HOUSTON AREA ROAD RUNNERS ASSOCIATION
Board Meeting June 21, 2004
Meeting called to order 6:08pm
Attendees
Roger Boak, Randy Carlson, Audrey Christiansen, Paul Cooley, Barbara Crumpton, Penny Derkowski, Bill Dubinski, Geoff Guenther, Rachel Guenther, Annie Hadow, Roy Lira, Jo Ann Luco, Tom McBrayer, Lisa Ruthven, Barbara Shepard, Steve Shepard, Doug Spence, Pamela Willmon
Members introduced themselves, board backgrounds, past and current HARRA positions, and communicated ideas for future of HARRA. Most indicated challenges of renewing HARRA credibility in the running community, via close networking with running clubs; as well as communicating and promoting more effectively HARRA activities, and formulating new directives by discovering what that Houston running community needs.
Motion to accept April and May minutes. Seconded. Accepted.
Officers elected at the June HARRA Awards Banquet:
Steve Shepard, President
Roger Boak, VP - Clubs
Randy Carlson, VP - Road Race Management
Roy Lira, VP - Communications
Rachel Guenther - Secretary
Audrey Christiansen - Treasurer
Camille Yarbrough, Jo Ann Luco, Annie Hadow - At Large Directors.
Lisa Ruthven - Director, Power In Motion
Geoff Guenther - Webmaster
Barb Shepard - Membership.
Move to accept HARRA Leadership Team by acclimation. Seconded. Accepted.
Confirmed that John Shepperd looks after Ironfoot Awards and Roger Boak looks after Marathon Finisher Towels. Vacant position of Hotline Monitor discussed. Steve offered this position to the board for volunteers without takers. Steve will follow up.
Steve suggested HARRA non-running events can be clarified on the HARRA Calendar of Events to enhance their visibility in running community. Submitted a partial list of events. Requested the leadership team to review the list and add missing information and/or HARRA events. Leadership Team to follow up.
Banquet planning to begin early February. Team to plan and execute the banquet will be designated by this time. Steve to follow up.
HARRA programs of significant caliber noted. PIM, Bayou City 10K, Tour de Bayou, AED/CPR are examples of programs unique to the Houston running community. Need to highlight these programs on the HARRA calendar where appropriate.
Race evaluation program discussed and decided redundant due to present high quality of races. However, Steve thought reminding race directors of HARRA race requirements is needed, and asked that representatives of spring and fall series races and of HARRA programs be invited to the HARRA Leadership Meetings to review plans and educate Board members. Randy will invite a representative of the Cross Country Relay to the July Meeting. Lisa Ruthven was requested to provide a PIM overview at the July Meeting.
Barbara discussed standardization of race invoice system for the HARRA runner’s tax. Tax amount to be discussed for later agenda. Randy Carlson to review and update race requirements.
Web site discussed. Steve asked that “what HARRA does for you” be clearly and prominently displayed on the home page. Tom asked it be clear HARRA’s mission was not to put on runs but to be an umbrella group. The board agreed.
Discussion of updating web forms.
Distribute HARRA Glossy
1. Develop 2004/05 HARRA BUDGET
2. Add budgeting and stewardship to financial process.
Steve discussed additional stewardship to financial spreadsheets. Develop line item budget, profit/loss statement. Audrey summarized budget. Over the last 12 months income comfortably exceeded expenses, largely due to discontinuation of Footprints.
Steve conveyed need for a clear estimation of current budgets to be readily available to enable HARRA program decisions without undue delay. The board agreed. Audrey to follow up.
3. Reinitiate the VVIP program.
(Volunteers - Very Important Performers). Camille to follow program Mercedes had in place.
4. Update the current web site data
Web design. Three step plan. Current web site in abeyance. Geoff will focus on updating data. Steve requested individuals with data sources to provide to Geoff.
5.Give the web site a face-lift.
6.Maintain website data.
Geoff said the present server is outdated and causing difficulties with website management. Requested upgrade location of site hosting. Cost estimate $10-15 per month. Also, re: ownership of HARRA domain name. HARRA does not own its name at the present. Geoff thought this was an issue for future agenda.
7. Update parameters for meeting minutes development and distribution.
Barbara suggested the minutes be available via email so that board members who could not attend could still vote. The board considered this. Paul Cooley thought the bylaws may need updating to accommodate this. Paul to follow up.
8. Set up annual calendar for HARRA events.
As noted above, the board will review the draft calendar submitted by Steve and provide additional/missing information.
9. Sharpen up the resolution on the HARRA logo.
Steve said there is a problem of the logo being low quality not supporting enlargement
Geoff said he found a high-resolution logo image from Footprints. No further action to be taken.
10. Visit all HARRA clubs.
Steve mentioned presentation of HARRA to clubs to promote HARRA awareness and inviting club presidents to HARRA meetings. Roy thought the summer was a low priority for this and a better time to concentrate on HARRA organization first in order to develop a clear presentation. The board agreed.
11. Visit all FIT sites.
Sept/October. 8 Houston FIT sites. Source of awareness and membership.
Liaison of Houston FIT. Roger expressed concern with past difficulties of regular Houston FIT presence. Steve to follow up with current FIT organizer.
12. Schedule HARRA to have a booth at a PIM session
Steve requested Lisa consider HARRA promotion during upcoming PIM session.
13. Kick off the HARRA BUYS YOU LUNCH initiative
Steve noted HARRA memberships expiring and concern for retaining members. He suggested on-line registration through sign me up. Membership $20 individuals, $30 families during the month of July. Advantages to HARRA include reduced admin. burden through small financial incentive, early re-up, elimination of reminder cards, improve credibility rating with members. Annie, outgoing membership director, agreed with limiting to on-line registration only.
Annie raised the concern of individuals who have already paid full membership. Steve suggested giving members already signed up a free pass to the next banquet.
Roger motioned reduction of $5 for membership during month of July and current members extended a free pass to next banquet. Seconded. Accepted.
14. Develop a monthly plan for the HARRA insert to Inside Texas Running
Confusion of contact information between the magazine and HARRA.
Persistence of communication with clubs. Realistic goals discussed. Roy and Steve will coordinate on this.
15. Develop communications mechanisms that reach all HARRA members
Jerry Smith’s email distribution list only reaching ½ of HARRA members.
Board supports automatic enrollment in HARRA email list with membership. Issue of selling email lists. Annie confirmed HARRA limits activity in this area to selling hard copy mailing labels only. Check box solution suggested on membership forms indicating desire to be on Jerry’s list. Barb will follow up.
16. Meet with HARRA Race directors prior to races to review standards and expectations.
Randy will follow up with the Cross Country Relay for the July Meeting.
17. Initiate club involvement at HARRA meetings
As noted in #10, this is short-term low priority.
18. Enhance membership form distribution
Forms already included in bags of every HARRA race, and representation of HARRA via tent at races. The board thought this was already taken care of and agreed to delete this item from further agendas.
19. Re-initiate the Students Run Houston Program
Discussion of program history. City assistance with this program to help with childhood obesity explored. Annie will contact folks previously involved with the program to test availability and interest in re-starting the program.
20. Re-initiate HARRA Race Evaluation Program
Randy agreed to take the lead and will share his thoughts next month.
21. Revamp the club/team competitions to reflect member demographics.
Unequal prize money distribution and team size is an opportunity for improvement. Roger will follow up in time for the fall series.
22. Move the Tour de Bayou to Tuesday or Thursday to avoid PIM conflicts
Roger will poll Tour de Bayou members and report next month.
23. HARRA information handbook
The board decided this is redundant and removed from further agenda.
24. Upload the HARRA Bylaws to the HARRA web site
Geoff to update.
Meeting adjourned 8:15pm.
Submitted by Rachel Guenther