Board Meeting Minutes: October 7th, 2023

Board Meeting

Date: October 7th, 2023

Time: 11:15 am to 1:49p

Location: Pancake Café, 3805 N Broadway, Chicago IL 60613

Attendees: Mike Kerr (co-chair), Guido Moret (co-chair), Allison Kipphut (treasurer), Annika Ness (registrar), Greg Claus (social chair), Allison Benton (social chair)

Absent: None 

Chair of the meeting: Mike Kerr

Minutes: Annika Ness 

Agenda

Opening

Call to order, approval of the agenda and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.

• Minutes are approved, Annika to post on website.

The board briefly discussed the List of decisions made by the board since the last meeting.

Reports & updates:

From the registrar:

• Attendance tracker/registrations/USMS membership

• Ask Andong to sort Attendance Tracker by first name and post into Smelts Drive. Give Allison access to track coaching hours. 

• Send email to people not registered to swimmers by end of month. 

• Attendance tracking is primarily to check for USMS registration and payments. 

From the treasurer:

• 35th anniversary celebration

• Full analysis of cost pending. But we did get a good deal. 

• Update on the use and workflow of transferring money. I.e. from our savings to the checking account to track. 

• Discussion on legacy lump sum that was raised for charitable donations, but was never used due to change of board, pandemic, etc. 

• Planning an eventual vote on what it can be used for, the general consensus is to use it for incidentals that raise the profile of the Smelts in the community, and benefit the members. 

• Board decides to pay any extra 35th Anniversary costs from this fund. Likely less than 2,000 considering the ticket sales we did receive. 

• Dues decisions will need to be approved by December. We want ample notice so that we don’t drop this on swimmers randomly. 

• Re-certification Benevity C

• Treasurer will re-certify us so that employers can donate to us through this platform. (i.e. matched giving). 

• Treasurer creates a quick memo for Smelts to understand what this is from employers. 

Conversation on increasing dues for 2024: 

• If we add another pool, we might create another membership that includes that pool as well, or ONLY that pool. 

• Switching to a monthly dues model? Automated payments would have to be a MUST. We may start annual membership again in January of 2024. 

• Add recurring payments to the quarterly options.

• Treasurer will have a full breakdown of expenses by Nov. 8th. 

• By November 25th, we are voting as a board on dues 2024.

Items for discussion:

• In Jan/Feb, renting a room at Gill to hold a “stakeholders” meeting for updates from the board for the rest of the Smelts team. 

• Social initiatives - Overview in email (great!), Halloween and good activity on Slack

• Registering via Eventbrite, at Jonah’s on October 28th. People send venmo’s for pizza/decorations if they want to Jonah. 

• Photo shoot with Thomas - side view, dressed up. Need to find a date. Suggestion to also have headshots of coaches, in sportive gear (so Mike will be photographed twice, in difference outfits)

• Website will include these photos and board members. 

• This upcoming Tuesday or Thursday at 6:00p. 

• 35th anniversary T-shirts

• These have been paid, but they haven’t arrived. 

• Season 2023 - 2024 Season planning 2023 - 2024 (Draft).xlsx - Google Sheets

• Google Calendar – can be for social events, meets and practices. Individual board members will update their specific sections. 

• Broaden pool footprint - setup a small working group to help with this, maybe of swimmers that live far away from Gill?

• Expanding our footprint geographically is the preference of the board. We want to reach out to as many pools as possible and then decide what works best for us. 

• Dues 2024

• See above. 

• More coaches and certification USMS – we want support from the team. 

• Coaches can sign up for USMS masters certification if they want to. Level 1 is online and accessible.

• Discussion on if level 1 & 2 might be required down the road. 

• We could offer to pay the Level 1 if coaches agree to 1x a week coaching for a year, etc. 

• Discussion on a tiered payment if you do have the certification 

• Coming out to open water - swim meet

• Mike had a long phone call with Big Shoulders director if we want it for next year. 

• Ask for a committee for the Open Water swim – start planning that now. 

• Can schedule before Chi triathlon to have people sign up to tune up. 

• Big Shoulders-like event is fine with our current insurance, it would be an addition to it. Getting Chi Park District involved if necessary. 

• We’d need to pay lifeguards to guard the event. Medals, timing company etc. are also expenses to consider.  

• “Welcome package” automated info for new swimmers

• Looking into automation to see if an email can be sent after swimmers register.

• Reaching out to Marcelo for web redesign project. 

• Evaluation of the description of board and support positions, and associated tasks

• Current positions and responsibilities, owners of strategic initiatives and operational tasks

• Reconsider each position’s responsibilities. 

• Seasonal social chair position

• Swimming coordinator discussion

• Collaboration with IGLA, co-chair (Guido) to follow up on this to re-connect the Smelts with the international community.

• Marketing & Sponsorship initiatives

• Thomas and Greg looking into these initiatives. 

• Website redesign opportunities. 

Items for approval:

• Smeltsgiving prices

• Smelts at Center on Halsted from 3p-6p, with a potential after-party elsewhere. 

• Register through the website and you’re able to bring a 21+ guest. 

• Check-in table to verify if you did buy a ticket.

• $30 for Open Bar, $15 for no liquor. Order wristbands

• Program and slide show for Smeltsgiving. 

• No awards.

Action points:

• Adding a “From the coaches” update section to the next Board Meeting and all future ones.

• Vote on dues 2024 by November 25th. 

• Next Board Meeting: December 9th at 11:15a, location TBD 

• Headshots October 17th, 6:00p.

Guido: 

• Calendar Filling Out/Updating

• Search for a second location/pool.

• Collaboration with IGLA. 

Mike: 

• Research into Gold Star Team status with a Level 3 USMS coach. 

• Additional research on Big Shoulders type event. 

• Lane Lines for Gill – Find a quote. 

Annika: 

• Post approved board minutes from past meetings to password-protected page on our website. 

• Ask Andong to sort attendance tracker by First Name. And to give access to Allison to track coaching hours. (I.e. give ownership to the Smelts). 

• Adding recurring payments to the quarterly registration as an option. 

• Looking into the automation of a New Member Email once Registration is complete. 

• Reach out to Marcelo for web redesign project. 

Allison Kipphut: 

• Re-certify us with Benevity so that employers can donate to us through this platform. (i.e. matched giving). 

• Create a quick memo for Smelts to understand what this is. 

• Full breakdown of 35th anniversary expenses by Nov 8th.