Perry,
I will summarize here the relevant email replies from
various others:
With Avery's admission that he intended to send only
to Jackie, this only underlines the reasons I
expressed in my reply to his reply to Erika. Private
emails, one can make false, misleading, or incomplete
statements without opportunity for a clarifying
rebuttal. Unwillingness to discuss in an open forum
does not demonstrate confidence in one's position.
Though you and Avery may think my notes hostile, in
fact, I generally take a great deal of time composing
a note - sometimes days. Where there is disagreement,
does not mean express hostility.
In the interest of brevity, at times I will call a
spade a spade. I have made no personal attacks. I
have stated the position in plain language.
Note however, that I could've been hostile. As an
example, calling one a "liar" in the Canadian House of
Commons is cause for the speaker to request a
retraction. However, to indicate that someone is
wrong, while holding fact in hand, is appropriate.
As for "dictatorship": I have made no accusations - I
was _not_ referring to how the board conducts itself
within the board meetings, but rather with how the
board has behaved toward the OBC membership. With
blatant disregard of the request of many members,
emphasised by atttempts to stonewall discussion by
claims of "not the appropriate venue", "insufficient
numbers on OBC List to warrant attention", a claim of
interpretation of hostility, and by defiant statements
to Aug 29 TT audience "it ain't gonna happen".
Unfortunately, any words to sum up or describe such a
attitude are not complementary. I chose
"dictatorship" as the least offensive of these terms.
This is not a personal attack - rather calling a spade
a spade.
Though some members of the board may feel in the hot
seat, I did not put them there. There is a simple way
to cool things down, and I can offer two sample
statements for your use:
i) "Though we vehemently disagree with Michael
Coldwell's position, the petition, and with those that
have signed it, the board can no longer spend the time
and energy arguing this matter that takes away from
other OBC matters, and away from other personal
interests. Thus we have chosen to provide the link
requested"
ii) "After a walk in the park, among the fall colours,
we reflected on our position, and realize the we have
been less than prudent in handling this matter, and
admit an error in judgement. We will now provide a
link to the site requested"
Either way, I will tip my hat (or helmet) and say
"thanks".
The real issue is that the OBC website is for club
members' use, and as such a request has been made for
a link - and this has been made since May. This is
unacceptable to ignore members' request and provide
all season long a less than adequate replacement. I
have no problem with the board continuing to develop
another, as I have said repeatedly (though why they
would spend this time, is difficult to understand).
In Avery's replies, the following tactics have been
employed: evasion ("don't talk about the issue"), and
deflection ("look over there"). Combined:
presentation and discussion on matters that are not on
topic in an attempt to turn criticism elsewhere.
In Avery's reply, he has made the disagreement with
Celia an issue and a justification for "parting of
ways". The board's attitude to Celia is not an issue.
The OBC website currently links to other sites for
which you might discover that you don't like coding
styles or personalities of their webmasters - but
these do not factor into providing a link for the sake
of the information therein.
In your note, you indicate instead, the real issue is
that Rod is the newsletter director and his decision
stands. I go back to earlier statements that are
getting tiresome to repeat - the board is to
ultimately represent members' interests. And, for the
most part they do. However, as in any democratic
position, on occassion the electorate will speak up
against actions of these elected members. Sometimes
even, the discussions might get heated. Doesn't
democracy suck?
We have not requested that Rod resign, and he is
welcomed to continue to do his job. It's nice to
know that you stand behind Rod, but it also means that
the board does not stand behind representing OBC
members in the interim between elections. For anyone
to offer a resignation over this issue instead of
settling it by providing a link and easing the heat is
a real loss of focus.
The issue is very simple. Nothing else is on topic -
not the board's meeting behaviours, not the acrimony
of some board members to Celia, not the continued
efforts to beef up the new site, not whether or not
someone resigned or when they did or why, not the
newsletter quality (which is very good). The issue
is:
The membership has requested a link to an alternate TT
data website.
Michael
--- "Perry R. McKenna" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hello Mr. Coldwell,
>
> As a board member, I must object to the accusations
> you have made against
> the board and how it's being run in regards to the
> posting of the TT
> results.
>
> The real issue is not whatever we like Celia or not.
> The issue is we have a
> director Rod Plunkett who is responsible for the
> newsletter and the OBC
> website. Under is portfolio falls the
> responsibility of communicating club
> information through the newsletter and the OBC
> website This also includes
> the communication of TT results.
>
> As a director, Rod has chosen a different direction
> then was done in the
> past in order to manager the web site. Now you and
> others may not like the
> job that Rod is doing, and you are entitled to your
> opinions, however Rod
> feels that this is the right way to manage the
> website and the TT results,
> and as the director, it is his decision. The
> functioning of the board
> offers much latitude to the directors in the
> management of their portfolio.
> That being said, as a board we do have a
> responsibility to ensure that the
> management of the different portfolio supports the
> clubs objectives. In
> this case the board has offered Rod it's full
> support. We are all very
> impressed with the outstanding quality of the
> newsletter and are happy with
> the progress made on the website. Contrary to what
> you may think, the
> support was not coerced by a dictator, but through a
> democratic vote.
>
> Many of us agree that the new website is not perfect
> and that it's still
> work in progress and Rod recognizes that. However
> the overall presentation
> and quality have been improved, and based on the
> latest TT presentation, he
> is on the right track. Now instead of turning this
> into personal attacks,
> and trying to make it a personality conflict between
> different people, I
> would hope that you and the membership will give Rod
> a chance to continue
> his job. He has my full support.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Perry McKenna
> OBC member, director, and volunteer.
>
>
>
<snip>
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