Minutes
Ohio HBPA Board Meeting
11:00 am, Monday, July 16, 2018
Sanese Center, Columbus, OH
Members Present:
President Joe Poole Directors: Bobby Cline, Doug Cowans, Mark Doering, Mark Kuntz, Mike Rone and Kristy Tumblin
Members Unable to Attend:
Directors: Randy Blevins, Jeff Jarvis, Bonnie Rogoff, Bruce Ryan, Robin Schuster
Others Present:
Executive Director Dave Basler, Ohio HBPA Lobbyist Tom Pappas
Call to Order/ Approval of Minutes:
President Poole called the meeting to order. After review President Poole moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the May 17, 2018 meeting of the OHBPA board of directors. Motion passed.
President Poole moved and Director Rone seconded a motion to grant Director Schuster an excused absence as it was a live race day at Thistledown and she was working. Motion passed.
President Poole moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to grant Director Blevins an excused absence as he had a doctor’s appointment on the date of this meeting. Motion passed.
Director Cline moved and President Poole seconded a motion to grant Director’s Jarvis and Ryan excused absences for this meeting as both had previously scheduled vacations for this meeting date when it was scheduled. Motion passed.
Special Order of Business
Ohio HBPA lobbyist Tom Pappas gave a legislative update and discussed the upcoming statewide elections. Discussion was held regarding the US Supreme Court’s recent decision overturning PASPA which will allow for sports wagering in the US which is expected to be done legislatively on a state by state basis.
Pappas detailed to the board that Senator Eklund had introduced a one sentence bill on sports betting the read “It is the intent of the General Assembly to develop and enact legislation legalizing sports wagering.”
Discussion was held regarding the importance of the Ohio HBPA having a seat at the table during discussions regarding potential sports betting legislation language in Ohio.
Pappas also informed the board that he had been informally approached to represent a group of major league sports which included the MLB, NBA and PGA to represent them in sports betting legislation in Ohio. Discussion was held regarding the potential conflicts of interest for Pappas in this scenario.
Executive Director’s Report:
The executive director updated the board regarding the portion of VLT revenue at Belterra Park which will be paid to horsemen pursuant to ORC section 3769-2-43 providing the board with a written handout of Ohio State Racing Commission Resolution 2018-05 which was adopted by the commission on June 27, 2018 and determined that based upon a final report from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission the total allowable capital expenditures spent by Pinnacle Entertainment to build the video lottery sales agent facility at Belterra Park was $272,340,209. Based upon OAC 3769-2-43 the commission set the rate to paid to horsemen at 9.95% through the resolution.
Basler detailed that this had been a multi-year task for the Ohio HBPA which involved over a hundred meetings with multiple government agencies in order to finally get the rate to be set at Belterra Park and that the Ohio HBPA after all of the hard work that was put in received a fair rate.
Basler updated the board on the upcoming Ohio HBPA Board elections detailing that six candidates in the trainer or owner/trainer category had turned in their election packets and would appear on the ballot; Susan Anderson, Mark Doering, Rodney Faulkner, Joe Poole, Don Radcliff and Mike Rone. Only one candidate turned in a packet on the owner only category and would appear on the ballot; Kim Williams.
Basler told the board the election packet was at the printers and ballots would be sent out the following week to all eligible voting members of the Ohio HBPA.
Basler led a discussion with the board regarding the two owner seats which would not be filled during the election. Per the Ohio HBPA Code of Regulations those seats will be filled via board motion at the September Ohio HBPA board meeting following the Ohio HBPA elections on September 7th, 2018.
The executive director and President Poole led a discussion regarding the National HBPA elections and summer meetings which they attended in Iowa on July 5th. Leroy Gessman was reelected National HBPA president at that meeting for a three year term. Rick Hiles was elected first vice president. Joe Davis, Lloyd Yother and Stephen Screnci were elected as vice presidents.
Basler detailed that Ohio HBPA Administrative Assistant Kathy Moore was undergoing breast cancer surgery that day and would miss at least several weeks of work.
Director Doering moved and President Poole seconded a motion that Moore’s illness be treated as a “catastrophic illness” as described in the Ohio HBPA Policies and Procedures Manuel. Motion passed.
New Business:
Purses and Wagering
Basler updated the board on the current status of the purse accounts at all three of the states thoroughbred tracks and discussion was held regarding the numbers.
The executive director provided handouts detailing VLT results at each of Ohio’s seven commercial race tracks for June 2018 showing that Thistledown had on over 15% increase in net win over the June 2017 coming in at $11,187,955 in 2018. Mahoning Valley showed an increase of over 5% in year over year net win in June. Belterra Park showed an increase of approximately $280,000 in net win in June from the previous year with June 2018’s net win coming in at $7,133,458.
Government and External Affairs
The executive director discussed with the board the need to find members who were willing to become Ohio Farm Bureau members and attend there local meetings and become active at the local level in order to maximize the benefits of the Ohio HBPA partnering with the Ohio Farm Bureau.
Budget and Finance
The executive director detailed that he had discussions with a financial advisor from Merrill Lynch which is now a subsidiary of Bank of America and that Bank of America had a business checking option which would pay a 1.75% annual interest rate.
Following discussion Director Doering moved and Director Rone seconded a motion that the executive director be authorized to move up to $1,000,000 from the Industry Initiative Fund checking account held at Fifth Third Bank to open up an interest bearing Industry Initiative Fund checking account with Bank of America. Motion passed.
Director Doering moved and President Poole seconded a motion for Thistledown and Mahoning Valley field office manager to receive a weeks paid vacation in 2018 once she reached one year of service for the Ohio HBPA. Motion passed.
No motions received a second on a personal benevolence request.
Director Doering moved and Director Cline seconded a motion on a request from the executive director for the Ohio HBPA to provide a $1,000 sponsorship from the Industry Initiative Fund for the 2019 Track Superintendents Conference. Motion passed.
Discussion was held regarding the date of the next Ohio HBPA board meeting with the board agreeing on Thursday, September 20th, 2018.
Adjournment:
Director Cline moved and Director Doering seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion passed.