Sam “Lucky” Taylor

3303 Silk Grass Bend, Austin, Texas 78748

Home PH: 512-280-2107

E-mail: set7vette@aol.com

Minutes

Special Called Meeting

Waco, Texas August 15, 2009

 

The purpose of the meeting was to review and make modifications to the current Rules and Regulations for the conduct and judging of competition.  To make suggested changes to some issues in the TSCA By-Laws.

 

TSCA President Sam “Lucky” Taylor called the meeting to order at 11:00 AM.  Sam thanked everyone for coming to Waco to work on the TSCA Rules and Regulations and to make suggestions to some small changes to the By Laws.

 

TSCA Chaplain Elwood “Woody” Rice gave the invocation.  The pledge to the US and Texas flags was lead by First Vice President Bobby “Ice Bucket” Miller.

 

Sign in sheets were distributed so we could verify that a quorum was established in order to conduct the business at hand.

 

The following officers and members were in attendance.

President Sam Taylor, 1st Vice President Bobby Miller, Secretary/Treasurer Bob Mantle, Parliamentarian

Eddie Cox, Assemblyman Greg Tally and Chaplain Elwood Rice.

Also in attendance were, John Krodel, Albert Hittle, Glen Boyd, George White, Pete Peters, Joe Cole, Billy Harris, Bill London, Joseph McGurk, Billy Neimeyer Sr. and Billy Neimeyer Jr, Chuck Hudson and Charlie Nowmak.

 

The first order of business was reading over and discussing some needed modification to the By-Laws

Under Article IV Officers, Section 2 Article “A”. The following suggestions were made to change the following. Each clown elected shall take office and be installed at the close of the annual summer meeting of the Association, as provided in Article V, Section 1, and shall serve for (1) year, except the Secretary/Treasurer who can serve for continuous years, starting at the end of the Texas Shrine Association meeting in the summer and until the end of the Texas Shrine Association summer meeting the next year and until his successor is elected and qualified.

 

The second issue was to Article VI Officers Duties: Section 6. Change to read.  The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep a record of the proceedings of all business meetings of the Association and of the Officers.  He shall conduct all correspondence for the Association and collect dues and donations from all approved clown units of the Association. All monies are to be deposited in a federally insured bank or trust company in the name of the Association.  All Association funds should be recorded in a professional finance software program such as (Quicken or Microsoft Money).  He shall pay all orders (invoices) authorized to be drawn on the Association.  All checks will be co-signed by the home clown unit Secretary-Treasurer or President of the TSCA Secretary-Treasurer.  He will provide a complete financial record of all income and expenses to be approved each year by the incoming and outgoing Presidents of the Association.  He shall perform such other duties appertaining to his office as may be required.

 

Under Article VI Officers Duties Add Section 8:  The Parliamentarian should be well versed in parliamentary procedures and debate.  He shall be familiar with the rules, regulations and By-Laws of the Association.

 

These suggested By-Law changes will be read at the Mid Winter business meeting in March 2010 in Austin, Texas.

 

The next order of business was to address changes to the Rules and Regulations for the conduct and judging of competition. Article II Conduct of Competitions Section 1:  Change to read:  A copy of these rules and regulations and an announcement of the time and place of a judge’s instruction meeting shall be e-mailed to each clown unit President ( that pulled a number for competition at midwinter).  This information  shall be sent at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual Texas Shrine Association Convention (usually held in June).  The same information shall be posted on the TSCA web site.

 

                        Article II Conduct of Competitions Section 4: Clown units can compete in three (3) areas: makeup and costume, group skits (any number of clowns) and in group Paradability (1-5 members).  All units participating in skits and paradeability are eligible to participate in the costume and makeup competition.  All clowns are encouraged to participate in the Saturday parade. There will be No Scoring or awards given for parade activities.

 

Section 4: Paragraph A. Make-up and Costume: Scoring for make-up and costume competition will be judged immediately before skit competition begins.  Times and location for judging will be discussed at the judges meeting outlined in Article III under Judging paragraph C.  All clown units desiring to participate in this phase of the competition will be judged simultaneously.  Each unit will receive an overall score in this category, which will be used in conjunction with the scores earned in the other phases of competition to  determine the overall winning unit.  Clowns may be whiteface, auguste, tramp-hobo or character.  The clowns’ make-up and costume competition will be judged according to the International Shrine Clown Association (ISCA) rules.

 

                        Article II Conduct of Competitions B. Skits Paragraph 1.  Delete all data entirely.  Information no longer required.

 

Article II Conduct of Competitions B. Skits Paragraph 6.  Change to read:   The First Vice-President shall be in charge of skit competition.  He shall assess a penalty of  ½ point per judge for each time a skit participant steps outside the skit area and one penalty point for each 15 seconds or fraction thereof the time limits are exceeded for each time allotment.

 

                        Article II Conduct of Competitions C. Parade.  Delete all parade requirements and change to read. Any TSCA clown member or clown unit may participate in the TSA parade. There will be No Scoring or awards given for parade activities.

 

Add Section D Paradeability:  This can be 1 to 5 members of a unit.  Paradeability is basically a slight gag.  An object or prop using signs or vocal expression which can bring laughter.  It can be anything which can be worn, carried, pulled, pushed, or driven which does not require a set-up or tear down time. The clown (s) shall repeat the gag at least twice in one minute or the gag shall be considered a continuous gag.  Failure to repeat the gag. (If gag is not continuous) will require the deduction of 1/2 point per judge.

 

                        Article II Conduct of Competitions Section 5.  Section B:  Delete paragraph (8) in it’s entirely.

 

                        Section C:  Change to read.  Violation of any of the above rules and regulations shall be cause for  a downgraded score.

 

                        Section 6. Paragraph A.   Change to read:  Scoring each of three phases of competition will be scored independently with an overall first, second and third place winner in each category.  Judges will rate each  unit for each event on a scale of 5 to 10.  A total of all judges’ scores will determine the order of finish for that event.

 

Section 6: Paragraph B.  Change to read.  To assign judges, seven eligible judges will be chosen for each  competition category.  Judges for the make-up and costume will be chosen first, skits second and  paradeability third.   Each eligible judge must judge at least one category.  If a deficiency in the number of judges exists in any drawing category, names of judges not already drawn for that category will beresubmitted to the pool for drawing.

 

Article III Judging.  Paragraph C.  Judges instruction Meeting:  The TSCA President shall invite the selected Judges and all clown unit heads to meet for a judges meeting, which is usually scheduled to take place following the clown breakfast and business meeting on Friday morning the first day of competition.  During the judges general meeting, the selected judges and unit heads will review the regulations and the methods of awarding points.  The TSCA President or his designated representative will instruct and answer the judges questions.  To avoid conflicting statements and confusion.

.

                        Section D Judges Locations:  Delete paragraph 3 Parade judges.

 

                        The next order of business was making modification to the Mid-Winter Judging Criteria and Guidelines for competition.

 

                        Under General Rules: A. 3. Participating Clowns, act or stunts per A.N.O.N.M.S. shall:

                        Paragraph E:    Delete the use of dead cigar butts will be allowed for tramp costumes

 

                        Under D.  Trophies and awards for mid-winter to be funded by T.S.C.A. up to $850.00 maximum expense.

 

                        Under II Judging: Paragraph A. The T.S.C.A. 1St Vice-President is chairman of the clowning competition.  The T.S.C.A. President will have the responsibility for the selection of judges for competition.  The Parliamentarian will have the responsibility for the final interpretation of the judging rules.

                       

                        Under Paragraph B.  Judges will not be selected from The Texas Shrine Clown Association.  Selected judges should have a minimum of five years clowning experience.

 

                        III Categories for Competition and Specific Rules:

 

Under A. Individual Clown make-up and costume Competition.  Paragraph 2.  A First, second and third place awards in each of the following six (6) categories will be made.  Number 3 will be Tramp/Happy Hobo (Costume and make-up only).

           

                        III Categories for Competition and Specific Rules. Under paragraph B. under awards.  In addition, Certificates of Merit will be presented to the top Five (5) in each category at the award ceremony.

 

                        Under Paragraph 3.  Clowns will be grouped and presented for judging according to the category they wish to enter.  Each clown will walk onto the prescribed platform so they may be viewed from all sides.

 

                        Paragraph 4 has been reworded.  Paragraph 5 was combined with category 4 and reworded.

 

Paragraph17.  Has been deleted. It is now Paragraph 16 and changed to read.  The attached individual Clown competition  score sheet will be used in judging the individual clown competition

 

The next item discussed was tramp clowns doing shtick (comedy) during the walk around.  After a lengthy discussion it was agreed by everyone to leave this alone and have fun with it as it’s all part of the character being portrayed.

 

 

The next order of business was considering adding Novice Clowns to costume and make-up competition.  President Sam Taylor will be during this at mid winter in Austin 2010.  It will be for any clown attending mid-winter for the first time and they can enter any category.  Rules are posted on the clown web site.

 

The subject of holding mid winter each year in Waco, Texas year came up for discussion.  Items were  kicked around and it was decided to bring the idea up at mid winter for discussion.

 

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 2:15 PM in peace and harmony.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Bob “Checkers” Mantle

 

Bob “Checker” Mantle

TSCA Secretary/ Treasurer