GULF WINDS TRACK CLUB Minutes

Board Members Present: Paul Guyas, Alyssa Terry, David Yon, Mary Jean Yon, Mark Priddy, Herb Wills, Jim Halley, Kristin Halley, Chika Okoro, Tec Thomas, Joseph Petty, Judy Alexander, Bill Hillison, Laura McDermott, and Tom Perkins.

Others Present: Bill Lott, Dominic Milner, Johanna Petty, Bill Hillison, Peg Griffin, Keith Rowe, Kaari Guyas, and Sade Guyas.

The president called the meeting to order at 7:32 P.M. and a quorum was established.

The Board approved the minutes from the May meeting without objection.

Officer Announcements

No announcements.

Old Business

 Board Management Web Service – Alyssa Terry, Paul Guyas, & Joseph Petty           

Joseph reviewed the main features of the Board Management Web Service, which has been discussed in previous meetings. Overall, this service would assist the secretary with compiling agenda items, sending mass emails to the board, and conducting votes to determine the board’s preferences on various topics. However, the majority of board members decided to table this discussion and re-open it in the future if it is determined there is a need for it.    

SMIRFS – David Yon

David reported that SMIRFS have had a wonderful start with over 50 kids from ages 6 to 12 who have signed up, as well as approximately 30 kids who have attended a practice. There are many kids with good talent, as well as many that have expressed an interest in running with a goal of getting or staying in shape. There has been some fluctuation in the number of attendees; for example, while there may be 15 kids present one day, there may be 3 kids present the next day. Laura McDermott and Zander Gruenewald deserve special recognition for being SMIRF team leaders. Moreover, Billy Mrazek and Amy Hassell continue to be excellent coaches who have added a lot to the program. Workouts at these practices include easy running, stretching and drills, and hard running including fartlek, hill repeats, strides, and time trials. The kids also have the chance to play soccer, football, kickball, as well as play time on the playground. Kids are welcome and encouraged to join anytime this summer. It is free and fun! Registration for SMIRFS is available on Runsignup.com.

New Business

2019 Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K Budget – Bill Lott and Tom Perkins

Bill and Tom presented the proposed budget for the 2019 Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K. This budget included estimated total revenue of $3,687.00 and estimated total expenditures of $3,452.00 with an estimated net proceeds of $235.00. They requested that 100% of the overall proceeds be donated to the Chenoweth Fund. A motion was made to approve the budget for the 2019 Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K budget, which was seconded and approved unanimously. Moreover, their goal is to collect 2,500 pounds of canned food items for the Second Harvest Food Bank. Bill and Tom stated they will present a wrap-up for the 2019 Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K in September.  

2019 Palace Saloon 5k Financial Report – Mark Priddy

Mark presented the wrap up for the 2019 Palace Saloon 5k. This race resulted in a total income of $16,203.27 and total expenses of $9,225.44 with a net revenue of $ 6,977.83. Mark requested that 50% of the total revenue ($3,488.92) be donated to GWTC and the other 50% of the total revenue ($3,488.91) be donated to charities; from this 50% of total revenue for charities, in addition to direct donations, Mark proposed that 75% ($2,937.75) be donated to the Parkinson’s Outreach Association and 25% ($950.25) be donated to the Friends of Our Park Foundation, Inc. A motion was made to approve these donations, which was seconded and approved unanimously. Mark stated the 2020 Palace Saloon 5k will be held on April 11th which is Easter weekend. This may have an impact on the number of volunteers and runners available who will be able to participate.

“A One for All Registration” – Paul Guyas

Paul summarized a proposal presented at the last race directors meeting that involved looking into an option for members to purchase entry into all GWTC races for the year for one discounted price. No action was requested from the board, but Paul asked for feedback, reaction, and questions on the idea which will be pursued through various board members and groups including timing, merchandise, membership, and further with the race directors. Pending further development, Paul will revisit the idea with the Board at a later date if any action is needed.

Potluck Bash – David Yon

David reported that there was a great turnout from coaches and award recipients at the Potluck Bash of 2019. He also stated that the weather was “great.”

Committee Reports

Treasurer’s Report – Laryn Flikkema

As of May 31, 2019, Gulf Winds Track Club’s Statement of Financial Position reads as follows: total assets of $268,764.36. GWTC’s Statement of Activity from July 1, 2018 – May 31, 2019 includes a gross profit of $341,490.50, total expenditures of $286.364.93 and net revenue of $55,125.57. GWTC’s monthly statement of activity for May includes a monthly gross profit of $4,991.04, total expenditures of $5,114.51 and net revenue of -$123.47.

Equipment Report – Bill Lott & Tec Thomas

Bill reported that a Chronomix was sent for repair on May 16, 2019, and the total cost of the repair, including parts, labor, and shipping, was $131.72. Another Chronomix will be sent for repair as soon as the current one is received from the service center. The cost of the repair of the second one will likely be close to that of the first Chronomix. Tec added that Monica Judd has been volunteering a lot of her time to assist with GWTC’s equipment on Wednesdays. Tec then raised a concern that there has been an increased amount of equipment that has been returned in a dirty condition; the board provided feedback that Tec should consider imposing a more substantial penalty for returned equipment that is not properly cleaned.   

Chip Timing Reports – Bill Hillison, Bill Lott, & Peg Griffin

Bill Lott reported May was a slow month for chip timing by GWTC, but the timing team enjoyed the time off. GWTC timed three non-club races during the month including the Tails and Trails Half Marathon/10K/5K/1M, Friends of Wakulla Springs 5K, and Marzuq Shrine Mother’s Day 5K. The Chip Timing Committee met on May 12, 2019, and discussed the various issues it had previously identified regarding chip timing by the Club. Bill Hillison presented a summary of a report that was produced at this meeting to address the following issues to the board: 1) the necessity of developing a process for recruiting additional volunteer timers, 2) the recommendation for implementing rental rates for non-GWTC races and timing of out of town races, 3) the challenges of timing multiple races on the same day, 4) the division of administrative timing duties (which are currently being divided by Peg Griffin and Chris O’Kelley), 5) the development of a manual for timers (which is currently being worked on by Bill Hillison and Joseph Petty), and 6) the current need for equipment addition, repair, and replacement. There was a motion to provide reimbursement for gas to those on the timing committee who are required to travel to a race; this motion was not passed and was sent back to the Chip Timing Committee to make a recommendation. There was then a motion to provide the Chip Timing Committee with a $5,000 budget for new equipment, which was seconded and passed unanimously. Bill Lott then stated that he has acquired scaffolds that may be used at GWTC races; a motion was made to reimburse Bill for the price of the scaffolds, which was seconded and passed unanimously.

Triathlete Report – Wayne Thumm

Wayne reported via email that the Tri Club’s biggest challenge this year has been Grand Prix races since several have either been cancelled, postponed, or no longer exist. The Tri Club has readjusted the schedule to include events that are confirmed to be happening this year, which has been updated on the club website. The next races on the schedule are Fort Rucker on 06/15/2019 and Jacksonville on 06/23/2019. The July speaker will be Jon Manor from the FSU Psychology Department.  

 Membership Report –Mark Priddy

Mark reported there are currently 1,147 GWTC members from a total of 604 households.

Training Report – Thomas Biance

Tom reported via email that the Sunday morning intervals continue to meet the Leon track at 7 A.M. with an average of 10 participants.  The Trailblazers group led by Katie Sack recently wrapped up and had a large turnout.

Education and Lecture Coordinator Report – Chris Stanley

Chris reported via email that the most recent event in the lecture series was the “Hydration and Nutrition: Fact and Fiction” lecture that took place at MoMo’s on Sunday, June 9th. The presenters were Dr. Michael Ormsbee and Brandon Willingham from the FSU Institute of Sport Sciences and Medicine. The talk went well overall, and there were about a dozen individuals at the event. The presenters gave brief introductions, including their respective professional backgrounds, and offered information related to links between hydration, nutrition, and performance (particularly running). They covered research in the area and provided general practical advice and suggestions for athletes (e.g., ways to detect dehydration, hydration best practices, supplements, training intensity, and duration considerations). This information was included on a handout that were given to the attendees. Thereafter, there was a question and answer period during which the attendees were able to ask questions related to their own training, experiences, or needs. Many individual questions were applicable to all individuals in attendance, and responses were well received. Attendees were able to take with them practical, evidence-based information to integrate into their training. 

Race Director Coordinator Report – Mary Jean Yon  

Mary Jean reported the GWTC Race Directors met on June 9 and had a productive meeting. Sam Varn, the President of Awards4U, spoke to the group about the various services that Awards4U has available for race directors including: design services for t-shirts, finisher medals and awards, as well as price breaks for awards and promotional items for GWTC races. As a local company, he encouraged all race directors to check with him before buying awards online as he promised to match or beat any online prices. He has committed to approximately $2,500 (value) in advertising and race sponsorship for this year’s Miller Landing Madness and would like to continue that practice. Other topics discussed during the GWTC Race Directors meeting included the need for race directors to present their wrap-ups to the board in a timely manner, some general discussion about getting and keeping sponsors for races, and a presentation from Paul Guyas regarding a proposal to offer a package deal for GWTC race registrations. During the GWTC board meeting, Mary Jean also mentioned that Bill Lott is searching for a new place to purchase marble dust to use for race courses since Gramling’s Garden Center and Feed Store will be closing.

Trail Coordinator Report –Jim Halley

Jim reported that Leon County has plans to add single track trails at the J. R. Alford Greenway. Moreover, the Summer Trail Series will begin on June 22, 2019. There will be a preview run for the first race on the Monday prior to the race at 6:30 pm; of note, the preview race will not be marked since flags are not permitted to remain on the course for a prolonged amount of time. Dominic stated that the Tallahassee Mountain Bike Association (TMBA) is working with the city of Tallahassee to host a Tallahassee Trail Festival on March 20-22, 2020 2019. This event will take place at Tom Brown Park and will provide guided bike rides throughout Tallahassee.

Chenoweth Fund Report – David Yon

David reported that Coach Damaris Carrol and Cory Poole have formed a group called North Florida Speed Club, which is primarily composed of individuals from Lincoln High School. David made a motion to donate $530 to the North Florida Speed Club in order to support their participation in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals; this motion was seconded and unanimously approved.

Website Committee Report – David Yon

David reported that redesigning the GWTC website has been a pretty tedious process. There is currently a beta version of the website that is available to the public. David and Peg are encouraging all interested board members to look at the beta version of the website and provide them with feedback regarding its design. The goal is to have the final website up and running before the GWTC board meeting in July.

Youth Council Report – Kaari Guyas

Kaari reported the Youth Council met on May 19, 2019. Laura McDermott attended the meeting to discuss the SMIRF running program with the other attendees.

Clothing Coordinator Report –Laura McDermott and Sherri Wise

Laura reported that there are new GWTC visors available for $20 and packs of 4 bib clips available for $5. Laura and Sherri has already sold $335 worth of merchandise this month, which mostly took place at the Potluck Bash.

Social Report – Vicky Droze

Vicky reported via email that 20 postcards were mailed out to random GWTC members in efforts to increase awareness of and participation in game nights. They included Vicky’s cell number along with the following message: “Bring this card to game night and receive a 5.00 drink credit.” One recipient called Vicky to inquire about why he does not receive any emails regarding the socials. Once Vicky shared this information with membership chair, Mark Priddy, he sent the member an invitation to join the email listserve. All other GWTC members who are interested in joining the GWTC email listserve should contact Mark Priddy. Vicky also stated the May game night was cancelled due to Vicky being out of town. June’s social will be the Potluck Bash. There is a tentative game night scheduled for July 7th.

Newsletter Report – Fred Deckert

Nothing new to report.

A motion to adjourn was made, seconded, and passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:21 P.M.

Alyssa Terry, Secretary