President M. Urbonas called the MACA Board Meeting to order on ZOOM.  Nine people were in attendance: President Michael Urbonas, Treasurer Robert Messenger, Clerk Nicholas Sterling, Directors Colin Scheriff, Jamie Williams, Ray Xue, Elsie Smits, Larry Gladding, and Dmitry Barash.

Board Meeting Documentation Search: C. Scheriff requested help finding documentation about a September 2024 Board Meeting where TD hourly pay rates for their assistance at MACA Tournaments were increased; a previous daily limit was removed. B. Messenger explained that the Meeting Minutes from that period were not fully recorded, and suggested checking with former President Rob King who may have recorded the meetings. M. Urbonas agreed to look for recordings, and E. Smits mentioned they might be stored on Fathom.

Treasurer: B. Messenger presented the Treasurer Report ending in January 2026.  Total three-month profit: $4000 (noticeably lower than the profit of $8360 from the prior period).  (a) C. Scheriff noted that tournament revenue will likely decrease due to additional director payments and streaming costs. (b) The group discussed potentially consolidating the Women's Chess Fund into the general fund since they no longer receive the $5,000 grant from USCF, though C. Scheriff wanted to consider whether keeping this Fund separate would allow it to be tracked more easily. (c) It was noted that the Winter Team Challenge decreased in participants partly due to reduced involvement from Star Academy.  The new venue in Framingham, while more expensive, might be more convenient for some participants than the previous Westford location.  (d) B. Messenger reported on three recent tournaments, noting that the First Spiegel Cup Qualifier had 121 players (up from previous year) despite a snowstorm forcing postponement, while the Hurvitz Cup had 189 players (down from 217).  The Fourth Qualifier had 128 players (a similar turnout to last year’s). (e) * * MOTION (426-1) made to allow C. Scheriff to open a new bank account and designate the current account the Bob Messenger TD Fund to cover Tournament Expenses.  The MOTION passed UNANIMOUSLY. * * The Resolution is appended at the end of these Minutes.

Delegates to Annual USCF Meeting: (1) There was brief discussion on upcoming USCF annual meeting delegate confirmations due soon, with the main meeting scheduled for August 8th in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during the U.S. Open. (2) The board discussed a proposal for travel expense reimbursement policies for MACA delegates attending events like the St. Louis Chess Festival and USCF Annual Meeting. (3) M. Urbonas proposed covering airfare for economy class, standard hotel rooms, and $50 per diem per day. C. Scheriff raised concerns about the wording being too vague and suggested making it more specific. The group agreed that each travel authorization should be handled through separate board resolutions rather than a general policy.  They discussed whether to include family members in these trips, with R. Xue specifically asking about bringing a parent. (4) The discussion was left open regarding whether to cover expenses if a proposal is not accepted, pending the outcome of the current presentation proposal. (5) * * MOTION (426-2) made to cover travel expenses for delegates attending the 2026 annual meeting.The MOTION passed UNANIMOUSLY. * * The Resolution is appended at the end of these Minutes.

Protective Equipment for DGT Boards: (1) * * MOTION (426-3) made to purchase a Pelican case for $500 to protect and transport the organization's DGT chess boards, which cost $1,200 each.  The MOTION passed UNANIMOUSLY. * * The Resolution is appended at the end of these Minutes. (2) During the discussion, Colin explained that the current method of carrying the boards was inadequate and potentially damaging to the expensive equipment. The case will accommodate clocks, wires, and pieces, and will be used by L. Gladding for upcoming tournaments including streaming events. The group also discussed the need to obtain and submit proper tax exemption certificates (ST2 and ST5) for future equipment purchases on Amazon, with M. Urbonas taking responsibility for handling these documents.

Notion Subscription Purchase for MACA Elections: (1) There was discussion on finalizing details for an upcoming election, including collecting information about candidate residences for paper ballots and discussing the registration process for voters. (2) The group also explored implementing a Notion AI workspace to better organize and track board policies, meeting minutes, and other important documents. C. Scheriff proposed a subscription to help centralize this information. The discussion included considerations about access levels and costs associated with the Notion subscription, with the group acknowledging the need to improve documentation practices while balancing accessibility and security. (3) * * MOTION (426-4) made to purchase two annual NOTION subscriptions at $480 total to test the system before expanding their usage for MACA Elections. J. Williams requested more time to research alternative solutions and compare features The MOTION was TABLED by UNANIMOUS VOTE. * * 

Other: (a) E. Smits informed the group that she was hospitalized at Brigham with a heart infection, expected to be released by Monday, and would continue I-V treatment at home. (b) R. Xue discussed his proposal for inspiring volunteers to teach chess, suggesting reimbursement as an option and acknowledging the need for a broader structure to encourage participation beyond personal networks. (c) M. Urbonas confirmed the meeting attendees and noted that the session was being recorded.  (d) (1) There was discussion about implementing CORI checks for tournament directors but not for board members, with C. Scheriff leading the discussion after researching feasibility. (2) They agreed to develop a policy with emergency exceptions and a database maintained by K. Odnurozhenko to track quarantined tournament directors, though specific implementation details still need to be worked out. (e) There was brief discussion about R. Xue’s proposal to present at the St. Louis Chess Festival in October, deciding to wait for confirmation of his acceptance before considering financial support. (f) There was discussion about R. Xue’s idea for a separate Chess Quest fund, with C. Scheriff and B. Messenger suggesting he develop specific guidelines for the fund's purpose before bringing it back for board consideration.

Further Steps: (a) B. Messenger: Provide a recorded presentation on the history and purpose of MACA special funds for board documentation and future reference.  (b) Colin Scheriff: (1) Open a new MACA checking account for treasurer use and set up the existing checking account as the "Bob TD Fund" for Bob Messenger's tournament expense payments, per board resolution. (2) Purchase a Pelican case (up to $500) for DGT boards and related equipment, and coordinate with volunteers for foam cutting as needed. (3) Send ST-5 form to Mike for signature to facilitate tax-exempt Amazon purchases. (4) Send guest access links to Notion workspace to all board members for review. (5) Draft and circulate revised CORI check policy for tournament directors and staff, in consultation with Katerina, to be voted on at the next meeting. (6) Send out a call for volunteers (via email/board) to help cut foam for the new DGT board case when it arrives. (7) Work with Katerina to ensure all current tournament directors and staff begin the CORI check process in advance of the new policy adoption. (c) K. Odnurochenko: Maintain and update a database of approved tournament directors/staff with current CORI check status and expiration dates. (d) L. Gladding: Email Robbie King to confirm his current town of residence for the election ballot. (e ) M. Urbonas: (1) Provide Colin with necessary tax-exempt forms (ST2 and ST5) for Amazon tax exemption. (2) Set up a demo/training session for the election committee (Elsie, Larry, and Katerina) on using Election Runner and handling paper ballots. (3) Coordinate with Colin to ensure the wording of all board resolutions and motions are captured and included in the official meeting minutes. (4) Follow up with Rob King and others to locate and provide documentation of the September 2024 board meeting (TD pay rates) to Colin.  (5) Schedule and conduct a future meeting to vote on the proposed CORI check policy for tournament directors/staff after draft is circulated. (f) Ray Xue: (1) Develop and propose specific guidelines/purpose for a potential new fund (e.g., Chess Quest/Living Memorial Chess Fund) for future board consideration. (2) Await notification of St. Louis Chess Festival proposal acceptance; if accepted, board to consider travel funding request at that time.

President M. Urbonas adjourned the Meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Nicholas Sterling, Clerk

Resolutions Adopted

Resolution - Bob TD Fund (MOTION 426-1)

RESOLVED, that the organization shall designate the existing primary checking account at Citizens Bank as the “Bob TD Fund,” to be used for tournament-related expenses, including but not limited to tournament director fees, prizes, rating fees, and other operational expenses; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that Bob Messenger is authorized to write checks and use the associated debit card for such expenses from the “Bob TD Fund”; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Treasurer shall ensure that sufficient funds are maintained in the “Bob TD Fund” account to support tournament operations; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the existing low-balance PayPal-linked account shall remain in use with no changes; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that Colin Scheriff is authorized to open a new checking account at Citizens Bank to serve as the organization’s primary operating account going forward, with such account to be under the control of the Treasurer.

Passed unanimously

Resolution – Travel (MOTION 426-2)

Mass Chess will cover economy air travel, a standard hotel room at the event venue for 2 nights, and a per diem of $50 per day (2 days) for food and incidental expenses for the delegates of the 2026 USCF Annual Meeting.

Passed unanimously, Mike Urbonas & Bob Messenger abstained

Resolution - DGT Case (MOTION 426-3)

Authorize Colin Scheriff to purchase a Pelican 1640 case to store the organization’s DGT boards, as well as additional USB cables and connectors needed for the DGT supplies (cost not to exceed $500).

Passed unanimously

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Further Actions taken after this Meeting:

(1) L. Gladding RESIGNED from MACA on 04-24-2026 and therefore in effect from the post of Chair of the Elections Commission.  K. Odnorozhenko acceded to the Chair position.

(2) An Election was run on Election Runner to vote M. Gruman into the currently vacant position on the Elections Commission. The entire Board voted on Election Runner regarding appointing Mark to the Elections Commission. The results came in unanimous at 10-0 in favor, with M. Gruman abstaining, thereby securing M. Gruman a seat on the Elections Commission.