1. Roll Call and Introduction of Guests. All members of the Executive Committee were present except Messrs. Colgate and White and Ms. Seidenspinner. Also present were Executive Director Terry Harper and, at the invitation of the President, Board member Glen Brandenburg. Director Phil Eaton was invited but was unable to attend.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. The minutes of the March 21, 1999 meetings of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors were approved as distributed before the meeting.

3. President's Remarks. Mr. Muldoon commented on recent favorable US SAILING-related items in Scuttlebutt. He also reported that he is attending to the National Safe Boating Conference in Oregon and will report to the Executive Committee after he returns.

4. Treasurer's Report. Treasurer Lane discussed the financial statements for the six-month period ended March 31, 1999, that were distributed to the Executive Committee by mail the week before the meeting.

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

5a. Membership Report - Mr. Harper reviewed the generally encouraging statistical information that was distributed to the Executive Committee before the meeting and discussed in his report.

5b. Meeting Sites - The Executive Committee discussed meeting sites. Mr. Chamberlain will bring the Site Selection Committee’s recommendation for the 2001 Spring Meeting to the May 18 Executive Committee meeting. The Executive Committee approved Marina del Rey as the site for the 2002 Annual General Meeting (Mr. Haenel abstaining).

6. Unfinished Business

6a. Website Update – Mr. Schoettle reported that the first priority has been establishing website pages for committees and councils. There currently are approximately 35 web liaisons with pages activated. Mr. Signorello will monitor newly posted material daily. Mr. Schoettle referred to his guidelines (distributed before the meeting. The guidelines will be revised to prohibit endorsements of products or services. The home page is the second priority. The third priority is databases.

The consensus was that initially US SAILING should not charge a fee to have a link on the US SAILING site and that links should be provided for classes that are not members of US SAILING.

Financial information should not be posted because of the likelihood that it will be misunderstood or misused and because of the anticipated burden on the staff in responding to related questions. Ms. Baxter will work on a simplified financial presentation.

6b. Portsmouth Office Lease - Mr. Lane reported on discussions concerning the office lease. Messrs. Lane and Harper will continue negotiations and bring a proposal and recommendation to the Executive Committee in 30 to 60 days.

6c. Merchandise Program - Mr. Harper summarized the report on the merchandise program that he distributed to the Executive Committee before the meeting.

6d. USOC Compliance - Mr. Everingham reported.

7a. Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal - No action was taken.

7b. National Boating Federation & United Safe Boating Institute - Mr. Muldoon requested information about these organizations.

7c. GMC Contract - Mr. Harper outlined the proposed GMC contract described in the report that he distributed before the meeting. The Executive Committee appointed Messrs. Chamberlain, Rosekrans, Schoettle and Harper to decide whether to proceed with the matter.

7d. Membership Requirements for Board Members and Council & Committee Chairs – The Executive Committee concluded that Article Three, Section 2; Article Five, Section 2; Article Eleven, Section 1(b) adequately address this requirement.

7e. ISAF Recognition – International One Design (IOD) Class – The Executive Committee approved endorsing the IOD Class application for ISAF recognition.

7f. Recertification of Rowland F. Smith, Jr. – The Executive Committee approved Mr. Smith’s application for recertification as an International Measurer for the Tornado Class.

7g. "Where to Sail" Database – After discussion, Ms. Baxter was appointed to manage the expansion or creation of a Where to Sail database that will be available in searchable format on the website and include many types of sailing programs. She was directed to minimize reliance on outside vendors, but to pursue outreach-type grants.

7h. Sailors with Special Needs Committee – The Executive Committee approved the appointment of Richard Hughes to the Sailors with Special Needs Committee.

8. Executive Session - Mr. Brandenburg were excused, and the Executive Committee and Mr. Harper continued in executive session.

9. Article 14/Rule 69 Issues - The Executive Committee acknowledged receipt of correspondence from the Chairman of the Judges Committee respecting 98-14-02.

The meeting adjourned at 2226 (Eastern Time). The next meeting will be by telephone conference call at 2000 (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, May 18, 1999. 

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