MINUTES

CLEVELAND WHIST CLUB

EMERGENCY BOARD MEETING, UNIT 125, AUGUST 18, 2010

SOLON PARTY CENTER

PRESENT: Barbara Bacon, Barbara Greenspan, Geraldean Jones, Harriet Kitay, Rosemary Kleis, Ellen Miles, Sue Pisanelli, Ros Sukenik, Kermit Wolford, Jim Stahl, Mary Lou Vermerris.

ABSENT: Ginny Young, Fleur Howard, Frank Scali, Kathy Sulgrove.

GUESTS: Sharon Fairchild, Cathy Wolford.

Minutes of the August 4, 2010 meeting were approved with the following correction. Under the Vichill League Committee heading, the second paragraph should read as follows.

A question was raised about the handicapping to be used in the Vichill League. For purposes of handicapping in the Vichill League, no team whose average master point holding is greater than 5000 master points will receive any handicapping. When teams with an average of less than 5000 masterpoints play a team with an average greater than 5000 master points, handicaps will be awarded to the team with the lesser average using the 5000 master point figure for the team with the greater average. Once a team average is greater than 5000 master points, its average will be capped at 5000. When teams with an average less than 5000 master points play other teams with an average of less than 5000 master points, handicapping will be based on their respective averages.

A motion was made by Ellen Miles and seconded by Barb Greenspan to accept the corrected minutes. The motion carried.

Vice President Barb Bacon handed out an expanded agenda for this emergency meeting. The Purpose of the meeting is to discuss the sale of the Solon Party Center and its impact on Unit 125.

A. The Solon Party Center has been sold. Unit 125 has been left in a vulnerable position with the loss of our site to hold meetings and sectional tournaments. We have also lost our permanent storage place for Unit materials. Unit 125 has until August 30, 2010 to remove their materials from the hall. The Center has returned $250 of the Unit’s deposit. They have also indicated to Barb Bacon that they are willing to let us rent the tables (the tables are in good condition) at the current rate and store them at no cost. The charge for delivering to any site is to be negotiated. Barb Bacon is still working with the Center administration regarding damages to the unit due to short notice to vacate.

The Unit’s boards, bidding boxes, cups and score sheets will be stored with Jim Stahl (Whist Club Director). This leaves the metal cabinet, glass pitchers, and plaques. They will be stored temporarily with Jim or Bev.

B. Barb Bacon has resolved the site for the Vichill League which starts September 29, 2010. St Michael’s is available and willing to rent the hall to the Unit at the same cost ($500 per night) that we paid 2 years ago. This includes coffee, tea and snacks. We will need to use the lower level (gym) on September 29, October 20 and November 17, 2010 when the main hall is unavailable.

C. Master/Future Event, October 6, 2010.

The Solon Senior Center is available for the M/FM Event for a rental of $150 (3/4 of the hall). Tables will have to be rented if the Senior Center is utilized. St. Michael’s is available for a flat rate of $100 with tables. No home cooked food can be taken into St. Michael’s as it jeopardizes their standing with the Health Department. They would need to know where any food comes from.

Kermit Wolford made a motion, seconded by Mary Lou Vermerris, that we have the event at St. Michael’s this year. The motion carried.

D. Sectional Tournament Sites:

The 499’r Sectional Tournament, October 16 and 17, 2010 is over a weekend. St. Michael’s is unavailable over the weekends. The Senior Center is closing. The 499’r Tournament will not be cancelled. There is space to hold this tournament at the Solon Community Center. The cost is the issue. It costs $1100 to rent the Community Center for a Saturday event. A smaller location could be used for this event.

The Buckeye State Sectional is scheduled to be held November 5-7, 2010. Inquiries were made at the Holiday Inn in Independence and they are not available. The Marriott at Harvard is not within our cost ability. The Hilton on Chagrin is being looked at. The VFW Hall on Rockside is too small for sectionals. Barb Bacon is negotiating with the Solon Community Center. She will also be looking at the Embassy Suites at Independence(has no tables) and the Knights of Columbus Hall in Garfield Heights also for the November Sectional. Other suggestions included the Clarion in Hudson.

Rental for the Solon Party Center was $650 for Friday, $750 for Saturday, and $650 for Sunday. There were additional charges for the hospitality Room of about $550 making the total $2475 for a weekend Sectional Tournament.

E. Future Planning for the Unit 125

Unit 125 needs to secure a home for Sectional Tournaments. Fleur Howard and Sue Pisanelli had volunteered previously to look for a permanent location for Unit 125 for 2011. The issue is more pressing now with a need to search immediately for Sectional Tournament sites. Volunteers are needed to assist Fleur Howard and Sue Pisanelli. Things to be considered include:

5000 to 7500 square feet of space ( room for 60 tables at least).

Sufficient parking area.

Adequate Restrooms (at least 5 stalls in the Women’s restroom).

Sufficient lighting (lighting to light all corners).

Central location to encourage players from both sides of the Cuyahoga Curtain.

Mirrors must be covered or must be able to cover mirrors.

Tables and Chairs (must have at least 300 chairs).

Microphone that works (check if cost is separate and if so how much).

Food – need to be able to bring in our own food or have reasonably priced food catering. Best scenario is for free coffee supplied by the facility. Water must be available throughout the events.

G. Pittsburgh Regional with District 5 meeting over Labor Day Weekend. Unit 125 needs 4 more representatives for the District 5 meeting at Pittsburgh. No one volunteered. Hope Ellis was suggested as one possibility.

H. Other Issues of Old or New Business:

The Vichill League table numbers are shrinking. Age of the general bridge population with declining abilities particularly sight was discussed. Many do not want to travel at night. Also discussed was the number of 6 member teams.

John and Judy Spooner are now doing the Unit 125 Newsletter. They would like to mail the newsletter out to Unit members. They ask if the Unit would be willing to absorb the cost of mailing. The consensus was that we continue to distribute the newsletter as we are doing presently.

Stephanie Alexander served as TA for the August Sectional Tournament. There was a reduced cost for directors for the Tournament. The board favors continuing to use Stephanie when she is available and when it is appropriate in future tournaments. A contract is still needed.

Jim Stahl discussed the Whist Club Unit Game. There will be no game on Sunday, October 3, 2010 as there is a Sectional Tournament in Akron. He asks if there will be a side game at the 499’r tournament. This will be discussed at the next board meeting when we know more about where the event will be held. The Game on October 31, 2010 will start at 2PM due to a scheduling conflict with the Senior Center. There will be no Whist Club Unit Games on the Sundays after the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. He also asked if more charity games could be held. More charity games will be held.

Rosemary Kleis moved and Harriet Kitay seconded that due to the urgency of our situation, Barbara Bacon be given the authority to make decisions to secure a location if she finds one with the right price and the right space for the Unit 125 to use for the upcoming Sectionals. The motion carried.

Barbara Greenspan questioned the stratification of the Swiss Team Game at the last sectional. Discussion followed. Also questioned was the large span of the number of master points for the B stratification (750-2500). It was also noted that averaging of master points for team, to use in stratification of teams was not done due to an error in the printed and distributed flyer.

Cathy Wolford announced that the Coffee, Tea and Pop would be free for the night’s IMP league event. The Hall will not charge for these items tonight.

A motion to adjourn was made by Sue Pisanelli and seconded by Ellen Miles. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 6:55 PM.

The next meeting will be held September 15, 2010 at 5:30PM at the home of Rosemary Kleis, 5715 Elm Hill Drive; Solon, Ohio 44139.

Hospitality will be provided by Barbara Greenspan.