A meeting of the Executive Committee of the United States Sailing Association was held by telephone conference at 2000 (Eastern Standard Time) on Tuesday, January 19, 1999. President Muldoon presided, and Secretary Everingham recorded the minutes.

1. Roll Call and Introduction of Guests. All members of the Executive Committee were present except Ms. Baxter and Messrs. Colgate and Osmond. (Ms. Seidenspinner and Mr. Chamberlain joined the meeting at 2015 and 2033, respectively.) Also present were Executive Director Terry Harper and, at the invitation of the President, Board members Joe Cochran and Dick Tillman.

2. Approval of Minutes. The minutes of the December 15, 1998 meeting of the Executive Committee were approved as corrected.

3. President's Remarks. Mr. Muldoon reported on the National Training Symposium in San Diego.

At Mr. Colgate’s request, Mr. Muldoon will explore with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) the possibility of using US SAILING to certify competence to sail.

Mr. Muldoon will appoint a group of appropriate US SAILING members to participate in an informal panel with the USCG to determine what lessons, if any, can be learned the recent Sydney-Hobart tragedy.

4. Treasurer's Report. Treasurer Lane reported on the financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998 and the two-month period ended December 31, 1998, both of which were distributed to the Executive Committee before the meeting.

5. Executive Director's Report. The Executive Director’s report was distributed before the meeting.

5a. Membership - Mr. Harper reviewed the statistical information distributed to the Executive Committee before the meeting. Membership for the year to date is ahead of the corresponding period last year when US SAILING experienced mailing house problems.

5b. Photocopy Machine Replacement – The Executive Committee approved the replacement of the office photocopy machine as proposed by the Executive Director in his report, recognizing that the expenditure was not included in the current capital budget.

5c. Rolex Contract – The proposed four-year contract with Rolex in support of the adult championships (with increased contributions in the third and fourth years) was approved, and the Executive Committee authorized the Executive Director to sign the contract on behalf of US SAILING.

5d. West Marine Contract – The proposed contract (described in the Executive Director’s report) was approved, and the Executive Director was authorized to sign it on US SAILING’s behalf.

5e. Block Island Race Week - The Executive Committee approved sanctioning the 1999 Block Island Race Week as a US SAILING-sanctioned event. Mr. Cook did not participate in the discussion and abstained from voting on the question.

6. Unfinished Business

6a. Site Selection for PanAm Games (2007) - Consideration of this question was deferred. The matter was referred to an ad hoc subcommittee consisting of Messrs. Hobbs and Haenel.

6b. Club Insurance Program - Mr. Cook reported that the ad hoc subcommittee appointed in December had received all of the information that it had request and found it to be satisfactory. The Executive Committee approved the program subject to receiving a signed copy of the December 28, 1998 letter to Terry Harper from Carter Gowrie confirming that Chubb will insure all clubs currently in the club insurance program at premiums no greater that the current premiums.

 

6c. US SAILING Website - Mr. Schoettle reported that bids had been received from 12 prospective website developers and five prospective Internet service providers (ISPs) in response to US SAILING’s requests for proposals. Mr. Schoettle, Ms. Baxter and Mr. Lane were appointed as an ad hoc subcommittee to select the website developer.

6d. US SAILING Championships - Mr. Rosekrans reviewed the written report that he had distributed to the Executive Committee before the meeting and responded to questions.

The Executive Committee deferred acting on the Deed of Gift of The Royal Victoria Yacht Club Trophy to the US SAILING Mallory Cup Committee. Mr. Rosekrans will bring a proposal on the subject to the Executive Committee in March.

6e. USOC Compliance Update – Mr. Everingham reported that USOC Membership and Credentials Committee has accepted the US SAILING plan for compliance that was presented to the committee in December.

6f. Financial Managers Contract – The Executive Committee approved the unbudgeted expenditure of $15,000 for the continued services of the contract financial consultants through the remainder of fiscal 1999. (The cost is $2,000 per month, or $24,000 per year, of which $9,000 previously was approved to cover November 1998 through January 1999, inclusive.)

7. New Business

7a. Extension of US SAILING IMS Prescriptions re: Age Allowance – The extension of the 1998 US SAILING IMS Age Allowance prescriptions for 1999 was approved.

7b. Ida Lewis & Leiter Cup – Clagett Funds Issues – Mr. Rosekrans reported on his continuing discussions with Mr. Clagett.

7c. Terms and Conditions of President’s Club Membership – Action on this matter was deferred until the February Executive Committee meeting.

7d. Publication of Rule 69 Decisions – The Executive Committee confirmed the policy, as stated in Regulation 6.09, that decisions of the Article 14 Review Board will not be published unless the Executive Committee itself has taken disciplinary action under Article 14 or Rule 69 with respect to the event in question.

7e. US SAILING Membership Program with Sailing Schools – The Executive Committee approved in principle a program (described in the Executive Director’s report) that would allow member sailing schools to offer US SAILING membership as part of the initial cost of a course. Details will be worked by the staff.

7f. Qualification Process for PanAm ParaOlympic Games – The "Qualification Process for Pan Am ParaOlympic Games Regatta" set forth in the memorandum dated January 15, 1998 (sic) from Hugh Elliot, Chairman of the Committee on Sailors with Special Needs (Attachment 1), was approved, subject to the concurrence of Messrs. Hobbs and Haenel.

7g. Sundance Cup – The Executive Committee approved sending the Event Grading Form (distributed by Mr. Cook before the meeting) to ISAF.

8. Article 14/Rule 69 Issues - Messrs. Cochran and Tillman were excused and left the meeting before any Article 14/Rule 69 issues were discussed.

8a. Article 14 Review – Messrs. Lane and Chamberlain will continue their review of Article 14 and report to the Executive Committee in February.

8b. 98-69-04 – A Hearing Panel has been appointed, and a hearing has been scheduled, in accordance with Article 14. The Executive Committee appointed Mr. Haenel or Mr. Schoettle (depending on the availability of each of them) as its representative during the hearing in accordance with Article 14, Section 5(a).

9. Quarterly Executive Session - Mr. Harper was excused, and the Executive Committee continued in executive session.

The meeting adjourned at 2212 (Eastern Standard Time). The next meeting will be by telephone conference call at 2000 (Eastern Standard Time) on Tuesday, February 16, 1999.

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J. Theodore Everingham, Secretary