OHIO VALLEY KARTING ASSOCIATION

BOARD MEETING MINUTES

TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2006

 

 

CALL TO ORDER: President Randy Vermillion called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. at Ramada Inn, Middletown, Ohio. 

 

OPENING REMARKS: Randy Vermillion thanked everyone for coming and asked that cell phones be turned off or on vibrate mode. 

 

SECRETARYS' REPORT: Lynda Whitaker made a motion to accept the May minutes as published.  The motion was seconded by Max Viney and passed with 8 in favor and 1 abstained. 

 

TREASURERS' REPORT: No report.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

CHAMP RACE: Lynda Whitaker reported Carolyn Thornton has agreed to chair the Champ Race Committee.  Beth Slater and Barb Bell will assist with games.  Food has been lined up through Powerhouse Catering and music will be provided by Mike and Kathy Reifeis.  Whitaker asked how the board wants to handle trophies for the TaG class due to the lack of participation.  Rick Coombs suggested giving an IOU to those who finish in the top five in the TaG class if there is participation.  Don Lawson suggested all participants in the Rookie Class receive trophies as is done for the Kid Karts.

Whitaker explained a lot of volunteers will be needed to help with set up, clean up and games.  Randy Vermillion asked that board members make themselves available to assist with the event.

 

RULES COMMITTEE: In follow up to last month’s meeting, Rick Coombs reminded the board to be thinking about whether the Senior Novice Yamaha class should continue to receive year-end awards.  Gerald Whaling stated he feels requiring the top three to move out of the class at the conclusion of the season is adequate and the jacket and trophies should not be taken away.  Randy Vermillion responded the intent of this class was to give new drivers a place to learn.  He explained two drivers were asked to move out earlier in the season but did not want to and once the season is well under way, it becomes more difficult for them to do so.  Don Boles explained that when there was a Novice Class in the past, once a driver had three wins they had to move up.  Don Lawson responded that just because a driver is fast does not mean they are able to drive and time alone should not be the only factor.  Whaling stated he doesn’t think the participants are in that class for the jacket and trophies.  He further stated it is a good class for people who are new to racing.  Kathy McKibben pointed out that the four or five front runners have been there since the first race and they should have been told to move up. Ray McKibben agreed saying the board should exercise their discretion per the rulebook.  Vermillion asked the board to continue thinking about this matter in preparation for rulebook revisions for next year.  The Rules Committee will begin meeting toward the end of the season.  JoAnne Hartings explained that the entire membership is invited and encouraged to attend the first meeting of the Rules Committee to share their suggestions.

 

SPONSORSHIP / PIT SOPTS: Hal Thornton reported reserved pit spots are still available.  Don Boles discussed how the income from reserved pit spots is used to cover the cost of the ambulance and EMTs and asked if enough have been sold in order to do so.  Randy Vermillion responded he will have to check with Gary Gregg.  Vermillion reported the Arthritis Foundation had requested the rental of our timing system, transponders and timing operators for their Mini-Grand Prix.  Nick Ouwerkerk reported a meeting is to be held next week after which he will know more details.

 

TRACK IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE: Randy Vermillion explained he has created a committee to move forward with researching, designing and pricing track improvements.  Max Viney will chair the committee.  Scott Benson, Bret Campbell, Ted Cradlebaugh and Mark Lewis will serve as committee members.  Vermillion said there

.

OLD BUSINESS:

ROOKIE CLASS: Randy Vermillion explained how Mark Brown and Gerald Whaling have been working with weights and restrictors in the new Rookie Class in order to regulate speed.  Vermillion said he feels this class is working out well.  Ray McKibben suggested having a mid-season Karting 101 in order to provide additional instruction.

 

SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTING: Randy Vermillion made a motion to appropriate up to $1,000 to cover light rental for three night races.  The motion was seconded by Nick Ouwerkerk and passed unanimously.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

CIRCLEVILLE RACE JUNE 4, 2006: Randy Vermillion read an email from Tom Marshall extending an apology for a situation that occurred at the June 4, 2006 race.  Don Boles asked if any further action needs to be taken to which Vermillion responded he feels the matter was taken care of adequately at the time.  Vermillion also explained Marshall expressed concern about Circleville’s EMT performing other duties at that track compromising his availability to attend to on-track incidents.  JoAnne Hartings explained how the EMTs at Camden are positioned in an area where they can see the track and respond quickly.  Vermillion will follow up with Steve Tatman regarding this matter.

 

APPEAL OF PROTEST COMMITTEE DECISION JUNE 4, 2006: Lynda Whitaker read a protest submitted by Victor Hartings at the June 4, 2006 Circleville race which was denied by the Protest Committee and an appeal submitted.  JoAnne Hartings explained she feels a compromised worker situation that day led to her son’s class having a faulty start in heat one of Yamaha Lite.  She said something must be done to address the worker situation in order to have adequate coverage on race days and the intent of appealing the protest was to provide a springboard for dialog about this matter.  JoAnne pointed out worker pay has not been addressed in a number of years and suggested this be reviewed.  She also discussed how certain positions need to be filled by people with racing knowledge and suggested some board members work on the track.  Don Boles recommended entire classes be assigned to take care of specific race days.  Nick Ouwerkerk said this issue goes in cycles over the years and track improvements are minor when compared to having solid workers.  Ouwerkerk went on to say that Randy Vermillion and Lynda Whitaker worry every week they won’t be able to find enough people to work.  He stated there needs to be some type of system and if there are not enough workers, the race be shut down.  Having been Head Flagman in the past, Rick Coombs explained how difficult it is to flag at Circleville and it is unfortunate to blame someone who stepped up to fill a worker position.  Gerald Whaling discussed how a club he was involved with in the past handled the worker situation by requiring the racers to work.  He said each week the name of a class was drawn and they left their karts, went to work and received points for doing so.  Tim Bell suggested pulling names.  Vermillion responded that many of the positions require a certain level of experience and training.  He explained that workers are sought out at all of the shows the club attends.  Randy Landes pointed out that as a condition of membership you have to follow the rulebook which has a worker policy in place.  Whaling suggested requiring an entire class to work and give first place points.  Mark Lewis asked how to handle the people from other tracks who come to race with us that day.  Bell asked JoAnne what she is asking for to which she responded some action from the board would be appropriate.   Randy Potter suggested putting a notice on the website about the need for qualified corner workers.  Ouwerkerk made a motion to approve her protest to look at getting qualified workers and refund the $20 protest appeal fee.  The motion was seconded by Bell and passed with 8 in favor and 1 opposed. 

 

RENTAL OF TRANSPONDERS: Randy Vermillion discussed a request from MSOKC to borrow OVKA’s transponders for the Commercial Point Grand Prix of Karting event being held August 5th and 6th.  Following discussion of concerns about loss of transponders and replacement issues since our style is no longer available, a motion was made by Max Viney to not rent the transponders.  The motion was seconded by Doug Stempfley, II and passed with 7 in favor and 2 opposed. 

 

OPEN DISCUSSION:

NEW SOFTWARE:  Mark Lewis stated there continues to be dissatisfaction with the information generated by the new timing and scoring software.  Lynda Whitaker responded the software provider continues to make adaptations in an attempt to meet the needs of OVKA.

 

FUNDRAISER: Toshiya Michimi extended thanks to everyone for their assistance in the melanoma fundraiser his son, Shinya, conducted recently. 

 

ADJOURNMENT: Nick Ouwerkerk made a motion to adjourn at 10:36 p.m.  The motion was seconded by Max Viney and passed unanimously.

 

NEXT MEETING: 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, 2006, at Ramada Inn Middletown, 6147 West State Route 122, Franklin, OH (east side of I-75)

 

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: T. Bell, D. Boles, R. Coombs, J. Hartings, R. Landes, M. Lewis, N. Ouwerkerk,  D. Stempfley, II, H. Thornton, R. Vermillion, and M. Viney.

 

MEMBERS / VISITORS PRESENT: D. Benson, C. Bogan, O. Cohen,  V. Hartings, D. Lawson, K. McKibben, R. McKibben, S. McKibben, T. Michimi, Randall Potter, Randy Potter, J. Robbins, P. Robbins, G. Whaling, L. Whitaker, and B. Williams.

 

Respectfully submitted by Lynda Whitaker, OVKA Secretary, 7/9/06.