2008-2009 Monday Night Fourplay Bowling League

League Organizational Meeting Minutes

A league organizational meeting of the 2008-2009 Monday Night Fourplay Bowling

league was held at the AMF Syosset Bowling Center on September 8, 2008. The meeting

was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Present at the meeting were league officers, Bert

Messina (President), Linda Stephanopoulos (Vice President), Kevin DiPeppe (Secretary),

Steve Frey (Treasurer), Tom Verni (Sergeant as Arms). Also present were Peter Roland

(IGBO Representative) and Donnie Fratello (League Website Operator), along with

representatives from more than 18 proposed bowling teams.

At 6:50 p.m., the meeting was called to order by the league president, Bert Messina. The

meeting began with Old Business. There was no old business to discuss.

The meeting then moved forward to New Business.

Bert Messina announced to everyone present that there were ten new rule change

proposals to be voted on for the upcoming 2008-2009 season. A list of rule change

proposals had been created and distributed to as many bowlers as possible prior to the

start of the meeting. Bert informed everyone that he would read through the rule change

proposals one at a time, each time following up with a vote on whether to keep the old

rule or adopt the new rule. In order to adopt the new rule, there would need to be a

majority of the votes in favor of doing so. Bert advised everyone that all voting would be

done by a show of hands. He then began the voting process.

Bert read out loud proposed rule change #1, which dealt with the point system.

Current Old Rule:

The MNFP Bowling League will use an 11-point scoring system. Three (3) points will

be awarded per game, one (1) point will be awarded for total wood, and (1) point will be

awarded for high handicap game.

Proposed New Rule:

The MNFP Bowling League will use a 12-point scoring system. Three (3) points will be

awarded per game, two (2) points will be awarded for total wood, and (1) point will be

awarded for high handicap game.

After a vote in favor of the current rule by a close majority (a vote of 24 to 23 in favor of

the current rule), the current rule was left in place. The league will continue to use an 11

point system.

Next, Bert read out loud proposed rule change #2, which dealt with the organization of

the league.

Current OLD Rule:

(USBC Rule 122) Rules shall be adopted at a meeting prior to the start of the league

schedule (at the first night’s “organizational meeting”) by the board of directors, unless

the league elects to have its rules adopted by the membership.

Proposed NEW rule:

Rules shall be adopted at a meeting prior to the start of the league schedule (at the first

night’s “organizational meeting”) by the membership. Each and every bowler that attends

the organizational meeting shall be entitled to one vote on all issues.

After a vote in favor of the new rule by a wide majority, the new rule was adopted and

the league rules were changed to reflect same.

Next, Bert read out loud proposed rule change #3, which was a proposed rule addition.

This rule dealt with the rule change procedure and was stated as follows:

Proposed Rule Addition: League Rule and League Bylaw Changes:

League rules will only be changed by specific procedure. Any member of the league can

request a rule change by documenting their new proposed rule on paper. The rule

proposal document must then be submitted to the league secretary. A vote on the new

rule proposition will take place at the following season’s league organizational meeting

(week #1) prior to the first ball being thrown. The league secretary will prepare ballots,

which list both the old rule, the proposed new rule, and vote options of “yes”, “no”, or

“abstain.” The membership will then vote on the proposed rule change. Every present

bowler will be given an opportunity to vote. (Bowlers not present will waive their right to

vote). The sergeant-at-arms will tally all votes. A voting majority constitutes a quorum.

The rule change will be deemed successful if both a quorum is established, and the

proposed rule change receives a majority of the “yes” and “no” votes (more than 50% of

only the “yes” and “no” votes). “Abstain” votes are only used to contribute toward

establishing a quorum. After the vote, submitted ballots will be made available for

inspection/recount of any bowler that requests same. A successful rule change will be put

into the bylaws immediately, but the rule will not take effect until the first ball is thrown

in week #1 of the new season that follows the vote. Any defeated rule change proposal

may not be resubmitted for at least one full bowling season.

After a vote in favor of the new rule by a wide majority, the new rule was adopted and

the league rules were amended to reflect same.

Next, Bert read out loud proposed rule change #4, which was a proposed rule addition.

This rule dealt with the election process, mainly affording every bowler to have his or her

own vote instead of voting by team. The new rule proposal read as follows:

ELECTIONS:

The Election for officers for the following year is held on week 31 of the bowling season.

Nominations for candidates shall be held for eight days, from the Monday of week 29

through the Monday of week 30. Candidates are nominated by receiving one nomination

from any bowler in the league. Nominations shall be in writing and on a designated

nomination form, which will be made available by the league secretary. Notification of

the upcoming nomination process shall be made to the membership on week 28. The

membership shall elect all officers. The league secretary shall prepare numbered voting

ballots and randomly distribute one ballot to each bowler that is present. Bowlers that are

not present will waive their right to vote. One completed ballot will be submitted from

each bowler (voting will not be done by team to ensure fairness to all bowlers). Each

bowler will select their choice for each officer position from the candidates listed on the

ballot. There will be no write-ins permitted. The president will appoint a nomination

committee that consists of (3) three non-board of director bowlers to count all votes.

Winners will only be by membership majority (more than 50% of membership). If a

majority is not established for a particular officer position, the candidate with the least

number of votes will be dropped from the ballot and another vote will take place. This

same process will continue, with the one candidate with the fewest votes being dropped

from the ballot until a majority result is reached. All ballots will be made available for

inspection/recount by any bowler that requests same. There shall be no exceptions to the

election procedure.

After a vote in favor of the new elections procedure rule by a wide majority, the new rule

was adopted and the league rules were amended to reflect same.

Next, Bert read out loud proposed rule change #5, which dealt with the drop rule, and

read as follows:

Current Old Rule:

Ten Pin Drop Rule: For handicap purposes, a bowler’s average cannot drop more than 10

pins below his or her entering average (when entering average is a book average based on

above rule IV A, B, C, or D). For new bowlers, a new bowler’s average cannot drop more

than 10 pins below his 21-game established average (an average established after bowling

his or her first 21 games).

Proposed New Rule:

Five Pin Drop Rule: For handicap purposes, a bowler’s average cannot drop more than 5

pins below his entering average (when entering average is a book average based on above

rule IV A, B, C, or D). For new bowlers, a new bowler’s average cannot drop more than

5 pins below his 21-game established average (an average established after bowling his

or her first 21 games).

After a vote in favor of keeping the current rule by a majority, the current rule was left in

place. The league will continue to use the ten pin drop rule.

Next, Bert read out loud proposed rule change #6, which dealt with weekly bowling fees

and costs. It read as follows:

Current Old Rule:

The amount to be paid by each bowler each night shall be $22.00, of which $11.50* will

cover the cost of bowling (lineage), $0.20 will go to the secretary, and $0.20 will go to

the treasurer, with the balance to be placed in the league treasury reserved for the prize

fund. (* will be $12.00 this year)

Proposed New Rule:

The amount to be paid by each bowler each night shall be $23.00, of which $12.00 will

cover the cost of bowling (lineage), $0.20 will go to the secretary, and $0.20 will go to

the treasurer, with the balance to be placed in the league treasury reserved for the prize

fund.

After a vote in favor of the new rule by a majority, the new rule was adopted and the

league rules were amended to reflect same. The weekly amount to be paid by each bowler

was raised to $23.00.

Next, Bert read out loud proposed rule change #7, which was a rule addition that dealt

with prebowls and postbowls. Bert explained that the current rule disallowing all

postbowls might be in violation of USBC rule 111B. The new rule proposal read as

follows:

Current Old Rule:

Only prebowls will be allowed. (No makeups or postbowls!) The team desiring the

prebowl must notify both the league secretary and the opposing team captain at least one

week before the scheduled match. Otherwise, no prebowls will be granted. No

prebowling will be allowed on position nights or the last two (2) weeks of each half.

Proposed New Rule:

Full Team Prebowls will be permitted. The team desiring the full team prebowl must

notify both the league secretary and the opposing team captain at least one week before

the scheduled match. Otherwise, no full team prebowls will be granted. With the

exception of week #4, no full team prebowling will be allowed for position nights or for

the last two (2) weeks of each half. A full team prebowl with less than 4 bowlers present

will use blind scores and vacancy scores as applicable. Nobody else on the team will be

permitted to bowl for the same week at any later time.

Postbowls are not permitted unless authorized by USBC rule 111B.

Individual Prebowls are generally not permitted. However, individual prebowls will be

permitted for any night which a religious holiday or holiday period may fall on when the

league is scheduled to bowl. The individual desiring the prebowl must notify both the

league secretary and his team captain at least one week before the evening that he or she

wishes to bowl. Arrangements will then be made to accommodate the prebowler to the

best extent possible. The individual prebowler will obtain and keep in his or her

possession a computer printout of all games bowled (obtained from the bowling lanes

front desk). The prebowl scores will be forwarded to the league secretary and his or her

team captain. No individual prebowling will be allowed for the last two (2) weeks of each

half.

After a vote in favor of the new rule by a majority, the new rule was adopted and the

league rules were amended to reflect same.

Next, Bert read out loud proposed rule change #8, which dealt with position weeks. It

read as follows:

Current Old Rule:

Position rounds will be weeks 5, 10, 16 and 17 for the first half and weeks 22, 27, 33 and

34 for the second half.

Proposed New Rule:

Position rounds will be weeks 4, 8, 12, 16 and 17 for the first half and weeks 21, 25, 29,

33 and 34 for the second half.

After a vote in favor of the new rule by a majority, the new rule was adopted and the

league rules were amended to reflect same.

Next, Bert read out loud proposed rule change #9, which was a new rule addition

proposal. It read as follows:

Proposed Rule Addition:

With the exception of week 4, a bowler must have 9 games bowled prior to bowling in

any position week.

After a vote in favor of the new rule by a majority, the new rule was adopted and the

league rules were amended to reflect same.

Next, as one final voting issue, it was decided by majority to adopt the new set of

Monday Night Fourplay By Laws and Rules, which reflect the rule changes as decided

by the preceeding (9) nine votes. It was decided that the new set of Monday Night

Fourplay By Laws and Rules hereby replaces any and all prior versions of Monday Night

Fourplay rules drafted prior to September 8, 2008.

The new Monday Night Fourplay Bowling League BYLAWS and Rules have been

drawn up by the secretary and posted on the Monday Night Fourplay Bowling website at

http://www.monnite4play.com

The meeting then moved forward to Other Business.

Donnie Fratello discussed the Monday Night Fourplay Bowling Website.

Then Bert discussed the raffles, turkey club, strike pot, and red pins strike shot.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 pm. and bowling commenced afterwards.