TCA 2022 Mid-Winters Governing Board Meeting Minutes

Governing Board Meeting Minutes MWE

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

• Meeting called to order at 8:10 P.M. (EST)

• Roll Call:

Present: John Howell, Warren Duckworth, Nicole Shedden, Tom Hubbell, Wayne Pignolet, Aaron Holland

Treasurer: Sarah Paisley

Secretary: Dianne Duckworth

Regional Vice Presents: Craig Koschalk GL, On Zoom: Jenny Borshoff PC, Blair Dryden MA, Tommy Glen SE,

Dave Hansen AC

District Governors: Diana Young-Pavia C, Paul Abdullah FL, On Zoom: Wayne Balsinger PNW, Dan Clark NCAL, Blair Dryden MA, John Gilmour CA, Doug Kitchin NJ, Scott Vogel NE, Bruce Zurbuchen DEL

Absent: Kevin Arrow LM- proxy to Nicole Shedden, Tom Lawton LIS- proxy to John Howell, Scott Meyer NF- proxy to Aaron Holland, Michael Poltorak SCAL- proxy to John Howell, Mark Udell MICH- proxy to John Hutt, Timmothy Vining LE- proxy to Corrine Hackett, Adam Young SA- proxy to John Howell

TCA Members Present: Bagpipe Editor John Duckworth, Jack Finefrock, Rodney (Champ) Glover, John Hutt, Mike Ingham, Chris Klotz, Mike McBride, Craig Smith, and John Yingling

• Minutes from the Governing Board Meeting in Cleveland August 2022 (Nationals) Approved

• Clean Class reported by Mike Ingham
  1. Committee working on metrics to measure year to year progress
  2. Goal is to increase clean regattas, adding an indicator on website for clean regattas
  3. ExCom looking to make the Clean Committee a standing committee of the ExCom

• Officer’s Report:
  1. Secretary, Dianne Duckworth reported that we currently have 477 Memberships and 610 Members in the TCA.
  2. Treasurer, Sarah Paisley reported the current Total Income is $13,027 (Memberships) and current Total Expenses $ 5,803.42 for the TCA.
  3. Past President: Tom Hubbell reported with a vote to take place later in this meeting:
     1. Chaired of Constitution & Bylaws Review Committee: Kyle Finefrock, Kevin Arrow, Alison Gillum and JD Reddaway
     2. The Constitutional Amendment has been submitted by the GB to the Amendments Chair.  Also, the revised ‘Specifications and CMRs’ have been submitted by the Chief Measurer to the Amendments Chair, Scott Griffin.  These will be voted on at the Annual Meeting.

• There have been three clarifying edits of the Constitution Amendment that was submitted by the GB at its last meeting which were APPROVED tonight:
  • Unless otherwise specified, any reference to publication may be accomplished by electronic or printed hard copy.”  [added, to be consistent with other statements in the document]
  • “The District Governor and Alternate shall be elected by vote of the Fleet Representatives.”  [added “alternate” – referred to elsewhere but election not specified]
  • NRC’s choice of PRO –“effective 2024 this must be a US Sailing Certified National Race Officer”  [PRO already selected for 2023 is not certified, but very capable, so added start date 2024.]

1. First Vice President, Nicole Shedden reported:
   1. 6 people have officially requested special exceptions for the 2022 Nationals
   2. I’ve presented all these to Greg Griffin through a spreadsheet that details who has sailed what and includes any relevant comments

• I made a google form to simplify petitions for special exceptions going forward. I’ll give the TCA google account access to the form so future 1st VPs can use it.

1. Second Vice President, Warren Duckworth reported:
   1. Created and posted a results page for MWW onto the website
   2. Google Groups -regarding “no email notifications option,” all members that had this option were notified in case they wanted to change this option.

Comments:

• Asked about restarting Regional Social Teams, Warren reported he tried last year with no success. Will try again.

1. Vice President, Aaron Holland reported:
   1. Seeking to increase involvement: network with colleges close to fleets
   2. Creating a database old boats from prior members to get boats back into circulation

• Boats need to be competitive and the more invested the sailor the more likely to stay in TCA

Comments:

• Chris Klotz suggested that current members buy boats and offer to new members on a “rent to own” basis
• It was suggested that we promote the “1st ever separated Women and Juniors Nationals…support by lending your Thistles to the class and that provides the insurance to cover any damages.”

1. Chief Measurer, Wayne Pignolet reported,
   1. Clarified CMR #65 on electronic compasses. Changed wording to clarify that a combined electronic compass and count down timer are allowed. New wording is:
      • Electronic or electrical devices shall not be used except as follows: digital electronic compasses with an optional electronic time function are permitted, provided that the devices do not have the capacity to display while racing any information other than the digital compass heading and time to start; electronic starting timers and stopwatches are permitted; position sensing devices are permitted provided that the information that is recorded or output is not used on board.
   2. Measurement Committee is: Bob White, John Howell, Ollie Kunz, and Howard Mendlovitz

• Philosophy: a level playing field for one-design, durability and sustainability for older fiberglass boats, and keep costs down so that older Thistles are competitive.)

1. The proposed Specs and CMR’s are reorganized by boat component
2. Working on digitizing Thistle boat plans
3. Mast and Booms suppliers – John Howell is in contact with a possible supplier

1. President, John Howell reported:
   1. Ratification of Charters – there are no active Fleets in the Delta District so do we suspend a district with no fleets? The last DG of Delta District no longer lives in the district.  A motion to suspend the Delta District effective at the end of this meeting PASSED.
   2. Executive Committee Rulings
      • Ruling on creating the Measurement Committee was APPROVED
      • Ruling on reducing number of Bagpipes (per year from 6 to 5) was APPROVED

• No Unfinished Business
• New Business
  1. The proposed new Bylawswere presented to the GB for a vote: (19 affirmative members needed to pass of 26 members total, all were present)
     1. The new Bylaws document was Approvedfollowing discussion of an amendment that will produce wording changes regarding Juniors and Youth such that:
        • “Youth” means Under 26 and “Junior” continues to mean Under 21.  Juniors are then a subset of Youth, and “Junior Nationals” continues to be for sailors Under 21.
     2. The just-approved- Bylaws will take effect at the end of Nationals, assuming and only if the new Constitution is also approved.

• Will post an electronic copy of the proposed Constitution and the Approved new Bylaws onto website

2023. Vote on holding the Nationals 2023 at Flathead Lake, Montana- July 1 to July 21, 2023. APPROVED
2024. John Howell to connect with Fleet Captains to be sure everyone is prepared for vote on the constitution at 2022 Nationals, Jacksonville, FL.
2025. Paul Abdullah would like Past National’s Champions to have automatic eligibility for all future TCA Nationals. A brief discussion of this included the comment that it would be a negative incentive.  We wouldn’t want the Past National Champions to show up for the one regatta a year while they may be active in another class.

• Adjourned: 9:41 PM (EST)