent: M/L Frank LeBlanc, Div. 3 Rep. David Landrum, Div. 5 Rep Greg
Sims, South Co. Assignor Larry Bennett, North Co. Assignor George Bryant The Board of Directors of the Beaumont Chapter met at Bob Wortham's residence on 3 Feb 2003 for the first meeting of the 2003 season of the Board of Directors of the Beaumont Chapter. The meeting was opened and chaired by President Gary Downey. Minutes from July 15, August 2, and October 28, 2002 board meetings were handed out to the board members present. One item involving the reported conduct of a member at the October 25, 2002 WOS/LCM game was reviewed. Mr. Peveto reported that he had visited with Mr. Terry Landry, but Mr. Downey stated that he had not convened the investigative committee yet as directed by the October 28 board meeting and that he still considered the matter open. The minutes were not read aloud on the strength of a motion by Greg Peveto and second by Bob Wortham 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 yet in good standing regarding dues. A list of crews was handed out and reviewed, with changes and present vacancies being noted. A spirited discussion was held about how to treat the crews that do not make the May 31 deadline for complete crew names submission. The Secretary was charged with producing a mail notice to the crew chiefs before the April 1 cross-crew freeze date and before the May 31 crew names deadline. Finally, it was noted that the TASO dues submission for February 1 was 96 members at $4,800. This is a record February on-time submission. Unfinished Business - none from the previous year not previously discussed under Minutes or further discussed under New Business. New Business - The Secretary produced three scholarship applications that he had received. No other board members had received any scholarship applications. It was decided that the annual scholarship selection committee should consist of two previous members and rotate a new member on to the committee. Mr. John Ballard agree to serve as a previous member and will ask Mr. Frank LeBlanc to also serve as the other previous member. Wayne Pratt accepted the third member role on the committee. Mr. Ballard was given custody of the applications. The committee expressed a desire to make the selection before the winning applicant's awards day for presentation. Mr. Peveto handed out a report that the Scrimmage Fee Committee had met and agreed upon. The Scrimmage Fee Committee consisted of Greg Peveto, Wayne Pratt, Geoff Kret, Tony Stines, and David Dunivant. They met previously and reviewed a brainstorm list compiled from prior e-mail deliberations, and recommended a priority order of items on which to expend scrimmage dollars that would enhance recruiting and retention. Mr. John Ballard moved to approve Items 1 through 5 on the list, with Item 6 to be considered as cash flow during the year allowed. Second was by Bob Wortham, and the motion carried unanimously. The items are: 1) hospitality enhancement at the Pickings, 2) $500 additional for scholarships, 3) paid observer program, 4) new member welcome supplies, 5) a recruiting bonus, and 6) banquet cost reduction. The Scrimmage Fee Committee also recommended that three brainstorm items could be funded from regular chapter dues and should be made part of the chapter budget. These are secondary coverage accident insurance, advertising, and enhanced publication of Photo Roster Books. A final 2002 Budget Report was handed to the board by the Secretary-Treasurer. Income and expenses for 2002 were briefly reviewed and compared to the budget. It was noted that the chapter account continued to show year over year gains. In 2002, a $3,361.62 gain was experienced. It was also noted that with unbudgeted scrimmage income of $3,080, the real gain over the original budget was only $281.62. A budget review session followed, with presentation of a draft budget by the Secretary. After discussion, the board directed the Secretary-Treasurer to add Scrimmage Fee Items as a budget line item with the separate items outlined above delineated underneath that line item in the budget. A letter from Larry Bennett was presented by President Downey to the board. This letter contained three questions for the board: 1) Were playoff assignments from the UIL in 2002 handled properly, 2) Should the board take action against a member of the chapter who wrote letters of complaint to the leaders of the UIL, and 3) would the board accept Mr. Red Cashion as a speaker for the end of the year banquet if it could be arranged. Much discussion followed this letter, starting with the secretary relating what assignments had been made and what requirements were given by the UIL. That was followed by the example of the Corpus Christi chapter which had a member write a playoff assignment complaint letter to the UIL and thus get the Corpus Christi chapter barred from future playoff assignment consideration by the UIL. It was opined that UIL officers should be expected to rise above such recriminations. It was also noted that the UIL deals with very significant issues throughout the year, such as redistricting, major inter-school disputes, lawsuits over playoff and player eligibility, etc., and the last thing they needed was to hear from griping officials. The board decided that to take any action against the member that wrote the letter would only serve to encourage him to continue his harangues for his own entertainment value, therefore no action would be taken. The board obviously would accept the legendary Red Cashion as a banquet speaker if it could be arranged. The final topic considered in the board meeting was a response to a videotape sent to the board by Anahuac Coach Gary Martel. Coach Martel took exception to the quality of officiating he received in his district game at Hardin and asked to board to review the tape and make a reply to him. Secretary Kret had reviewed the tape, which consisted of five selected plays with comments by the coach followed by the entire game. President Downey had reviewed a few of the selected plays before his VCR ate the tape. Secretary Kret gave his review of the tape to the board, which in effect was that the five plays were not exactly the type of calls the chapter was trying to teach, but that the whole game did not fall to that level. He observed that the game was a very muddy slop-fest and difficult to work well. The board recognized that Coach Martel needs a response from the chapter, and charged the secretary with drafting a reply letter from the Secretary and President. Greg Peveto was charged with polling the 4A and 5A coaches to see how many
and when spring intra-squad games may be played, so that an informal spring
chapter meeting could be scheduled. The next board meeting date is tentatively
set for Monday, March 3. A motion was made to adjourn by Mike Defee, second
by Wayne Pratt, and carried. Geoffrey Kret, Secretary |