Dear Members:
MRC’s Board had a long but very productive meeting tonight. Here are the main highlights.
Programs and Rowing
The Board accepted our program director’s proposal to allow independent competitive members (i.e. competitive rowers who do not row in an organized program) to organize themselves into training groups of 8 to 12 rowers with a designated representative to communicate with the program director and coaching staff on behalf of the training group. These groups will have similar equipment rights as accorded to club-sponsored programs. The purpose is to encourage organization so that we can allocate equipment efficiently and fairly. Since training group members will not receive professional coaching, the Board amended the original proposal such that there will be no fee beyond standard dues for participation in a training group.
The Board also accepted the program director’s proposal to designate two coaches to serve as “boathouse managers” in the morning and evening through the week. Each will provide some additional services to the club beyond coaching, such as checking equipment for safety, posting river conditions in the boathouse, identifying maintenance issues, and helping to work out equipment allocation issues on the spot so that programs can get on the water with minimal delay.
The Board received very encouraging reports from the Junior Program and the Learn to Row Committee. We approved the hiring of a slate of coaches for the Junior program. Learn to Row is shaping up nicely, but we could still use volunteer coaches and launch drivers! Please contact Ann Schley about this.
Building and Grounds
The Board also approved a number of items related to building and grounds. We approved expenditures for materials to paint the new launch garage in a few weeks. We approved expenditures to expand the south dock and to finish the launch ramp. And we approved expenditures requested by our landscape subcommittee to implement their wonderful plan for plantings on the grounds, including in the new rain gardens.
Keep your eyes open for volunteer opportunities in connection with all of these. They will be posted shortly.
Equipment
The Board approved the purchase of a new Vespoli Ultralight VIII+. This will arrive with our other new boats in May.
Policies
We approved the Equipment Committee’s proposed replacement for our club breakage policy. The old policy allowed an assessment of up to $500 per boat, regardless of boat size. As a result, a rower in a single who caused damage would be hit with up to $500, whereas the rowers in an eight would be charged 1/8 of $500 a piece. The new policy will now allow the club to assess members in a boat up to $150 per seat for avoidable incidents (defined in the policy) resulting in boat damage. We will consider a modified version of this policy for the Junior Program at our next meeting.
We approved the Equipment Committee’s recommended policy regarding storage of equipment other than boats in the boathouses.
These new policies will be online shortly.
Safety
Finally, the Board approved an expenditure to train coaches in CPR and First Aid. We will make the training available to other MRC members at cost (about $90 a person for a two year certification).
So, again, a good and productive meeting. I look forward to seeing everyone on the water.
Thanks,
Mark Johnson