
ROW GEORGIA BOARD MEETING MINUTES
September 12, 2023
Meeting Information
Location:Keller Williams, 1200 Commerce Dr.
Time:7:35 pmMeeting Type:open to members
Facilitator: Emma Foppe, PresidentSecretary: Melissa Cadwaladr
Attendees:Emma Foppe, Brian Reilly, Eli Robbins, Melissa Cadwaladr, Beth Parker, Lee Miller, Dana Sweat, Patrick Clary, Steve Brown, Heather Robbins, Tony Martino, Megan Martino, Ann Caskey, Lynn Ortman, Julietta Valendoza, McKinley Harris,
Action Items From Previous Meeting
Item/Responsible/Due Date
Agenda Items
Item/Presenter/Time Allotted
1. Election of member to Board of Directors.
• Tony Martino is acclaimed as the sixth member of the board.
2. Reconciling program and membership alignment/E. Robbins
• Some parents have not added themselves to Boathouse Connect. If communication is to come from Boathouse Connect, parents need to add themselves.
3. Updating by-laws for clarity and alignment and call for volunteers to serve on By-law re-write committee/E. Robbins
• Eli has asked for volunteers to help with re-write of the by-laws.
• Lee Miller, Britt Cleary and Ann Caskey have volunteered to help.
4. Hiring new assistant coaches to help with recreation and competitive programs/DSweatt
• Feelers have been put out; adverts placed with Row2K but we have not found anyone.
• Part-time professional level coach is difficult – the job doesn’t pay a lot, so anyone who is interested has a full-time job. They can only do after work - 4:45-6:45 doesn’t work.
• Shifting practice later has the issue of not enough daylight.
5. Treasurer update/E. Robbins
• See attached Profit and Loss statement for August 2023
• Eli had to reconcile past records.
• We need to charge sales tax on merchandise we sell. (7%)
• We are registered with the state now and set up in Shopify.
6. Boathouse update/S. Brown
• Steve talked about the turmoil of the Spring and the fact that some parents contacting the county to circumvent the board caused upset and caused the Boathouse to be put on hold.
• Steve is willing to start engaging with the county again, as long as the club is cohesive and willing to work together.
• The county has already offered to give us engineering, grading, etc. services but we are hoping for them to pay for the building.
• Looking at an 80’ x 60’ building. The county can bid it out and help with the price. The building will belong to the county.
• See attached “pitch brochure”
• Steve suggests Patrick meets with the Marshalls and taking their boating safety course. Good to have them familiar with our staff and working together.
• Steve suggests the club prepares a presentation for the Recreation Commission meeting in October. Brian and Emma are attending and will arrange.
7. Public Relations Update/D. Sweatt
• Learn to Row was successful. We gained 3 competitive rowers from the Learn to Row.
• Trailer transportation to the regattas – we need to rent a truck for Coach Clary to drive.
• Indianapolis Rowing would like to rent a boat from us for Nashville. Details forwarded to Coach Clary.
• Captains Boat – names have been delivered to Coach Clary. Need to be added to the boat.
• Team Store Merchandise – need someone to administer the store, order from supplier
• Pre-screen “Boys in the Boat” one week early. Cost $2500-3000.Decision: not a good use of our funds.
• CLT is offering meeting space to other non-profits (once every 6 months). Option available if needed.
• Social Media (2.200 followers on Facebook, 700 on Instagram)
• Georgia Tech possible meet & greet for Juniors and Seniors to discuss their club program.
• Senior Banners – cost approximately $40 each. Seniors need to order, send in photos or arrange for a photo session. 2 emails have been sent to senior students’ families.
8. Coach update/P. Clary
• Entries are in for all regattas, except Head of the South
• Head of Hooch – only 6 guaranteed entries, the rest are a lottery.
• Issues – Heat and weather. The tent is not a storm shelter.
• Coaching Staff – assistant needed.
9. Equipment issues: Painting/wrapping oars & Speed Coach damage/P. Clary
• Speed coaches – overheated due to storage issues with excessive heat. Tent is not climate controlled. 5/6 are being sent back to NK. Any under warranty will get fixed for free. Others $95 repair fee. If unrepairable, will need to buy replacements.
• Sanding oars is onerous. Tested marine grade wrap. Is holding up well. Coach proposes to wrap all our oars (75 oars). Quote from Foxy Wraps (they did our trailer) is $3204.48 total. $35/36 per oar for sculling oars. $51 for sweeping oars.
• MOTION: Club will pay to wrap oars. APPROVED: Unanimous
• Request: To purchase a plug-in water cooler. Currently, buying ice and water weekly as heat has remained an issue. Fayette County requires us to have water available for athletes. Beth mentioned that the club had a fridge in the tent at one point but it lasted 1 month due to weather conditions. Again, no climate control in the tent.
10. Fall Regatta Update:
• Secret City – one day only, cancel your Saturday night reservation if you want.
• Tracy and Trish have volunteered to do Recovery Food.
• Chuckwagon – Is it necessary for one day? Anyone able to pull? Need to reach out to Trish and Tracy to ask.
• Lunch orders – We need someone to organize.
11. Newsletter
• Adding Coaches Corner segment
• Safesport segment.
New Action Items
Item/Responsible/Due Date
1. Picking up water at Costco/Sam’s Club/E. Foppe/each weekend
2. Someone to take over team store
3. Prepare slide show for Recreation Committee Meeting/E. Foppe & B. Reilly
4. Captain’s Boat -adding names/P.Clary
5. Inform members of Secret City change so they can change reservations if needed.
6. Volunteers to organize lunch orders for regattas.