ACBL District Minutes

George Retek - Fall 2006 Report

Those who made the trip to Honolulu for the Fall 2006 NABC certainly returned home with a happy smile on their faces. The Organizing Committee led by the beautiful Busaba Williams, who even danced the hula for us, ensured that everyone had a great time.

Our great bridge teachers who teach more then five classes at school will be disappointed. Although 2006 was proclaimed as the year of the Teachers, ACBL Management got involved in a dispute with our Educational Foundation over the administration of this program and the future does not appear to be assured until a solution is found for the 2007 - 8 year. Administratively Management indicated that they‘ll consider classes finishing in January 2007 as 2006 classes.

Highlights of the Board of Directors meeting

FINANCIAL

The ACBL Product Store was sold to Baron Barclay. According to Management the cost saving and additional royalty income from this sale, allows us to predict a budgeted profit of $175,000 for 2007, that is supposed to counterbalance loss in 2006 that is expected to be around $260,000. There will be no fee increases in 2007 (other than the usual annual 8% increase in Tournament Directors fees) and furthermore there will be an approximately 6% decrease in sanction fees effective April 1, 2007.

Old New

Regional Sanction Fee 4.39 4.13

Sectional Sanction Fee 3.04 2.86

TOURNAMENTS AND CLUBS

1. Amended the jurisdiction of the District Disciplinary Committees and the Recorder Regulations.

2. Effective January 1, 2007 Clubs are not required to run Charity Games. However, if they hold those, the first and at least one out of two of the subsequent games must be for the benefit of the CBF Charity Foundation in Canada .

3. Conditions of contest for the Mini LM Pairs now require two qualifying plus two semifinal, plus two final sessions.

POT-POURRI

1. Sample by-laws are now available for incorporated Districts

2. Together with Al Levy, I have been reelected to serve another three year term on the WBF Executive Council.

Wishing all of you a very Happy Holiday Season!