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BAOC Board Meeting

Date: (Tue.) Sep. 9, 2008
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Event Directors: - 650.906.9672, - 650.248.9595
Type: Quarterly meeting of the Board of Directors -- 7:00-10:00 PM; pizza will be available at 6:30 -- All club members are welcome


The meeting was called to order at 7 PM by President Nick Corsano.

Present were
Bob Cooley, Mark Blair, Dan Greene, Wes Erck, Nancy Lindeman, Brad Wetmore, Jay Hann, Jim Fish, Scott Aster, Ev Beuerman, Jean Beuerman, Esther Heller, Jeff Lanam, Steve Gregg, Rex Winterbottom, Dennis Wildfogel, Steve Beuerman, Nick Corsano, Alex Finch, Manfred Kopisch, Daniel Kopisch, Philipp Kopisch, Trinka Gillis


1. Approval of Minutes – Nick Corsano

The previous meeting’s minutes were approved with the following changes: the correct location of the meeting was Millbrae.

2. Email Votes – Trinka Gillis

There were no email votes this quarter.

3. President’s Report – Nick Corsano

USOF held their Annual Meeting in Laramie in August. Chuck Spalding reported that USOF is going to hire a full-time Executive Director. Dan Greene reported that Greg Lemond is spearheading the plan to hire this person. This person would do a lot of the work that is currently being done by Robin Shannonhouse, but the club would like to hire a professional who can support the club more. The creation of this position is still up in the air and will include some restructuring of the Board since the 17-member board is too unwieldy. The new person would be expected to pay for his/her own salary with an increase in membership.
BAOC is making progress on their non-profit status. Nick Corsano met with an attorney specializing in non-profit law. The objective is to incorporate the club with the Secretary of State of California, and obtain 501c3 non-profit tax status.
Nick would like to work on long-range planning about the club direction. We will discuss this at the December board meeting.

4. Event Coordinator’s Report – Alex Finch

The fall has been busy. We have scheduled orienteering every weekend until Christmas, except for Thanksgiving. He needs to implement the mentor program for Event Directors/Course Setters. He also wants to add tentative events to the online event schedule.

5. Treasurer’s Report – Steve Beuerman

We discussed the budget and corrected the China Camp event expenses.

6. Shuttles for A-Meet – Dennis Wildfogel

On Sunday of the O-in-the-Oaks A-meet, we will be using the upper part of the newer map, and both the start and finish will be remote. This requires too many drivers to rely exclusively on volunteers, so we will have to hire a shuttle service.
The 2008 budget includes $500 for shuttles, but based on quotes that Dennis has obtained, they will cost us about $1900. Volunteers will still be used to supplement the shuttles and fill in at peak times. Dennis is planning to hire three 24-seat busses, and they have a four-hour minimum.
A motion was moved and seconded that the board authorize the additional expenditure of $1400 over budget for shuttles. The motion passed.

7. Shadowing at A-Meets – Nick Corsano

Do we allow a parent to shadow his/her child on a White course before the parent does his/her own course?
Dennis Wildfogel's definition of shadowing: for the safety/comfort of the child, not for help with navigating, adult should not have a map. No communication at all between adult/child unless emergency. In case an adult and child do communicate, the results should be displayed as White-Open instead of the competitive class for that child.
Nick Corsano suggested that the Event Director/Course Setter should have discretion to permit the adult to shadow first or not.
Steve Beuerman suggests that the start time for juniors should be extended to allow them to start later than adults.
Jeff Lanam pointed out that a WRE would have special rules.
Manfred Kopisch mentioned that it is easier for kids to wait around after doing their course than before.
Dennis Wildfogel suggests that we put into course guidelines that WY be separated from other courses so that shadowing doesn’t present a problem.
Dennis Wildfogel will post a definition of shadowing and guidelines on the webpage for the fall A-meet.

7. BAOC Non-Profit Status – Nick Corsano

Filing Articles of Incorporation with California Secretary of State.
A motion was moved and seconded that the board appoint the club officers (Nick Corsano, Steve Beuerman, Alex Finch, Trinka Gillis) as the initial directors of the corporation. We will file the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws with the State of California, showing the four initial board members, then transfer governance to the other board members at the December meeting. Motion passed.

8. Delegation of Permit Authority to Event Directors – Alex Finch

Event directors need authorization to sign permit applications.
A motion was moved and seconded that, for BAOC events scheduled by the Event Coordinator, the Board authorizes the event's Event Director, the Regional/Specialty Event Coordinator, and/or the Event Coordinator to enter into and sign with the land managers contracts which govern the conditions of those events (typically referred to as permits). Regional/Specialty Event Coordinators include those assigned to North Bay, South Bay, East Bay, A-Meets, Ski-O, COOL and other categories as may be required in the future. The motion passed.

9. 2009 Budget Committee – Steve Beuerman

We need to form a budget committee to develop the 2009 budget. The committee usually includes the president, treasurer and mapper. Let Steve know if you want to be on the committee, and send inputs if you want the 2009 budget to be different than the 2008 budget.
We will vote on the 2009 budget at the December board meeting.

11. Terraloco Update – Rex Winterbottom

Rex’s new company, Terraloco, is formed as a Sole Proprietorship.
He has made maps of Lakeside Park in Oakland, Lake Merritt, Crown Beach in Alameda, and is working on several other locations.
He tentatively plans to schedule training events in the East Bay during October–December.
He often schedules events for the day before BAOC events, nearby.
He has identified many potential map areas, especially for beginners.
Possible events: sprint adventure race, event linking maps in SF, mass transit adventure race, orienteering getaway weekends.
By next fall, BAOC will have more sprint-standard maps than any other club, could host USOF sprint finals.
Nick Corsano explained the financial arrangements with Terraloco. The events are official BAOC events, and Rex is the volunteer ED/CS, but Terraloco owns the maps. We pay Terraloco $2 per participant, and Terraloco will pay us the same to use our maps.

12. Mapping Report – Bob Cooley

The Pacheco Pass map is finished. It is 14 sq km, fairly open terrain. Vladimir will draw it in early 2009.
Vladimir worked on Calero when he was here, too. Some formerly nonusable parts of the park are now usable.
Bob worked on Knowland Park and Presidio. He also started work on Oyster Bay, a former dump south of Oakland airport.
Bob is looking for another big mapping project, so please send any suggestions to him.

13. A-Meet Committee – George Minarik

Report submitted by email.
Nov 14–16 2008 – O in the Oaks 08 – Registration Open. Everything seems on track.
May 1–3, 2009 – Boggs Mtn and Spring Lake A-Meet and U.S. Team Trials. Rex Winterbottom has taken over as Meet Director. WRE is still pending, unclear if USOF has applied to IOF for this. Course setting is on track.
Nov 6–8, 2009 – Pacheco State Park. Map completed. Trying to find Meet Director and course setters.
2010 – Need ideas.
Rex Winterbottom is a possible Pacheco Pass ED.
Jay Hann suggested holding the 2010 Interscholastic C at Boggs Mountain.
Jeff Lanam suggested holding U.S. Night-O Championship at Pacheco Pass.

14. Update on Uniforms – Ben Legg

Spending $150–$200 to have Axis Gear do a professional design. He will have sample uniforms and a fit kit in time for the Berkeley event.
Prices will be about $40 for long pants, $72.50 for a short-sleeved top, and $77.50 for a long-sleeved top.

15. Director’s Reports

a. Web Site – Van Boughner
Report submitted by email.
The BAOC website continues working well on the new server (we moved it months ago), the reliability and level of service has been consistently better. A few more folks have gotten wiki accounts lately. I'd like to remind everyone that we welcome club members, who are interested, to get a wiki account so that they may contribute to the Web site if they desire. When you have a wiki account you can do modifications and updates to your event pages on the Web site without waiting on one of the webmasters to do it, for example. I like to thank everyone that has been making modifications and additions lately for their assistance, and in particular, Chuck and Brad, who are the assistant webmasters and do a great deal to keep the site up to date.
b. Publicity – Nancy Lindeman
She is planning publicity for the Ski-O.
She has published notices in Adventure Sports Journal and other publications, but doesn’t have any evidence that anyone ever attends because of those notices. She has posted on Bay Area Adventure Racers calendar.
It was suggested that she post events on Craigslist, and give a discount code that identifies the way they found the event.
c. Bulletin – Jeff Lanam
The bulletin should be in the mail before Friday. He longer includes minor out-of-town events in the bulletin.
Jeff asked for clarification on how we display second courses on the results. Should they be listed at the bottom of the course or mixed-in with all results?
Several events haven’t had any write-up.
d. Training – Steve Gregg
No report.
e. Registration – Ev & Jean Beuerman
They requested permission to spend money on supplies (bibs and whistles) for the A-meet.
Since this will come out of the A-meet budget instead of registration, they don’t need permission.
f. Membership – Kelly Wells
No report.
g. Social – Rex Winterbottom
The club gained four new members at the Lake Merritt event.
October 25th is the club’s 30th anniversary event, and includes the COOL kick-off event for juniors. Courses are from 9 AM to noon, and we will also have a picnic, tributes, and more.
h. Outreach – Scott Aster
Judy Koehler has been active in the North Bay working with home-school groups. She mapped four one-room school houses and has worked with the teachers.
There is a large event on October 1st – the Presidio Teacher’s Forum. We will be there to publicize map reading and orienteering, and will have a large display area at the front of the hall.
He also did one-on-one orienteering tutoring with an adventure racer.
i. Equipment – Mark Blair
There are no outstanding equipment issues.
The EPunch volunteer situation is desperate. Mark has developed software around the GeBe printer that makes it possible for an entire event to be run with the printer, no EP specialists needed. This may make its debut at Las Trampas.
j. Juniors – Jay Hann
The club issued two junior training grants this year – to Daniel and Philipp Kopisch. They attended the U.S. Championships and the training week in advance of the Championships.
Philipp and Daniel thanked the club for the grant and spoke of the benefits – meeting the U.S. junior team, becoming acclimatized to the altitude, learning a lot from the juniors.
The COOL shadowing policy is posted online.
The club will be holding two events for juniors this weekend, the inaugural events for this year.
The public is allowed at COOL events this year.
Scout orienteering championships – two entries are possible.
Jay Hann wants to purchase more EPunch controls.
The Interscholastic Championships needs two more trophies. There should be a total of three: high school, junior varsity, middle school.
Nick created a map and held a Score-O at Treasure Island with the Girl Scouts.
k. Event Quality – Dan Greene
Out-of-towners are surprised by the club’s heavy use of hard-to-find clearings and low bag placement.
Dan has offered to vet for newer course setters.
l. USOF – Gary Kraght
No report.
m. Insurance – Brad Wetmore
USOF insurance doesn’t cover shuttles, so now vehicle protection (shuttles) is a separate charge. This charge covers BAOC liability only, and will be used at Almaden and Joe Grant. In order for you to drive at these events, Brad needs copies of your driver's license and proof of insurance in advance.
ED/CS driving to put out controls and water are covered by their own insurance.
n. Ski-O – Tony Pinkham
No report.
o. EPunch – Toby Ferguson
Report submitted by email.
The only action to report on from an epunch perspective is the recent decision to require that people use separate sticks for each course (in particular, we wish to prevent the use of the same stick for more than one course). We experienced several problems at Tamarancho; we've had problems in the past, and we think that we've now collected enough experience that we don't need to keep doing this to ourselves any longer. We've coordinated with registration on this and believe it should have a minor effect. (A single stick rental of $3 will cover all courses – people will have to come back to exchange their original stick for a new one if they wish to run another or subsequent course. For members with their own stick, they will be lent a stick at no charge—leaving their personal stick as a deposit—for their second or subsequent course[s]).
Under the circumstances that we have too few rental sticks to cope with the number of second courses, then we'll have to relax this restriction. However we will be pushing hard to make people use a separate stick for each course simply because of the problems it can cause us otherwise.

16. New Business – Nick Corsano

None.

The next meeting will be held in Menlo Park on December 9th, 2008.

Meeting adjourned at 10:04 PM.


Minutes approved at board meeting on December 10th, 2008, without changes.