ACBL Unit 157

Board of Directors Meeting
January 5, 2002
Birmingham, Alabama


Attending: Aaron Maryanow, Clay Hall, Doug Hoadley, Bonnie Jung, Don Kemp, JoAnn Maddox, Carolyn Opdyke, Becky Simkins, Bob Simkins, Herb Stappenbeck, Jerri Taylor

Minutes of the last meeting were distributed by Secretary Don Kemp and approved as amended.

Treasurer Aaron Maryanow distributed the Unit 157 balance sheet and income statement. The financial report was approved unanimously by the board.

President Becky Simkins brought to the board’s attention that some misinformation had been circulating about what had taken place in previous board meetings. She requested that all board members share the board minutes with members of their clubs.

President Simkins reported that the Birmingham Bridge Club had been reimbursed $406.44 for EasyBridge! expenses and that the Executive Committee had approved a $180 payment to Bonnie Jung for the accreditation course which was held in Birmingham. Nine members attended the course.

A request was presented on behalf of the Montgomery BC that table brackets for bidding boxes be made available for all tournaments. The Birmingham BC will take responsibility for this.

A request was made for an updated email list of board members to be made available to all board members. Bob Simkins will distribute the list.

A report was presented to the board with recommendations made by the Ad Hoc committee for disbursements left over from the fall 2000 NABC in Birmingham. Aaron Maryanow moved that a committee be appointed to develop a strategic plan for disbursement of the funds by supporting projects which promote bridge and enhance membership growth in Unit 157. Jerri Taylor seconded the motion.

Discussion of the motion included recommendations by Doug Hoadley that the board needs to change the way that matters are handled so that the Executive Committee of the board be empowered to make decisions about expenditures of money for projects which have been approved by the board. He stated that three meetings a year for these types of decision do not allow the flexibility to fund projects on a timely basis.

President Simkins pointed out the Unit has not had the means to finance these types of projects until recently and that while a board meeting can be called at any time, it is very difficult to have a board meeting which does not occur at a tournament. She stated that we now have to opportunity to develop a strategic plan for the first time.

The motion was passed unanimously. President Simkins appointed Doug Hoadley, Bob Simkins, Herb Stappenbeck, and JoAnn Maddox to the committee in addition to the members of the Executive Committee. The first meeting will be at the Montgomery BC on February 3rd at 10:00 AM.

Bob Simkins moved, seconded by Aaron Maryanow, that the Executive Committee of the Board of Unit 157 be empowered to approve the expenditure of Unit funds for the promotion of bridge in Unit 157. The motion passed unanimously.

Herb Stappenbeck, Unit representative to District 10 presented the Member Status Report. Unit 157 gained 125 new members between 1/8/01 and 12/2/01. 76.8% of this growth was in the Birmingham area, 6.4% in Montgomery, 1.6% in Dothan/Ozark, 5.6% in Anniston/Gadsden, and 9.6% in other areas.

Stappenbeck also distributed a report on the meeting of the District 10 Board of Directors held in Tunica, MS on September 15, 2001.

Unit Tournament Coordinator Bob Simkins requested that Birmingham appoint a tournament coordinator for their club.

In motions presented by President Simkins, seconded by Jerri Taylor, the board approved payment of $590 to JoAnn Maddox for Easybridge! expenses in Montgomery and $1,587.49 to the Birmingham DBC for Easybridge! expenses.

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 1:30 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,



Don Kemp, Secretary