Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, January 18, 2017 – 6:30 p.m. – Biba’s Restaurant

 

Attendance – Bob Morrison, President; Jim Hannah, Vice President; Mike Grobman, Treasurer; Doris Warpole, Secretary; Gary Mastrodonato, Team Sponsorship/Past President; Ron Petre, American League Commissioner; Rick Rhodes, National League Commissioner; Harvey Schulman, AL Member at Large; Eurskine Lyons, NL Member at Large.

 

Agenda Items

 

Annual Meeting Feedback (84 members)
•    Overall positive feedback
•    NL negative feedback – Some members going off topic and bringing up same issues as prior years.
•    Board members discussed the feedback and what might be done to address at annual meeting (e.g., no items on safety issues added to rules/suggestions worksheet). 

• To be discussed further in November Board meeting to prepare for Annual Meeting.

•    Board approved the door prize suggestion from Tom Presley - free First Half League fee for each league.
 
Final 2016 Financial Statement - Mike Grobman
•    12 months ending 12/31/16 Financial Statement - League has a $3,479 balance, and CD with a balance of approximately $5,600.
•    Revenue was good with operating expenses down (light fees and umpire fees lower due to fewer games)
•    League has enough money to pay the additional cost of Dri-Fit shirts and for capital expenditures (net in OF on the softball field or repairs to the pitching machine).
 
First Half Season
•    Deadline to sign up Monday, February 20
•    National League Draft – Tuesday, March 1
•    American League Draft – Wednesday, March 2
•    American League Start Date – Monday, March 20 (NO games week of May 29 Memorial Day)
•    National League Start Date Tuesday, March 21

 

Application Form / League Fees

•    Board approved two 12 week seasons and with League Fees the same - $30 member fee / $98 per season fee.

•    Board approved the following application changes for 2017:

o    Add - League fees are non-refundable.
o    Add - CPR certified
o    Keep – Playing tournament ball
o    Add “availability” to Playing in both leagues
o    Do not add any reference to “Positions will not play”

 

Dri-Fit Shirts
•    Current shirt price is $5.25; Dri-Fit shirt is $9.50 per shirt.
•    Board discussed raising the league fee by $2.00 per season to cover the difference.
•    Straw vote at 2016 annual meeting - majority of AL members was willing to pay extra $5 but majority of NL members on fixed income and not willing to pay extra.
•    Board approved covering the additional cost for Dri-Fit shirts for 2017 so all players could try them.
•    Take a straw vote at 2017 annual meeting to see if members would like to keep Dri-Fit shirts with potential increase in league fees for 2018 or go back to shirts used in 2016.

 

SS-USA Insurance (Ron King)
•    2017 - $520 for 13 teams ($40 per team – same as 2016)

 

Directors and Officers Liability Insurance (Mike Grobman)

•    2017 - $558 – same as 2016

 

2017 Suggestions/Proposed Changes discussed by members at Annual Meeting

 

Board discussed the following suggestions/proposed changes from the Annual Meeting. Only 1 rule change for the AL was approved for 2017.

 

American League
o    SSUSA Rules: SSUSA rulebook will be the highest priority when considering rules.  
o    RULE CHANGE in 2017:  Pitch Count:  Change back to 1-1 with the addition of a courtesy foul.  Straw vote was yes.
o    Additional Penalty for Walking HR Hitter:  Straw vote was not to add an additional penalty.
o    Penalty for Batter Hitting Pitching Screen:  Straw vote was not to add a penalty.
o    Penalty for Pitcher Not Getting Behind Screen:  Straw vote was to leave the current rule as it stands and not add a penalty.  
o    Unsportsmanlike Conduct:  Bad behavior can get player tossed “without a warning”.  Managers are responsible for controlling their players.
o    Suggestions regarding fair playing time, batting order, alternating players entire game:  These will be left up to the managers.   
o    Playoff at End of Season:  Ron is considering a 3-team or 7-team playoff at the end of the season.
•    No Shows for Games:  Not voted on.  Ron will bring it up in the draft meeting.

 

National League
o    Penalty for Batter Hitting Pitching Screen:  Straw vote was not to add a penalty.
o    Penalty for Pitcher Not Getting Behind Screen:  Straw vote was to leave the current rule as it stands and not add a penalty.  
•    No Shows for Games:  Not voted on.  Rick will bring it up in the draft meeting.
o    Unsportsmanlike Conduct:  Bad behavior can get player tossed “without a warning”.  Managers are responsible for controlling their players.
•    Substitutes:  Rick will discuss substitutes and how they will be selected at the draft meeting.

 

Jim Hannah proposed changes to the following rules for the National League.  

•    5.1a - Loaning and Borrowing Players.
o    Current rule - If team with excess players has been assigned a substitute, substitute must remain on the team and regular player must be loaned.
o    Board approved proposed change - Regular player must remain on team and substitute must be loaned.
•    5.1b - Catching for the Other Team
o    Current rule - If team does not have enough players to constitute a full team, opposing team must catch for them.
o    Board approved the addition to rule - At the start game, catcher would be the last batter in the batting order from the opposing team.
•    2 -  Playing Field – Remove IF Restriction Line on softball to allow infielders to play back to the grass for safety reasons.  IF line to remain on the baseball field equal to the same distance as the grass on the softball field.
o    Board approved the removal of the IF line on the softball field as a “trial period” for the first half.  Decision will be re-evaluated based on feedback from players before start of second half.

 

Players on Draft List
•    Rick asked when players are added to the draft list since there was discussion at the annual meeting that a player was added who had not paid.
o    Doris stated a player is not added to the draft unless they have paid at least the $30 member fee.
o    Majority of players in the NL pay the full league fee before the season starts, but there are a few AL players that due to their jobs pay by the second week of play.
o    If a player has an issue in paying by the second week of play, they need to contact Doris to make arrangements to pay in full.

 

Players not Showing Up
•    Board discussed how to handle players who do not show up for games or only sign up for 50%.
o    If a player does not show up for several games and does not call, drop the player off the roster and replace with someone on the waiting list, if there is a waiting  list.
o    League Commissioners will discuss with managers at the draft meetings it is their discretion to pick players who may be gone for 3-4 weeks on vacation or players who have had an issue with showing up in the past.  They live with their picks.  

 

Disputed Calls
•    Managers need to reinforce with their players not to confront or argue with the umpire about a call.
o    If they do, they could be disciplined for unsportsmanlike conduct.
•    If there is a question about a play, there should be an open dialogue about the play between managers and umpire, and if necessary with the League Commissioner.
•    Ed will go over this with the managers at the draft meetings

 

Manager Rules of Conduct
•    Added “Limit pre-game batting practice swings to 5 per player.”

 

Umpire Rules of Conduct
•    No changes.

 

Player Movement Guidelines
•    No changes.
•    After discussion about skill level of some players in both leagues, Board decided that League Commissioners and managers will discuss the players at the draft meetings and make a final decision about which league to play in.

 

Returning Players with Sportsmanship Issues
•    After discussion about players with unsportsmanlike conduct and why they were suspended or not allowed to play in the National league, Board decided to review each player individually and make decision on whether or not to allow them to sign up for the First Half.  

 

Players Playing in Both Leagues
•    Nate Henry asked if a player has to pay the full amount if they want to play in both leagues or can there be discount for choosing to play in both leagues.
•    Board had reviewed this issue when it was first implemented and decided that players must pay the full league fees for each league.  No discount allowed.
•    Ron stated that allowing players to play in both leagues has created a problem when a player that has games on the same night opts to play with a team in the other league leaving the other one short.  
•    Another issue is a NL player in the AL draft takes a slot and an AL player ends up on the waiting list.
•    Ron’s suggestion was to put NL players on the AL sub list where they may get more playing time.
•    Board approved adding to the application “availability” which allows the LC flexibility in deciding if a player goes on the sub list or put on a team.
 
Annual Memorial Tournament - One Pitch - Thursday between seasons
•    Everyone agreed that players seemed to enjoy having the Memorial tournament during the week and at Best Friend.  More players participated in 2016 than in past Memorial tournaments.
•    Some issues included disagreement over the field schedules between leagues and number of NL players participating.
•    Ron and Rick will work together on promoting the tournament among their teams and setting the schedule.
•    Tentative date for 2017 Memorial Tournament - Thursday, June 29
•    Only cost would be umpire fees.
•    No fee to play - No outside teams.

 

Play Off Tournament End of Seasons
•    League Commissioners will make decision for their league if they want to have a play off at the end of each season.
•    Play off tournament subject to rainouts and availability of fields.
•    No fee to play.
 
League Commissioners
•    Contact Team Managers and send Doris the names
•    Per Ron, League has enough softballs to cover 2017 First Half

 

Team Sponsors (Gary)
•    Board reviewed the suggestions from Ed McVeigh for Sponsorship and decided that there would be no changes in sponsorship for 2017.
•    Suggestions 1 and 2 will be discussed further in November Board meeting to prepare for 2018.
1.    Company names on the website – lower price than regular sponsorship
2.    Supply of balls during a season or league (company name on web site) – Ron stated the cost of a sponsorship would probably be cheaper than buying a supply of softballs.
3.    Company signs in dug outs - Ed was told that Gwinnett County has restrictions on signs – size, placement, etc. and any signs would have to be put up and taken down by managers after games.

•    Gary updated the Board on the 2017 sponsors.  There are 2 sponsors on wait list if someone drops out.
o    Doris will send shirt sizes to Gary after the rosters are set.
 
CPR Training
•    Sterling Poole and Larry McDaniel said they would be willing to do CPR training for the league.  
•    Board discussed having CPR training at the manager draft meeting or at a Saturday practice in March.
•    Doris will follow up with Sterling and Larry to see if the training could be done on a Saturday so more players as well as managers might be certified.  
•    A question will also be added to the application asking if the player is CPR certified.  This will be added to the rosters so managers know who on their team can perform CPR.
•    AED – Tested by Doris – Battery expiration is 1/19 – Adult heart pads replaced 12/16 (good for 2 years)

 

Keys to Best Friend Park (Lock Box vs Keys to Blue Box)
•    Bob, Ron, Rick, and Doris have keys to Best Friend park with 1 set in the Blue Box.
•    Board discussed keeping keys to the blue box for the managers vs investing in a lock box for the concession room.  Issue with the lock box is it could be easily removed.
•    Board decided to keep using keys for the blue box.  
•    Ron volunteered to get a bigger lock for the blue box and 15 keys.

 

Pitching Machine Repair or Replace – Jim Hannah
•    Ball feeder is not feeding the balls accurately (too fast or multiple balls)
o    Ken and Jim are not using it during practices.
o    Jim said it would cost $550 to fix it.  
•    His recommendation is not to fix the feeder and continue to have players hand feed the balls.  
o    This is safer since some players do not pay attention and turn their backs on the batter.

 

Pitcher Screens Repair or Replace – Jim Hannah
•    The top piece on both screens need to be replaced.
o    Jim said new Pitch Safe screens would cost $300 each; other screens cost $179 each.
o    The top piece could be replaced for $27 each.
•    Board approved his recommendation to replace the top pieces on both screens.
o    If they don’t hold up, league could purchase new ones.

 

Pictures for League
•    Jim said Kathy Walker agreed to start taking the pictures for the league.
•    Board approved that Kathy’s First Half league fee of $98 will be waived.  

 

Tim Haratine Built by Bees – GSS Fund Raiser (Dome Stadium Proposal
•    Board reviewed the proposal and decided not to pursue.   
•    Gary will respond to Tim with the following points:
o    League membership contact list not used for this type activity and we do not want to set a precedent.
o    This can open the door for other players with businesses to request promotion of their business.
o    It is not fair to our sponsors who have invested in the league in order to market their organization.  
o    There was skepticism on the amount of revenue to be generated and we do not have enough league membership to raise significant funds.
o    This would require some sort of monitoring; and board members are volunteers with limited time.
o    League as it is operating now is member funded; and we have no cash flow issues.
o    We have sent out (blasted) softball related information and there have been members who stringently asked us not to use their contact info for any solicitations.  
o    You are free to market to individuals in the league.

 

Other Organizations Using Best Friend Fields
•    Baseball field – Sunday morning – Korean baseball league
•    Softball field – Sunday morning – Cricket League
•    Softball Field – Sunday afternoon – Ladies Kick Ball League

 

Gwinnett County Parks Proposed Saturday Tournaments
•    January 14 and December 9 – Doris gave Gwinnett County OK for these 2 dates.
•    Board gave OK for Gwinnett County to have May 27 (Memorial weekend).  
o    Per Ron, there will not be any American League games week of May 29 Memorial Day.

 

Letters from President:  January Mailing Application Letter; February Letter to Team Managers and Umpires; and March Welcome Letter to Players who sign up
•    Bob will review letters and provide Doris with edits based on decisions made at meeting.
•    Sign up letter to go out by January 31.