Executive Committee Minutes
November 18, 2003

1. President Janet Baxter called the meeting to order at 8:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time.

2. Members present were: Janet Baxter, Dean Brenner, Paul Callahan, Jim Capron, Ruth Creighton, Don Durant, Bruce Eissner, Fred Hagedorn, Dick Hanneman, Leslie Keller, Patty Lawrence, Bill Munster, Joni Palmer, and Bill Ross. Also present were Executive Director Nick Craw and Budget Director Hortensia Hacker. Absent were Tom Hubbell and Jim Muldoon.

3. Action Items:
Motion to approve the Minutes for the Saturday, Oct.18, 2003 Annual General Meeting of US SAILING was made, seconded and carried.

Motion to approve the Minutes for the Sunday, Oct. 19, 2003 Executive Committee meeting of US SAILING was made, seconded and carried.

Motion to approve the Minutes for the Sunday, Oct. 19, 2003 Board of Directors meeting of US SAILING was made, seconded and carried.

4. President Baxter announced that all Committee Chairs had been asked to nominate committee members by December 1, 2003. Walt Chamberlain will assemble the lists for approval at the December Executive Committee meeting. She is working out her schedule to attend meetings and other events during the coming year.

5. The Executive Committee agreed to a code of conduct, including that its meeting agendas will be distributed on Thursday prior to each meeting, and a draft copy of EXCOM minutes will be distributed to members within 10 days of the meeting.

6. Executive Director Craw discussed the ongoing negotiations with Sailing World/Cruising World magazines. The Executive Committee encouraged him to continue his negotiations and to include other publications if possible. President Baxter announced that an open letter to SW/CW subscribers is scheduled for the December issues and will be co-signed by her and John Burnham, editor of Sailing World.

7. E.D. Craw also discussed cash flow issues that require strict discipline to be exercised for the remainder of this year and through the first quarter of 2004.

8. Treasurer Leslie Keller announced that she is working with the office to establish additional financial tools, including benchmarks, ratios and trend analysis in an effort to improve making real time financial decisions.

9. ISAF: Offshore Chair Bruce Eissner announced that the recommendations for the Special Regs that were submitted by the US SAILING Offshore Committee were adopted. President Baxter noted that in other actions, ISAF resolved to maintain Rule 16, agreed to appoint race officials after consultation with classes and the governing bodies (i.e. US SAILING) regarding race officials at Olympic class championships and Grade 1 events . International certification will not be a requirement. ISAF also resolved that throw-outs will not be allowed during the 2004 Olympic Games.

10. US SAILING Olympic chair Fred Hagedorn expressed the OSC appreciation for the support of the many volunteers who made the 7 already completed trials (in 3 locations) possible, and in particular the hosting organizations at the St. Petersburg YC, the Houston YC and the US Sailing Center of Martin County. Results are on the Web site.

11. Action Item:
Jim Capron moved that US SAILING approve an International Judges Seminar scheduled at the St. Francis YC in San Francisco, Feb. 27-29, 2003. Motion seconded and carried.

12. General Services Chair Ruth Creighton reported that the Risk Management committee is writing its Terms of Reference. Changes in the Physical and Sexual Abuse Policies, passed in May, will be made to comply with the Legal Committee's requirement that anything incorporated in the By-laws must be written to conform with the Ted Stevens Sports Act and the USOC regulations.

13. Nick Craw reported an Optimist Class decision to suspend distribution of its mailing list because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which prohibits distribution of names of those under 13. Because US SAILING has in the past provided Youth Member names to regatta organizers and others, it was agreed that a clear policy is needed to insure conformity with that act and all current regulations.

14. Action Item:
It was moved that US SAILING suspend indefinitely any distribution of its Youth Membership list pending the adoption of a policy that conforms to all current regulations, and that event organizers and other interested parties be advised of this decision. Seconded and Carried.

Joni Palmer agreed to research and draft a policy on youth membership list distribution.

15. The Executive Committee recommended that the Race Officers at Championships policy, which was referred back to the ExCom by the Board of Directors, be resubmitted to the full Board of Directors at the 2004 Spring meeting. Comments on the policy, which was distributed at the St. Louis meetings, should be addressed to the Race Administration Committee.

An Executive Session followed.

The meeting was adjourned at 10 P.M. Eastern Standard Time.

Respectfully submitted,

Dick Hanneman, Secretary