Action Items
- Jim Lindner and Rob Harter to determine best insurance for the club and buy it
- Joe McConlogue and Dave Reina to review list of advertisers
- Sy Block to supply rate card for Volvo club
- Sy Block to look into new provider of Regalia
- Jim Lindner to distribute Preservation Class category for further discussion. To be completed before United.
Slide deck of meeting agenda posted here.
Meeting
Meeting was called to order by President Jim Lindner on February 9, 2020 at 2pm
Following Board Members were present: Sy Block, Tom Calvert, Eric Gibeaut, David Reina, Tom Ehrhart, Joe McConlogue, Barb Geschke
Also present: President Jim Linder, Vice President Gary Holman, Treasurer Rob Harter, and Secretary Kerch McConlogue
Regional Reps: Joe Parlanti, Gary Corbett, Tom Hillmann
Minutes of the August 16 meeting were read and approved as amended by the Board
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer’s Report is included with the slides of this meeting posted on line with these minutes. Year end balance per bank statement is $18,969.25. Income from the United was $7,524.79 (slide 7 of the deck here)
Rob Harter reported that the renewal insurance bill from JC Taylor Insurance will be about $200 less than last year. There was conversation about getting a quote from Hagerty insurance for the club. Rob also reported that the United is what’s keeping the club afloat.
It was moved and seconded that Jim and Rob should research and choose the lower price for club insurance. The board approved.
Editor’s Report
Kerch McConlogue reported that the publication is on track. Last year we published 12 issues: 8 Issues at 16 pages, 2 at 24 pages, 2 at 20 pages.
Website Report
Kerch reported we’re seeing about 50 visitors a day and only slightly more than half are using desk top computers. This is in line with what we saw last year.
The new website has been operational since August of last year. Still only about 40% of members have ever logged in. We’re looking for a way to encourage people to list a car.
Facebook group started July 19, 2018 has 366 members.
Forum is hardly ever visited: 8609 visits since August 15, 2019 (the first we could track this) But only 40 replies to any posts since then. There has been ZERO activity on the Board forum in a year. Eric Gibeaut reports that SOACA has a very active forum. Their treasury is filled based on donations.
There is a new board.teae.org website dedicated to TEAE board activity. Meeting minutes and supporting documents will be posted there. Available minutes from the old Forum are also posted. Leadership will be automatically notified of new content. No login is required, only a name and email to comment on content.
Membership report
Joe McConlogue reported current membership at 518, in line with where we have been for the last several years. We retained about 30% of the Canadian members offered free membership thru the end of last year. Additional numbers are included in the slides accompanying this report. Printed newsletters are received by 70% of the membership. Auto renewal option is picking up.
Joe’s recommendations
- Periodic pitches for membership on Facebook page
- Regional outreach to younger potential members
- Potential merger with other Rootes club or clubs
- Print up more trifolds
- Get a (good) story printed in car publications
United 2020 report
Jim Lindner shared a proposed budget for the event which reflects a profit of $2943. It was suggested that the United subsidize the autocross fee (currently priced at $70). $40 would be more palatable. We should not publish the subsidy information.
Old Business
SUNI Update:
Jim Lindner reports that the Land of the Ozarks, MO location has no autocross facility and is, therefore, abandoned. Claudia Trippel (CAT) is chair.
Approximately $21 K in SUNI funds were acquired from previous SUNI organizer. Buck and Claudia Trippel (CAT) is new custodian, maintaining the money in a separate account.
This will result in little or no cost to clubs to stage SUNI events. However, Tom Ehrhart raised the question of who owns the account and what happens to the money if the account is closed. Jim and Joe Parlanti agreed to inquire about this with an eye towards disbursement based on risk and profit to participants in legal standing, in the spirit of SUNI.
Joe McConlogue noted that there will be no United in the SUNI year, therefore no revenue from a United can be counted on to help balance the budget.
Dues vs. Income
The dues barely cover the cost of printing the newsletter. The newsletter is our biggest asset and also our biggest expense. Paid advertising could help offset that problem.
Three-year comparison of income and expenses was provided (slide 30 in the deck)
Reflecting on financial trend: While the United has made more money each of the last three years, the bottom line of the bank account has dropped about 45% in that time (From $34,427 to $18,969). Tom Ehrhart reminded the group that the United should not be counted on as a profit center.
Recommended dues adjustments to begin to rectify the situation:
- It was moved and seconded that we eliminate the 2-year payment option. The board approved unanimously.
- It was moved and seconded to raise 1-year dues for printed newsletters to $45/year. Electronic 1-year option will be $35 and 1-year international printed option will be $54. The vote passes with 5 to 2 majority.
At the time of publication of the increase, we should include information about the financial state of the organization.
Additional revenue should be raised by offering advertising in the newsletter and on the website. Joe McConlogue has a list of possible advertisers. He and Dave Reina will review that list and see if others should be added. Sy Block offered to supply, as a comparison, the rate card for the Volvo club (which has a membership around 300). Additionally, the TEAE rate card will include options for Rootes Review advertising, website advertising, and sponsorships of United parts (Concours, hospitality, etc.)
Sy Block is looking into a new provider of club Regalia that will send money to the club for purchased items.
It was suggested that expenses could be cut by reducing the number of yearly publications of the Rootes Review. That idea got no traction.
New Business
New regional reps were approved by the Board
- Ron Stein: Lake Ontario Region
- Clark Vegazo: North Central Florida
- Steve Murphy: Motor City
- Dave and Cassie Kulasa: Erie (assuming they agree to take the position)
Bylaws
Report of the bylaws committee which included Kerch McConlogue, chair, plus Joe McConlogue, Tom Calvert, Tom Ehrhart, and Jim Lindner
Primary focus of the changes is for clearer election procedures, addition of the webmaster as an appointed officer and outlining that job, requiring fewer members to propose a region, and eliminating the need to mail newsletters to people who didn’t renew in time.
One change was proposed and accepted to mention “the vehicles of” the Rootes Group
The proposed changes are posted here: https://www.board.teae.org/2020/02/proposed-bylaws-changes/
It was moved and seconded to approve the proposed bylaws changes. The board voted unanimously to agree.
Preservation Class Category
It was moved and seconded to table conversation of the Preservation class as a category for concours events. This is about judging for originality against a standard (not against other cars) with a perennial award with a bumper badge for winning. Jim will send out emails for further conversation in preparation for adoption in time for the August United. The language and forms are posted here: https://www.board.teae.org/2020/02/proposed-preservation-class/
The meeting was adjourned at 4:24 pm
Submitted by Kerch McConlogue, Secretary