Tim and Perry, A number of points to your replies. i) I appreciate the reason suggested for the board voting as they did was merely a guess, since it was not discussed. But, assuming that the board felt they had to "stick together", I reply: a) a poor reason to stand by an indefensible position (that is to say, the board has yet to present any logical reason why a link to an independent site should not be provided); b) Rod should stay as newsletter editor, but his suggestion to resign rather than provide a link is also a disproportionate response to a simple request, and to use this as a threat to get the board to "stick together" is at worst, manipulative; c) the board's business IS the members' business - so having 8 members of the board "stick together" in defiance of the many members who have expressed their request for a link to the superior site that Celia creates is not following democratic principles of the elected and representative positions
ii) "impolite and acrimonious manner ... not conducive to settling fairly and amicably" ! 4 points here: a) Are you aware of how unfair, impolite, acrimonious, and unamicable board members have been treated or even moreso, how rudely Celia has been spoken of when any members suggest a link? This is not a defence for behaving poorly by anyone. However, the board is not clear of wrongdoing; b) disagreement does not equate to acrimony - when in the hot seat, caused by one's own doing (no one else's) with defiantly digging in the heels, one will feel the discussion generated is acrimonious; c) an unmoving stance after many months of requests, will automatically cause unfriendly response - don't expect cheeriness after such a long time over a simple request; d) regardless of the language used, this is not a valid excuse to continue to avoid a decision that satisfies the wishes of the membership. iii) 3 requests for a link? There have been more than three people suggesting to members of the board to do something about the TT website. If those that have specifically used the words "request a link" are counted as the only members to have said anything, statistics are abused. Furthermore, a very standard marketing understanding is that only 1 in 10 - 20 will actually bother writing in to express displeasure. Even if you did get only 3, this is a number to which you should be paying attention when only 50 showing up for a TT is a good crowd. Note that between Aug 18 and Aug 21st, there were 8 people that expressed support for my Aug 18th suggestion that the link be provided. A count of 3 is off. iv) a compromise for a simple link? What could be a half-way measure of providing a link? Provide the link only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday? :) This is a LINK. What could be more simple? What needs compromise? v) "meets the wants of some of its members without compromising the authority of the Board to operate the club in the best interests of all its members"? Please note: a) "authority" - the board's business IS the members' business. The board is not to operate autocratically, not with its own personal agenda. The agenda of the board IS the agenda of the members; b) "best interests of all"? the board has yet to explain how a link will disadvantage a SINGLE one of its members, let alone needing to defend an immovable position by suggesting that you must meet the needs of ALL members (an impossible requirement when you admit everyone can't be satisfied) vi) the petition content has not been hidden, anyone was welcome to read it and sign or not sign any time at any of the TTs we have been to. But, whether a petition exists or not, and whatever the contents of any petition that might be circulating could be, an unknown petition is irrelevant to voting in favour of providing a link. vii) "the best way to have your say is ... run for a Board position" ? This is not an issue that should have required a vote, this is an issue that should have been resolved back in May by providing a link to a *working* site, without the need for any discussion. Moreover, there are already many volunteers within the OBC that do not have a vote, including Celia (when she was webmaster), and these volunteers should not require to run for a board position to have attitudes or opinions change affecting them. The board should be representing the requests of the membership. Period. To suggest that the board can operate otherwise in the 2 year interim between elections using the excuse that "if you don't like it, run for the board next time" only strengthens the observation that the board is not operating democratically between elections. A delay of up to 2 years before the board might change its stance is an unacceptable pace of progress. This is a request for a LINK. Are we forgetting the simplicity of the requirement? So, as "acrimonious" as the board may feel my rebuttal, do trust that this silliness is tiresome after too many months of expecting a simple request to be settled without dispute. But, without the board explaining their stance with logical discussion, I continue to have to repeat: i) the board is to represent the members' interests ii) the request of a number of members is to provide a link to Celia's TT website Celia's work is superior and proven. The board is wasting resources to continue to pursue an alternate TT site. There are bigger problems in the world that the board can spend its obvious abundance of energy. I note that Celia has replied to Rod's offer for a link on certain conditions. I should hope that it is clear that some requests may be made of Celia as offical TT web developer (as she once was, and if this is the intent of the conditions), but that the request to link to her page still stands without regard to conditions that the board or any member of the board may present for yet further delay to getting this settled. Rather than further delay to the AGM, I will read and present the petition at Monday's board meeting, merely for your files, if the link is provided by then. Michael --- tim aubin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Michael et al, > I think the best way to have your say on the > conduct of the OBC is to > volunteer to run for a Board position. I understand > that there will be some > vacancies at this years AGM. I have been on the > Board, its a thankless job > and you certainly can't support every position > presented by every member. > We are the largest club in Ontario, and I know the > Board and every > individual member and I'm confident they do their > best to represent the club > and support the membership. > Bottom line....you can't please everyone and you > have to do what you think > is in the best interest of all. I personally > support the Board and the > employees of the OBC. > My two cents, > Tim Aubin. > > > >From: "Perry R. McKenna" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To: Michael Coldwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, OBC > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Subject: RE: [obc] Link Vote > >Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 20:00:42 -0400 > > > >Hello Michael, > > > >Sorry I have not replied to email any sooner. > > > >I am unable to say why individual members of the > Board voted the way they > >did. They each voted the way they thought would be > in the best interests > >of the OBC. > > > >My impression is most wanted to show support for > the Newsletter Editor > >and webmaster who have been doing a great job under > >difficult circumstances. The Board was reluctant to > discuss the issue as > >the motion came as a complete surprise to most, it > was not on the agenda, > >the board has not received a petition, didn't know > what it said, and had > >received only three requests for a link, and no one > had asked any member > >of the Board why it wouldn't add a link. The Board > is largely in the dark > >about the petition, other than its existence. > Further, the impolite and > >acrimonious manner in which some of the supporters > have corresponded with > >directors has not been conducive to settling the > issue fairly > >and amicably. > > > >Despite this the Board continues to look for a > solution that > >meets the wants of some of its members without > compromising the authority > >of the Board to operate the club in the best > interests of all its members. > > > >Hopefully this answers your questions. > > > >Sincerely, > > > >Perry McKenna > > > > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Michael Coldwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "OBC" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 7:28 AM > >Subject: Fwd: Link Vote > > > > > > > Mr. McKenna, > > > In the event that you are not on the OBC List, I > > > resend this note as below ... > > > > > > thanks, > > > Michael > > > > > > --- Michael Coldwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > > Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2002 08:08:18 -0400 (EDT) > > > > From: Michael Coldwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Subject: Link Vote > > > > To: OBC <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > > > > Mr. McKenna, > > > > > > > > At last week's Open TT, we were told that a > vote had > > > > been taken at the last board meeting regarding > the > > > > provision of a link connection from OBC > Website to > > > > Celia's TT website. > > > > > > > > I understand the vote was 8 - 2 against. > > > > > > > > Might you please provide the arguments and > > > > discussions > > > > that were presented at the board meeting to > persuade > > > > 8 > > > > people to vote against providing the link? > > > > > > > > > > > > much appreciated, > > > > Michael > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > Post your free ad now! > http://personals.yahoo.ca > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > > Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca > > > >------------------------------------------------- > >For list help, please send email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >Club Office: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (613) > 230-1064 > >Website: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb > >Newsletter: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: > http://mobile.msn.com > ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca ------------------------------------------------- For list help, please send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Club Office: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (613) 230-1064 Website: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb Newsletter: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------- ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aVxiDo.a2i8p1 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
