METRO SKATERS HOCKEY LEAGUE

Monthly Meeting Minutes for August, 2000
Location:  Farmington Hills Arena
Date and Time: August 24, 2000, 6:30 p.m.

Next Meeting: Thursday, September 28, 2000, 6:30 p.m., at Farmington Hills Arena.

Attendees:
Jan BenDor			Secretary
Johanne Poulin		County Blues
Kathy Dutot			County Blues
Kim Capaldi			Rush
Sally Thomas			Metro Blades
Irene Blanchard		Capital Crush I
Susan Butler			Capital Crush II
Denise Pigula			Cyclones
Laurie Birchler		Flames
Torri Crummel		Devils
Jackie Anderson		Lady Blues
Michele Monson		Treasurer
Michele Parker		Phantoms
Christy Back			Phantoms
Janine Martinez		Jets
Shannon Walsh		Jets
Dawn Letwin			Ice Dogs
Tammy Callahan		Vice President/Polar Bears
Terry Mathews		Vice President
Shelly Crundwell		Iron Maidens
Colleen Moran		Wildcats
Stephanie Henkel		Nighthawks
Cassandra Jaeckle		Bulldogs
Rick VanderHagen		Bulldogs
George Tilli			Storm
Kim Giglio			Storm
Michelle Mosier		Cheapskates
Sue Sattelmeier		Herricanes
Sandy Keith			Herricanes
Sherri Wright			Ice Pack
Terri Tocco			Ice Pack
Stacey Budae			Bubbas
Angie Santoro			Greene Construction
Leslie Price			Lady Bulls
Linda Donikian		Freeze
Catherine Wyman		Steel Magnolias
Katherine Henzler		Blitz
Kate Pinhey			Sting
Michelle Bridges		Stingrays
Maria Rabara			Stingrays
Jillian Wallace			Predators
Jenna Murphy			Predators
Barbara Carney		Arctic Storm
Lisa Chiodo			League Statistician

League Secretary Jan BenDor brought the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.  (President Ann Dobija 
was unable to attend due to her mother's hospitalization.)  Vice President Terry Mathews arrived 
at 7 p.m. and chaired the rest of the meeting.

The May meeting minutes were accepted on a motion by George Tilli, seconded by Kim Giglio, 
and passed unanimously.

	Financial Report by Treasurer Michele Monson:
?	The League fund balance is currently $6,319.15, with all Ruicci Cup expenses paid in 
full.
?	Michele asked that all teams please remember to write their team name on their 
League fee check.  To date, 9 teams have paid their fee.
	
	Senior Registration (Sue McDowell):
?	Sue reported that registration will proceed the same as last year.  Packets were 
distributed to the team reps.  Player signatures are NOT required on the team roster.  
Teams should consult the MAHA web site <www.maha.org>for extra forms and 
information needed.

New Business:
?	New teams introduced themselves and described their intended level of play and roster 
makeup: the Bubbas of Flint, made up of all players new to the League but who did 
scrimmage last year; the Bulldogs of Hazel Park with many former Tornados; the Barricudas 
with mostly upper Blue players from last year; the Capital Crush II, most of whose players 
are from the CC team that won the Goal Line last year; the Storm (Southfield) comprising 9 
former Ice Breakers, 1 Herricane, 2 TeamXtremes; the Suburban Sports Stingrays, composed 
of half Predators, half Freeze; Bruno's with half Team Xtreme and half new players; the 
Wildcats with 6 from the Flash and 6 brand new; Adrenolites (Oak Park) with all new 
skaters; and the Capital Crush I composed of half brand new skaters.  One "new" team has 
mostly the same members with a new name:  the Sting (formerly Domino's).

After discussion and questions, Kate Pinhey moved that the new teams be accepted into the 
League by acclamation.  Seconded by Dawn Letwin, the motion passed unanimously.

?	Teams broke into subgroups to discuss divisional structure and scheduling of games.  After 
numerous proposals failed to accommodate upper intermediate teams' interests, Sue 
McDowell facilitated a second breakout group discussion.  The result was a new Division 
and Tier Structure for 34 teams:
Red Division  Upper only:	8 teams, 3 games per opponent, 21 game season (No 
cross-tier games)
Bulldogs
County Blues
Green Construction
Jets
Lady Bulls
Metro Blades
Rush
Sting

Purple Division  Upper: 6 teams, 3 games per opponent, 1 cross-tier, 21 game 
season
Barracudas
Bubbas
Cheapskates
Ice Dogs
Polar Bears
Steel Magnolias
Purple Division  Lower: 6 teams, 3 games per opponent, 1 cross-tier, 21 game 
season
Arctic Storm
Blitz
Ice Pack
Lady Blues
Nighthawks
Phantoms

Blue Division  Lower only: 6 teams, 4 games per opponent, 20 game season (no 
cross-tier games)
Bruno's
Capital Crush II
Wildcats
Iron Maidens
Suburban Sports Stingrays
Storm

Goal Division  Upper only: 8 teams, 4 games per opponent, 28 game season
Andrenalites
Capital Crush I
Cyclones
Devils
Flames
Freeze	
Herricanes
Predators
?	Volunteers to create Divisional Schedules are as follows:
Red Division--Darlene Darvill
Purple Division--Barb Carney 
Blue Division--Michelle Bridges and Maria Rabara
Goal Division--Laurie Birchler

?	Volunteer for League Statistician (all Divisions): Lisa Chiodo

?	Vote on League Fee and collect fees due:
The group discussed the proposal to raise the League fee to $200 to cover potential 
fundraisers and future Ruicci Cup costs.  However, a review of the May discussion, and 
the consensus of opinions expressed by those present, led to the conclusion that there is 
no compelling reason to raise the fee over $150 at this time.  The League has a healthy 
reserve in the bank, and cannot properly collect and donate money to charity.  When and 
if there is a League project to offer hockey clinics to young girls, for example, the monies 
earned will likely be collected and donated directly to a particular charitable, tax-
deductible 501 (c) 3 organization.  Teams are urged to get their $150 checks in to the 
Treasurer.  Canadian teams are asked to make a good faith payment, pending next 
month's opportunity to vote on a bylaw addressing the monetary differential issue.

?	Due to lack of time, there was no further discussion on by-law revisions to be voted on at the 
September Meeting:
o	Canadian Fee for Ruicci Cup
o	Number of Penalty Minutes
o	Score sheet submission:
?	Enforce penalties for improper score sheets or lateness in submission
?	Make Home Team responsible to send in score sheets

	League's Corporate Status:
		Jan BenDor reported on the result of consulting three attorneys for advice on the best 
direction for the League.  Incorporation as a Michigan Nonprofit Corporation costs $20 to file a 
four page form, and will require a $10 annual filing fee.  This action will protect individual 
League members and officers from liability for League debts claimed by vendors.  In addition, 
the League should become tax-exempt under Federal Law in order to prevent end-of-the-year 
bank balances from taxation, and to be able to make purchases without paying state sales tax.  
The application for Federal 501 (c) 7 status will cost $150 to file the IRS form 1024.  The new 
status will require annual reporting to the IRS, and that the League keep financial records in an 
accounting system such as QuickBooks, that can be inexpensively audited.  It is urgent that we 
take this action soon, while our bank balance is small and our history is relatively short.  This 
status is appropriate for an adult recreational organization that collects participation fees from its 
members and passes the money through to pay the expenses of competition. .  As is currently the 
case, businesses that give money to the League or sponsor teams would continue to be able to 
take a tax deduction for entertainment or advertising.  However, donations to the League from 
individuals will not be tax-deductible as they would be to a charitable 501 (c) 3 organization.
	
	Attorney Lena Agree has unique experience with the 501 (c) 7 application, and has offered to 
help with technical by-laws changes (to support the federal status) and with tracking the federal 
application.  Her estimated professional time for by-laws work would be about $400.  Jan and 
Terry will be following up with Lena in order to get the state and federal applications started as 
soon as possible.
	
	Next  Meeting:
?	Scheduled for  Thursday, September 28, 2000, 6:30 p.m.  Stephanie Henkel 
confirmed the reservation with the arena scheduling office.
?	Next Meeting Items:
o	Vote on technical By-laws changes to facilitate State Nonprofit Incorporation and 
Federal 501 (c) 7 Tax Exempt Status application
o	Vote on substantive changes to By-Laws
o	Division Game Schedulers' reports
o	Fundraiser Update
o	Ruicci Cup Update

A motion to adjourn was made and seconded by numerous members; it was approved and 
the meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jan BenDor, Recording Secretary
Metro Skaters Hockey League Meeting Minutes, August 24, 2000	Page 5
