First Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Monday, February 9, 1998
The twenty-second session of the First Board of Directors of the Blue Line Club was convened at 4:08 p.m. by Club Vice President Henry Okleshen. The meeting was held on Monday, February 9, 1998 in the Alumni and Foundation Center conference room on the campus of Mankato State University.
Voting Board Members Present
4 of 7 Seats
- Henry Okleshen, Vice President
- Jim Bullard
- Larry Morales
- Jim Turk
Voting Board Members Absent
3 of 7 Seats
- Kent Schwickert, President (Excused)
- Steve Duea (Excused)
- Brad Reeves (Excused)
Ex-officio Nonvoting Board Members Present
3 of 6 Seats
- David Cowan, Club Secretary-Treasurer - Maverick Boosters Club Liaison
- Cheryl Regan - MSU Athletics Promotions
- Don Amiot - MSU Men's Athletics Director
Ex-officio Nonvoting Board Members Absent
3 of 6 Seats
- Ron Hybertson (Excused) - Conference Faculty Rep. (NCC)
- Don Brose (Excused) - MSU Men's Ice Hockey Coach
- Margaret Healy (Excused) - MSU Student Affairs Vice President
Approval of Agenda
Director Larry Morales moved and Director Jim Turk seconded that the meeting agenda for February 9, 1998 be approved. Motion carried.
Minutes of Previous Board Meetings Approved
Director Jim Bullard moved and Director Jim Turk seconded that the Board approve the meeting minutes of January 12, 1998. Motion carried.
Secretary-Treasurer's Report - David Cowan
The Club's Secretary-Treasurer reported that $19,661.97 had been spent on Club business since July 1, the beginning of fiscal year 1997-98. Only $263.04 has been deposited from the sell of Club embroidered wearing apparel against an 12 month forecast of $1,150.
He noted that a check for $1,000 had been sent as part of a three year annual gift dedicated toward the financing of the community's second sheet of ice. This donation is considered separate from the massive commitment Mankato State University is making to the project.
Cowan mentioned that $100 had been paid to lock in a "virtual domain name" on the World Wide Web which allows easier access to those who want to visit the Club's Web site.
Original Web Site Address - www.mnsu.edu/univops/puck
Virtual Domain Name Address - [which electronically "points" to the more complicated original address] www.mankatostatehockey.net
If the "books" were to be closed February 9th, the Club would have available cash of $22,113.04, the bulk of which is from the Club's share of membership dues. The plan called for $23,000 in income so it appears that the goal will not be met . Outlays were to be limited to $23,000, and as February 9th, $19,661.97 had been spent.
| Budget Plan | Actuals | Remaining Activity | Difference | |||
| Carryforward Shortfall from 1996-97 | 0 | ($108.25) | --- | $108.25 | ||
| Income: | $23,007.50 | |||||
| Outlays: | 23,115.75 | |||||
| Shortfall: | ($ 108.25) | |||||
| Income for Current Fiscal Year | $21,850.00 | $21,850.00 | - 0 - | - 0 - | ||
| Wearing Apparel Sales | 1,150.00 | 263.04 | - 0 - | $ 886.96 | ||
| Available Cash Related | $23,000.00 | $22,004.79 | - 0 - | $ 995.21 | ||
| Less Expenditures | 23,000.00 | 19,661.97 | 3,136.00 | 202.03 | ||
| - $ 500 | Photo Reprints for Members | |||||
| - 236 | Final Parking Ramp Payment | |||||
| - 200 | Postage through 6/30/98 | |||||
| - 200 | Copying through 6/30/98 | |||||
| - 2,000 | Reception Costs 11/1/97 Event | |||||
| Balances | $ - 0 - | $ 2,342.82 | ($ 3,136.00) | ($ 793.18) | ||
Secretary-Treasurer Cowan indicated that a June 30 shortfall loomed unless the Board quickly decided to take some action to ensure against a year-end deficit.
Mid-Year Draw Against Member Dues Recommended
Director Jim Bullard moved and Director Larry Morales seconded that the Board request the University to transfer an additional $2,500 to the Blue Line Club's cost center from already deposited Club dues collections held in the Men's Ice Hockey account.
Board members noted that the Club memberships were up over original projections (12 net $600 Individual Memberships x $78 Club's share; 10 net new $1,200 Corporate Members x $156 Club's share), and that this $2,500 mid-year supplement was not an unreasonable request in light of the change in memberships. A total of $2,496 from these memberships normally would have accrued to the Club's operating budget had not the Board capped the subsidy at $21,850 last April when it recommended its income and spending plan for 1997-98.
Board members then recalled the number of new initiatives that it had implemented during 1997-98, all of which cost money but were viewed as opportunities to enhance the membership attractiveness for new prospects.
A vote on the Bullard motion was taken. Motion passed unanimously.
[An e-mail dated February 10th formally relaying on the $2,500 request and detailing the Board's rationale for the budget supplement was forwarded to Men's Athletics Director Don Amiot.]
Status of MSU Hockey Sales Campaign - Cheryl Regan
Cheryl Regan then provided the Board with an update on Club member sales and season ticket sales. The Club now has 112 Corporate members and 103 Individual members. The membership plan adopted last March included these targets: 102 Corporate Members; 91 Individual Members. Season ticket sales, separate from those included as part of Blue Line Club memberships, total 765, up from a forecast of 642.
Don Amiot reported that MSU had hoped to average a $3,000 to $3,200 take from just gate receipts during each home game. The average is more like $3,900 per game. He announced that the pilot project to televise the last six home hockey games appeared to be successful - advertisers, once they knew of the broadcast option, bought air time and vacant dasher board space was quickly sold.
Board members agreed with Cheryl Regan that the membership drive for 1998-99 should commence as soon as possible after the WCHA formally approves Mankato State's membership request. The WCHA's Annual Meeting is held in April down in Florida. Regan will include certain approved photos of member message board names and banner references in her mailing.
Annual Meeting: Bylaw Approved and Board Seats Expanded to Nine
It was noted, consistent with an earlier Nominations Committee report, that nine board seats would be up for election at the Club's Annual Meeting. That Annual Meeting will be the Club's first and is scheduled for February 13, 1998, from 5:30 PM to 6 PM at the Club's Hospitality Room in the Mankato Civic Center, Mankato, Minnesota. The Club's Hat Trick newsletter was used as the notification vehicle required in the Bylaws. The Board's Bylaw Amendment "initiative" enlarging the Board to a maximum of 11 seats was included in the newsletter as well.
Without objection, the Bylaw initiative has now became a formal amendment to the Club's Bylaws. It allows the Nominations Committee and the Board to further expand the Board number of voting members to eleven from its old ceiling of seven.
It was noted that the three Club officers - president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer - would not be elected to their respective one year terms until the Board elections took place on February 13th and a regular meeting of the newly constituted Board was convened on March 9, 1998.
Hospitality Room Venue Issues - Don Amiot
Men's Athletics Director Don Amiot provided a follow up report in response to this motion which was passed by the Board at its January 12th session:
Director Jim Bullard moved and Jim Turk seconded that the Board recommend to the University that for the 1998-99 home hockey game season that the Club be dedicated new space in the Mankato Civic Center as a permanent home for the Club's hospitality room site.
Amiot reported that he is in negotiations with the Mankato Civic Center and has made it clear that the Club is not happy being bounced around from room to room. If the Club is willing to pay $7,650 it can have a downstairs banquet room ($450 a night x 17 home hockey games). Board members expressed a willingness to build such a price into its budget for 1998-99 if the room swapping can be ended. The upstairs conference rooms are too small as is the Ellerbe Room.
Solicitation Letter Sent - Club's Memorial Scholarship Endowment
Secretary-Treasurer David Cowan announced that he did send a solicitation letter dated January 22 to all Club members on occasion of the first anniversary date of Dan Meyer's untimely death. Prior to the solicitation $8,744 had been deposited against a goal of $25,000. Cowan agreed to check with the MSU Foundation, Inc. to determine the success of this most recent endowment solicitation effort.
Michigan Tech to Stay in WCHA
Don Amiot reported that Michigan Technological University (Houghton, Michigan) may well stay in the WCHA until 1999-2000, despite rumors that they would switch conferences as soon as next season.
Adjourned
The meeting then adjourned at 5:04 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
David Cowan - Club Secretary-Treasurer
Next Board Meeting
- 4 PM to 5 PM
- Monday, March 9, 1998
- Conference Room - 2nd Floor Alumni & Foundation Center