BLUE RIDGE SKI COUNCIL

Blue Ridge Home Page

Click here for Current information

BLUE RIDGE SKI COUNCIL

Minutes of Fall1999 Meeting

Hilton Hotel, Columbia, MD

Sunday, September 26, 1999

Attendees

BRSC:  Peter Porton, President; Wayne Homens, Vice President; Candy Levin, Treasurer; Steve Peirce, Assistant Treasurer; Nancy Cruise, Secretary; SMSC: Bob Gray, Barbara Flynn, Jackie Imes, Frank Gormas; Pentagon:  Joel Gardner, Cheree Emory, Pat Riggs, Dave Olsen; PVS: Serge Trian; Baltimore: Charlie Saunders, Christopher Pukalski, Robin Dodd; HQAFWSC:  Dave Gurtner, John LaJeunesse; SCWDC:  John Veen, Sharon Cavallaro, Pam Fountain; Columbia:  Kitty Imdahl Linda Bain, Bill Schrodel, Ted Dietz, Richard Kreu, Gary Prestianni; Fredericksburg:  Rae Ehlen, Michael Redding, Bob Cote; Little Heiskel:  Blaine Weaver;  OTHG: John Mathews; Richmond: Maynard Dalton; Salisbury: Ed Torbert; WSI:  Sam Mantis;  BARS:  Kate Hayes; Killington: Barry Speare

President Peter Porton called the meeting to order at 9:15 a.m. He welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Approval of Minutes.   Kitty Imdahl moved and Robin Dodd seconded approval of the minutes.  All in favor.  Motion approved.

Treasurer’s Report/1999-2000 Budget.   Candy reported that $3175.72 in savings account and $3049.09 in the checking account.  She said that there was a $147.40 excess in the 1999 Western Carnival budget and for Winterfest it was $425.00.  Candy said she received a letter from Jack Gravenmeyer, formerly of PA Area Racing Association (PARA), returning an outdated BRSC honorarium check.  Jack state that the region had split, and that VA and WV are now part of the Southern Area Racing Association (SARA).  Dave Olsen moved that BRSC give a $100.00 honorarium to both the PARA and SARA organizations.  Charlie Saunders seconded.  All in favor.  Candy also said that a National Ski Council Federation was forming and that in order to remain a member, BRSC must remit $100.00 charter fee/dues.  Peter said he paid the dues out of his pocket and that the annual dues amount had not been established but Peter estimated that it would be approximately $50.00.  He stated that currently the dues are being used for mailings.  Wayne Homens moved that Peter be reimbursed the $100.00 for dues to the Federation and to continue paying yearly dues not to exceed $75.00 per year.  Dave Olsen seconded.  Candy reported she that received a note from the Baltimore Adaptive Recreation and Sports organization thanking the BRSC for its honorarium.  The money will go towards the purchase of a pair of super light outriggers used by individuals who ski either in a bi-ski or mono-ski.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Ski Shows.  On behalf of Fred Zedeck, Peter reported that the ski show would be November 5-7 at Ballston Commons with a Warren Miller movie.

Ski Patrol.  No report.

PSIA.   No report.

Ski Saftety.  No report.

Publicity.  Peter addressed the issue of a BRSC directory.  Peter said if the council would like him to, he would look into a BRSC directory where each club would have a page which could contain club logo, web page, officers, official address, etc.  Would be put together for free, paid for by advertising.  The council concurred for Peter to look into concept of putting together a BRSC directory.  Peter said he would report on progress at the spring meeting.

Racing.   Sam Mantis reported that copies of the past season’s race results and the year 2000’s schedule were available.  He stated that at the spring banquet they had two speakers, the ski column writer from the Washington Times who spoke on helmets and Greg Gorsman racing director at Ski Liberty who talked about racing and Ski Liberty’s race training program.  Dave Olsen reported that the racing was set for Steamboat and Western Carnival.  Dave proposed that on the Steamboat Bash trip because of composition of participants that BRSC dispense with the club participation award, to make it more of an event of if you want to race, okay.  Dave asked for input from the floor, none voiced.  Dave reported that NASTAR had changed its name to NASTAR.COM and also changed the structure of the awards with the handicapping system, that they had gone to 5 year vice 10 year age groups, e.g. if a person is in later half of the 10-year age group, they would receive a 2-3 point handicap advantage on the medals over the first half of that age group.  Dave stated that the current BRSC racing program is tied to the NASTAR system and that if BRSC switched to the new system it could mean an increase in number of medals to be awarded and more time would be required to tally results. Discussion followed.  Dave said it would be a very modest effort on his part to change to the 5-year format; that merchandise did not really factor in since it could not be counted on every year; and the cost for the additional medals would be minimal (approximately $50.00) and would be included in the $5.00 fee added on by the broker and returned to the Council. Candy stated that an increase in cost for awards for racing would mean a faster decline in the treasury balance.  Peter said that the bid packages sent out in last couple of years asked for a participant’s rebate back to Blue Ridge of $5.00. and also to make $300.00 available for racing awards.  That’s what he sent out for 2001.  Bids came back either way.  Kitty moved that BRSC keep race program tied to the new NASTAR program.  Robin second.  All in favor.

Internet Update.  BRSC web address is www.skicouncil.com. Wayne reported that in July there were 235 visits to the BRSC site.  In August there were 407 visits and so far in September, 676 visits.  Wayne handed out a questionnaire asking for info on each of the Club’s web pages and asking for recommendations for the BRSC site.  Wayne said that if there were clubs that did not have a web presence and would like to get minimal info out on the web, he would be willing to do it on the BRSC site for gratis.   The National Ski Council resides at snowski.com.  Wayne recommended that clubs search out sites that list clubs, three of which are: snowskiclub.com, skicentral.com, and dcski.com.  Wayne asked the clubs to report to him at the next meeting how many people went on their club’s trips because the participants found the club through BRSC.

Trip Sanctions.  Wayne reported there were 21 sanctions, one gratis to SCWDC for their learn to ski page.   Peter asked the clubs to advertise the SCWDC learn to ski program.

Peter addressed the Council on the concept of a BRSC Europe trip.  He said that no one had volunteered to coordinate a 2001 Winterfest or Ski O Ree and had only received one bid (and two proposals for areas not selected by BRSC) from a broker for 2001 Winterfest.  He recommended that Ski O Ree be turned over to SCWDC to run as a learn to ski/ski performance enhancement trip.  It would still be a BRSC Ski O Ree but run by SCWDC.  SCWDC had agreed with the concept.  Kitty Imdahl moved that BRSC drop Winterfest 2001, replace with Ski O Ree run by SCWDC and a European trip.  Serge Trian seconded.  Wayne moved the motion be tabled to the afternoon session to give people time to discuss the issue.  Nancy Cruise seconded.  17 in favor/13 opposed.  Motion was tabled.

2001 Western Carnival.   Nancy Cruise, 2001 Western Carnival Coordinator, and Peter presented the bids received from the brokers.  The two areas under consideration were Whistler and Telluride.  After extensive discussion, the Council voted unanimous for Telluride.  The selection of a broker was tabled until after lunch.

 The Council broke for lunch at 12:00 and reconvened at 1:00.

 Peter said that SCWDC would come back to the Council at the spring meeting about the concept of SCWDC running Ski O Ree.  Kitty Imdahl amended her earlier motion to: eliminate Winterfest 2001 and replace it with a March European trip.  Pat Riggs seconded.  21 in favor/6 opposed.  Motion approved.    The Council discussed possible locations for the Europe trip.  The Council decided to leave location up to the brokers and be the 1^st week in March.  Dave suggested that clubs look for volunteers to be the coordinator for the Europe trip. Charlie Saunders moved that bid packages be sent to GTU, JTM, Ventures on Skis and K&M.   Ted Dietz seconded.  All in favor. 

 The Council voted and accepted the bid from JTM for the 2001 Western Carnival at Telluride.  Dates are February 3-10, 2001.

 The Council broke into groups at 1:55 and reconvened at 2:30.

 Peter presented Salisbury Ski Club’s membership application to the Council.  Charlie Saunders moved that the Council accept Salisbury Ski Club into the BRSC. Rich seconded.  All in favor.

 Wayne Homens was selected to put together the spring election committee.

 Southern MD volunteered to host the spring meeting on April 30.

 Internet Wrap up.  Wayne reported that the internet work group recommended that the BRSC clubs be added to main BRSC web page and that the sanction page format be date sequenced.

 The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

 V/R

Signed

NANCY E. CRUISE

Secretary

Blue Ridge Ski Council

March 5, 2000