GBRSL Board Meeting Minutes

March 16, 2026 Zoom

6:00-6:40 PM

Present: President: Rob Dowie Vice President: Margot May Treasurer: Sion Cavana Secretary: Julie Peveto Member at large: Monica Braud

Summary: The Greater Baton Rouge Swim League board met to discuss hosting the upcoming City Meet, which was originally scheduled for LSU but became unavailable due to operational issues. The board decided to put out a request to all member clubs for hosting bids. They also established the season schedule with dual meets on June 6th, 13th, and 20th, followed by the City Meet on the weekend of June 27th. The board set the annual meeting for Monday, April 27th at 6 PM and agreed to review and update the dual meet and City Meet competition guidelines before the meeting. Additionally, they discussed financial matters including the need to update the bank account information and website administration access.

Next steps 

All board members: Review governing documents (bylaws and competition guidelines), especially Article 5 (city meet guidelines), and send feedback/suggested edits to Rob before April 6th. Update the league website with current information as needed. 

Sion: Reach out to Crawfish Aquatics (contact Matthew Mixon or Jayme Cramer) to inquire about pool availability and willingness to host the city meet, and connect Margot with contacts for follow-up.

Julie: Prepare and send an email to all member clubs requesting updated contact information, including the 2026 season schedule, annual meeting date/time, and a request for feedback/suggestions on bylaws and competition guidelines (with a deadline for Monday, April 6th). Draft and send a formal letter as board secretary for the bank verifying the current elected officers, to facilitate the treasurer changeover. 

Rob: Provide Julie with the date the election results were tallied/announced for inclusion in the bank letter. Add Julie and Margot as website admins to update the league website. Compile all feedback on governing documents from board members and circulate before the annual meeting. Put out a call for bids to all league member clubs for hosting the city meet, including a form with minimum specs (e.g., 6-lane pool, starting area depth, deck space, parking, bathrooms, handicap accessibility, etc.). 

City Meet 

The board discussed challenges with hosting the upcoming meet due to LSU's unavailability. They explored potential alternative venues, including Jambalaya Park, Kenilworth, and the Y, considering factors like location, facilities, and previous experiences. Margot suggested putting out a bid to gauge interest from member clubs, while Rob highlighted the financial constraints at Jambalaya Park and the need for weekday hosting if it were considered. Julie shared feedback from parents about past issues at JPP, particularly regarding heat and location. The board agreed to reach out to member clubs to assess interest in hosting the meet. The board discussed potential pool locations for an event, with Crawfish being considered as an option. Sion volunteered to contact Jayme or Matthew at Crawfish, while Margot offered to continue the conversation if needed. The group agreed to consider options and potentially narrow it down for final decision. A form will be made to send to clubs that will include minimum requirements including a 6-lane 25-yard pool, proper starting area, lane ropes, deck space, parking, and handicap accessible areas and bathrooms. 

Season Schedule 

The group discussed the swimming season schedule, ultimately deciding to start on June 6th rather than May 30th due to concerns about team readiness and practice timing. They agreed on a schedule to allow adequate practice time and avoid rushing teams that start practices in mid-May. 

Annual Meeting 

They agreed to schedule the annual meeting for Monday, April 27th at 6 PM, with the member-at-large elections to be conducted via Zoom to streamline the process. The timing was aligned with the fact that board officers serve two-year terms while members at large are up for annual election, and they noted that coaches often aren't confirmed until late April. 

City Meet Guidelines Review 

Rob and Margot discussed reviewing the city meet guidelines and rules before the annual meeting to ensure consistency and avoid confusion. Rob proposed sending the governing documents to the board for feedback, which Margot agreed to share. They identified key areas for review, including division criteria, scoring systems, officiating standards, and potential structural changes to address concerns about fairness and conflict of interest. 

Contact Information 

The team discussed updating contact information through a shared Google Sheet that Daniel had created, which includes club details and the upcoming season schedule. They agreed to set a deadline for suggestions before Easter, specifically Monday the 6th. The group also clarified that Emily remains a board member until a new member at large is elected, though they need to use her correct email address for future communications. 

League Treasurer 

The meeting focused on resolving issues with the league's bank account access and financial processes. Rob explained that the current treasurer, Sion, needs proper documentation to gain access to the bank account, which is currently under a previous treasurer's name. It was determined that Julie would create a signed letter verifying the elected officers to present for the bank. The group also discussed club payment status from the previous year, with Rob confirming the account balance was healthy. Finally, they discussed potentially updating the protocol for payment and delivery as well as recording the payments for city meet/league fees.