October 16, 2020

East Texas Bridge Association

Unit 225 Board Meeting Minutes

This meeting was again held virtually. Six directors were present: Jo Ellen Wade, Linda Harrison, Sandra O’Bannon, Rathnam, Carol Kinsey, and Tom Spradlin were in attendance. The meeting was called to order at 11:00AM.

With one modification, the Board approved the minutes for the September 18 meeting, which had been circulated previously. Also, the Board approved the treasurer’s report for September.

Rathnam reported there is no update on awards, but they have been ordered. They will not be presented until Unit Games resume, probably in early 2021.

Sandra O’Bannon reported that she has received a refund of our hotel deposit for the 2021 Tournament of Stars. She also reported that she has successfully applied for e-payments, so future payments from the ACBL to the unit will happen electronically, rather than by check.

The unit has received an email from a unit in Ohio asking us, and other units, to share information on how much the unit has lost due to the pandemic, in an effort to persuade ACBL to provide assistance to units. The Board agreed not to respond to this request.

It is time to ask for nominations for the District 16 Star Award (formerly Texas Star Award) and the Goodwill Award. Carol Kinsey mentioned that Charles Ford had been nominated for the award last year, she will try to get his nomination updated. Rathnam will email all members and directors to ask for nominations and will include a description of the criteria for the awards. Nominations will be due by the end of 2020, and persons who have won either of the awards are not eligible for the same award again.

Jo Ellen Wade reported that she has moved out of the unit’s area, but ACBL has told her she can remain a member of unit 225 if she wishes, she simply cannot be a member of more than one unit at a time. The Board asked her to remain on the Board until August 2021, she agreed to do so.

Five clubs would like to hold club championship games yet this year, and, because of cancellations, there are 12 such sanctions to be assigned. The Board agreed to grant 2 club championship games each to the 5 clubs that are open (Gun Barrel, Longview, Athens, Nacogdoches, and Canton), and one additional game each to the two busiest clubs, Longview and Gun Barrel.

The meeting adjourned at 12:05PM.Tom Spradlin, Secretary

Tom Spradlin