MCA Board of Director Meeting Minutes:January 19th, 2013
Meeting called to order at1:05pm. Present: Tim Campbell, Bob Howe, Thomas Rehmeier, Ron Luther, Ed Baur, Martin Stahl, and Jim Davies (election commissioner). This represented a Quorum. Tim Nesham joined the meeting at 1:35
Next meeting date setfor April 20th, at 1pm. To be held at Memorial Union. Backup Date is April 27th.
Minutes: Bob Howe presented the minutes from the September meeting. Ron Luther motions to approve, Ed Baur 2nds. Minutes approved
Treasurer’s Report: See Attached: Thomas Rehmeier moves to accept. Tim Campbell 2nds, Report accepted
Membership Report: Thomas Rehmeier presented the membership report. Ron Luther moves to accept. Bob Howe, 2nds.
Bulletin Editor: Molly Nesham will be taking over as the Bulletin Editor. Bob Howe will help out with the next few editions to help the transition.
Webmaster Report: See Attached:
Old Business:
State Scholastic: Tim Campbell brought samples of the Invitation that Columbia College put together. The design and layout is fantastic and Columbia College is fully funding the promotional material.
Thomas Rehmeier moves to accept the Missouri State Scholastic Championship Sponsorship Agreement, and to name Tim Campbell as the authorized representative to sign this and future dealings with Columbia College. Ron Luther 2nds. Approved
-Hosting future tournaments. Tim shared the draft of his agreement with Columbia Public Schools. The current offer is a generous offer by CPS, but they have not signed on yet.
Tournaments:
Class Championship: Ron Luther will organize and run the event this year in Kansas City. It will be a one day event, held on June 8th.
Missouri Open: Thomas Rehmeier will organize and run the event in St. Louis.
Rating State Scholastic: Ron Luther will present a proposal to the Parents and Coaches at the State Scholastic Tournament recommending the High School section be rated in 2014. The board will take up this issue in April after gathering more feedback.
New Business:
MCA Bylaws Change regarding Elections:
Jim Davies proposal to make the directors terms three years was discussed. This proposal was sent to the secretary and forwarded to all board members in December. After discussion, there was a friendly amendment made changing it to two year terms, and some other minor changes. (see appendix C for the Davies Proposal and appendix D for the final motion.
Thomas Rehmeier moves to amend the bylaws according to the amended Davies proposal. Bob Howe 2nds. The motion passed. The motion did pass by a greater than 2/3rds majority as required for a bylaw change, and the bylaws will be amended immediately.
Election: Jim Davies, as election commission suggested the election material provided to voters contain more information about the candidates. Thomas Rehmeier made the motion to accept those suggestions: Resolve that the election commissioner shall implement the following as of the 2013 election:
Each candidate for election is asked to send a statement of 300 words or fewer. This statement should contain chess-related biographical information and campaign positions on issues important to Missouri chess. The statement should also be accompanied by a recent photograph, which will be cropped to head and shoulders. The election commissioner will include the statements and photographs in voter instructions accompanying the ballot. Ed Baur 2nd. Passes.
Extending the TD Incentive: Thomas Rehmeier moved to extend the Tournament Directorincentiveprogram through 2013. (The three dollar per player incentive for tournaments held in Regions 2 or 3 that was originally passed in 2011 applied only to the year 2012.) Ed Baur 2nds. After discussion the motion passes.
Ron Luther moves to adjourn. Tim Nesham 2nds. Adjourned at 2:58pm
Appendix A: Treasurer’s Report
Appendix B: Webmaster’s Report
Appendix C: Davies Bylaw Change Proposal for term length
Appendix D: Amended Davies Bylaw Change Proposal. (Final copy)
Appendix E: Email motions/Votes taken between meetings.
Appendix A:
The Missouri Chess Association
Treasurer’s Report: October 1st - December 31st, 2012
During the board meeting on September 23rd, 2012, Thomas Rehmeier presented me with the MCA financial documents he had gathered from ex-Treasurer, Nathan Fast, along with a check for $5,095.32 for the balance in the account.
On October 1st, 2012, I opened a new account with U.S. Bank for The Missouri Chess Association. At that time both I, Martin Stahl, and Thomas Rehmeier were added as signatories to the account.
The old account has been closed. The expenses during this period include ones from previous periods that were outstanding.
Account Summary
Beginning Balance: $ 5,095.32
Total Deposits: $ 297.90
●$ 310 in membership dues, less $ 12.10 in postage & handling for membership mailings
Total Expenses: $ 773.21
●$ 43.20 for ballot postage reimbursements
●$ 200 for Denker/Barber stipends
●$ 43.08 for website hosting renewal
●$ 80 for MCA affiliate renewal
●$ 300 for delegate meeting stipend
●$ 89 for TD Incentives
●$ 17.93 for check order on new account
Closing Balance: $ 4,720.01
●$ 100 check outstanding as of December 31st, 2012
Note
When U.S. Bank opened the account, they mis-classified it in their system. At this point in time, they are still researching how to fix the account. It is probable that a new account will have to be opened in the next quarter.
Respectfully,
Martin Stahl
Treasurer
Appendix B:
Missouri Chess Association Webmaster’s report
Membership list
At the last board meeting in September, 2012 it was agreed upon to have the member list directly maintained using the MCA web site rather than updating a spreadsheet by one person and later updating the web site from the spreadsheet by another person. This was soon accomplished some weeks after the meeting in October and can be viewed at The benefits of directly updating the web site are:
- Less work to maintain data. One form to edit, rather than two. One person updates the data, not two. In fact, the web master now does nothing but back-up the data occasionally.
- New members are immediately visible to TDs as soon as entered on the page. There is no delay from the time the spreadsheet is updated to when the webmaster receives the spreadsheet and tries to convert the gawd-awful spreadsheet data into just-as-awful html data.
- Membership can be reported on more easily by using the sorting capabilities built into the page.
The latter point brings up an interesting fact. The current membership, as seen by sorting the member page column “S”, currently stands at 195 Current members out of a total 557, or 362 X-members. The X-members represent a group of people that have a far higher chance of becoming members than the ordinary non-chess public. I’d like to propose a discussion to have a membership renewal campaign.
Other Site improvements
It has been known for some time that the site was converted to PHP. PHP is no more, or less, complicated than the older HTML - for most pages. Naturally the member list page makes extensive use of PHP. Another page also makes use of PHP extensively, the CrossTables page. This page used to be manually updated after an MCA tournament, but after writing this page in PHP, the page now maintains itself by going out to the USCF site and extracting the data to be displayed.
Future improvements
The intent of the site is to provide chess players with information about the MCA and about current chess activities in Missouri and nearby areas. It is not a blog or Wordpress site. Nonetheless, some areas can be improved more.
- Look-and-feel. Although the look-and-feel has improved, it still has a way to go to begin competing with modern web styles. Through the use of style templates this can be improved more easily. I will create a parallel site for the board to look at and approve.
- A number of pages need more cleaning.
- Scholastic content. Some work has been done to maintain future scholastic events. More can be done, including recognition of scholastic player accomplishments.
Appendix C: Davis original Proposal:
MCA BYLAWS CHANGES REGARDING ELECTION PROCEDURES
Proposed by Jim Davies, December 2012
Article V - Board of Directors
Paragraphs 2 and 3 are to be replaced with the following. A new paragraph 4 is to be inserted, and the existing paragraphs 4-8 to be renumbered 5-9. There are two proposals for paragraph 4, regarding the phase-in of the new system. In the discussion which follows, regions are labeled A, B, and C for simplicity. It will be necessary for the board to decide which of the existing regions I, II, III will be considered A, B, and C. The final version should then use the actual regions, rather than A, B, and C. Language which is either new or amended is indicated in red.
2. Number. The total number of voting Directors shall be nine. The apportionment shall be as follows: Each region (I, II, III) shall be assigned three directors each. Directors in only one region will be elected each year.
3. Term. Each Director will be elected to a 3 year term. The term of each Director shall commence on September 1 of the year in which elected and continue until August 31 of the third year following his election. These terms are subject to the phase-in process in paragraph 4 below. The full 3-year terms will be in effect in the 2016 election. Should a vacancy occur on the Board of Directors before August 1 of the third year, such a vacancy shall be filled within 30 days of the date on which the vacancy occurred by the remaining Directors of that Region, provided that, if the vacancy is not filled within 30 days, the Board of Directors shall fill the vacancy. If any Director is absent from two successive meetings of the Board without just cause, the Board may declare his office vacant. In the event that a director moves from the state of Missouri during his or her time in office, he or she shall immediately forfeit that office. A replacement to complete that term of office will then be selected as described above. Directors shall maintain their membership in good standing throughout their term. If a director's membership shall lapse for a period of one month or longer, their membership on the Board shall be considered to be vacant, with the vacancy to be filled per the provisions above.
4. Implementation. (Proposal 1). For the 2013 election, all regions will appear on the ballot. Directors in region A will be elected to a one year term, and this region will be on the ballot in 2014. Directors in region B will be elected to a two year term, and this region will be on the ballot in 2015. By the 2016 election, the full provisions of paragraph 3 will be in force.
4. Implementation (Proposal 2). For the 2013 election, directors will be elected only in region A. Presently serving directors in region B will have their terms extended one year, and this region will be on the ballot in 2014. Presently serving directors in region C will have their terms extended two years, and this region will be on the ballot in 2015.
I also wish to propose the the Board adopt something along these lines regarding the election process. This can be part of the bylaws or not, as you see fit. If so, it should become part of the newly numbered paragraph 5:
Appendix D:
Amended and passed Bylaw Change
MCA BYLAWS CHANGES REGARDING ELECTION PROCEDURES
Proposed by Jim Davies, December 2012
Article V - Board of Directors
3. Term. Each Director will be elected to a 2 year term. The term of each Director shall commence on September 1 of the year in which elected and continue until August 31 of the second year following his election. Should a vacancy occur on the Board of Directors before August 1 of the second year, such a vacancy shall be filled within 30 days of the date on which the vacancy occurred by the remaining Directors of that Region, provided that, if the vacancy is not filled within 30 days, the Board of Directors shall fill the vacancy. If any Director is absent from two successive meetings of the Board without just cause, the Board may declare his office vacant. In the event that a director moves from the state of Missouri during his or her time in office, he or she shall immediately forfeit that office. A replacement to complete that term of office will then be selected as described above. Directors shall maintain their membership in good standing throughout their term. If a director's membership shall lapse for a period of one month or longer, their membership on the Board shall be considered to be vacant, with the vacancy to be filled per the provisions above.
4. Selection. Only members of the Association in good standing and living in the State of Missouri shall be eligible for election to the Board of Directors in the Region in which he or she resides. Any such member may place his or her name in nomination by communicating, in writing, his or her intention to stand for election to the Election Commissioner by April 15. A ballot and instructions shall be sent to each member not later than June 1. A member may vote only for Directors in the Region in which he or she resides. The election shall be completed by June 30 of each electionyear.
6. The initial meeting of the newly-elected Board of Directors shall be held during September of each electionyear.
Appendix E:Motions Made by email between Meetings.
Each motion generated significant discussion via email.
Motion 1: Ron Luther made a motion to the board that since Mr Sutton has been absent for 2 consecutive meetings that his position be declared vacant. Tim Nesham 2nds.
Motion failed 1-8-0 with Luther in favor
R. Luther made a second motion that Mr Cantwell has not appeared either in person or by technology for the last 2 meetings that his position on the board be declared vacant. This motion died in discussion.
Motion 3:
Ron Luther moves Bob Holliman be named to Bruce Cantwell’s seat due to Mr. Cantwell’s lack of USCF membership. Tim Nesham 2nd.
Motion failed 1-7-1 with Luther in favor, Cantwell abstain.