RRCA CONVENTION REPORT

By Mel Cyrak (mmcyrak@worldnet.att.net)

This is the unofficial convention report from an attendee who has attended the past six conventions.

This year’s convention was somewhat contentious, but given the disaster of the 2002 convention, this one was a cakewalk. The primary problem this year was the proposed bylaw amendment, which would have defined a member as anyone on a local club’s roster over the age of 13. This bylaw would have removed children from the dues-paying process, which was promoted by some as a compromise over the 2003 billing process, which declared that everyone on a club’s roster was a member of the RRCA who had to pay dues to the RRCA. Many folks declared this dues billing illegal, including five of the six attorneys involved who have publicly stated their opinion. One attendee got a rousing round of applause when she declared that the process of determining member dues by the Board in October was sneaky and underhanded and should have been decided by the local clubs. After much debate and several amendments, it became obvious the members wanted to go back to the old household provisions. Board member Jim Stasiatis then proposed that the bylaw change be amended to return to the 2002 process of letting the local running clubs determine how to pay dues beginning in 2004. That amendment passed. And although there can be an argument made that the whole amending process was flawed, I doubt if the Board will return to the billing process of 2003.

Many attendees asked the Board members what was the status of our current executive director. The response was the matter can not be discussed since it is a personnel matter. Mr. Dobrzynski was in attendance, but did not seem to participate with the vigor of last year. He did not sit at the head table at the annual meeting and the whole meeting was basically managed by President Freddi Carlip, Legal Committee Chair David H. Williams, and Parliamentarian Dan Edwards.

Nominating committee chair Michael Hughes read the committee report and commented that no current Board member was nominated since the committee members believed that the current Board was responsible for the financial and communications problems facing the RRCA. He said the committee tried to select experienced, strong leaders for the Board. The nominees were Bee Andrews, the host of the 2002 convention as president of the Tidewater Striders and an executive with Cox Communications, John Farrow, the State Rep from New Mexico and an attorney, and David Epstein, the State Rep from Alaska and an executive with the FAA, for the three At-Large positions, and Tom Downing, the State Rep from Alabama and a partner in a manufacturing rep firm for Southern Regional Director and Lisa Paige, the Colorado State Rep and a compute consultant for the Western Regional Director.

The chair of the State Rep Committee, Ken Bendy, made an impassioned nomination to retain Kim Ottavianii as the Southern Regional Director. She was defeated by Tom Downing.

Sam Martino, the State Rep from Wisconsin, nominated Randy Accetta, the president of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners, to run against Bee Andrews. That she was the temporary Treasurer and a Board member of the newly formed American Association of Running Clubs seemed to work against her, but in a close ballot Bee Andrews prevailed.

Secretary-Treasurer Tom Fort gave his report and was questioned extensively, especially about the expenses listed under the office salaries and benefits. The number was over $200,000, was the biggest expense in the budget, and was not broken down. Tom stated that the departure of many clubs to the AARC or USATF cost the RRCA over $150,000 in dues revenue. One matter raised was the fact that the money donated for the Roads Scholar program has been used to cover other costs, with a pledge by the Board members to replace those funds from future income. It was also noted that there are no funds available for reviving Footnotes. The budget passes with one no vote, mine.

The workshops were the usual fare, and were done well. The keynote speaker was USATF CEO Craig Masback who spoke of the need for the entire running community to work together for the betterment of the sport. The convention ended Saturday evening with a diner and an auction, which is supposed to go to the Roads Scholar Fund. Eventually a report on the winners of the many awards will be posted on the RRCA website.