SSGC Meeting Minutes
Sons In Retirement
in
The meeting of the committee was called to order by Chairman Robert Mannell at 8:35 AM. All regular members of the SIR State Golf Committee (SSGC) were present except Don Andrews & ex-officio member Rich Dettmer.
A quorum was verified. Chairman Mannell noted that the agenda was open for adjustment. There were no changes to the agenda.
Chairman Mannell then welcomed the committee, and recognized the attendees.
Chairman Mannell called for a motion re the minutes of the
last committee meeting. Mannell
noted that on page 2, the date of June 21 was missing from the
Remarks from State Officers: Chairman Mannell has been looking outside the committee. Couple of ideas:
1) somewhere along
the line there is a breakdown in communication about State Golf at the branch
level – how to fix?? The
committee should probably address this at next meeting.
2) Do we push NCGA membership early enough in the year?
3) Maybe we need SIR Golfer membership cards or other new perks for
members.
4)
Since Area Governor & Area Golf Chairmen
are not aligned for all Areas, should we change from Area Governor’s appointing
Area Golf Chairmen for the SSGC to Division Director making those appointments
to the SSGC? Chairman Mannell said
he will look to the SSGC to provide input.
Input provided by committee members: Witort: Branch is cornerstone of what happens, but branch golf is often a weak connection to State Golf activities; Strain: information has to flow from the SSGC; Dill: Dill & Witort have talked about issue of rural area communication – NCGA membership is still an issue. NCGA will not go back to rebate for multiple memberships. Area Governors should promote golf more. Chairman Mannell noted that: 1) A better job has to be done in promoting the benefits of NCGA membership; 2) State Golf is dependent on input from SSGC members re what is done well in the branch club. Betts commented that Area Chairmen are not communicating down to their branches from the NCGA. Wilhelm commented that the State Golf schedule is not completed early enough for the following year. Dill will cover this in the Operations Subcommittee report. Seyler recommended that we should use email blasts to all SSGC members. This to be considered at the May meeting. Dave Nielsen commented that the committee members should utilize the email addresses provided in the Area/Branch Golf Rosters to communicate information, so it must be kept current. Chairman Mannell noted we (the SSGC) need to keep sending out more information to area and branch contacts in a format that is useful to the area and branch.
Secretary’s Report: No report from new committee secretary Dave Nielsen.
Treasurer’s Report: Dave Betts reviewed his written report for the year 2011, noting the changes recommended for 2012 with the expected positive balance for 2012. The Committee’s financials were reviewed and approved by the State Board at their meeting on January 17, 2012. Betts also noted that bank signature cards have been changed to include the Treasurer, as well as the new Chairman and Secretary.
At 9:10 AM, the full Committee went into separate Breakout Committee Sessions for Finance, Policy and Operations.
Following a break at 10:00 AM, the Committee returned at
10:10 AM and began committee reports.
Finance
Sub-Committee: Dave Betts
reviewed the Preliminary Budget for 2012 and a resulting positive bank balance
for 2012 (slightly higher than the ending balance of 2011).
Revenues from Individual & Team Championships were increased $1 per
golfer primarily to cover increased expenses for green fees and awards for those
tournaments.
Don Dill recommended and there was concurrence that all hosts will
receive a copy of the tournament contracts.
Dave Betts reported that he has developed a better control sheet to tally
costs for individual and team tournament entrants and will send it to Mannell
and Dill. A general discussion
ensued regarding passing of Individual & Team tournament entry fees through
Division Chairmen. Seyler:
MSC to correct page 7, item #4 of the State Golf Manual by deleting the
words “appropriate Division Chairman (in a single check if requested)” and
replacing it with “State Golf Committee Treasurer.”
Jerry Strain brought up a question re State mileage rate.
It was noted that it was decided not to change the rate at the last
meeting.
Bill Ikerd brought up a question re State Golf Manual under AREA/DIVISION
TOURNAMENTS AND PROCEDURES, PP. 10, Item #10.
After discussion, no change(s) proposed or made to the manual.
Policy
Sub-Committee: Jerry Strain
handed out Tournament Schedules (Form 2).
There were no changes.
Chairman Mannell noted the need to get tournament information out in print form
as well as Seyler suggestion to keep it on the web site.
MSC by Strain to delete Form 2 from the SSGC Manual.
The schedule will be posted on the SSGC website and at the same time
distributed via email to all SSGC members.
Note:
The SSGC will need to discuss specifically how the schedule (current
schedule as well as future changes) will be distributed to Area & Branch Golf
Chairmen. Jerry Strain also
mentioned the issue of getting the schedule out earlier in the year.
Don Dill said the plan is to get the 2013 schedule out by July.
Discussion held regarding use of mass emails.
Betts noted that he uses one to send emails in batches of 30, but it
takes a few hours to send emails to all SSGC members.
Don Dill suggested that the SSGC makes sure that hotels, etc. do not use
our email lists/addresses for any other purpose than SIR activity(s).
The committee adopted this as a policy.
Don Dill will create a SIR privacy statement for approval by the
committee.
Jerry Strain asked why we do not collect Buy-in money with registration
for a tournament, i.e., let attendees know in advance about Buy-in’s at
tournaments. Rich Seyler noted that
key thing is that the Buy-in is voluntary and needs to be presented as such
without pressure.
A question came up re changing formats at tournaments.
Item tabled until the Operations Sub-Comm. Report.
Dave Betts brought up the issue of using Gold Tees to qualify for
shooting one’s age. Several courses
in the
Operations
Sub-Committee: Don Dill reported
that the NCGA will provide membership numbers by Branch.
Don also suggested that some type of award might be made for a Division
that increases its numbers for individual NCGA memberships.
It was suggested that the State Tournament Schedule should be printed and
passed out at Division meetings and also suggested that additional SSGC members
be scheduled to attend Division meetings.
Don Dill noted that with the revised dollar balance in the SSGC Budget
for 2012, the entry fee for teams for the Team Tournament was reduced to $200
from $240.
The sub-committee also suggested some changes in prize awards for
Individual tournaments. No action
was taken.
Steve Johnson is looking into a tournament in
MSC for Steve Johnson to obtain a
MSC for Bill Wilhelm to obtain a
New Business:
Discount/Sir Golf Membership
Cards: It was proposed that the SSGC look into buying “classic” ID cards &
negotiate with local golf courses to give Sir State golfers a discount.
Chairman Mannell noted that the State Board was not currently interested
in being involved in this issue.
More investigation is needed. Bob
Mannell requested that each SSGC Board member
check at their local courses for interest in SIR discount cards and
report back to him. Further
discussion tabled until the next meeting.
NCGA Magazine Article:
Bob Mannell noted that this year the NCGA wants us to have one (1)
full page per year in the magazine.
He is looking to the committee for input for an article.
Information (article) needed by the end of the month for next
publication.
Scramble vs. 2-Man BB Tournament
Format: Wilhelm suggested
waiting until next year to address this issue.
Tournament
Sweeps Prizes: Betts
raised the issue of whether or not 2 day players should participate in Sweeps
Prizes. Wilhelm & Johnson will look into
this issue and report back to the committee.
SSGC Minutes:
MSC to put the Minutes on the website after approval by the Chairman.
Sign-up for Reno Tournament:
Monday, March 12, 2012, 9:00 AM is the first call-in date for Reno.
A brochure from the hotel is due out soon.
Las Vegas Tournament:
Bill Wilhelm reported that some applications have already been sent
to Las Vegas. Accommodation
information for RV owners will be included in the hotel flyer which is due out
in a couple of weeks.
Lunch Break
Area Governor’s
Coordination w/Golf Area & State Division Chairs:
Don Dill reported on this item and the importance to State Golf
activities.
Ideas for Change:
(Additional topic added to the Agenda by Chairman Mannell)
Area Governor’s Coordination w/Golf Area & State Division Chairs:
Don Dill commented on this item and the importance to State Golf
activities.
Bob Mannell asked that he be sent an email with any ideas committee
members might have for “Ideas for Change” for the improvement of SIR/SIR Golf.
A general discussion took place regarding the possibility of a having a
State Golf booth or table set up at area Fairs.
Bill Ikerd also mentioned the use of a “table drape” at SSGC tournaments.
Chairman Mannell said he would get a table drape and both table and
floor-standing banners for the Las Vegas Tournament check-in area.
Div/Area/Branch Contact Lists:
Question raised and it was noted that Division Chairs should update
Contact Lists as needed and forward them to the Committee Secretary and to
Chairman Mannell as quickly as possible.
The next meeting of the SSGC was set for May 2, 2012 at
Manteca.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:45
PM.
Post-meeting note: Bill Ikerd presented his “Idea for Change” to Mannell and Seyler immediately after the meeting. The idea is to improve communications with Branch and Area Chairman concerning State tournaments by incorporating tournament schedules and deadlines on the Web site. Seyler included that information in the SSGC Calendar on the website the following day.
Respectfully submitted; David V. Nielsen, Secretary