October 21, 2018 General Member Meeting Minutes Location: Sleep Inn Theatre Room Attendance: See sign in sheet.
Brandon Beeter called the meeting to order at 1:04 pm. Steve Pierce made a motion to approve the February 11, 2018 meeting minutes. Craig Kastner seconded. It was approved.
State of the Track. Class wise things were good. We thought we’d keep it the same in 2019. We’d do the Sport Compacts only 8 nights for the summer again. That seemed to work well unless we want to add them for more? What is everyone’s opinion on rotating classes? The fans were harder on us then the racers were.
Equipment/Volunteers. We need help at the track. The equipment needs maintenance, servicing, and fixing. We need people who can work by themselves on the track. Brandon can’t babysit people. He doesn’t have the time. We sold the one tractor that is by turn 2. We have the check, but they haven’t came to pick it up yet. We got the Case tractor from Nathan Watne farms. It is ours to keep as long as we take care of it. It does have a flat tire that needs to be fixed. Cultivator has a flat tire also and they replaced about 15 shanks this summer and there are about 3-4 that need to be replaced again. Jeff Barta asked if the disc is still sitting at Brandon’s? Yes it is. Those tires are good. They could be put on the cultivator. Tex Graveson is going to do it. Do we want to get a new tractor? We don’t need to borrow one all the time. We haven’t found anything yet. Nathan Watne found an extra cultivator for $500 if we want it. It would help keep the show going a bit faster. Do we want to buy a bi-directional tractor? We would like to. Something to run the ley ley if needed.
Fair. It was a good year with the fair. The fair is giving us Tuesday of the State Fair back. They want something to get people into the stands. We could do another Enduro or maybe a 2 day Enduro? That isn’t going to happen. Jeff Barta asked about an Eve of Destruction? Or a chain race? We have until November 1st to tell them. What about night 2 doing an Outlaw Enduro. The fair likes this idea. It would be a run what you brought. What about races? They don’t put people in the stands. We will get the same deal as we do on Monday. We made no money in the past when we had the races. What about trailer races or bus races? We don’t have room to do those. They will rope off an area for pitting if needed also. There isn’t a lot of time to get the track put back together and taken back out either is another issue.
Brandon and Robby said thank you to those that helped out this past summer. Last year was the last time we could use the Wild about Wheels car show name. We need to change it. We are going to partner with the flat track for the car show this year also. We need a new name. It is the second weekend of February. Those dates are locked in. We can get 1 year free if we sign a 3 year contract this year for the same dates.
Practice Nights. We didn’t get a lot of interest this past year. We made some money but not a lot. Do we want to keep going with them? Or do we want to go away from them? Maybe just do 1 before the Mod tour? 1 in May and 1 in June? Mod guys don’t come. Don’t do it for the Mod guys. Jeff Barta asked if we were keeping the very first test and tune? Yes we are.
Do we need to pay guys to do the track prep? We use to pay people and they quit showing up also. Pay is negotiable.
We have a list of jobs that need to happen. Maybe we could pay people to do them. Board members don’t get paid. Dex did get paid 2 years ago. Brandon was working the track also and didn’t get paid. Jeff Barta said he would help just text him and let him know. Dave Swonger helped. We had lots of help at Motor Magic. It was great. What about a blade man? They come and go. Mike is the back up. If we pay Mike would he be there? He does show up and work. We use to give the volunteers money at the end of the year. We don’t want to pay those who quit. Wes got $25 an hour when he was working the blade, watering and cultivating. He didn’t charge on race days. Mike only blades. We need helpers to prep the track. What about hiring a crew to work the track? What about raising the pit fees? Kristy Folstad spoke with Kevin Rodgers and he thought we were too cheap with our pit fees. Wondering about doing memberships for $100 a year? Are we going to raise the purse if we raise the pit fees? We are unique though. We don’t get concessions. We are club run versus being promotor run.
Mod Tour is $1000 to win. Would they get more cars if they did a backward payout? IMCA won’t promote it. It would be $700 to win and $1000 for 20th. You would get more money for the overall points. Would people sandbag? Would it make more sense to do it for the Mod tour? The local guys can’t do the Mod tour anymore. Mod tour is changing some but we don’t know anymore then that. Tougher then dirt tour will be the same weekend as last year. Memorial day weekend. Racers don’t come every weekend to race at Nodak.
Dash for Cash. Hobby’s had 14 cars. Mod’s didn’t want to do it. Had to push them to do it. We are planning again for 2019. We will try to change them up a bit. Unless you are consistently fast they don’t want to race it. Wet or dry track its expensive to wreck your car every week. Why take that chance in another race? If the points were worth money at the end of the year that may help. Tim Anderson said that the mentality of the racers has changed also. People aren’t sacrificing like they use to. It costs more now to race. They are spending more money and not getting money back. We are cheap up here though. Will we get yelled at for raising fees? Small tracks are hurting us some. Racers stay in toters now and not in hotels.
Businesses want to know why to sponsor the track. Sponsors don’t feel there is any benefit for them. We need to get some past sponsors in the door. How many racers have thanked a sponsor? No one goes out of their way to do it. Kum & Go gives us no money and everyone goes there but XpressMart sponsors us and not as many go there. How many drivers know the sponsors names? Use them and thank them for their sponsorship. We added a sign by the pit trailer of who is sponsoring for the night. We have 125 members in the club and 30 show up on election day. Who bitches on Sunday though? Drivers. There are 15 drivers here today. What about changing pit fees to $35 or $50 if they don’t have a membership. Do we want to do a car registration every night? We use to have to buy memberships for each track. Should have to have a membership for each track. If we did a registration fee every night we may be able to hire full time summer employees that way. We need all members to stand behind the decision. People complain about rocks yet no one helps. Do we need to take money at the gate and hire
people to do it. What if we put 5 gallon buckets by the gate and if they fill the bucket then they get in free next weekend. No one would do it. They would pay extra and bitch they had to pay extra. Labor day. We had Sprints there only the second night. There were lots of cars there. What about a 2 day 1 pay show? That would never work here. We could eliminate the Friday Enduro and change it to a practice night? Saturday heats and Sunday last chance and features. Enduro is too much of a class now. Maybe do a run what you brought for the Enduro. Hobby class is biggest its been in a long while. Regular Enduro runners went to a Hobby.
Financial Report. We have about $67,600 in the bank and about $10,000 out in bills still. We are up about $18,000 from last year. Is that from cutting classes? We cut the advertising budget also. Attendance was up most of the nights in 2018. Both nights of Motor Magic were at about 1200. Memorial day attendance was 600. Second day isn’t good that weekend attendance wise. We are discussing cutting that day. Labor day is different the Canadians have a holiday that day also. Do we want to start shutting the gate at 11:00 to stop the partying? We don’t want to deal with the drama on double headers anymore. Why was the count down for the Sprints? It wasn’t NOSA sanctioned. If we sanction NOSA next year we will get more cars. We got 11 cars.
Outlaws aren’t coming in 2019. Its an SLS promotion deal. There weren’t enough people in the stands to make any money. The fair would like them to keep coming. They discussed other options and SLS said no. They possibly may come back in 2020. They are good for the club financially. SLS cuts shows the year before also. What about getting Lucas Oil Late Models up here? Their dates don’t line up with ours. USAC Midgets? NLRA Late Models want to come back and NOSA wants to come this year. Elections. We need help at the track also. If your on the board you need to help at the track. Some board members do work at home also. Can’t always be expected to be everywhere. Kadi Ruby asked how the 7 person board worked versus the 9 person board. It worked out well. Can we change it so the president can vote? The rules were based off of Roberts Rules of Orders. He is the executor of the board. He can bring up the topic but he can’t make the motion. Program was good last year. If Brandon wanted to vote then he would have to be a board member. The president run’s the meeting. He can lobby the event and the board will decide on it. Board decides yes or no. We have 34 voting members here today. Opening up nominations for the President. Tim Anderson nominates Brandon Beeter. Seconded by Rick Huber. Steve Pierce called to cease the nominations. Jeff Barta seconded it. It was unanimous. Brandon Beeter is the President.
Secretary. It’s a 2 year position. Anyone interested in running? Kadi Ruby? No. Jenny Beeter? No. Kenzie Olsen? No. Kristy Folstad? She has a contract with Adam. She is busy with working with him and being on the Bottineau board. We can go online and post about it. Do we have to have another meeting? What about recording the minutes? Jen Rivinius? No. We are going to post it on Facebook that we are looking for someone?
2 year Director. Ron Huettl? No. Ron said, no one wants to run. Do we need to get a promotor to do it? Do that before we run it to the ground. If we hire a promotor then he would do everything and he would get paid employees for everything. Ron Huettl said if the track gets concessions then it helps pay for things. That limits us a bit. Is the promotor the right choice? There are tracks that are closing. Robby Rosselli nominated Kreg Brandvold. He declined. Jake Neiss nominated Justin Medler. Seconded by Chris
Reuer. Steve Pierce made a motion to cease nominations. Rick Huber seconded. Nominations ceased. Justin Medler is the 2 year director.
1 year Director. Kristy Folstad nominated Rick Huber. Kreg Brandvold seconded. Nate Joern nominated Scott Joern. Jeff Barta seconded. Jake Niess nominated Chris Reuer. Justin Medler seconded. Steve Piece made a motion to cease nominations. Seconded by Terry Hovde. Rick Huber is the 1 year director. Secretary is still open. Minutes can be recorded but they need to be gone through for things that maybe shouldn’t be on there. Stu said that North Hill Bowl has a thing that takes the notes for you. Bonnie Joern is asking Celeste if she is interested. Jeff Barta made a motion to appoint a secretary at a later time. Seconded by Steve Pierce. Motion carried. We have time to find someone that way. Hall of Fame. Kadi Ruby needs 4 general members for the nominating and voting committee for the Hall of Fame. Brandon is on it. We want people with knowledge and history to be on it. Hall of Fame is changing a little. There will be 1-2 people inducted unless the committee feels there should be more. Committee brings in the names. It is a 12 people nominating committee and a 20 people voting committee. They bring in people and go over the bios that have been brought in. The criteria has been updated also.
What was everyone’s opinion of Kevin Rodgers? He was good. He was a comical guy. He promoted big stuff at his track. Robby knows him. He mentors other promotors also. Robby, Brandon and Kristy all spoke with him. Kristy Folstad thanked everyone for helping out and for doing the stunts over the summer. Autograph session was good.
Steve Pierce made a motion to destroy the ballots. Jeff Barta seconded. It was approved. Jeff Barta made a motion to adjourn. Kadi Ruby seconded. Meeting adjourned at 3:12 pm.
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