Meeting Minutes 12/7/09

Present: Igo, Sherman, Flanagan, Wheeler, Ryer, Glenzel, Trubia, Blomberg, Hutchins, Peloquin

1. Charter Change
Hingham-Hull Babe Ruth has added Cohasset players ages 15-17 to its charter.
Preliminary indications from national have been that Hingham-Hull Babe Ruth can add a Senior Babe Ruth team to our existing charter. The Senior Babe Ruth meeting is in February.
There would then be two senior Babe Ruth teams in Hingham. Frank Jones holds the charter for a Hingham-Hull team and Hingham-Hull Babe Ruth hold the charter for a Hingham-Hull-Cohasset team.

2. Website Postings
The Profit and Loss statement for the past year, meeting minutes and charter information will be posted on the website.

3. Board Positions
Susan Ryer will assist with the Treasurer position

4. Field Useage Expenses
It will cost considerably more for use of the fields run by the Rec Department due to their new policy of charging $8.00 per hour for use of the fields rather than charging a fee per registered player. The Rec Department will bill for whatever number of hours of use is put on the permit. The cost to use Cronin Field will go from $350 for the spring season only to $3,000. There will be additional cost for the summer season.
Last year Hull charged a $300 user fee for use of the L Street field and it is anticipated that this fee will also apply for the 2010 season.
The fields to be potentially utilized for the 2010 season are: Cronin and Hingham High School in Hingham, L Street in Hull and Beechwood and Cohasset High School in Cohasset.
The user fee for the Cohasset fields needs to be determined.

5. Treasurer's Report
The balance in the account is currently $9,570 with no expenses outstanding. Annual balances for the past two seasons are:
Beginning balance in 2007 $3,400
Ending balance in 2007 $11, 800

Beginning balance in 2008 $11,800
Ending balance in 2008 $9,600

Sponsor income and player registrations were down last year
Income for 2008 was $39,585
Income for 2009 was $34,444

User Fees
Cronin Field
2008 $900
2009 $750
Hingham High School
2008 $450
2009 $375
L Street Field
2008 $300
2009 $300

Operating Expenses
2009 $36,000
2008 $42,000
2007 $32,000

Spending
Uniforms - Cushman Sports
$3,750 less in 2009
Equipment - Anaconda
$4,400 less in 2009
Storage
Castle Storage costs $169 per month

6. Registration
Last year a new policy was instituted where players could register for the combination spring/summer seasons at a cost of $250 resulting in a $50 savings as registering for each season individually would cost $150 for the spring season and $150 for the summer season.
The registration breakdown for last year was as follows:
89 for the spring season only
25 for the summer season only
40 for the spring/summer season combo.
4 scholarships were received last year
$2,000 was lost in registration fees last year
The following registration fees were recommended and approved for the 2010 season: $175 per season if players register separately for each spring and summer season, $325 if players register for both the spring and summer seasons simultaneously for a savings of $25. The family maximum will be $250 per family for each spring and summer season if registering for these seasons separately. The family maximum will be $400 if registering for the spring and summer season simultaneously.

Registration will start in January and end on on March 5th. Mark Igo will coordinate the mailing on the registration
The lists of incoming 12 year olds will be obtained from Hingham Little League and Hull.

7. Fundraising Efforts
This may be more necessary this year due to the large increase in field useage expenses. Options would be selling raffle tickets at games for donated items, selling food at the Budd Thorne Classic to offset the cost of $2,200 for this tournament and sell concessions at the Districts games.

8. Equipment
The Spirito and Whitman uniforms are still not turned in.
There were 140 dozen baseballs at the beginning of last season, there are now 80 dozen baseballs. There are 10 dozen Rawlings practice balls left, 20 dozen more are needed. There are 30 dozen Diamond game ball left.

9. 12 year old Waiver
A formal request to allow a 12 year old player to play up in Babe Ruth this coming season was received. It was recommended and approved that a waiver not be given as this issue has come up in the past and the decision was to not allow waivers as a policy. Each year there are outstanding 12 year olds however, the board feels that it is not in the players' best interest or the best interest of the respective Little League and Babe Ruth programs to allow these waivers.

10. 13 Year Old Spring Travel Season
It was recommended and approved that Hingham-Hull Babe Ruth not participate in this program as our by-laws provide for fair playing time for 13 year olds so we do not have the playing time issue for 13s that other towns participating in this program have.

11. Cal Ripken Clinics
There is a clinic for managers on 2/20/10 from 9 -4 at a location TBD.
The cost will be $99 per individual, $75 for a person in a group of 10 or $50 for a person in a group of 100 or more.
Hingham-Hull Babe Ruth will pay for the registration for coaches/managers who wish to attend.
Steve Glenzel will send out notice on the clinic to managers.

12. Next Meeting Date
The next Board meeting will be held on Monday, January 25th. at 7 p.m. at 725 Main Street, Hingham.