16th CASPA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Friday 6th April 2007.
Venue: Shore School, Blue St, North Sydney
1. Attendance and Apologies:
Present:
Glenys Lawrie (WA, Coordinator)
Bob Jackman (NSW)
Carol Hudson (WA, Treasurer)
Edward Okulicz (NSW, Web Coordinator)
Olga Visser (Qld)
Katie Rowe (Tas, ATB Editor)
Richard Birch (NSW, ATB Editor)
Marj Miller (Vic)
Norma Fisher (Vic)
Karen Richards (Rules Coordinator)
Barry Harridge (RAC Convenor)
Apologies: Ellen Frajman, Alistair Kane, and Joyce Browett
Meeting opened: 2:05pm
2. Minutes of the previous AGM. The meeting agreed that the AGM minutes of 16^th^ April 2006 be taken as read and accepted.
3. Business arising from the minutes. -- covered by agenda items.
4. Reports
4.1 Coordinator's Report. Circulated and taken as read. Katie moved that the report be accepted, Karen seconded. Carried.
4.2 Treasurer's Report. Regarding the budget, Carol reported that one extra WSC place would have to be funded and stated that an airfare for the World Youth winner has been claimed from Mattel and suggested that CASPA make up the difference to $2000. Marj queried the item for promotional costs for the Nationals. The Mattel advance has not been received to date. Marj moved to accept the report, Edward seconded. Carried.
4.3 ATB Editor's Report. Taken as read. Deadline for contributions is to be moved to the first of the month before publication. Tournament and club listings are to be placed in Around The States section, and Katie to provide a template to State representatives. Katie recommended some items be sent back to be proofread. All recommendations made were accepted. Norma moved Katie's report be accepted, Olga seconded. Carried.
4.4 Mattel Liaison Officer's Report. None received. Marj reports the new Mattel contact Ben Caddy to be "very responsive".
4.5 National Ratings Officer's Report. None received. Covered by 4.6
4.6 Ratings Advisory Committee Convenor's Report. Barry Harridge spoke to the previously circulated report. The implementation of LINRAT was discussed, and the RAC will review LINRAT at 1 December 2007. Barry to fix selection criteria for Australian Masters on Website, to include the selection date. Barry reported that inactive players, including overseas players, in the obsolescence RETIRED.DAT file will be maintained in the RATING.DAT file for five years from their last tournament. Barry recommended a ratings look-up facility on the Website. Moved Katie, seconded Bob. Carried.
4.7 Rules Coordinator's Report. Report taken as read. PDA protocols are awaiting updated dictionary. Karen reports that WESPA rules committee is inactive. Glenys will talk to Cheah Siu Hean about lack of active progress by this and other sub-committees. Karen requested that Board members/office bearers be included in CASPA discussions. Moved by Marj, seconded by Katie. Carried.
4.8 Web Coordinator's Report. Taken as read. Moved by Olga, seconded by Richard. Carried.
4.9 WESPA Report. No report tabled. Bob reported that WESPA tournament committee has distributed a survey about the World Championships, and proposes that WESPA member countries have more say. Karen reported a level of inactivity at the management level. Glenys suggested that CASPA should demand that only financial member countries have a say in the decision-making process, and the meeting agreed.
5. Collins Scrabble Tournament & Club Word List
The new word list will be introduced in Australia on 15 May 2007. Olga reported that Queensland has already received 200 books. Barry reported that updated LOOK program was available for testing.
6. Representative Events
Glenys queried the registration fee for the Causeway Challenge. It was decided that team members should pay their own registration. Bob confirmed the Trans Tasman Challenge for Sydney in 2008.
7. Australian Championships
Glenys stated that the floating boundary of 100 points will be excessive with LINRAT increasing ratings at the top, and the current cut-off will be too low. Glenys suggested a cut-off of 1300. It was agreed that Barry will report the rate of ratings increase to CASPA on 1 June and CASPA will decide the cut-off point for the 2008 Nationals by 1 July in time to publish in the Sept ATB.
Guidelines for National Championships. Budget figure to be obtained from Rene Chelton from the 2007 Championships. Figures from 2006 (QLD) are on hand.
Future Championships: 2008 -- Melbourne, 2009 -- Perth, 2010 -- Adelaide, 2011 -- ACT, 2012 -- Tasmania.
8. Election of Office Bearers
Glenys thanked the office bearers for their contribution during 2006/2007.
Mike Clarke (WA) replaces Karen as Rules Coordinator. All other Officers continuing for another year.
Ratings Advisory Committee: Barry Harridge (Convenor), Martin Waterworth, Karen Richards, Trevor Halsall, plus Alistair ex officio.
WESPA. Our representatives are Andrew Fisher (Treasurer), Bob Jackman (Tournaments & Ratings), Joan Rosenthal (Rules) and Barry Harridge (Dictionary). Edward Okulicz resigned from Communications.
9. Other Business
9.1 Schools and Youth
Marj reported developments with a network of schools in Gippsland. David Cordover plans to run a schools tournament on 7-8 December 2007 at Monash University in conjunction with a similar Chess event. Glenys suggested that youth and schools issues be local or state based, with CASPA to have a limited role. Karen reported a workshop to be run for young players in July before the NSW Winter Challenge.
9.2 History
All states are to appoint a historian to work with Gillian Kinder. Vic & WA have done so.
9.3 Tournament Director's Guidelines
Glenys stated these need to be reviewed. Glenys and Mike Clarke to coordinate this.
9.4 Wilma's Study
A written report was read by Glenys. Wilma reports Edward's thesis is moving along well but rest of study has slowed due to funding. Plans are in hand to approach Mattel UK for funds and a team is being assembled. Olga moved to accept Wilma's report, seconded by Marj. Carried.
Items of business without notice
It was agreed that members of Ocean Shores club in Northern NSW are to be members of ASPA (Qld) for all purposes.
Meeting closed at 4:40pm.