Following are the minutes of the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Edmonds Petanque Club. A total of 32 members took part in the meeting and elected a slate of Board members for the coming year. The club welcomes and thanks Jeanna Holtz who joins the EPC Board for the first time.
*EDMONDS PETANQUE CLUB*
Minutes of the Annual Members’ Meeting held via Zoom on January 22, 2022, at 4:00 p.m.
1. Roll Call 32 members participated, and a quorum existed for the meeting. Ro Verdeja explained how the Zoom meeting worked and served as the technical lead for the Board.
2. Welcome – Jack McHenry
President Jack McHenry welcomed the participants and explained that the social side of the annual meeting had been postponed due to the pandemic. However, the rental for the Club House at the Innis Arden Community Club has already been paid, so whenever it seems safe to hold the EPC potluck it will be scheduled at that location.
3. Treasurer’s Report – Ro Verdeja
The club is in a good financial condition.
  • Checking Account – $6,266.79
  • Savings Account – $2,001.60.
It was explained that maintaining a solid balance in each account is needed for the expenses that will arise with the opening of the new petanque grove at the Civic Center Playfield. For example, the club may need to provide the funds for a new storage shed.
4. Board Elections – David Rockwell
David explained that since the last election of Directors in January of 2020, several factors have brought us to our current state:
  • In September of 2020, the Board was increased from eight to nine Directors, in part to enable Mike Martin to become a Director after having served many years as the Board’s de facto Secretary. Mike’s term was slated to end on December 31, 2022.
  • As a result of the Covid restrictions, we did not hold an annual meeting at the end of 2020, which would typically have occurred in January of 2021. The terms of Dick Van Hollebeke, Michelle Martin, Jim Klein and Greg Conyers that expired at the end of 2020 were therefore not renewed or replaced. David explained that when that occurs, each acting Director continues in office until his or her successor is elected, and so those Directors simply continued to serve for a third year in 2021.
  • In 2021, Dick Van Hollebeke died and in April of that year the Board filled that vacancy with Ro Verdeja. Subsequently, Paul Dever and Greg Conyers resigned from the Board. In September of that year, the Board was reduced in size from nine to seven Directors. Thereafter, Mari Dever elected not to pursue a renewal of her term. The other five Directors decided to stand for election: Michelle Martin, Ro Verjeda, and Jim Klein for one-year terms ending December 31, 2022 (since their current terms were extended one extra year as explained above), and Jack McHenry and David Rockwell for two years, ending December 31, 2023.
  • As a result of the above circumstances, the number of nominees for election to the Board was one less than the six current openings. Jack McHenry had nominated Jeanna Holtz to fill that position for a two-year term ending December 31, 2023, she expressed her willingness to serve, and the members were notified of that nomination, and of their opportunity to nominate others, in an emailed notice from the Board on December 12, 2021. No other nominations were made before or at this meeting. David suggested to the members that with six open positions on the Board and six nominees, the six be elected as a single slate. Asking if any participating member objected to that method and hearing none, it was Moved, Seconded, and Passed (unanimously) to elect the nominees identified above as a slate, each for their respective stated term.
  • David welcomed Jeanna to the Board and thanked Paul Dever, Mari Dever, and Greg Conyers for their excellent service. David also expressed the sadness of the club at the passing of long time member and extraordinary contributor, Dick Van Hollebeke.
5. Review of the Past Year – Jack McHenry
  • Jack reiterated the club’s appreciation for the work of departing Board members Paul Dever, Greg Conyers and Mari Dever, and again noted our sadness regarding the passing of members Dick Van Hollebeke and Gene Brandzel.
  • 2021 was a challenge because we no longer could play at Civic Center Playfield, which was closed in June for the extensive reconstruction project. The Parks Department provided the softball infield at Sierra Park. Hubbard Homestead near Northgate is another place where we can play.
  • One nice innovation has been the use of “What’s App”, managed by Jim Klein and Ron LaRue, in helping members schedule and coordinate playing in the two locations.
  • Philippe Geraud and Tom Nunn won the club’s League and received the Chris Guitton Trophy. Michelle Martin and Jack McHenry won the League’s post-season tournament.
  • David Rockwell won the Bastille Day Tournament and Paul Dever placed second.
  • The Food Bank Tournament was played in honor of Dick Van Hollebeke and raised an exceptional amount of money – $12,500 – for the Edmonds Food Bank. Silas Holm and Tom Niemann won the tournament, and EPC members Sam Shanshory and Samad Faik placed second.
  • Several members are responsible for the creation and design of the new petanque grove at the Civic Center Playfield. David Rockwell and Dick Van Hollebeke played the lead roles in this effort. The grove will have 6 permanent courts, which can be reconfigured into as many as 16 courts for tournaments. No changes have been made to these plans and the park is under construction.
  • The departing Board members were significant participants in the administration of the Club in 2021. Mari Dever chaired the committee that authored the club’s Etiquette Guidelines. She also planned many social events for club members. Paul Dever worked on the club’s website and helped maintain and improve the courts and landscaping surrounding the Chris Guitton memorial. Greg Conyers served as the club’s Sports Director, helped run and served as the umpire in the club’s tournaments, and authored periodic “Ask the Umpire” articles that responded to members’ questions about the proper interpretation and application of the petanque rules.
6. Membership Report – Michelle Martin
  • Michelle was pleased that in a year when we did not have a normal playing area and were subject to the limitations resulting from the Covid crisis we had 81 members, 18 of them new. As of January 22, there have been 61 renewals for 2022, plus one new addition.
7. New Website – Ro Verdeja
  • Extensive good work has been done and the club’s new website is nearly ready for “prime time.”
  • The logo was changed and improved with the red cochonnet now being inside the circle, making that easier to replicate in clothing and other artifacts.
  • Ro demonstrated sample “pages” of the website.
  • Home page, including a welcome note and the locations where we play.
  • News. o Membership (explains how to join and various methods of how to pay).
  • Calendar of Events.
  • Links to FPUSA information. The website should be operational in February.
  • The Board will begin final editing of the website on January 27.
8. Looking Ahead – David Rockwell
  • 2022 will be a year of significant change. The website will be improved and the new petanque grove is scheduled to be completed in December.
  • The social at Innis Arden will be scheduled when the weather and Covid situation permit.
  • Because of our temporary play locations and the persistent inclement weather, the Board decided not to organize a club singles competition this year.
  • The doubles League will begin on April 25 and end on June 3. The post-season tournament will be held June 11. League games will be scheduled for Sierra Park or Hubbard Homestead, with those capable of being swapped by and with the consent of all of the players in a given match.
  • The Bastille Day Tournament will be held on July 17.
  • An FPUSA Northwest Regional Tournament (singles and doubles) will be held on August 13-14 in Pt. Townsend.
  • The Food Bank Tournament will be held on August 27
9. Close of Meeting – Jack Mc Henry
The meeting was dismissed at 4:48 p.m.
Minutes prepared by Mike Martin, Secretary