Kevin Nelson wrote:
> ..........The Annual General Meeting will be held on Wed. Oct 24........ > .........This year, although I am a Director of the club, I will not be able to > attend due to work commitments. I feel quite bad about this because I > am hearing rumours that some of the people who are planning to attend > the AGM are people who have publicly and loudly pronounced their > disapproval of the OBC, current board of directors and the > President, Avery Burdett in particular. ...... > ........For the first time in my experience in the club, there is an election > race for the position of President. For the past two years I think Avery > has done an excellent job of keeping the club finances in check, keeping > interest in many different activities high, representing the interests > of the OBC cyclists and helping the other directors in managing the wide > variety of events the OBC offers you. As we all know, he is extremely > passionate about all types of cycling. He has been seen on his bike at > almost every OBC activity. Each year he has been involved has been > better than the last. > He is more than capable of carrying on in these duties. At the risk of starting a war, I have a problem with this message that I'd like to get off my chest. First off, I admit to having no knowledge of any political situation which may be unfolding here. I don't know what group is supposedly unhappy with the activities of the club, nor how/whether they plan to take over the OBC to suit their group's purpose. But I do have some knowledge of governance and volunteer associations. In the circumstance of two current members of the board running for the position of president, I have difficulty with another current member of the board coming out in public support of one of them, with veiled references to some other group hijacking the club. I don't personally know either Kevin Nelson, or Avery Burdett. I do admire their commitment as volunteers and sincerely appreciate their efforts, as I appreciate the efforts of the other OBC directors and committee members, on behalf of OBC members and cycling in Ottawa. But I also understand and respect that there may be other members who may see a different direction for the club. The last time I looked we still lived in a democracy. We ignore, or worse yet, slander, their opinions at our peril. I believe that comments of this nature by a current board member are a recipe for acrimony, future ill will, and promoting and polarizing political divisions. I wish to belong to a bicycle club, not a political party. If Kevin Nelson's purpose was to get more members out to the AGM, then in my case he's succeeded. I'm not sure he'll appreciate the result. Don Friedlander ------ To unsubscribe, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Club Office: [EMAIL PROTECTED], (613) 230-1064 Web/mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb Newsletter: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb/Newsletter ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aVxiDo.a2i8p1 Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
