MECA meeting agenda 3/28/2010
1:00-4:00 PM
Meeting called to order by Andy Bryan at Governor’s Restaurant in Waterville
Attending: Andy Bryan,
Margaret Bryan, Lee Doucette as MECA officers, Steve Abrahams, Brian Roderick,
Roger Morin as MECA Board of Directors
1. Financial Statement
As informally reported by Treasurer Andrey Savov to Secretary Lee Doucette,
MECA current account is $3000+. Savov indicated that he has established a
no-fee checking account at Key Bank in Portland
Proposal
by A. Bryan that a budgeting process be established to examine how to apportion
MECA allocation of funds to various chess support projects.
NO ACTION TAKEN
Action items:
1. Get a current official
financial statement from Savov, including checking account # and location.
2. Recommend that we get
another officer or director to have co-authority for this account.
3. Additional discussion
of budgeting process, which projects will be funded, to what extent, and how to
maintain MECA cash flow.
2. Maine Closed Championship Tentative Dates &
Sponsorship - Discussion
Proposed dates: 2010 -
August
21-22
2011 - April
9-10
2012 - April 21-22
Discussion
raised by Morin to define Maine state residency to determine who is allowed to
enter the closed state championship. The
issue in question is whether students attending college in Maine from out of
state are true residents of Maine. The
issue arises from several of the recent past champions not being permanent
residents of Maine, but rather being resident while attending college at the
time the closed state championship is held.
It has been traditional
that students from other states attending college in Maine, and any military
personnel stationed in Maine, are considered to be’ residents’ and thus allowed
to play in the closed state championship.
Motion by Morin
to require full-time, permanent Maine residency to enter the closed
championship; this point was support by Doucette noting that if someone claims
Maine as their permanent residency, they must acquire a Maine state driver’s
license or Maine ID within 30 days of moving into the state, and must indicate
on tax returns that Maine is their primary residency.
NO ACTION TAKEN – SEE DISCUSSION IN NEXT ITEM
Motion by
Doucette that MECA assume permanent responsibility for organizing &
directing the Maine State Closed Championship, and maintain it in
Augusta/Waterville area. This will
guarantee that the Maine State Closed Championship has a permanent time,
central location, and sponsor, will serve as the anchor tournament for Maine
Chess Player of the Year activities, and will act as a potential revenue source
for MECA.
Discussion
raised by A Bryan indicated that it might be best to hold the closed
championship during summer. This would
allow Maine college students attending out-of-state schools to play as Maine
residents. Several specific examples
were cited. Additionally, it has the
benefit of being held while out-of-state students are not ‘in residence’ in
Maine. Morin urged that the tournament be
split into Championship & U1600 sections.
Championship entry would be an extra $10, open to any Maine resident who
is a current member of USCF & MECA, and would determine the recognized
Maine State Champion for any national events. Additionally, there would be no attempt to
establish class champions at this event, though a separate State Class
Championship tournament should be considered.
MOTION CARRIED UNANAMIOUSLY
Action Items:
1. Assign
responsibility for organizing
(addendum: Doucette volunteers to
serve as this year’s event organizer)
2. Determine number of
rounds
4 rds
game/2 hours with accelerated pairings if necessary
5 rds time
control TBD
3. Maine Chess Player of the Year and Other Potential MECA
Commendations
Players, Tournament Directors,
Lifetime Achievement
Discussion
Criteria for Chess Player
of the Year eligibility
> Must be an active
MECA member (scholastic or adult)
> Accumulate points by
score + # of games (this is how it is currently implemented)
> 2010 competition
effective start date proposed as April 1
Criteria for Chess Player
of the Year tournaments
> minimum of 1 day/3 rd
event, any full K rating time control (G/60 or more), no fee sent to MECA for CPY,
6 weeks minimum listing on ChessMaine website, any 1/2 K rating (<G/60)=
25%, latest USCF published rating, use of pairing software required
NO ACTION TAKEN; DEFERRED FOR LATER DISCUSSION DUE TO
TIME
Action Items:
1. Establish by vote and
publish criteria for both Chess Player of the Year eligibility and how
tournaments are qualified as a CPY event. (This
is urgent!!)
4. Tournaments that MECA will Support and Recognize
Maine team championship –
brief discussion about establishing a Maine Team Championship tournament
NO ACTION TAKEN; DEFERRED FOR LATER DISCUSSION DUE TO
TIME
5. The Role MECA will play in promoting Maine chess
> Discuss with De Luca
granting admin privileges for Doucette to do postings for MECA while complying
with Dan’s website standards. This will
relieve some of the burden from De Luca to cover/post everything chess in
Maine.
> May include listing
of current MECA membership ID #s and expiration dates.
> Highest rated Maine players
invitational tournament (8 or 16 players) as part of another tournament.
> Suggestion for
tournament organizers: If entrant is joining USCF membership and this is the 1st
tournament, entry fee is $5 (or other minimal charge); if renewing entry fee is
half (or other minimal charge)
> Encourage organizers
& TDs; payments if directing, financial support if organizing
> Look for business
sponsors for local events
NO ACTION TAKEN; DEFERRED FOR LATER DISCUSSION DUE TO
TIME
6. Other
Proposal
by Abrahams – listing of scholastic coaches on chessmaine.net
> should be handled by Maine Assoc of Chess
Coaches & ChessMaine, not an issue to be addressed by MECA
Proposal
by Morin – organize a list of masters or other higher rated players for
teaching beginning or advanced levels of chess, to be available on the ChessMaine
website.
NO ACTION TAKEN; DEFERRED FOR LATER DISCUSSION DUE TO
TIME
Discussion
by Morin - Should minors be allowed to vote in MECA elections? Feels youngsters may be too susceptible to
parental or peer pressure, and may bias election results. This was presented as an opinion without
supporting evidence. Doucette suggested
that a count of participating age groups (<12, 13-18, >18) be conducted
at the next election as a start to understanding if this may be true.
NO ACTION TAKEN; DEFERRED
FOR LATER DISCUSSION DUE TO TIME
Proposal by
Abrahams - Some sort of MECA sponsored, Maine-based chess newsletter be established
& mailed or electronically available
NO ACTION TAKEN; DEFERRED FOR LATER DISCUSSION DUE TO
TIME
Respectfully submitted,
Lee Doucette
Secretary