Minutes
Ohio HBPA Board Meeting
11:00 am, Thursday, December 5th, 2019
Ohio HBPA Main Office, Grove City, OH
Members Present:
President Joe Poole Directors: Susan Anderson, Bobby Cline, Jeff Jarvis, Mark Kuntz, Dick McCall, Mike Rone, John Royer, Kristi Tumblin and Kim Williams
Members Unable to Attend: Doug Cowans and Robin Schuster
Others Present:
Executive Director Dave Basler, OHBPA Lobbyist Tom Pappas
Call to Order/ Approval of Minutes:
President Poole called the meeting to order. After review President Poole moved and Director Tumblin seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the October 10th, 2019 Ohio HBPA board of directors meeting. Motion passed.
President Poole moved and Director McCall seconded a motion to grant Director Williams an excused absence from the October 10th board meeting due to illness. Motion passed.
Director Cline moved and Director Jarvis seconded a motion to grant Director Anderson an excused absence from the October 10th board meeting due to a preplanned vacation. Motion passed.
Director Jarvis moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to grant Director Kuntz an excused absence from the October 10th board meeting due to being out of town. Motion passed.
Director Williams moved and President Poole seconded a motion to grant Director Royer an excused absence from the October 10th board meeting due to work obligations. Motion passed.
Executive Director’s Report:
The executive director updated the board regarding negotiations with Belterra Park management on revising the track contract detailing that some progress had been made in that the track had provided a draft to him which he had turned around and made proposed changes to in a redline version. Discussion was held regarding those negotiations and the Ohio HBPA’s strategy moving forward. Due to the sensitive and ongoing nature of these negotiations no further details will be provided in these minutes.
Basler updated the board on the latest Thoroughbred Advisory Board meeting informing them that the board had approved the 2020 OTF program budget with no changes to the supplements paid by the program. The Advisory Board also approved the HBPA sponsored plan of having a Best of Ohio type stakes program at each track for 2020.
Basler updated the board that the THHF trustees had approved a change to the program beginning January 1, 2020 whereby a health insurance reimbursement subsidy would be available for all eligible members in the amount of up to $250 per month for individual health insurance plans and up to $500 a month for family health insurance plans.
New Business:
Purses and Wagering
Basler updated the board on the current status of the purse accounts at all three Ohio thoroughbred tracks which showed the purse accounts at all three tracks ahead of where they were at the same points last year and discussion was held regarding the numbers.
Basler went through handouts provided to the board showing VLT revenues for the state’s seven commercial racetracks which showed that the net win at Thistledown for October, 2019 came in at $11,865,680 up almost 14% from the previous October. Mahoning Valley recorded a net win of $10,874,673 in October up over 10% from the October, 2018 net win figure at the track. The net win at Belterra Park in September, 2019 was $6,871,619 which was up over $200,000 from the prior year figure.
Budget and Finance
Discussion was held regarding a 6 page handout of the proposed 2020 Ohio HBPA provided to the board by the executive director which had previously been approved by the Ohio HBPA Budget and Finance Committee.
President Poole moved and Director McCall seconded a motion to approve the proposed 2020 Ohio HBPA budget as presented. Motion passed.
Discussion was held regarding the next meeting date for the Ohio HBPA board of directors with Thursday, January 30th, 2020 being selected as the date for the next meeting.
Adjournment:
President Poole moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion passed.