Bob Armstrong
04-16-2010, 02:52 AM
Here is my recent letter to the Grassroots' Campaign:
Hi to All Grassroots’ Campaign Supporters/Endorsers:
The CFC Governors held their Spring Quarterly On-line Meeting ( the first ever ) from April 8-14. On the agenda was our Motion 2010-06 – First-time CFC’er Discount ( replacing the Tournament Playing Fee ).. Here are the Minutes ( still to be approved ) on this agenda item:
# 11 – Discussion of Motion 2010-06 – Replacement of Tournament Playing Fee with Discounted Membership for First-time CFC’ers.
Motion 2010-06 on CFC Fees
- submitted on behalf of the Grassroots’ Campaign, a group of about 15 CFC members and former members ( named in the notes below ); filed by the mover, Governor Bob Armstrong, and the seconder, Governor Gary Gladstone; “ commentary “ by Bob Armstrong, Grassroots’ Campaign Coordinator, CFC Life Member & CFC Governor .
Motion : Moved: Bob Armstrong; Seconded: Gary Gladstone
First-Time CFC Member Introductory Discount –
Section 375 ( Tournament Playing Fee ) of Section 3 ( Motions Applicable to No Other Section ) of the CFC Handbook is deleted. Substituted for it is:
“ 375. An annual membership discount of 40% will be given for first time CFC members ( CFC will publish a rounded off figure for the convenience of organizers ). “
A number of points were raised:
1. the tournament playing fee is working, and should be kept – it encourages players to join tournaments
2. the new discounted membership will make all tournament players equal, and will generate CFC memberships.
3. the membership fee system is too complex, and a flat fee should be used.
4. in some parts of the country, the recent doubling of the tournament playing fee is leading players to take out full memberships instead of buying the TPF; in other parts, it is leading to more Non-CFC tournaments, so players don’t have to pay anything beyond the entry fee.
# 11A – Voting on Motion 2010-06 – First-Time CFC’er Discount - Results
View Poll Results: Motion 2010-06 Replacing the TPF with a First Time CFC'er Discount Should Be Adopted
Yes :
Alick Tsui, Bob Armstrong, Mark Bluvshtein, Patrick McDonald, Paul Leblanc - 5 - 16.13%
No :
Christopher Mallon, Egidijus Zeromskis, Ellen Nadeau, Fred McKim, Garvin Nunes, Gordon Ritchie, Hal Bond, Halldor P. Palsson, Herb Langer, Hugh Brodie, Ilia Bluvshtein, Jason Lohner, John Coleman, John Erickson, Ken Craft, Ken Einarsson, Les Bunning, Mark S. Dutton, I.A., Michael Barron, Michael von Keitz, Simon Ong, Stijn De Kerpel, Valer Eugen Demian, Vlad Rekhson - 24 - 77.42%
Abstain :
Bill Evans, Eric Van Dusen - 2 - 6.45%
Motion is defeated.
It must be remembered, however, that the votes taken in this meeting are only “ straw votes “, since there is as of yet, no Handbook section that allows this kind of “ on-line “ voting by Governors.
So the motion will still now go on to the next GL or AGM voting as already scheduled, to be voted on again.
So our motion is still on for voting as set out in GL # 5. The deadline for governors to vote on it is Friday, April 23. Voting started Monday, April 12.
But I think we must be realistic here. We could only get 16% of the vote – the governors are dead against getting rid of the current Tournament Playing Fee ( $ 20 Adult; $ 10 Junior ). Even if it was only a “ straw vote “ and not binding, just the informal opinion of the Governors, it is clear we will lose.
Thus it is my recommendation that we now abandon this project. Gary and I will simply withdraw our support for the motion. Then the President can do what he wants with it. Since voting started on Monday morning, he may rule that the voting should proceed regardless of the withdrawal of Gary and I.. Or he may rule it out of order, and cancel the vote. It really doesn’t matter, given the facts as they now appear. I am making this decision since I would like to respect the vote of the governors in the on-line meeting. So I am making this decision for us as Coordinator- we will withdraw from the motion in the face of the resounding defeat at the on-line meeting vote.
This was the last plank of our platform from a number of years ago ( all of which, except this, got implemented by the governors in 2008-9 ). So I am now disbanding our very successful and influential Grassroots’ Campaign. We have helped the CFC substantially over the years, we can be pleased with our contribution, and it is now time to step into history.
Thanks to all for all the support given to this project.
Hope to see some of you involved in other CFC issues as the years go by.
Bob, Coordinator
Hi to All Grassroots’ Campaign Supporters/Endorsers:
The CFC Governors held their Spring Quarterly On-line Meeting ( the first ever ) from April 8-14. On the agenda was our Motion 2010-06 – First-time CFC’er Discount ( replacing the Tournament Playing Fee ).. Here are the Minutes ( still to be approved ) on this agenda item:
# 11 – Discussion of Motion 2010-06 – Replacement of Tournament Playing Fee with Discounted Membership for First-time CFC’ers.
Motion 2010-06 on CFC Fees
- submitted on behalf of the Grassroots’ Campaign, a group of about 15 CFC members and former members ( named in the notes below ); filed by the mover, Governor Bob Armstrong, and the seconder, Governor Gary Gladstone; “ commentary “ by Bob Armstrong, Grassroots’ Campaign Coordinator, CFC Life Member & CFC Governor .
Motion : Moved: Bob Armstrong; Seconded: Gary Gladstone
First-Time CFC Member Introductory Discount –
Section 375 ( Tournament Playing Fee ) of Section 3 ( Motions Applicable to No Other Section ) of the CFC Handbook is deleted. Substituted for it is:
“ 375. An annual membership discount of 40% will be given for first time CFC members ( CFC will publish a rounded off figure for the convenience of organizers ). “
A number of points were raised:
1. the tournament playing fee is working, and should be kept – it encourages players to join tournaments
2. the new discounted membership will make all tournament players equal, and will generate CFC memberships.
3. the membership fee system is too complex, and a flat fee should be used.
4. in some parts of the country, the recent doubling of the tournament playing fee is leading players to take out full memberships instead of buying the TPF; in other parts, it is leading to more Non-CFC tournaments, so players don’t have to pay anything beyond the entry fee.
# 11A – Voting on Motion 2010-06 – First-Time CFC’er Discount - Results
View Poll Results: Motion 2010-06 Replacing the TPF with a First Time CFC'er Discount Should Be Adopted
Yes :
Alick Tsui, Bob Armstrong, Mark Bluvshtein, Patrick McDonald, Paul Leblanc - 5 - 16.13%
No :
Christopher Mallon, Egidijus Zeromskis, Ellen Nadeau, Fred McKim, Garvin Nunes, Gordon Ritchie, Hal Bond, Halldor P. Palsson, Herb Langer, Hugh Brodie, Ilia Bluvshtein, Jason Lohner, John Coleman, John Erickson, Ken Craft, Ken Einarsson, Les Bunning, Mark S. Dutton, I.A., Michael Barron, Michael von Keitz, Simon Ong, Stijn De Kerpel, Valer Eugen Demian, Vlad Rekhson - 24 - 77.42%
Abstain :
Bill Evans, Eric Van Dusen - 2 - 6.45%
Motion is defeated.
It must be remembered, however, that the votes taken in this meeting are only “ straw votes “, since there is as of yet, no Handbook section that allows this kind of “ on-line “ voting by Governors.
So the motion will still now go on to the next GL or AGM voting as already scheduled, to be voted on again.
So our motion is still on for voting as set out in GL # 5. The deadline for governors to vote on it is Friday, April 23. Voting started Monday, April 12.
But I think we must be realistic here. We could only get 16% of the vote – the governors are dead against getting rid of the current Tournament Playing Fee ( $ 20 Adult; $ 10 Junior ). Even if it was only a “ straw vote “ and not binding, just the informal opinion of the Governors, it is clear we will lose.
Thus it is my recommendation that we now abandon this project. Gary and I will simply withdraw our support for the motion. Then the President can do what he wants with it. Since voting started on Monday morning, he may rule that the voting should proceed regardless of the withdrawal of Gary and I.. Or he may rule it out of order, and cancel the vote. It really doesn’t matter, given the facts as they now appear. I am making this decision since I would like to respect the vote of the governors in the on-line meeting. So I am making this decision for us as Coordinator- we will withdraw from the motion in the face of the resounding defeat at the on-line meeting vote.
This was the last plank of our platform from a number of years ago ( all of which, except this, got implemented by the governors in 2008-9 ). So I am now disbanding our very successful and influential Grassroots’ Campaign. We have helped the CFC substantially over the years, we can be pleased with our contribution, and it is now time to step into history.
Thanks to all for all the support given to this project.
Hope to see some of you involved in other CFC issues as the years go by.
Bob, Coordinator