Portage Central Baseball Boosters

Meeting Minutes

July 9, 2007

Fletcher’s, Texas Township

Members Present:   Robin Hook- President (Sr.), Rick Beauregard – Vice President (Jr.), Monty Porter – Secretary/Treasurer (So.), Ken Popp – (Sr.), Randy Byrd – (Jr.), Bill Rauch – (Jr.), Kathy Irwin – (So.), Peggy Jones – (So.)

Members Absent:   Roger Miller – (Sr.)

Guests:                   None

Agenda Items:

1.      Welcome to new board members

2.      Review of Financials

3.      Discussion/Development of 2007-08 Goals/Projects

4.      Discussion/Development of website and/or e-newsletter

5.      Fundraiser – Lawson Cleaning Dates

6.      Fundraiser – discussion/development of expanded clinic program in winter months.

7.      Other business?

8.      Next meeting?

Discussion/Action:

1.         Welcome to new members: Following discussion on the topic during the June meeting, invitations to join the board we’re extended to members of each represented class with all invitees agreeing to join the group.  On behalf of the board, President Robin Hook extended a welcome and thank you to the following members attending their first board meeting:

Ken Popp

Bill Rauch

Kathy Irwin

Peggy Jones

2.      Review of Financials: With the cooperation of former Treasurer Kath Paul, Monty Porter was to obtain signature authority of the booster account currently held at National City.  In conversation with Kath, it was determined the approximate balance of the account was $4000. Following the transfer of signature authority, Porter will look into moving the account to Consumers Credit Union (a PC baseball fence sponsor).

3.      Discussion/Development of 2007-08 Goals/Projects: There was much discussion on this topic with considered opinion given to all projects suggested by the board. Based upon need/importance the following rank order of Goals/projects was established (inclusive of action steps to be taken prior to August meeting).

1.      Safety Issue - Playing field condition. It was the general consensus of the board the field was lacking the basic attention needed to keep the field in a safe and playable condition for the high school as well as summer travel season. Watering schedule, weed control issues, mowing schedule, field hardness, field levelness were all identified as needing attention. The board discussed the very good condition of the soccer field and agreed to ask school officials as to the possibility of placing the care of the baseball field into the workload of the district employee who cares for the soccer complex. To this end, Hook and Beauregard agreed to set a meeting with Eric Albertus, PC principal, to review overall condition of field and to discuss solutions.

2.      Safety Issue – Playing field fencing. It was the consensus of the board the fencing extending from the end of each dugout to each respective foul pole was in general disrepair and with respect to the safety of players and fans alike, was too short, at 4 feet high, to protect the players from flipping over it (when chasing a foul) and too short to protect a fan (in the seating area) from a sharply hit foul ball. As a desired result to the issue, Hook and Beauregard agreed to discuss the issue with Dr. Albertus with the hope the district, given the amount of money invested by the boosters in the past three years (approx. $48,000), would invest in the estimated $8200 to replace the fencing.

3.      Press box condition.  It was the consensus of the board the condition of the press box had degraded to the point where something had to be done to the exterior to safeguard the building into the future. Along with the need to look at replacement windows and siding for the building the board also felt (as a result of the expansion of the home dugout in spring, 2007) the sound system needed to addressed/upgraded so fans in the seating area just past the dugout (down 3^rd base line) could hear the public address. Hook, having obtained a price quotation for the windows/siding from Ferris Builders, suggested a motion for the board to authorize the expending of up to $3200 (net) to get the press box/sound system project taken care of. Actual motion was made by Beauregard and was seconded by Popp. The board approved the motion 8-0 and placed Hook in charge as the project lead.

4.      Spectator Seating Project. In an effort to improve upon the overall quality of the facility and in an effort to more fully support the Board’s desire to play host to the annual high school district baseball tournament, it was the consensus of the board to begin the exploration process of what costs might be to a.) Pour a concrete slab (from home dugout to batting cage) to serve as pad for bleacher seating system b.) purchase a new closed-deck bleacher seating system (similar to what is currently installed at soccer) to replace the open deck seating currently there (move open deck to visitor’s area?).  Beauregard agreed to check pricing on concrete pad and Popp agreed to make contact with Statler Concrete to see about the possibility of donated concrete for the pour. Each is to report on findings at the August meeting.

4.      Discussion/Development of website and/or e-newsletter.  After discussion of the topic, in an effort to improve communication amongst the teams and parents as well as to increase promotion of the program and the booster program, the board felt it was prudent to develop a PC Baseball website as well as to generate an e-newsletter to keep interested parties abreast of board activity and upcoming events for the teams and/or board.  To this end, Rauch offered to purchase a domain name for PC baseball and to begin the process of building a designated website. Rauch will report on progress at the August meeting. Kathy Irwin agreed to be the lead on a “to be developed” e-newsletter. Consideration on how to collect up-to-date email addresses for each player family was to be discussed at the August meeting.

5.      Fundraiser – Lawson Cleaning Dates. An annual fundraiser for the group, Varsity Coach Paul Schneider will report available dates to the board during the August meeting.

6.      Fundraiser – discussion/development of expanded clinic program in winter months   Similar to the expanded offerings currently presented by the Portage Northern Baseball program, the board wondered about expanding the roster of clinic fundraisers conducted by coaching staff as a way to generate more income for the baseball program. Schneider was to be contacted by the board leadership as to what his feelings might be on an expanded clinic offering.  Generally thought to be a good idea, significant concern was generated about the increased time commitment of not only the coaching staff, notably Schneider, but that of the players themselves. Feedback from Schneider and feelings of players is to be reported during the August meeting.

7.      Other business?  None.

8.      Next meeting: Monday, August 20, 2007, 7pm, Fletcher’s Pub, Texas Township

Prepared by: Monty Porter, 7/16/2007

Updated: 10/27/08