HHA MINUTES
AUGUST 22, 2006
Board Members Present: Russ Lewis, Rob Kein, Jim Dardine, Bob Quade, Dan Takkunen, Tony Howard, Dan Nelson, Rick Singerhouse, Jay Kolls, Jeff Hommes, Sandy Calvert, Paula Willi, Devin Willi, Dave Drewiske.
Others Present: Tony Misura, Kari Weber, Don & Linda Kindom.
Motion by Kein, second by Kolls to approve the July minutes. Russ asked that the minutes be changed to reflect that HHA needs to sell 200 hours of rental ice from September to March. If we fall short, we will have to release weeknight ice for rental. He also asked that the fundraising plan and schedule update approved at the July meeting be included as part of the minutes. Motion carried unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Dan Takkunen reviewed the proposal to provide the option of credit card payment for registration and other items. It will be handled through the First National Bank of Hudson. The costs were reviewed and Dan explained that a charge of 3% of the invoice, with a maximum of $10, would be charged to those using the credit card to cover our costs.
Motion by Singerhouse, seconded by Nelson, to approve the usage of a credit card system by HHA as outlined by the Treasurer. Motion carried unanimously.
Arena Management Board Report
AMB Chair Jeff Hommes reviewed the progress of the sign upgrade project, which is being contracted with Paul Radermacher of Sign Me Up Signs. He discussed the plans for the new signs, activity to date, potential revenue. Radermacher will be meeting with the AMB on a bi-monthly basis to update this project. Hommes noted that Radermacher felt we might be able to clear $40,000 on sign rental. We budgeted $21,000.
Hommes discussed concerns brought forward by the Zamboni Scheduler Greg Somerville about training zamboni drivers and having a large enough pool of qualified drivers to cover both sheets, especially on tournament and games weekends. The AMB is recommending that team managers have their parents commit two drivers for each travel team that will be trained and can drive the resurfacer in the event a driver doesn’t show up or a game runs into overtime, throwing off the schedule.
Motion by Hommes, seconded by Kein, to approve the AMB’s recommendation to require each travel team to commit to having two trained drivers. Motion carried unanimously.
The AMB discussed the need for consistent arena support and maintenance. It was noted that Mike Brooks would be meeting with Linda Kindom to discuss this issue.
The AMB will be arranging to have the carpets in the Total Hockey Training facility professionally cleaned after the roof leaked in July during a storm. The leak has been repaired.
Ice making for Gornick Arena will begin September 7th, with painting to start September 12th. This will allow the ice to be ready for clinics starting September 18th.
Russ Lewis, Dave Drewiske and Hommes will be meeting with Harry Urschel, who is affiliated with the Minnesota Junior Hockey League for possible facility usage in 2007-2008.
The AMB met with Mike Brooks concerning the continuation of the Hudson Skate School. With start up costs, the program had a $42 loss this summer. The HSS has asked for an hour of ice every Monday evening to continue the program and the AMB recommended that this be approved with 3 six-week sessions to be coordinated with the scheduler. Scheduler Devin Willi noted that this would mean taking ice away for the practice schedules for the travel teams and this is why he wanted to issue to be brought before the AMB and the HHA Board. Willi noted that he had offered Sunday nights, but the director was not interested in that time slot.
Rob Kein expressed his displeasure with the idea of giving up ice to a non-hockey program. He said that although there would be some potential hockey skaters in the program, the bulk would be recreational or figure skaters. Dan Nelson noted that the idea of the HSS was to give beginners a head start. Kein stated that he felt that was what the Level One program was for.
Rick Singerhouse asked if the program was to continue as an HHA program or have it be an outside program renting ice. Hommes noted that during the summer program, the director was a contract employee and that HHA bore the costs and received the revenue.
A lengthy discussion ensued discussing the purpose of the program and whether it was geared more toward figure skating or skating in general. It was also noted that if ice was to be provided to a non-hockey team or program, several associations would be willing to rent Monday evening ice, providing additional rental revenue.
Hommes reiterated that AMB felt that as long as it doesn’t conflict with HHA programs, they were recommending the provision of one hour of ice on Monday nights.
Kein made a motion to deny the request for Monday evening ice. Discussion ensued on whether the program should be internal to, or external of, HHA. Kein withdrew his motion.
Hommes made a motion to approve the HSS to use the ice from 6:20 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. on Monday evenings for three six-week sessions (October 2 to November 6, November 13 to December 18, February 12 to March 19). Motion died for lack of a second.