August 11, 2020 East Texas Bridge Association

Unit 225 Board Meeting Minutes

This meeting was again held virtually. All ten directors were present: Linda Harrison, John Hamilton, Susan Ford, Sandra O’Bannon, Mary Ramsey, Rathnam, Carol Kinsey, Jo Ellen Wade, Phyllis Alvarez, and Tom Spradlin were in attendance.

The meeting was called to order at 1:30 PM. The Board approved the minutes circulated by Linda Harrison for the July meeting and the Treasurer’s Report for July 2020. Linda Harrison reviewed the key accomplishments of the Board for 2019/2020. Her list is attached to these minutes. She also reviewed the updated roster of the Board of Directors, and that is also attached to these minutes.

Under the new organization of the Board, Rathnam is now the president, and he assumed chairmanship of the meeting. He thanked Linda Harrison for her service as president.

The 2021 Tournament of Stars is still in limbo. Rathnam agreed to talk with Mike Graham to learn deadlines for decisions we must make: How late can we cancel and still get a refund of our deposit with the hotel? How late can we order printing of flyers if the tournament goes ahead? Is it at all possible that we might be able to change the date of the tournament?

The same questions exist for the 2021 Tournament of Roses, though we have not yet signed a contract or put down a deposit for it. Linda Harrison agreed to contact the hotel to find out when we must put down a deposit and how much notice we have to give to get a refund if we have to cancel.

Unit games remain closed because of the closure of the Senior Citizens Center in Tyler. The Board discussed our ongoing payments since March 2020 to Mamie Johnson and Mike Graham for their services to the unit games, even when the games are not being held. The Board decided to make the August payments to them the last until the game resumes, and Sandy O’Bannon will notify them of that.

Prior to this meeting, Carol Kinsey had moved that the annual meeting of the membership be postponed until the next “in-person” unit game, and that we post the annual minutes and annual treasurer’s report for the unit on the unit’s website, describing them as pending. The Board unanimously approved this action. The meeting was ended by Zoom at 2:15 PM.

Prior to the meeting, Rathnam reported via email that Suzanne Smith was given the Emily Leake award, given annually in August to the novice player who, beginning with less than 100 masterpoints on August 31 of the previous year, accumulates the most masterpoints at the unit games. Also, Mary Bartley received the Ben Friend award as the player with the most masterpoints won in the unit games from August 1 through July 31. This has been posted on Unit website.

Tom Spradlin, Secretary

Key Accomplishments 2019/2020

• Presentation at Tyler City Council meeting with approval to remain at Sr. Citizen bldg. No increase in rent or storage

•  Storeroom consolidated/reorganized at Tyler Sr. Center

•  Unit By-laws revised/approved at called general membership meeting in Dec 2019; Unit 225 will transitioned to 9 member board

•  Awards Committee study/revisions implemented

•  Non-profit Federal and State Tax ID re-instated

•  Website upgraded and kept evergreen; kept membership updated

•  Zoom Board meeting carried out April-August due to no in person unit games, starting in March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. In May ACBL advised all “in person” ACBL tournaments canceled in 2020.

•  July 2020 Tournament of Roses canceled due to pandemic.

•  Sanctions coordination, approval and submission to ACBL timely

•  Scorecard articles consolidated and submitted timely; Scorecard suspended mid summer due to pandemic and not enough news

•  District 16 will handle Recorder issues- Unit Recorder will submit any items requiring action to D16 timely

•  Sunshine Chair sent cards to members as needed.