Draft Minutes SSA Executive Committee Teleconference
October 4th, 2012, 7:00 p.m. EDT
712-451-6000, pin 490031#


Call to order 1900 EDT
Attending: Chair Al Tyler, 1st Vice Chair David Pixton, Vice Chair Ken Sorenson, Vice Chair Dianne Black-Nixon, Vice Chair Frank Whiteley, Chief Administrative Officer Denise Layton
Guest Richard Maleady.
Agenda item 1 - Open action item review (Whiteley/Layton)
Agenda item 2 - Approval of August 30, 2012 EXCOM minutes. (Whiteley)

Director Black-Nixon moved to approve as corrected, Director Sorenson seconded. Carried.

Agenda item 3 - Approval of Winter 2012 BOD meeting minutes (Whiteley)

Director Sorenson moved approve to put on consent agenda as corrected and clarified by circulation to all directors, Director Pixton seconded. Carried.


Agenda item 4 - Treasurer’s report (Pixton)

Director Pixton will forward the financials to Richard Maleady. Sent August financials which are in good shape. Highlights were paying the audit at about $28K. Anticipated we’d lose about $16K in August, but actually lost $24K, merchandise basically the big driver for the short fall. We transferred some of the travel for the WGC from the SSA office to WGC to gather all of those costs in one place. Though we are showing a big loss, it’s not much more than budgeted. From a forecast point of view when updated for August we’ll be looking a little above break-even, a couple of thousand above, before non-cash depreciation and a little below after depreciation, so in good shape and nothing to worry about at this point. Due to office disruption due to WGC, the financials have been coming out later and later. Goal to have them out by the 10th of the month, so we can get them out to the EXCOM in a more timely basis. Nothing else unless there are questions.

Chair Tyler asked about the statement of revenue and expenditures, was the 32K for marketing, paid out to Andy McKittrick, is there some revenue stream put in there? Director Pixton said no, not in the budget on the financials but the debt/revenue stream is in our forecast, but did not change the budget. While we had the cash in hand allocated for it, that isn’t a budgeted expense and did anticipate. Chair Tyler asked if the loss isn’t a budget variance rather than an actual loss and will take care of themselves. Director Pixton believes that’s true.
Director Sorenson asked if we’re doing okay? Director Pixton yes, cash flow is good.

Chair Tyler asked if membership numbers still good. Director Pixton received numbers last night for end of September. We’re at 10,704 having started the year with 10,499, so have added 255 members, and 233 as Full members. We don’t know precisely the cause but a mix of returning members and new people and not in and out issues. Don’t know how to tie it to Let’s Go Gliding or anything else. We’ll need to think about how this with regard to budgting and dues income for next year. First time in a long, long time members showing up in a postivie way. Chair Tyler mentioned that CAO Layton is trying to track how we are getting these new members. Talked with Soaring Editor Coyne is excited that the magazine mailing exceeded 11,000 for the first time with the new printer. He asked when Rhonda does pull for them, they need a fifth and final pull to gauge how that well the automatic renewal worked. Chair Tyler suggests that the automatic renewal must be having some impact also.


Agenda item 5 - Chief Administrative Officer's report (Layton)

Busy finishing WGC accounting. SSA merchandise sales in Uvalde $11.748 profit after cost of goods sold and travel. Good thing to have a presence and profit. WGC financials report sent to Director Pixton for review, then to be sent to Director Sorenson and Chair Tyler. We did make a profit. Chair Tyler asked if merchandise to close out. CAO Layton commented very little, no clothing, we have some patches and a few bags and mugs. Director Black-Nixon asked in any programs? CAO Layton said there are a few programs.
Chair Tyler asked about working with Editor Coyne and switching over to him and the ad sales. CAO Layton said some minor problems. Chair Tyler mentioned he’d spoken with Editor Coyne and suggested that his approach to discounts might net us some additional ad revenue and we could consider this in the next budget. Topic for another discussion.


Agenda item 6 – Update on formal proposal for full board for $75,000 for growth and promotion. (Black-Nixon)

Chair Tyler suggested tabling this. Director Whiteley commented that there would be cost to opening the proposed Cadet membership and perhaps a Junior membership in lieu of Youth, there is a cost. It would be hard to forecast first year, but better idea by second year. The dues costs could be 10-20% of eligible youth. I doubt there are be significant changes. Fulfilling memberships to a Cadet category could be expensive if as popular as the AMA program. Chair Tyler suggests funding from Grown & Development rather than wresting with budgetary item. Director Pixton agreed, since the G&D item is already a budgetary line item.


Agenda item 7 - Contest waiver update (Sorenson, Tyler)

Done under item review.


Agenda item 8 - Cadet Membership (Whiteley)

Clarification.
Wanted to clarify the cost of sending a certificate. Online signup or print a form and send it to the office. Chair Tyler suggested referring to Lane Bush. Director Whiteley suggested that if done online we might collect additional information about other youth affiliations to check on cross-pollination and interest.
In addendum, it says SSA Badge Program, does not mention FAI Badge Program. Chair Tyler suggests that some may be capable of completing FAI Badges. Director Whiteley agrees that the eligibility is until 18th birthday, so the number is low. Chair Tyler agrees that it won’t be a significant number and the cost isn’t a big factor.
Director Whiteley mentioned that the E-mail Newsletter is youth oriented, not SSA e-News. The biggest hurdle is content. Have positive feedback from Val Paget on doing this. Mentioned that there are awards, like the Lincoln Award, for good writing. Contacted Frauke Elber about whether she was seeing anything from club newsletters and she said no. However, we can start by seeking input from the clubs with the largest youth memberships and also ask if there are Soaring submissions that might not be used in the magazine, but might be acceptable for such a newsletter. Director Pixton looking at the signed addendum, it’s a youth newsletter given the context.
Chair Tyler asked about the by-laws change. Director Whiteley said the actual language is just to add the type of membership. The benefits are not described within the by-laws, but are listed on the SSA web site. I believe it’s an administrative process. Chair Tyler hoped we wouldn’t go to the board meeting and get shot down. Director Whiteley didn’t see any hurdles.
Director Sorenson asked if there would be a document for the directors to layout the rational and impact, costs, and format to get this past the board cleanly. Director Whiteley is working on it. Chair Tyler said it’s complex but needs to be intelligible.


Agenda item 9 – SSA Merchandising Proposal (Pixton, Tyler)

Director Pixton commented that this has been a long term concern as generally fully loaded merchandising during the past few years has been a losing proposition. This spring we had some staffing changes at Hobbs. The accounting manager took another position. She was replaced, but we didn’t replace our merchandising specialist, shrinking the staff by one. The understanding was that after the WGC, we’d propose outsourcing merchandising along with some magazine stuff which has already occurred. This proposal was written by Renny Rozzoni and Director Banks to send to the board to get our approval to move forward with talking with some of our vendors that would gain use a similar net cash in under royalty arrangements. Once approved we would negotiate and transfer and sell exiting inventory. Keep FAST in Hobbs and its specialized accounting issues as it’s more a marketing program.
On a fully loaded basis, we’ve made money one year in past four.
Chair Tyler suggested that if we don’t have someone that will take on SSA merchandising, we should scale way back. Director Black-Nixon asked if we’d market this to a number of vendors. Director Pixton said yes, but it needs to be meet our financial needs. This could not be done earlier than Q2, if then. Director Black-Nixon asked who is tasked with this? Director Pixton is recommending Renny Rozzoni take this on.

Agenda item 10 - Other business.

Director Pixton as about the budget. This will be presented as a draft at the board meeting. Please all comment so a draft can be in the Blue Book for Charlotte. The budget is approved at the Winter Meeting. CAO Layton can send after director reports are released. Director Pixton suggests review so we can send it early next week.


Next EXCOM teleconference, 11/8/2012, 1900 EST
Motion to adjourn, Director Whiteley moved, Director Black-Nixon seconded. Adjourned 1953 EST