Queen City Yacht Club

MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 January 8, 2024, Meeting Date

Meeting Time:                                             7:04P-836P / 1904H-2036H

Meeting Nature:                                          Face-to-Face

In Attendance:

Trustees:                            Chair Barry Stolzman, PC Michele Bedner, Joyce Carlson, Brian Elert, Debbie Foote,    Miguel Suarez, Gary Turner

Bridge Officers:                                           Commodore Michael Day, Vice Commodore Doug Genord, 

                                                                  Rear Commodore Doug Wadden

Also Present:                                              Bylaws Chair – Bill Brunkhorst

                                                                              Membership Chair – Val Ohlstrom

      Moorage Chair – Dan Heffernan

      Planning & Finance / 520 – Mark Weiss

Membership-at-Large:                     Rick Ashleman, Gordy Foote, Larry Goodman, Jeff Ohlstrom, Ron Stevenson, 

                                                                              Dave Ulfers

Not Present:                        Treasurer Ray Rebello

Board Chair Barry Stolzman called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.

Opening Chair Remarks                                        Barry Stolzman           

•     None

Administrative Activity                                                      Board

• MOTION:          The minutes of the December 2023 Board meeting were approved as submitted by Secretary Joyce Carlson. 

Membership Report                                                           Val Ohlstrom

• Val provided the following membership numbers (amended following meeting):

• Membership Application – Marcellus and Lisa Buchheit – approved by the Board for new membership.

• Boat Show – Preparation going very well, volunteers still needed.

Treasurer’s Report                                                            Ray Rebello

• No report - December financial reporting provided later in month:
  • Planning & Finance (P&F)                               Mark Weiss

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Dues Adjustment 

A hearty discussion covering the purpose; and if proposed to the membership, how to treat and present a dues adjustment this year. 

Mark W explained the reasons behind considering a dues adjustment.  An outside agency conducts a study/review of the capital items of both the Mainstation and Bainbridge that includes copies of the Club’s financials and supporting documentation.   Every three years the study includes actual visits to both properties.  A report is provided by the agency to the P&F Committee for review where P&F looks at the next five years as recommended by the study.  This study has been conducted for about the last fifteen years; their findings have proven close to Club thoughts/projections.  This last study received October/November noted that financially the Club has a shortfall of $120,000 annually to support capital expenditures.

It is known that costs for insurance, property taxes, utilities and maintenance costs have risen.  Expenses to maintain the aging clubhouse are in need.  The thought is there is time to fix this shortfall if action can be taken now before matters become critical.  The notion of obtaining a loan is not desirable due to high interest rates.

The Club’s primary resources for income stem from dues and moorage.  Discussion focused on a dues increase – in what amount and manner to present to the membership.  As the bylaws presently exist dues increases are based on a case-by-case basis.  It is thought by including a cost-of-living adjustment with a percentage cap within the bylaws dues adjustments would be incremental and further requests could be prevented.  Therefore, it was determined that a request to the membership for a defined amount of dues increase plus cost-of-living adjustments would be made. 

MOTION:         It was moved, seconded, and passed by the Board unanimously that the Board request the membership approve a $150.00 dues increase in addition to cost-of-living increases (COLA) thereafter, rounded to the nearest dollar.  (One vote covering both $150.00 and COLA.)

Moorage increases, if any, to be addressed depending upon the outcome of the membership vote.

• 520 Update                                                                              Tom Johnson / Mark Weiss

No change from the prior report. 

• Moorage                                                                                  Dan Heffernan

      No report.

• Outstation                                                                               Doug Genord for Eric Wood

The comment period covering the revised Mitigation agreement expires January 11^th.  The US Army Corp permit is to be with the senior reviewer within the week.  After the receipt of the permit the crane, pile driving equipment and prefabricated parts will be arriving at the outstation.  Best guess is that work will begin the last week of January and completed after the first two weeks in February.

• Website                                                                                   Michael Day for Gerald Fey

The website is a challenge and work needs to be done, a report to be provided in the upcoming weeks.

• Bylaws                                                                                     Bill Brunkhorst

Bill presented thoughts in raw form covering potential modifications to the bylaws:

• Dues increases that includes COLA language, a starting point.  Language to be refined that takes into account this current meeting.
• Capital Assets – would provide for designated funds, like Contingency Reserves.
• Financial Paragraph – a segment that would consolidate financial information.
• Membership
  • Consideration being given to online voting.
  • Language or direction for members-at-large to provide for the ability to propose new bylaws initiatives.
  • Nominating Committee – to create a durable appointment for three general members that would provide for continuity like the PF Committee.  The committee would continue to include the immediate Past Commodore, Board Chair.
  • Uniforms – remove from the bylaws and moved to a policy/rule that would provide for more flexibility and be less restrictive as these provisions only apply to a small group of members.

BRIDGE REPORTS

• Commodore’s Report                                      Michael Day     

Michael plans to highlight to the membership at Regular meetings financial items P&F have raised covering the Club’s economic situation to keep folks informed.  Michael welcomes feedback. 

• Vice Commodore’s Report                              Doug Genord
  • Items that are work in progress with follow-up in the upcoming months:
    • Docks Committee rule changes
    • Moorage and multiple owners

• Doug has been conducting a personal audit covering members vessels required documentation:
  • Insurance - Queen City YC being listed within the policies.  Insurance documents list QC as an “additional insured,” others as an “additional interest.” There is a difference in that additional insured will defend as opposed to additional interest providing “cc’s.” Originally believed the use of either terminology was of no difference but has since been learned otherwise.   
  • Registrations – items have cropped up where not all owners listed within the registration are members of the club. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        A thorough audit needs to be done of these topics, watch this space.

• Dock Painting – a bid has recently been received to do painting on the docks in the amount of $45,000.  Doug will be working with the PF Committee to see how this item could be treated.  Covers 33 slips.

• Electrical pedestals – the question of replacing certain electrical pedestals arose again.  As of present pedestals meet codes as they were grandfathered prior to existing regulations and no changes are required.  However, pedestals used for transient moorage need to meet current regulations as boats using those pedestals do not need to meet club rules. In addition, the docks technology tracks electrical usage and when use exceeds allowable standards the source(s) of the problem are investigated and resolved.

                  The ideas to address the electrical pedestals or dock matters could be that the Board and PF Committee     meet, or the Board could request a briefing on the state of the docks.   

• Rear Commodore’s Report                  Doug Wadden                          

No report

• New Business

None

• Old Business

      None

• Good & Welfare

None

Next Board Meeting

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 12, 2024, tentatively scheduled as a face-

      to-face meeting. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Joyce Carlson, Secretary BOT 23-24