The meeting was called to order at 5:30PM

In attendance were: Bill Whelan (L.L. Bean), Cheryl Gilbert (BIW), Jenny Nelson (U.S.M.), Jen Fadiman (Wright Express), Jennifer Drew (Acadia Insurance), Irene Fitzgerald (TB/OPPA/CE), Peter Serunian (Blue Cross), Joe Hermans (Maine Medical Center), Tom Blake (UnuM)

1.Ribbons: Yes, we are going to keep ribbons and provide them to all team Captains who will distribute them. Fitzgerald will contact Scott Donohue to see if he will provide the ribbons to the team Captains.

2.Feedback form: No one had worked up a feedback form for use at each track Meet. Hermans will draft a form for review at the next meeting. A discussion followed as to how the forms should be used, and the proper channels for communication of problems during a Meet. It was decided that the feedback forms would go through the team captains who then would provide them to the Meet director. If there is an immediate need at a particular Meet, the issues should be dealt with immediately.

3.The treasurer's report was provided and reviewed by Fitzgerald along with a budget for 2000 based upon the current teams in MECTA. The current combined balance for all accounts as of 12/31/99 (Unum account as of 9/30/99) is $10,587.43.

4.Bylaws and Rules revisions: All captains please look at the bylaws and rules currently available on the web site for the next meeting. Comments should be directed to Cheryl Gilbert or Peter Serunian. Fitzgerald will order a copy of the 2000 competition rules for each team captain.

5.Tom Blake reported that the national organization would like MECTA to summit a bid for the 2001 National Corporate Track Meet. Gilbert was also contacted directly to submit a proposal. Blake is not interested in hosting the Nationals in the greater Portland area in 2001. He feels MECTA is not ready for the competition. It was voted and Tom will communicate at the annual board meeting in February, 2000 that Portland, Maine is not interested in hosting the competition for 2001, but will be submitting a bid for 2002.

6.Membership dues: A discussion followed that the current membership dues and related division fees are not enough to cover expenses for the year. Jen Fadiman will bring to the next meeting an outline of fees and recommendations for changes to ensure that MECTA at least breaks even for the year. Whelan indicated that it is crucial for new teams to be brought into the association if MECTA is to survive.

7. Meet schedule: A proposed Meet schedule prepared by Blake was distributed for review. Serunian had also made a sheet to review and analyze the costs at each site. This form will be used by the Meet director in his search for appropriate tracks. A motion was made and seconded to adopt only the dates as presented on the proposed outline. The sites will be chosen based upon the results of the survey. Unanimous decision to adopt the dates as presented.

8.Meet director: Fitzgerald indicated that she is interested in the position of Meet director, and Blake had indicated his interest at a prior meeting. A discussion followed about the Meet director and a review was made of the concerns for Meet director's position that was submitted by Blake. All captains agreed that the job description needs to be defined and that a committee was established to review and provide a job description at the next meeting (Jenny Nelson, Peter Serunian, Cheryl Gilbert, Tom Blake, and Irene Fitzgerald will meet at the Blue Cross Blue Shield on 1/26 at 5:30PM). Evaluations and the actual contract will be discussed at the next meeting. A discussion followed with regard to Blake's relationship with Unum since he is technically their Captain and coach. Blake had indicated that the Unum team had appointed Captains who will come to the Captain meetings and be assigned at the Meets, but that he would be floating around and would be involved with his team. There was some concern that Blake should not have any involvement with his team at the Meets.

A discussion around compensation in addition to the performance based contract was generated based upon Blake's suggestion that there be additional compensation for new team recruitment (50% of the division entry fee not the team membership fee); sponsorships and in-kind services (50%). It was decided that there would be no sponsorship money nor in-kind services shared for this MECTA track year. There would be the 50% additional compensation incentive for new teams recruited. The additional compensation will be better defined at the next meeting.

Part of the discussion of compensation was the amount of money that MECTA as a group can pay. Whelan will look for 501( c)(3) informational forms available on the web/Internet that would assist MECTA in acquiring its tax-exempt status.

It was also decided that job descriptions for all track and field officials was necessary; and, we could probably get those job descriptions from the 2000 Competition rules from USA Track & Field.

9.It was resolved to look into the possibility of acquiring a Post Office box for MECTA purposes.

There being no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned at 7:45PM. The next MECTA meeting will be held on February 16, 2000 at Wright Express.

Respectfully submitted,

M. Irene Fitzgerald