My Track Record

The College Club
Downtown Seattle

ATTENDANCE

Board members present at the meeting included Greg Crowther (secretary), Dan Hayes (membership chair), Saul Kinderis (president), Bill Roe (vice president), Liz Stahl (treasurer), and Clay Stenberg. Others present: Steve “Hatz” Hatzenbeler (team manager), Brian Oster (events manager), Erik Probstfield, and Martin Rudow (_Northwest Runner_ editor). Mary Cook, Rob Cook, and Brian Montgomery arrived just before the meeting ended.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes “looked flippant as usual,” Bill remarked. In any case, they were approved as submitted.

NORTHWEST RUNNER REPORT

Martin gave the Board a fairly detailed rundown of the magazine’s current financial challenges and opportunities. Among these is the fact that FootZone owes _Northwest Runner_ $5000. Tim McGarry and/or Liz can provide legal help if needed; alternatively, Martin suggested, Erik Probstfield and Aretha Hill could be dispatched to “persuade” the debtors to pay up. Meanwhile, Martin continues to work toward bolstering newsstand sales and subscriptions.

FINANCIAL REPORT

According to Treasurer Liz, we have $3197.71 in our checking account (as of April 9), $659.96 in savings (as of March 31), and $5200+ in the form of a CD. She distributed a listing of recent checking account activity.

On a more general level, Saul stated that we as a club should strive to do a better job of forecasting team- and general membership-related expenses. As he put it, “We need to know whether we’re robbing Peter to pay Paul in an advance way or in an ‘Oh, poop’ way.”

STUFF RELATING TO BRIAN OSTER

The Board voted to extend its interim oral agreement with Events Manager Brian for another month, i.e., through the end of May. This action was taken in light of the fact that a formal written contract still does not exist. Brian distributed an outline of the contract to the Board and said that he would e-mail the full contract to the Board by the end of the week.

Brian summarized the LifeCenter Northwest “Share Your Life” road race as follows: there were about 250 participants, most of whom were extremely slow and some of whom switched from the 5K to the 10K or vice versa in mid-race. The event was hurt by the fact that the LifeCenter staff didn’t consult Brian on certain key issues, such as how long the race should be and how it could be promoted. Although our contract calls for LifeCenter to pay us $1000 plus $2 per entrant, Brian speculated that LifeCenter may lose money on this year’s race and recommended that we only charge $1000. The Board approved a motion to accept $1000 from LifeCenter if it will give Club due consideration in selecting an event manager for next year’s race.

Other upcoming events:

1. All-Comers Track & Field (Wednesday nights starting May 26, Edmonds District Stadium). Food sponsors have been secured; Brian is working on getting a shoe sponsor to supply prizes. It would also be nice to get sponsors for the All-Comers high-performance (“HP”) races.

2. Seattle International Track Classic (Tuesday, June 15, Husky Stadium). The Club Northwest delegates to the Seattle International board of directors are Hatz, Bill, and Paula Montgomery. Brian is the meet director and will send out meet information regarding entry fees, event schedules, etc.

3. Firecracker 5000 (Saturday, July 3, 11:55 p.m., Seattle Center). Brian and Bill will meet to talk about the course. The appropriate permits have been filed with the exception of those concerning the actual course route. Brian is working on sponsorship. The start and finish will be the same as last year, but the treacherous “ramp of death” entrance into Memorial Stadium has been eliminated.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership chair Dan has received a copy of the member database from Martin. He will send it on to the Road Runners’ Club of America (RRCA) so that all CNW members can receive the RRCA’s quarterly newsletter, FootNotes. Dan continues to send out t-shirts to new club members as well as those who renew their membership.

Brian Montgomery suggested that Club prepare an informational “trifold” pamphlet which Super Jock ‘N Jill could display amongst its race brochures.

At this point in the meeting, Hatz told a story involving a store called Sound Sports. I was told to put the story into the minutes, but I’m not going to because I can’t remember what it was about.

NEW BUSINESS

Bill the Veep distributed a draft of a Club directory and asked people to notify him of any necessary additions or corrections.

Tim McGarry, Club’s resident lawyer, has contacted the Club Northwest health club (Seattle/Bellevue/Kirkland) regarding its use of the CNW name and logo.

Hatz told the Board that he will not have the time to be Club’s cross country team manager this fall, prompting Clay to offer the following advice: “Just do what Saul did [when he was team manager]: move from job to job. Spend an hour a day on Club business, get fired, then find another job….”) Hatz is willing to assist with the managerial duties provided that a co-manager can be found. He encourages Club athletes to accept some responsibility for getting into meets, e.g., don’t call him the day before a race expecting him to enter you.

In addition, Hatz has sent a draft of a contract to Aretha Hill’s agent. He has yet to revise the wording in the Club Handbook regarding reimbursements but will get to it soon.

Rob Cook noted that, for $70 a month, Isomedia could convert the Club website into a database that other Board members could access and update. Rob thought that $70 was too high and that $35 per month might be more reasonable. Saul said that he will remind Isomedia of all the great benefits it receives as a Club sponsor.

Patty Doyle has still not received a prize for winning the costume division of the last two Firecracker 5000s, and boy is she upset about it. Brian Oster will buy her a plaque engraved with her name.

NEXT MEETING

Come celebrate Craig Dickson’s next birthday at the College Club! Craig himself probably won’t be there, but the Board will, along with such local luminaries as Steve Hatzenbeler, Brian Oster, and Martin Rudow. Monday, May 10 — dinner at 6:15, cake at 6:50, meeting at 7. Be there.

HANDOUTS

1. Register Listing of checking account activity (Liz Stahl)

2. Outline of Personal Services Agreement (Brian Oster)

3. 1999-2000 Club Northwest Directory (Bill Roe)

Respectfully submitted,
Greg Crowther
Secretary
Club Northwest