OHIO VALLEY KARTING ASSOCIATION

BOARD MEETING MINUTES

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2007

 

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

 

OPENING REMARKS: Randy Vermillion reminded attendees to turn cell phones off or put on vibrate mode. Vermillion said he wanted to clarify the website managed by the McKibben family is not an OVKA endorsed site.  Vermillion congratulated Nick Ouwerkerk who was awarded an OVKA “Lifetime Membership” at the banquet in January.  Since Ouwerkerk was unable to attend the banquet, Vermillion repeated the presentation including the criteria for the award, as well as Ouwerkerk’s accomplishments.  A round of applause was given to Ouwerkerk.

 

SECRETARYS' REPORT: Lynda Whitaker asked the board to update their contact information in preparation for the new season.  Whitaker made a motion to accept the February minutes as published.  The motion was seconded by Tim Bell and passed with 9 in favor and 1 abstained. 

 

TREASURERS' REPORT: Gary Gregg submitted a statement of the club’s finances.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

RULES COMMITTEE: Rick Coombs explained the third draft of the 2007 OVKA rulebook was sent via email to the board on February 10th.  Board members were asked to review it and be prepared to vote on it this evening.  Randy Vermillion said the motion tabled from last month regarding participation credits needs to be voted on.  Lynda Whitaker read the motion from February 10, 2007: “Don Boles made a motion to require participants earn two participation credits (Ps) above and beyond their participation level in order to be eligible for any year-end prizes.  The motion was seconded by Hal Thornton”.  Boles pointed out that participation credits can be earned in a variety of ways, such as working at a race, show or clean-up day.  Ted Cradlebaugh asked if transfer of participation credits will still be permitted to which Whitaker responded the motion did not include any change to that policy.  Cradlebaugh said it is hard for young children to earn participation credits.  Tim Bell stated parents can earn participation credits for their children.  Whitaker asked the board to consider whether age criteria for earning participation credits needs to be in place.  She explained there have been a number of parents who want their children to receive participation credit for coming to clean-up day when they have worked only a partial shift and when children attend shows but do not actually work.  Boles’ motion was voted on and passed with 6 in favor and 5 opposed.  JoAnne Hartings said it is important people understand this policy change will affect both participation prizes and grand prizes and will not affect year-end awards.  Mark Lewis pointed out that racers who come by themselves still want prizes to which Ray McKibben said there are other clubs that require participants to work.  Steve Smith suggested giving some kind of points for working.  Vermillion responded participation credits should not be tied into points.  Gerald Whaling asked if the club has considered assigning a class to work and give them first place points.  Nick Ouwerkerk stated he likes that idea and would further suggest a person who is unable to attend their assigned race designate someone else to work for them or receive a zero for that event.  Vermillion explained this season three classes will be assigned for each race to provide workers as compared to one or two in previous years which will provide a larger pool of people to pull race day workers from.  McKibben is attempting to line up some dads from a Boy Scout troop to fill worker positions.  Coombs made a motion to accept the 2007 rulebook.  The motion was seconded by Nick Ouwerkerk and passed with 12 in favor (including one by proxy) and 1 opposed.  Kathy McKibben asked what the tire policy is for visiting racers.  Max Viney responded it continues to be Dunlop SL-4s. 

 

TRACK IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE: Max Viney reported the Track Improvement Committee met February 16, 2007 and finalized a tentative design.  The next step will be to meet with Gary Gregg.  Bret Campbell is working on a cost estimate.  Viney will provide more information next month.  JoAnne Hartings extended thanks to the Track Improvement Committee for all of their efforts and a round of applause was given. 

 

BANQUET COMMITTEE: Rick Coombs reported the contract for the 2007 banquet has been submitted with a deposit.  He explained it was necessary to move the date one week earlier due to a previously booked event scheduled at Kings Island Resort.  The date will be Saturday, January 12, 2008.

 

SPONSORSHIP / PIT SPOTS:  Randy Vermillion reported that series sponsor, Jim Russell, Sr., passed away over the weekend.  Condolences are extended to the entire Russell family.  Vermillion will see that a remembrance is sent on behalf of OVKA.  Vermillion asked Don Boles, JoAnne Hartings, Ray McKibben, Toshiya Michimi and Lynda Whitaker to stay after this meeting to have a brief discussion about sponsorship.  Any others who would like to serve on this committee are welcome to attend.  Vermillion explained this committee is working to identify potential sponsors and ways to promote sponsorship for the club.  Hal Thornton is coordinating pit spots again this year.  Cutoff date for pit spot renewal is April 1, 2007.

 

SHOWS & PROMOTIONS: Randy Vermillion thanked the volunteers who helped staff the OVKA booth at the KMI Show in Schaumburg, Illinois:  Mike and Marjorie Arnold, Don Boles, Rick Coombs, Randy Landes, Rob Lehmann, Toshiya Michimi, Konnie, Quinten and Rick Nelson, Randy J. Vermillion, Max Viney, Lynda Whitaker & Bob Williams.  Vermillion reported the show was well attended and there were a number of interesting seminars.  In order to secure the same booth location for next year, Vermillion explained the application needs to be submitted by April 1st and made a motion to appropriate $312.50 for the booth space at the 2008 KMI show.  The motion was seconded by Nick Ouwerkerk and passed unanimously.

 

SWAP MEET COMMITTEE:  Randy Vermillion reported Jeff Morningstar has agreed to chair the Swap Meet Committee for next year with the help of Gary Gregg.  A volunteer is needed to fill the position vacated by Tim Bussen who served on this committee for many years.  Vermillion said it is extremely important this position be filled and asked interested persons to contact him.  Vermillion extended a big thank you to Bussen for all of his hard work and dedication.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

CLEAN-UP DAY: Randy Vermillion reminded everyone volunteers will be needed for the clean-up day on Saturday, April 7, 2007, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  He explained the track will be closed until the clean-up is over.  Max Viney said a participation credit can be earned for working the 4-hour shift.

 

DRIVING SCHOOL: Nick Ouwerkerk explained he and Tim Reed went through the curriculum for the driving school which Reed will be coordinating with the assistance of Don Boles and Max Viney.  The driving school will be held Saturday, April 14, 2007, from noon until 6:00 p.m.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

HELMET STICKERS: Nick Ouwerkerk reported the cost of helmet stickers is the same as last year and he will see that they are ordered.

 

WORKER REIMBURSEMENT:  Randy Vermillion said with the start of the season right around the corner, he would like to ask the board to consider adjusting worker reimbursement.   Vermillion reported he compared our worker reimbursement with that of other clubs & feels adjustments are in order.  Gary Gregg suggested this wait until the start of season then take a look at kart count in relation to expenses.  JoAnne Hartings recommended the three-tier scale based on kart count continue to be incorporated into the worker reimbursement schedule.  Vermillion will rework the reimbursement schedule and report back next month.

 

OPEN DISCUSSION:

LIFE SQUAD/EMT AT CIRCLEVILLE: Randy Vermillion explained that Steve Tatman did not share in the cost of the ambulance with EMT at Circleville last year.  Vermillion asked if the board wants to have a squad or EMT with life support at Circleville this coming season and reviewed expenses associated with each.  Gerald Whaling said that having the squad there is about being safe and suggested not going there considering the financial impact.  Nick Ouwerkerk stated his understanding of the situation that created this issue was the EMT being in the concession stand rather than trackside.  Vermillion responded he talked with Tatman about this, however, the board voted to have an ambulance at Circleville last year.  Bill Davis suggested the board personalize this and think about it as if it were their own child that needed the squad.  No action taken.

 

NAME OF KARTING: Bill Davis said he has been involved in the sport of karting for 50 years and wants to re-name the sport from “go-karting” to “race karting”.  He has been in contact with WKA about this matter.  Davis said he believes the term “race karting” is a better representation of the sport.  Lynda Whitaker stated that volunteers who have worked at the shows have referred to the sport as “karting” rather than “go-karting” for quite a few years.  With Davis’ years of experience in karting, Randy Vermillion asked Davis if he would be willing to offer a seminar at the OVKA Swap Meet next year to which Davis agreed.

 

OVKA FAMILY MEMBER: Randy Vermillion reported Doug Stempfley, Sr. is in University Hospital.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

 

SIRA: Randy Vermillion explained the President of SIRA (Southern Indiana Racing Association) would like to set a date at G & J Kartway to hold one of their karting events on the day before or after one of OVKA’s events.  The only time Vermillion feels this is workable is toward the end of the season.  Kathy McKibben pointed out their entry fee last year was $55 and suggested that be addressed with him. 

VIDEO PRODUCTION: JoAnne Hartings asked where things stood with the video that was being created by the videographer who spent last season filming OVKA events.  Randy Vermilion said he has not heard from him since the banquet and will follow up.

 

NEXT BOARD MEETING: 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 3, 2007, at Ramada Inn Middletown, 6147 West State Route 122, Franklin, Ohio (east side of I-75).

 

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

 

MEMBERS / VISITORS PRESENT: S. Benson, C. Bogan, T. Cradlebaugh, B. Davis, V. Hartings, D. Lawson, G. Lutz, K. McKibben, R. McKibben, S. McKibben, P. Robbins, J.P. Smith, S. Smith, R.J. Vermillion, G. Whaling, L. Whitaker and B. Williams.

 

Respectfully submitted by Lynda Whitaker, OVKA Secretary, 3/26/07. 

 

SECRETARY’S NOTE:  Deepest sympathy is extended to the Stempfley family upon the passing of Doug Stempfley, Sr. on March 12, 2007.