Hingham Little League Board of Directors Meeting
March 7, 2005
Hingham Recreation Center

Minutes

Secretary’s Report
• Minutes approved

Treasurer’s Report
• 57,737.98 Balance
Discussion
• Some outstanding invoices not included in balance, screen, SSSC and BBI.
• Several requests for a more formal written financial report (i.e., balance sheet or income statement)

Business Related Issues

• Local Little League Business Filings and Topics
o Articles of Incorporation-Renewal
 Nothing New to Report
o Insurance Fees and Options
 Need Number of teams to finalize part of Charter
o Population Waiver
 Rob has updated last year’s letter and is awaiting registration count prior to forwarding it to Don Whitman and Little League
• National Little League Business Filings
o Charter Application
• Renewal due in 5/05
o Charter Fees
• Part of insurance application
• Audit of 2003/2004 HLL Financial Results
o Audit to be done by Bob Keyes who is meeting the week of March 14th

New Business

• Player Registration-Membership Committee Report
o Rick Linehan and Elliot Sherman are Co-Chairpersons
o Establishment of New “Final” Registration Date
• late fee for registration is now in effect.
• Any registrations after March 1st will be subject to availability of roster spots.
o Registration Counts
• Breakdown by age groups
• 12 YEAR OLDS
67 registrations received, 3 confirmed not playing, 15 not registered who played in 04
• 11 YEAR OLDS
89 registrations received, 4 confirmed not playing or requested to play in minors, 16 not registered who played in 04
• 9 AND 10 YEAR OLDS
208 total, approx 50/50 of each age, generally a lot of late registrants. 18 teams to accommodate
• 7 AND 8 YEAR OLDS
200 for 14 Teams
• TEE BALL
167-180
• CHALLENGER
2 Registrants
Discussion
Talked about closing registration

o HLL Website
• Dump data for this year onto a protected site.

• Sponsorships and Donations-Committee Report
o Chairpersons are Melissa Flanagan and Tia Mastromatteo
o Majors – Done
o Minors - 6 Definite, need 3 more sponsors
o Farm – 6 Definite, 4 verbals, need 4 more
o Tee Ball – 9 Definite 6 Needed

League Rules and Local By-Law Issues

• Player Agent Report
o Mike Letorney is Player Agent
o Tryout dates-4/2 and 4/3 at the South Shore Sports Center
• Mike reviewed tryout process
Bob Madden and Dan Morrison will pitch 5 swings
Timed run to first, 3 grounders and 3 fly balls
• Staffing at tryout table – need board members
• Procedures to be followed
Numbers assigned 1 through 193. Half for 9-10s and half for 11-12s. Numbers will be assigned alphabetically.
• Communication through postcards post cards. Cards will be colored and will tell you when to show up to tryouts by color.
• Hingham Journal article and update on the website
• Dan McHugh will send 6 players to each tryout

o Status of the Draft
• Pre-Draft Meeting
• No pre-draft meeting
• Draft/Selection Dates
• Majors-4/8 from 7-9 at Hingham Rec
• Minors-4/12 from 7-9:30 at PRS
• Farm/TBall-4/13 from 7-9:30 at PRS
• Draft order at Majors and Minors
• Majors-follow LL rules where last place of last year picks first and continues in reverse order of finish for Majors
• Minors order to be determined by double draw out of hat
• Discussion of Manager/Coach draft combination
• MOTION made to allow any Major League manager can bring one person to the draft, as long as their son/daughter is NOT eligible for the draft.

• Major League Committee Report
o Joe Granatino is Chairperson
• All 12 year olds automatically in Majors (Little League rule)
• Make decision on
• Number of players per Major’s team
o MOTION approved to limit the number of players per major league team to 13
• Whether to create an Intermediate league
MOTION to limit to 12 major league players and create an international type league. All 11 year olds not drafted to Majors would play in this league, but the league would consist of 9, 10, and 11 year olds. Motion later AMENDED by proposing 6 international teams and 12 minor league teams. Suggestion made to we wait until next year, especially because of the birth date change coming. Motion for an international league was defeated for 2005.
• Determination of whether 10 year olds will play in Majors and what limitations will be placed on the number of 10 year olds in majors
o Motion made and approved to allow no more than 2 ten year olds in Majors and all tens must be selected by the fourth round.
o Safety Discussion
• TABLED

• Minor League Committee Report-TABLED

• Farm League Committee - TABLED

• TBall Committee -TABLE

• Manager’s Committee Report
o Joe Craven is Chairperson
o Discussion regarding coaches training indoors with Frank Niles of SSBC at the end of March. Will be pushed off until after tryouts. Also discussed a batting session with Don McHugh HHS baseball coach. Discussed Parent Code of Conduct and Coaches zero tolerance both will be posted on web site.
o Status of interviews of Manager candidates at all levels will be interviewed.
o Joe Craven presented a list of proposed manages to the board. Some minor discussion as to how the decisions were made. No 10-year old parent can coach majors, there was no single reason for selection of managers, it was based on several criteria.
o Some discussion on two open slots.
o Recommended manager list prepared by the committee and was approved with the exception of two empty slots that need to be filled.

• Equipment Committee Report - TABLED
o Rick West is Chairperson

• Umpire Committee Report
o Rich Magner is Chairperson
o Ad in Journal next week inviting new and past umpires to a new meeting March 16 at 7pm at Rec. center. There are a lot of returning umpires. Taking 13-year olds. Same rate of pay. Two training sessions.
o Review umpire requirements, rule changes and expectations for 2005
o Rates for umpires remain unchanged
o Completion of CORI forma for all umpires
o Rule books need to be ordered
o Shirts needs to be ordered

• Challenger Division Report
o Chairpersons are Rob Blomberg, Joe Granatino and Tia Mastromatteo
o Review of problems encountered in getting the Challenger Division started
o Due to privacy issues need to communicate Challenger Division through publicity and informal means. Rob recommends we put an ad in the Patriot Ledger to attract more players.

• Buildings, Property and Grounds Committee Report.
• Roof in storage shed. Rick Magner said he will take care of it. Owen McConville stated that a facility inspection is part of safety program. Cliff Boyle has the checklist
o Cliff Boyle and Tim Zyrkowski-Co-Chairs
o Status of Existing Playing Fields-Haley, Hersey and PAL Fields
o Hingham Rec Permit Requirements
• Permit request for Haley, Hersey and PAL fields filed on 2/27/05
• Some additional information still needs to be provided to Hingham Rec to support the application
• .00 will be charged per player per team
o Update on use of Hingham School Department Fields
o Barbara at school department said she sent in approval for use of school fields
• Permit filed for use of Hingham School Department Fields
• .00 per player user fee will be imposed by Hingham School Department
o Status of Ordering Portable Rest Rooms
• Need to be ordered from Haley, Hersey and PAL

• Social Committee Report
o Chairpersons are Melissa Flanagan and Tia Mastromatteo
o Identify potential fundraisers
• Golf tournament is 9/21/05
• Other suggestions
• Publicity Committee
o Melissa Flanagan is Chairperson
o Make decision on photo vendor for HLL in 2005
o Melissa Flanagan suggested we use Captive Images for photos. They are a good one-stop-shop.
o Photos will be taken at games and not at the Rec Center.

• Safety Committee
o Owen McConville-Chairperson
o Need First Aid Training
o A safety Plan will save 25% on insurance
o First Aid kits are required at every practice and every game.
o Coaches need to inspect equipment
o Discussion of details of ASAP Program (A Safety Awareness Program)
o Next steps needed to initiate the program

• Concession Committee
o Elliot Sherman is chairperson
o Status of concession stand at PAL Field

• Calendar of Events
o Review HLL Calendar of Events for potential changes to the Calendar
o Post Calendar on the website

• Hingham Little League Website
o Status of additional content for the HLL Website
o Use of scheduling software
o Use of web banners

• Other New Business

• Schedule for Upcoming Meetings
o Monday 3/21/05

MOTION TO ADJOURN –
10:18PM
.
Submitted by Steve White