Meeting Minutes

USATF Board of Directors
Conference Call
November 30, 2009

ATTENDANCE/QUORUM
Attendance: Stephanie Hightower, Deena Kastor, Ken Taylor, Philip Dunn, Elizabeth Philips, Aretha Thurmond, Willie Banks, Kim Haines, Jack Wickens, Jeff Darman, Steve Miller, Bob Hersh, Larry James (non-voting counsel), Darlene Hickman (Secretary)

Office Staff: Doug Logan, Mike McNees, Jill Geer, Gina Miller, Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, Shayna Sangster

Quorum was present. Stephanie Hightower opened meeting at 7:05pm (EST).

2010 BUDGET

Prior to the meeting, Gina Miller distributed a memo explaining all major line items and changes in the budget. Miller reviewed this memo and answered questions.

Doug Logan noted that there will be an additional contribution to Elite Athlete Programs of $2.2 million. There is also a substantial increase in Grassroots Programs funding of $207,886.

Elizabeth Phillips questioned why there is not a specific line for officials. Miller responded by saying in the past each committee has had its own line items, but this year committee costs have been broken down into three categories and grouped in the relevant lines in the budget:

1-Programmatic activities
2-Annual Meeting attendance
3-Administrative and meetings

The budget shows “committee activities” in various lines such as elite athlete programs, grass roots, etc., which represent the collection of all committee programmatic activities in those areas. A new line in the budget, right below the Annual Meeting operational costs, is a “cost of committees at Annual Meeting,” which is the sum of all committee attendance at the annual meeting. Another new line in the governance section is “committee meetings and admin,” which is the accumulation of such costs for all committees. So any given committee budget may be split among all three categories or just one or two, depending on the committee.

Ken Taylor and Gina Miller agreed to discuss the new budget structure with the membership during the opening session. They also agreed to meet with Hightower to clarify what should be included in the Budget presentation at the Annual Meeting.

A question came up regarding the 5% increase in the staffing budget for 2009. Logan explained the additional funds would be used for three purposes:

1. Salary increases based strictly on merit
2. Promotions
3. One-time incentive bonuses

Miller explained the USOC number is an educated guess based on the PPF programs noted on page three of the budget. The PPF numbers came directly from the High Performance Plan presented to the USOC. They are completely scalable based on what USATF receives from the USOC. Benita Fitzgerald Mosley noted that the USOC has promised a number within the next few days. Logan noted that he is trying to move USATF to use its own revenue generating ability to fund athlete programs and that the 2010 budget is moving in that direction.

A question was raised about whether the challenge grants have been communicated to the key committees? Logan explained that the challenge grants have not been communicated to the individual committees. Logan and Hightower discussed adding an additional Challenge Grant for the disabled.

Willie Banks asked how challenge grants will be determined. From the management side they have conceptualized them and put a small number of restrictions on them. The criteria and administration of these grants will be left to the specific committee they are assigned to.

Masters programs will go from $56,000 to $106,000 largely on the back of the $50,000 challenge grant. Logan has discussed the budget with Don Lein and he feels that the Masters program is getting everything they are looking for.

MOTION(Taylor): Adopt the 2010 Budget with $20,000 Challenge Grant for the disabled. All in favor. Motion Passed.

Meeting adjourned at 8:25pm.