First Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes - Tuesday, March 19, 1996

The second meeting of the First Board of Directors of the Blue Line Club was convened by Kent Schwickert at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 1996, in the second floor conference room of the Warren Street Center building on the campus of Mankato State University.

Voting Board Members Present

5 of 7 Seats

• Kent Schwickert, Club President
• Henry Okleshen, Club Vice President
• Steve Duea
• Jim Turk
• Larry Morales

Voting Board Members Present

2 of 7 Seats

• Brad Reeves
• Jim Bullard

Ex-officio Nonvoting Board Members Present

4 of 6 Seats

• Don Amiot - MSU Men's Athletics Director
• David Cowan, Club Secretary-Treasurer - Maverick Boosters Club Liaison
• Don Brose - MSU Men's Ice Hockey Coach
• Cheryl Regan - MSU Athletics Promotions

Ex-officio Nonvoting Board Members Absent

2 of 6 Seats

• Margaret Healy - MSU Student Affairs Vice President
• Ron Hybertson (Excused) - Conference Faculty Representative (NCC)

Agenda Approved

Without objection the agenda previously prepared and forwarded was adopted.

Minutes of Previous Meeting Approved

The meeting minutes of February 20, 1996, were then reviewed and, without objection, approved.

Blue Line Club Bylaws Approved

Morales moved and Okleshen seconded that the proposed bylaws with the edited draft date of 2/20/96 be approved. Motion adopted unanimously.

Election of Club Officers

It was noted that the First Board of Directors serve until the February, 1998 Annual Meeting of the Blue Line Club, but that according to Article V, Section 4 of the Bylaws "All officers shall serve a one year term and be elected by a majority vote of those Board members present and voting with a quorum in attendance."

Nominations were then opened for the Office of Club President. Kent Schwickert was nominated and elected unanimously to serve as President. Nominations were then opened for the Office of Vice President. Henry Okleshen was nominated and elected unanimously to serve as Vice President.

Nominations were then opened for the Office of Secretary-Treasurer. Board members noted that Article V, Section 4 provides ". . . the Secretary-Treasurer may be an ex-officio nonvoting member of the Club." David Cowan was subsequently nominated and elected unanimously to serve as Secretary-Treasurer.

Blue Line Club Income and Expenditure Plan - Budget for 1996-97

MSU Men's Athletics Director Don Amiot then presented a 3/19/96 dated draft budget proposal for consideration by the Board of Directors. That plan included an estimated $186,287 in receipts against a Club operating expenditure total of $11,077.30 (not counting $7,287 in sales taxes tied to season tickets for members).

On the income side, Board Members commented that the earned interest entry of $500 was very conservative and that the planned increase of 15 new corporate members @ $1,200 each and 20 new individual members @ $600 each was achievable. All Board Members agreed that a special effort was necessary to retain the existing 195 charter members (102 corporate; and 93 individual). It was also noted that sales taxes would continue to be charged on top of the regular Blue Line Club membership dues for corporate and individual members.

Operating Club costs were then reviewed. Objections to the draft occurred only in the amount planned for momento costs. Board Members viewed the proposal of $2,187.50 as insufficient and detrimental to membership renewal and recruitment efforts. Jim Turk moved and Okleshen seconded that the amount spent for momentos be increased to $10,000. The motion was then debated and a vote taken. The Turk motion carried. unanimously. (With the Turk motion approved, the Club's "Operating Expenditures" for next year would total $18,901, a significant drop in outlays from this past year.)

Amiot provided detail on 1995-96 outlays spent for Blue Line Club activities. Those expenses totalled $27,839, some items of which were considered "one-time" expenses.

For 1996-97, Board Members believed that a net of $160,099 could be provided to MSU from Blue Line Club efforts. It was understood that such funds would probably be "escrowed" or set aside by University administrators for some time to ensure financial stability of the hockey program. Board members wanted MSU's leadership to know that it would be far easier to sell Club memberships if the Club could assure prospective members that the "donation" part of their membership dues would be used for intercollegiate athletics and not to offset cutbacks in programs which have nothing to do with athletics.

Board members also recognized that the "excess receipts" raised from such membership dues could at some future point be used for men's and/or women's athletic talent grants, but it would be a University decision as to how the funds were to be dispersed and when.

Steve Duea then moved and Larry Morales seconded that the 1996-97 Blue Line Club budget as amended be recommended to the University for approval. [Income forecast at $186,634; spending estimates at $18,901 Club Operating and $7,634 sales tax guess; with $160,099 estimated in excess receipts.] Motion adopted unanimously. (See attachment.)

Membership Dues and Perks

Members reviewed just what commitments were made to those who joined the Blue Line Club this past fall and how we had to honor the membership rates published at that time.

Consistent with action the Board took at its February 20, 1996 meeting, "Charter Members" will find that for next year they will pay exactly what they paid last fall, a lower rate than that which will be charged newcomers to the Club. (The membership dues include the cost of two season tickets for $500 individual members and four season tickets for $1,000 corporate members - these tickets are for seats located overlooking the blue line neutral zone at the Mankato Civic Center. There are 16 regularly scheduled home hockey games, 16 away games, and possibly two extras.)

Membership Dues Rates

	1996-97	1996-97	1997-98	1997-98	1998-99	1998-99
	Charter	New	Charter	New	Charter	New
Individual Membership:	$500	$600	$600	$600	$750	$750
Individual Membership:	$1000	$1200	$1200	$1200	$1500	$1500

Cheryl Regan asked for input on what perks should be provided to Blue Line Club members in order that she could proceed and print appropriate flyers and brochures. Based on some ideas that surfaced, Regan will proceed with development of necessary information pieces. Board members agreed that determination of the "distinctive momento" would be a topic for a later Board session.

WCHA Final Five Tournament Meeting - MSU Conference Membership Bid Status

Don Amiot briefed the Board on the March 7 to 9 WCHA "final five tournament" meeting held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod met with Mankato State representatives and discussed MSU's proposed membership in the WCHA. From those discussions, Amiot believes that the WCHA may not actually vote on Mankato State's entry until a special meeting in June. A video is being prepared by MSU Athletics Department which will be shown at this upcoming WCHA meeting.

Dasher Board Sales Update

Members then heard an update on the dasher boards and the new person Amiot has hired to help with sales.

Next Board Meeting - Monday, April 22, 1996 at 4 p.m.

Board Members agreed to meet next on Monday, April 22, at 4 p.m. in the Warren Street Center Conference Room.

Adjournment

Without objection the meeting then adjourned as scheduled at 5:30 p.m.