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Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws
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Elections are up and open until 10/15 for some elected positions and some bylaw changes. I realize there are other changes proposed, but Article XXII gets gutted and the entire Sunshine Policy would now be subjective. The language would be:

"USA Triathlon believes that prompt and complete disclosure to the membership and the public at large of a wide variety of information on USA Triathlon decisions and activities is a critical feature of good governance."

That's not a Sunshine Policy - no longer will it say that minutes are required to be public, that financials are required to be public, or that there is a mechanism the guarantees information upon request... Feeling like voting the whole thing down for that section alone. This aggression will not stand, Man.

Abell
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [abell103] [ In reply to ]
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Wow! I hope Dan does an article about this. Looks like they want to gut their whole bylaws. Seriously the whole current one has a red line through it. 8 regions to 6. No disclosure. 3 board meeting to 2.

Looks pretty bad to me. I'm voting it down. That is when I receive a ballot. It's been 2 weeks and crickets.

Sharon.Carns@usatriathlon.org to get one. Or call 719.955.6020
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [abell103] [ In reply to ]
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Wow! Why do we keep having to go through this. Even though most of the membership is pretty apathetic, these power grabs are ridiculous.

,.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Sbernardi] [ In reply to ]
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I got an email with instructions today
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [abell103] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for this. I didn't even open it after remembering the last time they tried to bamboozle the membership. I will probably vote NO to all changes.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Sbernardi] [ In reply to ]
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"Wow! I hope Dan does an article about this."

so written.

but as you see, we have the huge response we always do come election time. what causes me to wonder why i should care when so few do.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Please consider it a valuable public service; like the tech geeks that read those privacy policies in full and sound the alarm when Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, etc. try to sneak something by.

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Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I will vote no

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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Well thank you for your article. I hope that members are not "tone deaf" at this point to USAT.

i hope people participate, but I am ignorant to what actually has to happen for this to pass. If 8 people vote no and 5 yes, does it fail. Does it need to be a majority of members opposing? Is a non vote the same as a yes?

http://www.TriScottsdale.org
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I think this article deserves a more prominent place on the front page - I never noticed it and I do try to pay attention to the articles there!

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Sbernardi] [ In reply to ]
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i think only an affirmative act is counted.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [abell103] [ In reply to ]
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The summary provided on the ballot about the sunshine policy is:

• Delete unnecessary portions of the policy to be more concise, without compromising transparency to our membership

HAHA!! If by unnecessary portions you mean, "THE ENTIRE SECTION" then yeah....

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [RowToTri] [ In reply to ]
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Did vote NO.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [abell103] [ In reply to ]
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Please forgive my ignorance, but what's the sunshine policy? I've read this thread and done a little research, but am still not sure what that refers to.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [imswimmer328] [ In reply to ]
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imswimmer328 wrote:
Please forgive my ignorance, but what's the sunshine policy? I've read this thread and done a little research, but am still not sure what that refers to.

The current policy is
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ARTICLE XXII - Sunshine Policy
USA Triathlon believes that prompt and complete disclosure to the membership and the public at large of a wide variety of information on USA Triathlon decisions and activities is a critical feature of good governance. Accordingly, the following is provided:
Section 1. Minutes of Board Meetings. (a) Minutes of a board meeting shall be prepared, distributed, amended, and approved within 30 calendar days from the date of the meeting. (b) The minutes of any board meeting shall include a fair summary of all matters discussed in the meeting, the text of any resolution submitted to a vote, a fair summary of all discussion on said resolution, and a list of how each member voted on said resolution. (c) The approved minutes of a meeting should be posted prominently and in their entirety to USA Triathlon’s website within 40 days of the meeting. 75 USA Triathlon Amended Bylaws, April 2014
Section 2. Financial Statements. (a) Detailed and audited financial statements shall be prepared on an annual basis by qualified CPA. These statements shall be more than mere summaries in broad categories; they should include sufficient detail so as to allow USA Triathlon members and the public at large to understand the financial affairs and status of USA Triathlon. (b) The detailed and audited financial statements shall be published prominently and in their entirety on USA Triathlon’s website within 10 days of their submission to USA Triathlon.
Section 3. Minutes of Committee Meetings. (a) Minutes of a committee meeting should be prepared, distributed, amended, and approved within 30 calendar days from the date of the meeting. (b) The minutes of any committee meeting shall include a fair summary of all matters discussed in the meeting, the text of any resolution submitted to a vote, a fair summary of all discussion on said resolution, and a list of how each member voted on said resolution. (c) The approved minutes of a meeting should be posted prominently and in their entirety to USA Triathlon’s website within 40 days of the meeting.
Section 4. USA Triathlon Website. 76 USA Triathlon Amended Bylaws, April 2014 Since USA Triathlon’s website offers a unique opportunity for timely, indepth, and cost- effective communication with the membership and the public at large, USA Triathlon’s goal shall be to use the website to its fullest potential to promote the goal of open and robust communication with all interested parties. This effort shall include, but not be limited to, the creation of a forum for submission of suggestions, inquiries, and opinions.
Section 5. Freedom of Information. If an annual member in good standing with USA Triathlon files a written request for a corporate record that is not already available to members and the public at large, the corporate record shall be prominently posted on USA Triathlon’s website within seven days of the receipt of the written request. Additionally, the member requesting said corporate record shall be promptly notified in writing of the date and place of the posting. Documents that are voluminous, personal communications, privileged, attorney work product, shall be exempt from the requirements of this section if and only if it contains information the release of which would violate a specific law or regulation of a controlling governmental entity.

Everything after the first sentence would be deleted. The new policy would be
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USA Triathlon believes that prompt and complete disclosure to the membership and the public at large of a wide variety of information on USA Triathlon decisions and activities is a critical feature of good governance.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [abell103] [ In reply to ]
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I've yet to see an email from usat re voting instructions. sunshine policy should remain intact, i'll vote no.

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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Twilkas] [ In reply to ]
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Is there a way to cast vote online by logging in to my USAT account ?

I will vote no as well.

Removing all of that language simply GUTS the transparency requirements and is an invitation for mis-behavior.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Twilkas] [ In reply to ]
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i just received an email today on how to vote.
the voting window is sep 15 to oct 15, so there is still time to vote. be sure to check your spam folder because that email will have a unique password you will need.
Last edited by: tfleeger: Sep 17, 16 8:43
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [abell103] [ In reply to ]
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It seems to me that the major issues of this proposed Bylaw amendment…restructuring of the regions, increase of independent board members and the dilution of regions are not good things for the dues paying membership of USA Triathlon.
Perhaps the most important of all and the most onerous is the shift in the language of the Sunshine Policy in Article XXII from a fairly transparent practice to a Draconian one of “we’ll give you what we want to and we’ll give it to you when we want”. If this was a standalone proposal not interconnected with several other sweeping changes it should be soundly voted down. Tied in with the other changes of reduced representation due to dilution of regions and reduction of elected board members it should definitely be voted down. This policy of reduced transparency is simply a bad practice for all concerned. Again, how can it possibly be a good change for USAT as a federation, its race directors or the several hundred thousand dues-paying members when this level of obligation and transparency is removed and left to someone on the board to decide what “wide variety of information on USA Triathlon decisions and activities” is released for membership consumption? Perhaps other members don’t want to read the minutes of board meetings or look at the budget numbers. However, I certainly do! I definitely want to know where my dues are going.
It sure does seem to me that with the restructuring of the regions and the elimination of 2 elected national board members that are being replaced by 2 independent board members, we dues-paying members are actually losing some additional rights of membership. Two additional independent board members are going to be selected by current board members. This is not a sound policy.
Slowman, thanks for writing your opinion piece on this. It’s unfortunate that you have the belief that no one cares about this. You may well be correct in your assumption. However, that doesn’t mean you should give up all attempts to help the members that actually do care about what goes on in board meetings and at the national office in Colorado Springs. You possess a greater level of experience and knowledge of the history of USAT in general and also specifics of board activity than almost all of us.
I implore you not to give up because you think that no one cares. As you point out in your opening paragraph of your opinion piece, “the election text does not contain a dissenting opinion to its proposed bylaw changes.”
Slowman…you and the Slowtwitch forum are our voice when we need to disagree with something. There are few other options. By the way, I emailed my national board member for some further clarification on this matter and have heard nothing.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [CBJFan] [ In reply to ]
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CBJFan wrote:
Is there a way to cast vote online by logging in to my USAT account ?

I will vote no as well.

Removing all of that language simply GUTS the transparency requirements and is an invitation for mis-behavior.

I'd go so far as to say it is telegraphing plans of misbehavior.

Please vote no on this and drop them a note to let them know why you did.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks Dan - a well reasoned and presented option- Thanks again

Graham Wilson
USAT Level III Elite Coach
http://www.thewilsongroup.biz
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [abell103] [ In reply to ]
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If the WTC wanted, they could quickly use this as an excuse to dump the requirement to be a member - I imagine this would be a serious hit on membership. But odds are the major forces (money and power) have some advantage to this proposal. USATF is a mess with corporate meddling - looks like we are heading down that road without a major push. Thankfully this vote requires a bit of effort, so hopefully the apathetic will just ignore the email and only those looking at the issue will vote. I'm voting no.
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [wjoiner] [ In reply to ]
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"If the WTC wanted, they could quickly use this as an excuse to dump the requirement to be a member"

to be clear, are you saying that WTC requires registrants to be an annual member? it will not accept 1-day licenses?

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I was alluding to the general requirement of either a full membership and the 1 day. I would be curious what the hit would be to USAT if the requirement was removed? Likely a loss of income for USAT for the one and done crowd, but unsure about how many are so tied into USAT that they would stop doing WTC events if they dropped the requirement.

Sorry to be unclear with my semantics. Feeling a strange sense of awe that the slow an himself responded to one of my few posts;)
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Re: Proposed changes to USAT Bylaws [wjoiner] [ In reply to ]
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"I would be curious what the hit would be to USAT if the requirement was removed?"

ironman went some distance in this direction with the PTG or PGP or some such thing, i forget now, about a dozen years ago. but they went back into the federation fold. it's a bit of a risk for ironman to do this, not in the U.S., but in other countries that are very tied to the federation system.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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