Elections due in late May for Colorado USATF association
Masters can have their say in new leaders of the slapped-down USATF Colorado Association (remember the long grievance process?). Deb Conley sent a note detailing the convoluted election process, with balloting about May 20 to pick new officers. If you know masters in the Colorado association, let ’em know about the upcoming vote. At the moment, none of the info is posted on the official Colorado USATF Web site.
Here’s what Deb sent tonight:
To Colorado Runners:
USATF CO is has the opportunity to make great changes, as the organization leadership has been expelled. New elections will take place approximately May 20, 2008. A venue is in the process of being secured.
Organizational Services and National will provide the notice of, and schedule the meeting for, the election of all officers for the entire Colorado Association. They will also provide audit services in the voting election. Notice of elections should be mailed this week from USATF National.
Colorado’s system does NOT employ a one-member, one-vote system. The Colorado Bylaws require a Balanced Meeting voting process of 100 votes. National is not recommending this process.
Since the bylaws are not specific as to how the votes are to be allocated amongst the 5 constituent groups (Organizations/clubs, athletes, coaches, officials, and others), the National recommendation to us, to try to simplify the process on Election Day, is detailed below.
• 50 votes for club representatives, one per club. If more than 50 clubs are represented (not including persons who wish to exercise votes as coaches, athletes, officials, or administrators), the clubs caucus prior to the election and choose the 50 club representatives who will vote.
• 20 votes for open and masters athlete’s ages 18-and-over only. If more than 20 athletes show up, the athletes caucus among themselves prior to any voting to determine the 20 voters.
• 10 votes to coaches. If more than 10 coaches show up, the coaches caucus among themselves prior to any voting to determine the 10 voters.
• 10 votes to officials. If more than 10 officials show up, the officials caucus among themselves prior to any voting to determine the 10 voters.
• 10 votes to administrators/others. If more than 10 administrators/others show up, they caucus among themselves prior to any voting to determine the 10 voters.
Even though the Colorado Bylaws require a Balanced Meeting voting process of 100 votes, in reality the CO bylaws spell out only the 20 athlete votes (see ARTICLE VII- VOTING (D) 1-2). Persons who are granted a vote in one category may NOT also vote in another category. The other 80 votes are not defined in the current Colorado Bylaws.
What does that mean for me?
Every constituent that shows up for voting will be represented in his or her vote.
How can I vote if I am not a current member of USATF CO?
All members who register by April 30, 2008 can vote in the election.
How Do I become a member?
Register online at www.usatf.org. Click “Become a Member”.
How Do I know if my club is participating in the vote?
By communicating with your club members. If you aren’t sure your club is being
represented in the vote, show up yourself.
Please pass this email other Colorado Runners!
Best Wishes,
Deb Conley
An hour later, Harry Simonis of Oregon felt compelled to tongue-lash Deb with this note:
Deb…At this critical time in the reorganization election this should not have gone out to the mega mailing you sent out this evening.
First of all when Organization Services come to oversee the meeting/election we WILL FOLLOW the existing Colorado bylaws as closely as we can. We cannot legally change anything without opening ourselves to a justifiable grievance by anyone who wishes to do so. Even though the existing bylaws are not clearly definitive regarding the Balanced meeting method of 100 votes, by the time the election meeting happens probably May 20-22 the National office legal department will have a viable recommendation/solution for the election team to follow and administer.
You have INCORRECT information in your note regarding what the latest date is that a potential voting member can join USATF and still be eligible to vote.
The present leadership was NOT expelled by the NABR decision.
Harry Simonis
Executive Director & West Zone representative/Associations Committee.
USA Track & Field of Oregon
PO Box 856
http://www.usatf-oregon.org
Soon Deb replied:
Harry,
I wish this information would just get communicated posted from National and defined before even thinking about an election. If the voting needs to be delayed, so be it. It’s not fair to plan an election set a date, when National can’t even tell the members how it is to be performed, organized or counted before hand.
If National is going to handle to the entire voting process, than handle everything, including securing a venue, properly informing members, and explain the process and be willing answer questions from members prior to the meeting date.
How do you want to say that the executive board is no longer the executive board by a hearing held by the NABR panel that identified every allegation as true?
Deb Conley
Hmmmm. It appears that Deb is the only one trying to get basic information out amid the current vacuum of leadership.
She was one of the association members who brought the grievance, and now that she’s won, folks would prefer she shut up? Think again.
2 Responses
You go Deb! Since the Colorado web site is not doing anything to inform it’s members to what’s going on in this grievance process, what is it you suggest we do Harry? I have a some questions…are they re-electing everyone, including the President of the association and when is the deadline to be a USATF member for voting? You wouldn’t want a bunch of folks to come out and not be able to make a change with their vote now do you? I’d like Harry to answer those questions folks, so I can know about it from the man who’s at the pulse of the Colorado situation…Back to you Ken…
In reading some of the notes about the Colorado Association, misinformation, bad biases and poor attitudes seem to be pervasive.
The Colorado Association has some of the best committees in the country. Considering the percentage of youth athletes available who participate both indoor and outdoor. This is a program that produces some of the finest athletes in the country.
Long distance running in Colorado is ranked as one of the best programs in the country.
The Masters committee produces two of the finest meets in the country for masters only. It brings in competitors from all parts of the country
Colorado has an abundance of certified officials that can put on majaor meets the equal of any in the country.
In the 30 plus years that I have been the Colorado Association Masters Chair (except for the time I was the National Masters Chair) all these committees have worked on their own and there has been little if any communication between them. This lack of communication finally reached a point where the “grievance” was filed by the long distance runners and others. That group won a significant battle.
Based on the biases of the association committees it is doubtful that better communication will be developed in the future as each committee is most likely to look after its own interest.
More inportantly, no one from any committee or a member has been willing to step forward
and say: “I am willing to take on the leadership of the association.” For a number of years our chairman, president, has indicated that he was willing to terminate his leadership, but no one had any desire to take over that position. Accordingly, he stayed on with little help or guidance from the other committees and membership Volunteerism was noticeably absent. Many were willing to criticize, no one was willing to take over.
Several years ago I and several others suggested the association would be well advised to employ an executive director who could monitor all of the committees, and who would not be beholden to any of the committees. This suggestion was summarily rejected. To expect the president of the association to supervise all of the committees, attend all of the events and handle all of the financial duties is, in my opinion, much too heavy a responsibility, it just can not be done. I have been aroung too long to get into arguments, saber rattling and disputes. It looks like that is the way we are headed. If the committees can agree on an executive director who has no preconceived biases and does not have any conflicts of interest, I will become much more interested in the process than I now am. In the meantime, and until the concerned parties change attitudes and demeanors, I will lay low and let the process work out, but will continue to promote masters activities.
Jerry Donley
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