MCPB Board Meeting Minutes
February 9, 2015
The Meeting was called to order at 6:00 by Steve Bruso.
BOD Members Present: Brian Auer, Jim Broadbear, Steve Bruso, Jeremy Bryan, Audelle Cummings, Keith Eichensehr, Bill Graden, Amy Green, Roger Heideman, Kelly Hott, Bill Jones, Renee Kresl, Tom Nolin, Eric Oglivie, Jerry Stocks, Brad Thede and Jason Wilson..
Also present, MCPB Business Manager Brian Thede and friends of the board Jamie Deffenbaugh and Mike Paulken.
BOD Members not present: Dave Blume, Roger Burns, Brent Calvert, Doug Fewkes, John Harris, and Andy Ommen.
The Meeting Minutes from the January 2015 BOD meeting were reviewed
Motion to approve Meeting Minutes from January 2014:
Proposed – Jim Broadbear
2nd – Jeremy Bryan
Motion passed by unanimous vote.
The January Meeting Minutes were approved.
Treasurer's Report – Renee Kresl
· Revenue Stream and Reporting Items to include:
o Current Financial Report
Current Cash on hand:
· Operating Account - $54,593
· Capital Account - $27,821
§ $16,490 in registration fees still to be collected
§ Our 5 year Mortgage is due for renegotiation in May. The Finance Committee will make recommendations to the BOD.
§ The annual audit will be open for bids from other firms in an attempt to reduce costs.
o Registrations (Amy Green)
§ 2015 Summer season
· 860 players registered (630 are in house)
· Surge in registrations might be due to “registration discount” period is ending.
· Only 3 travel players still owe fees
o Sponsorships (Brian Thede)
§ Brian passed out an updated list of sponsors and along with payment information.
§ Dick’s Sporting Goods will have a PONY shopping day on March 14th and 15th. Also one in August on 1st and 2nd.
§ Lehman’s Chevy City will provide merchandise again this year along with offering the Cal Ripken Baseball Clinic. There will also be a test drive fundraising opportunity where PONY will get a donation for those that test drive a Chevy. Up to $500 is possible.
o Fund Raising (Steve Bruso or Kelly Mutters) – Fundraising started Feb 1.
o $24,000 in State Farm Good Neighbor Grants since March 2014. $17,500 is for the 2014 year.
Motion to accept the November treasurer’s report:
· Proposed – Audelle Cummings
· 2nd – Keith Eichensehr
Motion passed by unanimous vote.
MCPB Business Manager's Report - Brian Thede
· Travel Team Concession Schedule well underway.
· 52 candidates have applied to be a certified concession stand worker. Hope to trim the list to about 25.
· Some utility work to do this spring: Improve the duct work to get the concession stand cool and find the electrical short that is drawing power we have to pay for.
· Patched umps have all been booked through Memorial Day weekend.
· Umpire Clinic is April 12 at 1:00
· Picture weekend is May 16th and 17th. Brian is considering a couple different companies.
· Prairieland Elementary School is hosting Family Fitness Night on February 26th. PONY will have a presence there and Brian will send an email with more details with a request for help that night.
· The Business Manager agreement between Brian Thede and MCPB expires on February 28, 2015.
o Bill Graden proposes a motion that the MCPB BOD approves a new three contract with Brian Thede to continue in his role as MCPB Business Manager for annual compensation of $12,000. Kelly Hott seconded the motion.
Motion passed by unanimous vote. Bill Graden will get the new contract to Brian for signatures.
Facilities/Fields – Kelly Hott / Andy Ommen
· Discussion topics:
o The lift is in place. Just some minor tweaks needed. Total of $6000 was donated. $200 paid by MCPB.
Divisional Reports:
Reminder – Coaches selection should be completed for Pinto, Mustang, Bronco, and Pony divisions by 2/9/2015. Shetland is due by March 9, 2015. Colt is due by April 30, 2015
Shetland Division - Jeremy Bryan – 14 in house teams
Pinto Division – Tom Nolin – 16 in house teams
Mustang Division – Jason Wilson – 14 in house teams
Bronco Division – Jamie Deffenbaugh – 11 in house teams
Pony Division – Audelle Cummings – 6 in house teams
Colt / Palomino Division – Mike Paulken
Twins/Travel Program – Audelle Cummings/Jim Broadbear
Sub Committee Updates:
o Player (Jim Broadbear) & Coach (Brent Calvert) Development has proposed the following about a Baseball Conditioning Program. A formal proposal will be made at a future BOD meeting.
§ Conditioning program available to all PONY players Bronco level and up
§ Program will feature high intensity interval training and sport specific conditioning (e.g. shoulder strengthening)
§ This will be a challenging program for any player that want to improve strength, speed, power, and endurance
§ 2-3 60 minute sessions/week at the complex 9:00-10:00am
§ Program begin after school is out until end of July
§ Participants can register for 1, 2, or 3 sessions/week and prepay for 4 week session
§ Cost ~$8/session for MCPB players
§ If space available baseball and softball athletes from outside MCPB could join ~$10/session
§ Age appropriate training will be used
§ The program will primarily utilize the common areas of the facility such as the space between Colt and Bronco
§ Parents/guardians can stay and watch in the pavilion or drop off and pick up promptly on time
§ Qualified fitness/exercise professional will be hired to run program - paid ~$30-50/session depending on qualifications; paid a contracted employee like umpires and grounds crew
§ Minimum number of participants in order for program to be offered
· Financial Stability (Renee Kresl)
o Capital Fund drive
· Engaging the Business Community (Steve Bruso)
o AWARENESS: Amy & Steve met with Willie Brown who provided ideas for fundraising
o AWARENESS: Mass mailing out to PONY families…have addresses for players back to 2007. Clean-up of mailing list is on-going.
o AWARENESS: Meetings with local state legislators will be set up in February
· Family Friendly/Quality Complex (Jeremy Bryan)
o Working on Opening Day activities
o 25th anniversary of the PONY complex in 2016.
o Researching possibility of debit/credit cards use at concession stand.
o Utilize a volunteer infrastructure
o Sponsor Appreciation Day
Old Business
· MCPB was not a recipient of the Brady grant, but was in the running. Steve Bruso has been in contact with state reps who have districts in the MCPB area about future grants.
· BOD Secretary Position will need to be filled by November 1. Current term for Bill Jones expires at the time of the November Annual Meeting on November 9, 2015. Please see Steve Bruso or Bill Jones for details if interested in the position.
New Business
· 2015 Season Updates
o Twins uniforms ordered
o In House Coaching staffs (Pony, Bronco, Mustang, and Pinto) were due February 9. All division are close and need a handful of coaches.
o Rosters and schedules due on March 13th.
· 25 Year anniversary of baseball on the Pony field – we need to celebrate & market that!!
o Ideas ….. Pantagraph article? Update to 1993 article (note our fees were $45-$75 in 1993…$45-$90 in 2015)
o “25 Years” painted behind home plate on Pony field?
o Need someone to drive how we can play this up…and partner it with a capital campaign
o 29th year of providing youth baseball in McLean County (founded Dec 1986)!
· AWARENESS: Refinancing Mortgage – Finance Comm to review –
· AWARENESS: Warbird Academy Request to expand presence at MCPB– Jim B. looking into options and will have details at future meetings.
· Steve Bruso led a discussion... how do we Maximizing our Revenue Sources & identifying new sources –
o Generate Revenue
§ Capital Campaign
· Publicize the campaign
· Solicit donations
· Have definite idea of what the campaign is for (example …. Pave the parking lot).
§ Donation solicitations
· Donation box on registration form
· Solicit/Apply for grants
§ Fundraising Activities
· 100 inning baseball game with pledges
· Pavers around the PONY flag pole
· Golf outing
§ Maximize Concession revenue
· Target profit for the concession stand should be $40,000. Target is based on approximately 60,000+ visitors to the Complex and is less than $1 profit per visitor.
· More sales volume of bestselling items
· Extend hours
· Menu alterations – simplify the menu
· Use of Grills once a month
· Advertise the concession stand at the fields
· Reduce Cost of Goods by utilizing Sam’s instead of Pepsi Co for water, Gatorade, and other items. Could lower the price and sell more.
· Offer a smaller hot dog at a lower price point
· Encourage sales on low volume fields….. Move the Sam’s shed to the Bronco Field and offer limited menu items.
· Sell from wagons that deliver items to the fields.
§ Sponsorships
· Encourage members to solicit business sponsors for a credit on Registration costs.
· Signs facing Ireland Grove Rd.
Notes/Calendar of Events/Key Date Reminders – Bill Jones
2/9/2015 Coach Selection Review Due
3/1/2015 Complex Work Day (Weather Permitting)
3/6/2015 Fundraising Ends
3/8/2015 Complex Work Day (Weather Permitting)
3/9/2015 In house Rosters review after March BOD Meeting
3/9/2015 March 2015 BOD Meeting
3/13/2015 In House Schedules due for Pony, Bronco, Mustang, and Pinto divisions
3/13/2015 In House rosters for Pony, Bronco, Mustang, and Pinto divisions due to uniform coordinators Bill Jones and Tom Nolin.
At 8:50, Brad Thede motioned to adjourn the February BOD meeting. Kelly Hott seconded the motion. Motion passed by unanimous vote. The meeting was adjourned.
Next meeting is on March 9, 2015 at El Toro Restaurant beginning at 6:00.