Ace Club-Maadi Committee Meeting Minutes
5th Oct Committee meeting
ACE CLUB COMMITTEE MEETING
OCTOBER 5TH, 2009, 6 P.M.
The meeting was opened at 19.09.
Present:
Allan W
Ian M
Ray B
Peter C
Kaitlyn L
Vicki C
Neil W
Simon H
Adam M
Mark T
The previous minutes were discussed and approved by the new committee.
Previous business
The taxi situation was discussed and it was decided that Adam would speak to Pim about a list of approved taxis outside the club for increased safety for the members.
Security is already tasked with escorting members to taxis and assisting them should they ask for help.
The idea of setting up an identification system for approved taxis outside the club to reduce risks to members. Adam said he would look into it.
The bar stool situation was looked into and Peter has offered to check out the cost of upholstering some of the bar stools.
Treasurer’s Report
Neil reported that the accountant has yet to finish the yearly accounting, but it should be completed by the next committee meeting.
Neil reported that the club was up 35%-40% in profit.
Neil will have a bank summary sent around to the committee members when it is available.
Current account balances are very healthy.
Offsales was a success in Ramadan.
There are to be no more offsales for non-members, as this problem was noted in the previous month. Membership cards should be presented for offsales.
Food hit over the 100,000LE mark for the first time last month. It was noted that this service—though no cash cow for the club—is a valued service to the members.
Staff costs rose this month as a result of Ramadan bonuses.
Bank balances and club situation are reported as healthy.
The club donated over 145,000LE to charities over the past year.
Club Manager’s Report
Flemming reports that we now have a total of 49 staff members, with a total salary bill of 64,000LE per month. This includes all aspects of club service, security and maintenance.
The club is now spending 3,000LE per month on ice cubes. Flemming suggested that it would be more economical to buy an ice cube maker and has located a second-hand unit for 10,000LE. It would be able to handle a 50 kilogram load of ice. Filters would be needed, but at 2,000LE per replacement, this too would save the club money in the long run. Passed by the committee.
Current Projects
Kitchen & Dining Activities
Food sales have doubled over the past 12 months. The increased volume has resulted in longer wait times and staff have failed to deliver tables’ orders in a unified fashion in some cases. Flemming explained that buying a convection oven will increase food production speed and capacity and this will sort out most of the complaints regarding food. Flemming is aware of such an oven for 24,000LE, and for an additional 10,000LE a refrigerator can be installed at the bottom. Flemming will research this further and get back to the committee.
Memberships 2009/10
Simon and Adam were in charge of membership renewals and applications for 2009/10. The club experienced a net gain of only 14 members, despite having approved 66 applications, there was a loss of 52 new people who didn't renew after their 1st 3 month membership. At the most recent accounting of memberships and the club has 670 members.
It was tabled that both 3 month memberships, as well as the overseas/country memberships should be scrapped, as the cost of 6 month or yearly memberships are quite reasonable.
It was decided not to cap the membership of the club, despite worries that the 350 person limit at the door may result in turning members away.
Guest passes for the club have been abused by some members and Adam has volunteered to set up a system where guest entry can be tracked. Passport photocopies would be put on file so that the door staff could easily and quickly reference how many times a particular guest has been in.
There is also the concern mentioned that members are bringing in Egyptian guest which goes against the very notion of an all-expat club. Adam mentioned that by bringing in the passport check system, we would be able to all buy eliminate these violations. It was however, also noted that there are some Egyptian spouses of expat members, who are more then welcome in the club.
On the issue of members’ draw night, the committee passed the motion to exclude guests on that night after 7pm, to ensure that the maximum number of members were able to get in for the draw.
Sub-Committees
It was suggested that a sub-committee of Neil, Allan and Vicki be set up to review the charities proposed so that the top few might be short-listed for donations. They will ensure that the charities chosen for donations from the club are reputable, sustainable and accountable to donators.
It was also mentioned by Allan that the committee should reach out to Pim, a former committee member, to supply the staff with regular physicals. It was also suggested that Pim be asked to help the committee with the computers and maintenance thereof. The committee was in agreement on these issues.
Allan, Kaitlyn and Vicki are to be the sub-committee for the Halloween party, and will be liaising with Flemming and our emcee for the evening.
Vicki and Kaitlyn have volunteered to compile complaints for committee members to review on a weekly digest basis, where the complaints received are sent out on a singular, bulk basis to committee members.
Social Events
Halloween
Allan and Flemming are working out the details for the Halloween party. It was decided that the party for the adults would be held on the evening of Thursday, 29th October, from 7pm onwards and the children’s event would begin on the following day (30th October) from 12pm. There will also be a curfew for children on the 29th, they will be asked to leave at 7pm, so the adult festivities can be put on. This was passed by the committee.
Since receiving a 50LE drink card at the door is to be on the basis of showing up in a costume, Vicki has volunteered to ensure that recipients are indeed in costume before receiving a drink card.
Charitable Donations
It was suggested that the club reduce the number of charities donated to and increase the donation amounts for a more substantive contribution to a few worthy causes.
The Spirit of Giving organization will be hosting an event catered by ACE Club. The event will be comprised of a group of roughly 450 people, with a cash bar and transportation to be provided by the ACE Club.
Simon and Ian suggested that we increase the donation beyond the originally proposed 10% of total sales to simply covering the costs of the event and transportation and donating all the events profits to The Spirit of Giving. This motion was passed by the committee.
The not-for-profit animal shelter ESMA has requested 28,000LE for generators and electrical maintenance to keep the power and water running for the animals in the event of a power outage. It was decided not to make a decision on this application until other charities have had a chance to hand in their own proposals.
The new charities sub-committee, headed by Neil, will review the applications a fortnight from now, and he has asked that all the applications and proposals be sent in within one week of the 5th October, 2009 committee meeting.
Complaints
Children
Several members have noted how many members with children have not been respecting the set times for children in the club, as well as children in the bar and behind the bar. Kaitlyn especially noted how many parents leave their children unsupervised to run about the club, with some even choosing to drink inside whilst sending their children outside to the garden.
The concern of children in the bar was covered mostly as one of safety, considering the amount of people in the bar on certain evenings, and the dangers of lit cigarettes to the smaller children trying to get to the bar. Though no motion was passed, there was a sentiment of keeping children outside of the bar itself.
Ian wants to open a small food and drink stand out in the garden, so that children do not need to come into the bar to buy drinks and crisps.
As for children’s complaints, and to unify the complaints and response machinery on this topic, it was decided that the committee would no longer issue a simple verbal warning on the 1st offense. All violations will be printed out in letter form, which will be comprised of two written warnings and upon the 3rd warning issued to a parent or parents about they or their children’s conduct will result in an immediate review of their membership at the ACE Club.
Staff Drinking
There have been verbal complaints submitted to Vicki about a staff member drinking whilst on duty. Ian has reviewed the contract of said staff member, and though there is no clause about a prohibition on drinking whilst on the clock, Ian had a conversation with the staff member who agreed to limit his drinking while working and to ensure that when having a drink, they will not be standing behind the bar.
John and Hagi
John and Hagi have submitted a request for a salary increase. According to their current pay and work schedule, are paid very well on a monthly basis and they work 6 days a week, split shifts, which total more than 13 hours per day per man on weekdays, 14 hours each on weekends.
Ian said that he will speak to both of the men and try and come up with an acceptable resolution for the parties involved.
AOB
Simon brought up the need for a night manager at the club to fulfill the duties of Flemming once he has left, especially considering the amount of member that come in the club in the evening. This is partially the result of the night staff to cut off the members, who stay too late in the bar and buy drinks at the bar after the last bell has rung.
It was passed by the committee that the club would remain open until it’s weekend late hours on the evenings before national holidays.
The ACE Club will be sponsoring the 500LE cost of transporting its football club to a tournament in Cairo on 18th October, 2009. Passed by the committee.
The computers, which are currently near the kitchen in the downstairs bar, will be transported back upstairs.
The committee has asked Peter to look into maintaining or replacing the tables in the garden, which have not held up well in their outdoor environment.
Meeting closed at 21.20
Signed
Chairman __________________________________
Secretary __________________________________