These minutes are not complete. The complete, but not approved, minutes will be posted as soon as they are available. Minutes of General Meetings are normally read and approved at the following General Meeting.
The first call to order was made at 3:30 p.m., but as there was not a quorum, the meeting was postponed until 4:00 p.m.
The meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m. with the xx members present.
The President, John Goold read his annual report (see annex); Bruce Zuckerman moved its approval; xxxx seconded the motion; and it was approved unanimously.
The Treasurer, Ian McLennan, read his annual report (see annex); xxx moved its approval; xxxx seconded the motion; and it was approved unanimously.
Bruce Zuckerman moved to adjourn the meeting; xxx seconded the motion; and it was approved unanimously to end it at x:xx p.m.
The meeting was called to order at x:xx p.m. with the xx members present.
The sole purpose of the meeting was to elect a Fiscal.
There being only one nominee, George Harris, Bruce Zuckerman moved that he be elected by acclamation. xxx seconded the motion and it was approved with one abstention.
Bruce Zuckerman moved to adjourn the meeting; xxx seconded the motion; and it was approved unanimously to end it at x:xx p.m.
During the year we have held our regular National events:
We participated in the World Wide Bridge Contest held June 1st & 2nd and held two Bridge Luncheons April 26th & August 23rd.
Costa Rica was represented at the Zonals held in Curaçao in May. John Goold & Josef Best played in the Open Pairs, the team of Pat Miranda, Curtis Coffey, Josef Best, & John Goold played in the Senior’s Teams, and John Goold & Pat Miranda played in the Mixed Pairs. I’m sorry to say there were no upset victories!
You can find information about ARNB events on the ARNB web site. The calendar for next year’s annual events will be published within the next two months.
Both John Mac Gregor and I attended the CACBF Board Meeting held at that event, John in his capacity as Chief Tournament Director for the CACBF and I as a delegate in my position as President of the ARNB.
There are several things you should know from these meetings:
There are two posts that will need to be filled at elections to be held at the next CACBF Board Meeting. Both are vacant as the incumbents are retiring and intend resigning: Jean Yves Dabreteau, Martinique, the President and Hugh Williams, Trinidad & Tobago, the Treasurer.
Secondly, there is the possibility of Cuba being admitted to the WBF, in which case it would become part of Zone 5 of the CACBF. Costa Rica is a member of Zone 5. As yet, nothing concrete has been decided.
An interesting comment was made by Jean Yves Dabreteau, the CACBF President: According to WBF organizational plans, Zone 5 is to be, in the future, a sub-zone of a greater All-American Zone, and that it is anticipated that there will only be five major zones in the world.
I find that interesting as there would bound to be significant changes if the CACBF were part of a Zone that included the USA as the USA would certainly be the dominant member.
There are two other items I would like to talk about: The Term of Office of members of the Board of Directors and Participation by the Members of the ARNB.
When the ARNB was established, the term of office of a board was set at two years. The current Board’s term is 5 years and expires in September 2009. The change to 5 years appears to have been inadvertent and occurred during a clean-up of the ByLaws. Neither the Board of Directors nor a General Meeting voted on this change and both appear to have been unaware the Board’s lawyer was making this change.
Your current Board have discussed this issue. We feel that the original two years appears to be a reasonable term of office, especially as there is no barrier to an existing Board being re-elected if they are willing to serve and you, the membership, desire it.
I would like you to consider the term of office and propose that at our next General Meeting, we vote on reinstating the two-year term of office.
The last item I want to raise is your participation in your bridge association.
Your bridge association, the ARNB, is recognized by the WBF and the CACBF as the National Bridge Organization for Costa Rica. That means it administers and regulates competitive bridge in Costa Rica.
However, we need to be realistic. We have a declining bridge-playing population and a declining membership. Our current base of members is under 100 — in fact we only have 82 paid-up members.
I think that if everyone turned out to each of our National events; that is, we had 20 tables, we would all be very happy. Similarly, if a regular club game attracted at least half the membership, 10 tables, we would have a viable bridge scene. But that is not happening.
If duplicate bridge is continue as a competitive sport in Costa Rica, we need to do something. That means you have to participate and shape the bridge scene. Your Board has organized a couple of Bridge Luncheons and would like to have two more events, including a Christmas Party, before the end of the year. The objective is to encourage those that play bridge but, for whatever reason, have not been coming out to ARNB and club events to start again.
However, it is you, the membership as a whole, that needs to participate and make your views known. If there are things your Board does that you disagree with or, better yet, support, you need to let the members of your Board know. If you have suggestions, you need to tell your Board members and you need to work to drum up support.
The year after next, or earlier if any Board members resign, there will be elections for the vacant positions. If you really want to influence what the Costa Rican bridge scene looks like, consider running for office.
John R. Goold
President
National Recreational Bridge Association
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007
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