Colorado Association Annual Meeting Minutes

Colorado Association Annual Meeting Minutes

September 14, 2014

The Association 2014 Annual Meeting was conducted on this date at the Highlands Ranch library. Board members in attendance were: Dan Pierce, Elaine Keel, Rich Schornstein, Dave Kemman, Marty Johnson, Don Sinclair, Chris Turner, and Jan Hallez. Board members absent were: Jerry Donley, John Green, John Smith, and Patrick Rizzo. Seventeen additional association members participated in the meeting.

1.  The Minutes of the April 13 and July 13 meetings were offered for review; with no recommended changes, the Minutes were approved.

2.  President’s Report.

a.  The president offered a “State of the Association” recap. We are on a sound footing financially; there has been good progress in several areas; but much work is needed in other areas.

b.  He announced that Tania Pacev tendered her resignation as the LDR Chair as of Sept 4th. He thanked her for her years of service and improvements made in the LDR community, and he will seekt nominees for the Men’s LDR, Women’s LDR, and Masters LDR Chair positions.

c.  He reported that he and Megan Greene are handling details of the Association Half Marathon championship (in conjunction with the Boulder Marathon), scheduled for October 5th. He has been informed by the Race Director that they will provide $500 less than was expected, which could affect either our finances if we picked that up, or reduce the prize purse offered. He asked for and received agreement to use up to $500 from association funds to pay for our expenses for the race (primarily awards).

d.  He reported that we are still in need of an association cross country championship – which we must conduct this year in order to retain our USATF accreditation. Possibilities are to conduct it in conjunction with the association Junior Olympic X-C championship in November, or an X-C race in Colorado Springs this fall. He hopes to finalize an event in the next 7-10 days, but could use help with this.

e.  He mentioned the USATF rules change process and noted that a couple of proposed changes were submitted from Colorado this year.

f.  He reported that at least 29 athletes from Colorado competed at the USATF senior championships this year – excellent representation.

3.  Vice-President’s report.

a.  She reported that the “Athlete of the Month” program will be renamed “Athlete Spotlight”. She still seeks nominations from any sport chair, and is planning an awards banquet to honor Spotlight recipients from 2013 and 2014 to date.

b.  She reviewed the joint USATF/Hershey’s “Run, Jump, Throw” program, designed to encourage youth to participate in physical activities. Organizers are needed to put on events – schools, clubs, parks & recreation departments, parents, volunteers, etc. They will receive info, tools, curriculum, and a DVD on getting it set up. Competitions can be held anywhere, not necessarily at a track; and they can be a half day event or a 5-6 week program. No sanction is required, and competitors are USATF members for one day – to provide insurance. More details are at:

http://www.usatf.org/runjumpthrow/organizers.html#

4.  Secretary’s report.

a.  He reviewed items covered at the USATF Associations Workshop he attended in August; future workshops will be one day events conducted at the start of the USATF Annual meeting, vs. two day events in August; regional championships for open track & field will no longer be conducted (this does not apply to youth or masters events); USATF brand/marketing guidelines for use of the USATF name and logo have been revised and we must comply; Airline discounts have been added as membership benefits – 10% off fares on United for travel to USATF events, and 10% off fares on Delta for all travel. For details on both, go to http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2014/World-24-Hour-Run-Championships/Athlete-Info/Air-Travel.aspx; and USATF is implementing new requirements for “Safe Sport” (mandated by the USOC for all NGBs) aimed at providing a safe environment for all athletes, and including required education on misconduct, abuse, and harassment; and expanded background checks; with more details to come.

5.  Treasurer’s report.

a.  He reported that the association is in a sound financial position. We have approximately $131,000 in our checking account and $96,000 in our savings account, for a total of $207,000, plus fixed assets. The financial statement for July 31st is posted on the website.

6.  Committee reports.

a.  Men’s T&F. No report.

b.  LDR. No report.

c.  Athletes. No report.

d.  Women’s T & F. The Chair reported that while it’s tough to track Colorado athletes, ours have done quite well again this year including Emma Coburn who set an American record for steeplechase, and Jenny Simpson who recorded the 2nd best time ever for an American in the 1500m. The Chair, Chris Turner tendered his resignation as the Women’s Chair, and was recognized for his more than 30 years of excellent service to the Association in various roles.

e.  Masters. The Masters report is posted on our website. Tentative plans are for an Association and Mid-America region indoor masters championship at the AF Academy in March.

f.  Youth. The Youth report is posted on our website. The Chair noted the recent Region 10 Junior Olympic meet at the AF Academy was the best ever in terms of competitors, fans, and officials. He stressed that all Youth events (except Junior Olympics) are open to and welcome open and masters athletes. His tentative schedule for 2015 indoor youth meets is: Jan 3, 10, 24, and 30th at CU Boulder, Jan 18th at AFA, and the Championships Feb 7th at CU Boulder.

g.  Race Walk. The RW report is posted on our website. The Chair mentioned that several association championships had been conducted at various distances; also that Colorado race walkers have excelled in national and international competitions this year.

h.  Officials. The Officials report is posted on our website. The Chair reported that officials support to youth and masters competitions was quite good this past year. Looking forward, the committee will conduct several certification clinics for new officials during the December/January timeframe.

i.  Memberships & Sanctions. The report is posted on our website. Both individual and club memberships are up slightly from last year, while sanctions are down slightly.

j.  Budget & Finance. The committee will propose 25% of the membership fees returned to the association from USATF be allocated on a pro rata basis to the committees which represent the types of memberships reported. The committee will work with each other committee chair to develop proposed 2015 committee budgets and an overall association budget, to present to the Board.

7.  Old Business

a.  The President noted that the website needs attention so as to have current information displayed; also that the association needs to produce another electronic newsletter by early December and could use the help of members to do so. Angelina Ramos and Quinn Pack both said they would consider helping in these areas.

b.  Regarding USATF grants, the president reported that 2014 funds received ($1,200) need to be spent by the end of the year, and the plan is to purchase a new tent. The deadline for applying for 2015 grants has passed.

c.  After discussion regarding association delegates to the USATF Annual Meeting, the following individuals were designated to be delegates: Dan Pierce, President; Elaine Keel, Vice President; Rich Schornstein, Secretary; Don Sinclair, Youth; Jerry Donley, Masters; John Green, Men’s; Mary Ann Martino, Race Walk; Tim Edwards, and an individual to be named by the president for Athletes; for a total of nine delegates. We are required to have a minimum of 8 attend the meeting.

8.  New Business

1. The President announced the name Athletics for the Disabled has been changed by USATF to become Paralympics, and Colorado needs to follow suit.
2. The president announced the appointment of Tom Southall as the association Paralympics Chair.
3. The president nominated Tim Edwards for an At-Large Board member position. He highlighted Tim’s involvement and contributions to Colorado track & field (Tim’s bio was previously sent to all Board members). The nomination was seconded and with unanimous vote by the Board, Tim Edwards was elected to be an At-Large Board member.
4. The president acknowledged the need for a thorough review and revision of the association bylaws, and said this would be undertaken in 2015.
5. Sean Nesbitt, the Meet Director for the USATF 2015 national cross country championships reviewed plans to conduct the event in Boulder on Feb 7th. This will also be a meet to select members of the US team for the 2015 world championships. The meet is looking for volunteers, officials, and sponsors.
6. The Coaching level 1 class scheduled for Nov 21-23 at Johnson & Wales University in Denver was announced. The president and Ross Cargo will explore the possibility of bringing a Level 2 class to Colorado.

9.  Other Matters. The president confirmed the following scheduled future meetings:

Nov 18 (Tuesday conference call)

Jan 11 (Sunday in-person)

April (Sunday in-person)

July (Sunday in-person)

September 13 – Annual Meeting (Sunday in-person)

Respectfully submitted,

// Signed //

Rich Schornstein

Colorado Association Secretary

Colorado Association, USA Track & Field

Travel and Business Expense Policies and Procedures

Approved April 13, 2014

The Colorado Association of USATF establishes the following policies and procedures for payment of travel and business expenses, to control costs and to ensure consistency, accurate financial reporting, and compliance with federal tax law. Reimbursement of authorized expenses is claimed by submitting a “Reimbursement Request“ form to the Treasurer.

1.  GENERAL

a.  Payments Not Allowed. Reimbursement is not allowed for activities which violate the Bylaws or Operating Regulations of USATF or USATF Colorado; or which violate Federal, State or local laws.

b.  Authorization of Expenses. Prior to incurring any travel or business expense, including budgeted expenses, authorization must be obtained for the expense from the Committee Chair that will be funding the request. The Committee Chair will inform the Bookkeeper of the pre-approved travel or business expense. If the expenditure is budgeted, only approval of the Committee Chair is required. If the expenditure is not budgeted, the Committee Chair forwards it to the Board of Directors for approval per paragraph 5 a. of this procedure. This authorization is not a substitute for approval of reimbursements as described in this procedure, but is instead a required approval to incur the expense for which reimbursement will be subsequently requested.

c.  Committee Payments. Committees may not authorize the program-related expenses shown below without approval of the Board of Directors. The list is not intended to be all-inclusive; questionable items should be referred to the Budget and Finance Committee Chair, Treasurer, or President.

1)  Salaries, wages or other compensation other than approved stipends;

2)  Athlete support, travel reimbursement, competition or training costs;

3)  Transfers to other committees, programs or events.

c. Travel Advances. Travelers normally cover expenses personally and then request reimbursement. Travel advances and use of the association credit/debit card is an exception which must be approved by the President.

2.  APPROVALS

a.  Expenses reimbursed from the Association General account must be approved by the President or Treasurer, and the appropriate committee chair.

b.  Expenses reimbursed from committee accounts must be approved by the committee chair.

3.  TRAVEL EXPENSES

a.  General

1)  Expenses must be business related, reasonable, and necessary.

2)  Travelers must report expenses and request reimbursement within a reasonable period of time (not to exceed 30 days), including the business purpose and the date(s), type, and dollar amount of expenses. Use the “Reimbursement Request” form.

3)  Original receipts must be provided.

4)  When a pre-purchase or an advance is approved, a “Reimbursement Request” form should be turned in detailing all actual expenses and including all original receipts. In addition, return of any unused/excess funds must be made within thirty days after completion of travel.

b.  Air Travel. Individuals are encouraged but not required to use USATF Travel Services.

1)  USATF Travel Services Bookings. Tickets will not be issued without a Travel Authorization (TA), approved in advance by the President. Blank TA forms are available upon request from USATF Travel Services. Travelers should then contact USATF Travel Services to make specific arrangements. USATF Travel Services does not initiate contact with individuals listed on the authorization.

2)  Individual Bookings. Comply with the policies outlined below. The individual assumes all responsibility, and should understand all fees, restrictions and penalties.

3)  Travel Lead Time. TAs should be filed as early as possible, even if travel specifics are not final. TAs should be filed no later than 25 days prior to travel and tickets must be purchased at least 21 days in advance. Exceptions resulting in higher fares must be approved in advance by the President or Treasurer. USATF Travel Services, upon consultation with the President or Treasurer, may decline to ticket or reimburse any Individual who fails to make the necessary arrangements in advance. For group events, TAs should be filed at least 60 days in advance to allow for group discounts.

4)  Airfare. Travel is booked on the lowest-cost class reasonable itinerary (typically not red-eye flights). USATF Colorado will reimburse checked baggage fees for up to one bag.

5)  Special Requests. If a request to fly a certain airline (e.g., frequent flyer miles or upgrades), make non-business stopovers, or upgrade from coach class results in a higher ticket price, the difference must be paid by the Individual at the time of booking and is not reimbursable.

6)  Changes or Missed Flights. Costs for flight changes will not be reimbursed unless an external factor, such as a change in meeting schedule or personal emergency, causes the change. Costs associated with missed flights, such as change fees or other charges, will not be reimbursed. Non-emergency calls to the 24-hour USATF Travel Services line are charged a non-reimbursable $25 fee.

c.  Ground Transportation.

1)  Mileage and Parking. Costs for travel to and from the airport in an Individual’s home city are reimbursable for the lowest cost of the following:

·  Airport parking in the lowest cost parking lot, plus mileage to and from the airport. Carpooling to the airport is encouraged.