Minutes
Ohio HBPA Board Meeting
11:00 am, Thursday, March 29, 2018
Sanese Center, Columbus, OH
Members Present:
President: Joe Poole Directors: Randy Blevins, Bobby Cline, Doug Cowans, Mark Doering, Jeff Jarvis, Mark Kuntz, Bonnie Rogoff, Mike Rone, Bruce Ryan, Robin Schuster, Kristina Tumblin
Others Present:
Executive Director Dave Basler, Ohio HBPA Lobbyist Tom Pappas, OTBO Executive Director John Engelhardt, OTBO President Tom McCann
Call to Order/ Approval of Minutes:
President Poole called the meeting to order. After review Director Blevins moved and Director Rogoff seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the January 25, 2018 meeting of the OHBPA board of directors. Motion passed.
Special Order of Business
Ohio HBPA lobbyist Tom Pappas gave a legislative update and discussed the upcoming statewide elections which included a handout with results of a recently concluded poll asking various questions regarding the election.
President’s Report
President Poole led a discussion regarding the horse ambulance for the upcoming Thistledown racing season.
Director Jarvis moved and Director Rone seconded a motion that the executive director write a letter to Thistledown officials informing them that they will be allowed to use the Ohio HBPA horse ambulance for the next 30 days after which they will have to provide their own horse ambulance. Motion passed with Director Doering voting no.
Executive Director’s Report:
The executive director led a discussion of a recent meeting of the Ohio HBPA Belterra Park chapter committee with Belterra Park management to resolve issues for the upcoming Belterra Park racing season. Extensive discussion was held regarding a handout provided by Director Jarvis which outlined the outstanding issues between the parties as well as certain HBPA rights under the current contract between the parties.
The executive director, President Poole and Directors Tumblin and Rone gave a recap of the National HBPA Winter Convention which they had all recently attended representing the Ohio HBPA.
Basler detailed that he was in the process of completing export approvals for the upcoming Thistledown racing season. Basler detailed terms for several outlets.
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 February 2018 showing that Thistledown showed a nearly 10% increase in net win over the February 2017 with Mahoning Valley showing a slight decrease in year over year net win in February. Belterra Park showed a significant drop in net win in February with net win coming in at $4,308,329 down from a net win of $6,681,528 in February 2017. This was due to Belterra Park being forced to close for 10 days in February due to the Ohio River flooding.
Benevolence, Policies and Organization
Director Doering moved and Director Blevins seconded a motion to name Directors Schuster, Tumblin and Jarvis as the Nominating Committee for the 2018 Ohio HBPA Board of Directors election. Motion passed.
The executive director provided multiple handouts regarding the upcoming 2018 Ohio HBPA Board of Directors election including the election schedule and an election notice to members.
After review President Poole moved and Director Doering seconded a motion to approve the election materials provided. Motion passed.
After discussion Director Doering moved and Director Rone seconded a motion to change Section 7.3 (a) of the Ohio HBPA Code of Regulations to read “The Executive Director shall notify each candidate of his or her nomination by priority mail as soon as possible after the Nominating Committee has held its final meeting for the purpose of nominating candidates and certifying any petitions received in accordance with section 7.2. This meeting shall be between June first and June tenth of even-numbered years. The Executive Director shall also forward the materials required of candidates in section 7.3 (b) along with the notification.” Motion passed with Director Jarvis voting no.
Budget and Finance
OTBO Executive Director John Engelhardt and President Tom McCann gave a presentation regarding the results of the December 2017 horse sale run by that group as well as activities planned by the group in 2018.
Discussion was held regarding a two page letter from the Ohio Farm Bureau that detailed partnership opportunities for the HBPA and the Farm Bureau. The board asked that the executive director contact the Farm Bureau so that a representative of that group could attend the next Ohio HBPA board meeting to discuss partnership opportunities.
Discussion was held regarding section 3769-4-19 of the ORC. Director Doering moved and Director Rone seconded a motion that the executive director be authorized to seek an opinion from legal counsel regarding 3769-4-19. Motion passed.
Extensive discussion was held regarding flood damage sustained by the Ohio HBPA at Belterra Park. The executive director detailed that the chaplaincy trailer owned by the HBPA sustained extensive damage and that he had received an estimate of over $9,500 to repair the trailer which exceeded the estimated value of the trailer.
Director Blevins moved and President Poole seconded a motion to allow Director Jarvis to dispose of the chaplaincy trailer owned by the HBPA. Motion passed.
The executive director detailed that the HBPA owned medical trailer had sustained damage to the floor and that a company hired by Belterra Park had sanitized the trailer and ripped up and disposed of the old flooring but the trailer needed new flooring.
Director Blevins moved and Director Doering seconded a motion to expend up to $5,000 from the Industry Initiative Fund to replace the flooring in the HBPA medical trailer at Belterra Park. Motion passed.
The executive director detailed that everything in the Ohio HBPA office had been destroyed by the flood and was disposed of by Belterra Park officials. All of the office furniture, fixtures and supplies will need to be replaced.
Director Doering moved and Director Cline seconded a motion to replace furniture, fixtures and supplies in the Ohio HBPA office at Belterra Park lost due to flood damage from the Industry Initiative Fund not to exceed $10,000. Motion passed.
After discussion President Poole moved and Director Rone seconded a motion to expend up to $200 for a new microwave for the break room at Mahoning Valley. Motion passed.
Following discussion Director Jarvis moved and Director Rone seconded a motion that the executive director be paid a $20,000 performance bonus. Motion passed.
Director Jarvis moved and Director Blevins seconded a motion to offer the executive director a five year contract extension under the current terms. Motion passed.
Discussion was held regarding the date of the next Ohio HBPA board of directors meeting with the date being set for Thursday, May 17th, 2018 beginning at 11am at the Sanese Center.
Adjournment:
Director Doering moved and Director Blevins seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion passed.