Re: ECF AGM 17/10/20
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:55 pm
The MCF AGM last night decided to vote for NigelRoger de Coverly wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 10:12 amA contested election for Director of Home Chess, Nigel Towers v Tim Wall
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The MCF AGM last night decided to vote for NigelRoger de Coverly wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 10:12 amA contested election for Director of Home Chess, Nigel Towers v Tim Wall
There's precedent in the American constitution. Presidents are limited to two terms in office and that's been in place since Roosevelt. However if a Vice President becomes President as happened to Johnson in 1963 and Ford in 1975, they would be allowed to stand two more times for President in their own name. So LBJ was re-elected in 1964 and was intending to stand in 1968 until anti-Vietnam activists in his own party caused him to stand down.
It was Gerry Walsh who as President of the BCF and then BCF appeared to regard both that position and that of FIDE Delegate as lifetime appointments and had to be prised from office, at the second attempt in the case of FIDE Delegate. Prior to that it appeared to have been a possibly unwritten rule starting from around the 1940s that being President of the BCF was only a three or four year stint.David Gilbert wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 2:42 pmallow time for the Governance Committee to work with the Chair of Council, in discussion with Members, with a view to putting a proposal to Finance Council in April 2021.
And just in case you weren't clear what's going on:The resolutions likely to prompt some debate are:
1) Term Limits for Directors
It’s proposed that ECF directors should retire after serving two terms in office (unless the AGM doesn’t elect a replacement). If the post is unfilled at the AGM, the Board of Directors would be able to reappoint the outgoing director.
Our view: This seems sensible, as it helps to encourage new and talented people to stand for the Board.
2) Direct Member Representatives
The resolution states that Direct Member representatives should only be members of the category they are representing.
Our view: These posts have been difficult to fill in past years, so it is not clear that this is a helpful restriction.
3) Working Group to assess Covid-safety of chess events
There is a proposal that a Working Group be formed to offer advice to organisers of clubs, congresses and other events on preparing Risk Assessment documents and getting safely restarted.
Our view: This is a very helpful idea in the current crisis and should be supported.
The Director of Home Chess election is between Tim Wall, a well-known coach for the ECF Academy and organiser of the Northumbria Masters, and Nigel Towers, who is secretary to the Board of Directors and has been ECF Manager of Online Chess over the last few months.
Our view: While both are excellent candidates, we think that Tim Wall’s initiative and vision for reviving chess mean that he is the best person to lead the Home Chess directorate, and to grow the game at a national and local level going forward. We would very much like to see Tim and Nigel working together, with Nigel continuing to play a key role organising the ECF Online Events.
Specifically: if a VP has become president and served less than half a term. So Johnson was eligible to serve a third term, but Ford wouldn't have been.Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:55 pmThere's precedent in the American constitution. Presidents are limited to two terms in office and that's been in place since Roosevelt. However if a Vice President becomes President as happened to Johnson in 1963 and Ford in 1975, they would be allowed to stand two more times for President in their own name. So LBJ was re-elected in 1964 and was intending to stand in 1968 until anti-Vietnam activists in his own party caused him to stand down.
That all looks not dissimilar to the Gold reps' statement. Did the Bronze reps refer to the Governance Committee's comments? Did they link to the Council papers webpage where the documents for the meeting can be found - or to this forum?Mick Norris wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:17 pmThe Bronze reps also have:
And just in case you weren't clear what's going on:The resolutions likely to prompt some debate are:
1) Term Limits for Directors
It’s proposed that ECF directors should retire after serving two terms in office (unless the AGM doesn’t elect a replacement). If the post is unfilled at the AGM, the Board of Directors would be able to reappoint the outgoing director.
Our view: This seems sensible, as it helps to encourage new and talented people to stand for the Board.
2) Direct Member Representatives
The resolution states that Direct Member representatives should only be members of the category they are representing.
Our view: These posts have been difficult to fill in past years, so it is not clear that this is a helpful restriction.
3) Working Group to assess Covid-safety of chess events
There is a proposal that a Working Group be formed to offer advice to organisers of clubs, congresses and other events on preparing Risk Assessment documents and getting safely restarted.
Our view: This is a very helpful idea in the current crisis and should be supported.
The Director of Home Chess election is between Tim Wall, a well-known coach for the ECF Academy and organiser of the Northumbria Masters, and Nigel Towers, who is secretary to the Board of Directors and has been ECF Manager of Online Chess over the last few months.
Our view: While both are excellent candidates, we think that Tim Wall’s initiative and vision for reviving chess mean that he is the best person to lead the Home Chess directorate, and to grow the game at a national and local level going forward. We would very much like to see Tim and Nigel working together, with Nigel continuing to play a key role organising the ECF Online Events.
If memory serves that's not quite correct. Gerry Walsh held both posts and eventually (in the face of intense criticism) agreed to voluntarily relinquish the Presidency. He sought to remain as FIDE delegate but was defeated by Nigel Short who I think he'd seen off a previous challenge from.Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:11 pmIt was Gerry Walsh who as President of the BCF and then BCF appeared to regard both that position and that of FIDE Delegate as lifetime appointments and had to be prised from office, at the second attempt in the case of FIDE Delegate. Prior to that it appeared to have been a possibly unwritten rule starting from around the 1940s that being President of the BCF was only a three or four year stint.David Gilbert wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 2:42 pmallow time for the Governance Committee to work with the Chair of Council, in discussion with Members, with a view to putting a proposal to Finance Council in April 2021.
Some rule is desirable, it's not so clear what length of time should be the maximum.
Gerry had also fought off a previous challenge to his position as President from Martin Regan's mate.Andrew Zigmond wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:00 pmIf memory serves that's not quite correct. Gerry Walsh held both posts and eventually (in the face of intense criticism) agreed to voluntary relinquish the Presidency. He sought to remain as FIDE delegate but was defeated by Nigel Short who I think he'd seen off a previous challenge from.
ECF COUNCIL MEETING 21.10.06 in Bristol
...
(3) Elections.
....
President. Gerry Walsh 145 votes, Brian Driscoll 79, None of the Above 7
...
FIDE Delegate. Gerry Walsh 121, Nigel Short 81, None of the Above 5.
...
NoAngus French wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:19 pmThat all looks not dissimilar to the Gold reps' statement. Did the Bronze reps refer to the Governance Committee's comments? Did they link to the Council papers webpage where the documents for the meeting can be found - or to this forum?Mick Norris wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:17 pmThe Bronze reps also have:
And just in case you weren't clear what's going on:The resolutions likely to prompt some debate are:
1) Term Limits for Directors
It’s proposed that ECF directors should retire after serving two terms in office (unless the AGM doesn’t elect a replacement). If the post is unfilled at the AGM, the Board of Directors would be able to reappoint the outgoing director.
Our view: This seems sensible, as it helps to encourage new and talented people to stand for the Board.
2) Direct Member Representatives
The resolution states that Direct Member representatives should only be members of the category they are representing.
Our view: These posts have been difficult to fill in past years, so it is not clear that this is a helpful restriction.
3) Working Group to assess Covid-safety of chess events
There is a proposal that a Working Group be formed to offer advice to organisers of clubs, congresses and other events on preparing Risk Assessment documents and getting safely restarted.
Our view: This is a very helpful idea in the current crisis and should be supported.
The Director of Home Chess election is between Tim Wall, a well-known coach for the ECF Academy and organiser of the Northumbria Masters, and Nigel Towers, who is secretary to the Board of Directors and has been ECF Manager of Online Chess over the last few months.
Our view: While both are excellent candidates, we think that Tim Wall’s initiative and vision for reviving chess mean that he is the best person to lead the Home Chess directorate, and to grow the game at a national and local level going forward. We would very much like to see Tim and Nigel working together, with Nigel continuing to play a key role organising the ECF Online Events.
Had this resolution been in place currently, it would not have been possible for Tim Wall to stand as a Silver Representative.John Reyes wrote: ↑Thu Oct 01, 2020 12:39 pmTim Wall and John Reyes (Silver Member Representatives)
The 2nd resolution is proposed by Stewart Reuben and seconded by John Reyes, and calls for Direct Member reps to come from the membership category they are representing. We support this resolution as there are plenty of good candidates now coming forward in each membership category to be Direct Member reps, so the situation a few years ago (where it was feared no one would stand for these posts) no longer seems to be an issue.
Thanks for posting that here, John. It's a lot easier to read than the version I received via email!John Reyes wrote: ↑Thu Oct 01, 2020 12:39 pmHere the Silver members report
From Tim Wall and John Reyes (Silver Member Representatives)
.
.