MAC Board Meeting Tomorrow Evening

Posted July 22nd, 2008 by L.Brabson
in

The MAC Board of Directors will meet tomorrow night (Wednesday) at 6:30.  It will be held at the Varner & Goundry Law Office at 31 West Patrick Street, Suite 100.

 

Last month, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to change the fee structure for Club membership. Please read the letter below which explains our rationale. At the Board meeting, we will start with the coach’s report and an open forum to discuss the new fee structure, as well as any other issues that people would like to discuss.  We will reserve a maximum of 30 minutes for comments/discussion before attending to other club business. As always, everyone is invited to attend the entire meeting.  If you cannot attend the meeting, but would like to send comments, please send them to macswiminfo@gmail.com.
 

A message from John Borgersen, President of MAC

 

The MAC Board of Directors is committed to providing our community the best swim program in Western Maryland. This includes coaching, facilities, and team-building activities. To accomplish this, we need to increase the yearly membership fees. At the June Board meeting the Board of Directors unanimously voted for a dues increase.

The increase was necessary for a number of reasons. These include:

 

  • Providing more coaches to work with our swimmers. Payroll is MAC’s largest expense, consisting of 64% of our budget. This year we added Chris Kaplan and John Miller as part-time members of our staff.  We will continue to utilize these resources and look to add additional coaches. The MAC Board is committed that every group receives the benefit of additional coaching, and our plan is to have two coaches on deck as often as possible. In addition, this year’s budget includes a 3% cost of living increase for all staff and the establishment of a bonus pool to award excellence.
 
  • Increased costs related to the operation and maintenance of the bubble. Last year, we spent over $13,000 to clean and fix the blowers/heaters and to clean the inside of the bubble. Many in our community noticed an improvement in the air quality inside the bubble, and these efforts certainly improved the appearance of our facility. Next year, we plan to clean the outside of the bubble and invest in proactive maintenance to extend its life.
 
  • Spending more dollars on swimmer activities/awards and team building.   Last year we increased spending in this area by 39%. This included an improved website, providing T-shirts for swimmers for special meets, sponsoring the “Splash for Cash” brunch, and additional group get-togethers. Although, we cannot increase this spending every year, we are committed to improving the “MAC experience” for our families.
 
  • Saving dollars to ensure the financial viability of our club. In the last fiscal year (primarily due to deferred maintenance issues), MAC had a loss of $11, 035. We need to be strengthening our financial position to handle any future challenges that come our way—be it infrastructure, staffing, or unplanned expenses. 
In 2007/2008, MAC had an exceptional year, finishing second in the Maryland State Championships and breaking numerous club records, establishing a new state record, having swimmers qualify for Nationals, Jr. Nationals, Super Sectionals, Sectionals and Zones. We were recognized as a USA Level 1 Swimming Club. The MAC Board of Directors will continue to manage our finances in a prudent manner that puts our swimmers in the position to succeed.
 

The new yearly fee structure is as follows. 

 

Senior Red--$2,000
Senior Black--$1,950
Senior White--$1,700
Age Group 2--$1,500
Age Group 1--$1,400
Novice--$1,000
Prep/Masters--$520
 
In addition, the Board voted to have a yearly percentage increase to cover increased operating costs due to the impact of the economy on our program. This will ensure predictability of our cash flow, avoid large increases, and allow families to plan accordingly. We will discuss the percentage amount at the July 23, 2008 Board Meeting.
 

The Board appreciates your support and looks forward to hearing comments. Please send your perspective to:  macswiminfo@gmail.com or attend the Wednesday, July 24th Board meeting. As always, we value your feedback, comments and, most importantly, your recommendations on how we can continue to build and improve this outstanding organization for our swimmers.

 

Below is the agenda for the meeting.

 

 

MAC Board of Directors
Agenda
Wednesday, July 23th, 2008
6:30 p.m.
 
 
  1. Coaches Report
    1. Current status of groups/conditioning—tapering explanation
    2. Summer—end of season/time off
    3. 2008 Zones information
    4. Meet recap
    5. Next season try-outs
    6. Coaching assignments
    7. Additional coaches report
    8. Additional coaching issues/discussion
 
  1. Open Forum Discussion
 
  1. Financial Information
    1. Treasurers report
    2. Dues discussion/% increase/payment schedule
    3. Membership fees/billing update
    4. Meet entries account-status—additional ideas for management
    5. Registration/rosters
 
  1. Business
    1. Recruiting
    2. MAC Board Positions
    3. Fundraising
    4. Other business
      
  1. Open discussion/Next Meeting