June 15, 2006 CGKA Revival Meeting, Minutes Posted

shredbarbie · Since 17 Sep 2005 97 Posts Hood River, OR

Meeting minutes
First organizational meeting of CGKA revitalization meeting, june 15, 2006. Charburger meeting room.

7;30pm Kirsten Andrews – intro and brief agenda overview

Goals:

• Forming CGKA and work assignments

• Short term goals and long term solutions for access

7:35pm Mike Fitzsimmons – overview of history of CGKA
Became a group to successfully negotiate with Port of Hood River – got access to sand spit
Set up a non-profit organization which is currently active, board members are:
Jen Fitzsimmons
Mike Fitzsimmons
Jim Mason

Mike is still willing to be legal council but may have a conflict of interest as he is also legal council with the Port of Hood River.

Past fund raisers include raffle & Blowout race & membership dues
$351 left in bank account

7:40pm Mark Worth – introduction as moderator
Overview of meeting with Port on June 14th, 2006
• Current access is not safe due to high water
• Find an access solution that works with all water sports enthusiasts
• Solution would be to have access at the West end of the Marina Beach – needs to be approved by Port Commissioners who were not present at meeting.
• If temporary access is approved, then safety must be of the highest priority

7:45pm Cory Roeseler – General Kiteboarding history and overview with Port relationship
• How to define high water? No sand north of the green marker (as a suggestion)
• Sherry Bohn, current acting Port Director is currently learning to kite
• Speaking with one voice is key as Port will listen to a group but not individuals
• Access is key – Cory passes out hand out with possible solutions ie…Event Site in evening, Lot 6 as swim beach? Or for kiting?...Money needed for city to build access site, CGKA to hold kitefestival as fundraiser?
• There is a Waterfront Park committee that is attempting to raise money for the park, they currently have just a small space for a windsports beach in park plans.

8:00pm Pepi Gerald – President of CGWA – overview of CGWA activity
• CGWA is in support of the re-awakening of CGKA
• Pepi is available as a liason between the organization
• CGWA works to keep access for windsurfing as well as maintaining the beaches
• There are other organizations that need to be communicated with such as ODOT, WA/
• OR State Parks, Railroads etc…not just the Port of HR
• There is an insurance issue that stands in the way of CGKA being able to be a part of CGWA. CGWA’s insurance will not cover Kiteboarding activities/events.
• It was asked that if CGKA can do the research and find an insurance policy that would cover both, could we join together? Answer is yes from Pepi.
• Ultimate goal of CGKA could be to do enough fundraising that they can hire someone as a director to run the organization.
• Ken Lucas suggested the idea that CGWA could suggest that the Marina be given over to the kiter’s. Pepi replied that there is interest within CGWA to re-engineer the sandbar and dredge the Marina in order to bring it back for windsurfing.

8:05pm Cori Bison – Owner, New Wind Kiteboarding School – overview of Kiteschool activity.

• Current limit of 7 kiting schools at spit
• Space limited – difficult decision
• Some see kiting as a ‘fad’, or limited growth. Need to gather data and statistics to support growth of industry.
• Tanya F. Hard for manufacturers to measure kite growth – unrealistic numbers
• Go to IKO or PASA to get stats?
• Carlos: Difficult for schools to draw clients because they’re finding that HR isn’t an enticing place to learn because no sand spit
• Cori: Port raised monthly fee to schools in 2006
• Schools want parking booth to be taken away – it’s a real turn off
• Unknown speaker from out of town: Big group of people all donate a $1. Go to port and get them to take away parking booth. Charge $1 surcharge on each lesson and they come a member of CGKA. That money would work as a fundraiser.
• Ken L: Suggested looking into other ideas – some areas you have to join an association or go thru a school to kite there.
• Marina: Standard fee for an association is $20. Talked about history of Maui, and had people write letters to council members, which turned it around and gave them access to kite beach again. Mentioned Hood River is a ‘mecca’ for kiting.
• Julie G: In Maui, had lower fee first to gather money, and then it came up to standard. To get it active, it was low. Any event they did, you had to be a member.
• Cori B: All instructors required to wear identification. Carlos working on a sign for traffic flow and rules of the road.
• Ken ?: Beginners are problem.
• Mark W: Trying to establish launch/landing zone to make it better for people to get in and out around all the instructors teaching. Trying to create a clear space for people to get out around beginners.
• Ken: Regular kiters need to have access just as much as people teaching and making revenue.
• Cori B: Finalizing discussion about schools taking up lots of room vs. kiters.
• Pepi: Lots of people come from out of town, not used to conditions, buy a cheap kite, are desperate to get on water. There is no place to tell these people to go. Need a big rules and regs sign. Self police.

8:30am Mark Worth – Proposed Mission Statement & Main Goals
- Safe Access
- Communicating with members of the community about safety
- Define and promote the economic viability of Kiteboarding

Move forward to assign and define volunteer positions:
Board of Directors:
• Webmaster – Mark Worth, nominated and elected
• Fundraiser – Kirsten Andrews, Moria R and Derek B volunteered with assistance from Carlos Cornelius as support with artwork
• Treasurer – Shay Ohrel MBA in finance, nominated and elected
• Secretary – Spring Milward & Mike Haasey nominated and elected to share position
• Legal Council – Jim Mason is nominated and can refuse, Kirsten will call him
• Moderator – Mark Worth
• Spokesperson – Cory Roeseler nominated & Jim Grady volunteered (IKO level 1 instructor with experience presentation to groups). They’ll share the position.

Pepi brought it to the attention that the BOD directors must have at least one year-round resident…These Board Members at large were nominated
• Laurent Picard
• Eric Cohn
• Tanya Farman
• Kirsten Andrews

Positions are to be for one year, with a 3 month check-in.

Mark Worth to work on Website to launch within 10 - 15 days, with safety info, photo uploads, and links to other sites. Will link with nwkite.com for communication, Phillip willing to help out.

Julie suggested to get board members e-mail contacts available to public
Adam Lapierre …there will be an article in the next issue of the HR News listing the BOD and contact info.

Low membership fee in order to gain lots of members. Could possibly have 2 different statures of membership, visitor and resident? Mark W suggested that if membership was free, then an online registration could be easily done.

Pete Goodrich suggested parking permit fee.

Eric Cohn suggested that donations be accepted through website. Julie P. confirmed that donations would be important to show more legitimacy for the organization. Pepi G. also confirmed that raising some money is very important to support the organization.

Kirsten suggested that we figure out how to compile feedback. Mark Worth stated an e-mail would be sent out.

Next member meeting would be decided upon at first BOD meeting. Member meeting will be held once a month.

Marina Chang offered to post the info on Kite Forum, she needs to be e-mailed with an update.

Designated Bulletin Board at Sandspit for member information and info to public.

Mark Worth suggested being lightly insured in order to keep the organization financially lean…Kirsten agreed as insurance for SKA was very difficult, Julie P agreed from Maui experience

Cory R. suggested that a regular Kiteboarding event such as a Gorge Cup be brought into being in order to raise funds and fund the insurance policy. Pepi stated that the CGWA insures the Gorge Cup and it works well for them.

The CGKA BOD will investigate insurance and see what the possibilities are.

www.NWKite.com will be immediate bulletin board.

Dogs at sandbar will be discussed at next meeting

Mark Worth suggested that continue to self-police and respect and listen to kiters.

9:25 pm meeting adjourned.

~CGKA Secretary

Pepi · Mon Jun 19, 06 1:53 pm **Small clarification on CGWA comments**

RE:CGWA Involvement with CGKA
quote"• It was asked that if CGKA can do the research and find an insurance policy that would cover both, could we join together? Answer is yes from Pepi."

- Actually, I may have been misquoted on this. The CGWA is open to discussions regarding any relationship development between CGWA and CGKA. Any further involvement or development in relationships would require the vote and support from the CGWA Board of Directors.
- Just wanted to make sure all comments are accurate.

I was very stoked to be invited to attend and speak at the meeting. As a kiteshop owner and president of the CGWA, I am definitely balancing a fine line in trying to work with both parties.
The meeting was a great success in getting the kiting community together.
Let's make sure to keep up the good momentum!

Thanks
Pepi Gerald
2nd Wind Sports
Hood River, OR

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Jun 19, 06 2:30 pm **Re: Small clarification on CGWA comments**