Also, Alan, I cannot speak for Lew or Jack, but Bill Burke, in the central region, did not use the tactics of those in the western region.

Bob Sigerson

Sig,

Don't withdraw your place on the ballot. The sport needs folks like you. You should also know that there were no irregularities regarding the Central Zone which includes the South Midwest. The best way to change the system is from the inside. Look forward to seeing you at FYF. And in all fairness Dan has been upfront in identifying this situation and challenging those who would do these things.

Jack Weiss

Absolutely wrong - there is one who could say whether my opinion was right or wrong....of course, that one would be myself :) Butthen again, I'd have to fully disclose all bias and affiliations with myself :)

Sorry for infering something that wasn't there. I misread your post.

I will (again) state that my identity was known to the people to whom I submitted my opinion. They asked for it, so they kind of knew who I was. I will also say that I knew that my identity was originally not revealed, but I have discussed reasons behind that (some which I believe have been validated by this forum). Finally, in probably less than 10 minutes, my after submitting the opinion my identity was revealed as there was no "grand conspiracy" to hide me.

Alan

Sig:



I never said that he did - what I said was the procedures were available to all. Everyone campaigned under the same procedures, whether they utilized all available to them was completely up to them. I respect Bill if he chose not to use those procedures for personal reasons, but I likewise don't loose respect for others (winning or losing candidates) who operated under validly adopted procedures.

Alan

I doubt that Locke's resignation was based soley on this issue. Or that it was completely voluntary. A few weeks ago, Dan warned us that something big was looming on the horizon. Was this it?

Although I found the election prodedure less than ideal, the justification was logical. If those candidates in question hadn't pushed the edge in collecting votes, most USAT members (including those on this forum) wouldn't even realize that an election took place. If nothing else, it raised awareness. However, once it was questioned the board should have owned up to the situation. My personal feeling is that the results would be the same no matter how the election was carried out. I doubt that even staging it again would change things. The same folks would run, the same folks would vote, and the same folks would probably win.

It's obvious that the election process was offensive to many and possibly illegal. Hopefully this will trigger a serious effort to conduct future elections in a manner that is not so open to abuse and challenges.

But this election fiasco is only the smoke from a fire that is hidden from our sight. There are issues burning in the ground that have much greater impact on the organization.

Larry

About a dozen years ago, Triathlon Today Magazine printed the ballot for USAT/Tri-Fed B of D in their magazine. I cut it out, photocopied it and placed it at our races and asked people to vote - for their favorite race director. We collected them at about a dozen races and mailed them all in - in large envelopes. USAT/TriFed rejected all those votes, because they said a) politicking was involved b) were lost in the mail c) they didn't want people to photocopy the ballot (even though they didn't state that on the ballot) or d) the person receiving the most votes wasn't popular with USAT/TriFed.

Since they saw this same discrepancies happening now, why couldn't they just reject the whole thing now - is it because the people they wanted to win - just happened to win.

Conspiratists rejoice.

Larry,

As one of Steve Locke's closest friends and a current member of the USAT Board of Directors, I can assure you he stepped down on his own and was not forced out. True the circumstances regarding the election and his past dealings with this past Board made his time in the end frustrating. But by no means was he being forced out. Only a handful of us (myself included) knew of his plan in advance.

As to the election, you're the kind of person that helps give credence to what is happening. I don't know if you voted this time, my guess is you did not. Had you and others like you, voluntarily and as good citizens are suppose to, then this whole tragedy might not have happened. Folks like you slay me. You bitch on a forum and complain of conspiracy theories but do nothing. You like the folks who are the object of the complaintants in the USAT Appeal are not part of the solution but part of the problem. I was the one candidate that was NOT an incumbent that won and I really wanted a new election because it was unfair. For the record my election is NOT being contested. But enough is enough! Believe it or not there are those of us in this Federation that are honest and work hard for the growth of the sport. Tell me, what have you done today to further the sport???

I got my boilerplate answer from Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis, we conducted a valid election under the rules we established in June of 2003 and revisited the election after a few complaints and reaffirmed the election by a majority vote of the board with those with a stake recusing themselves.
Great, Val, the organization is in good hands. Keep up the good work.

Bob Sigeron

Jack,

I'll admit that I have no personal dealings in this matter but I still doubt that this was a spur of a moment decision. It's just my opinion. Of course, as a member of the USAT Board of Directors, you wouldn't admit he was forced out even if that was the case.

Where do you get off describing what sort of person I am based on practically nothing? We've never met and up to now have no direct contact. Is this the way you make all of your decisions and assessments?

I voted in the election. Sent in the USAT supplied ballot to the USAT supplied address. I worked in Jim Girand's campaign 2 years ago. I was not comfortable with the procedure but I understand how it came about. I support the effort to develop a more equitable process but I see no benefit in a replay that will cost USAT and will probably change nothing.

I do plenty to further the sport. I've been a USAT Official for years. I'm active with the Long Beach State Tri Team and I raise funds for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

If you want respect as a Director, I suggest you show some respect to the membership.



Larry

Jack, Larry:

Jack, I've known you for about ten years now, as a race director, as a competitor and as an official.

Larry, I've know you for about 3 years now, we officiated many races together and seen each other at many races away from home, and Larry even came over and did our New Years Palomar ride a couple of weeks ago.

Point here being, you two guys, whether you know it or not, are on the same side. You both are the "good guys". I think Jack misinterpreted something that Larry said. I am sure you two probably don't know each other personally, but since I know both of you personally, I do know you are both on the same side and are both fighting the good fight.

---

Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

Perhaps he thought I was attacking Steve Locke. That's definitely not the case. Steve was an excellent Executive Director and I'm sad to see him go. I apologize to all if my words implied otherwise.

Larry

"I still doubt that this was a spur of a moment decision."

i talked to him on 2 of the 3 days prior to the day he tendered his resignation. they were reasonably long discussions, the essense of which had to do with issues going forward.

yes, the issues surrounding his departure were building up, but i suspect that his decision to resign boiled up over no more than 24 hours.

if they'd forced him out, they'd have had to make good on the balance of his employment contract, which would've been upwards of $100,000 remaining. instead, he just walked away from it. gutsy.

otoh, he's also had several job offers this week. but i sort of doubt he'll become re-employed for the next few months.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

My apologies.

Jack

From transitiontimes.com:
==========================
USA Triathlon Board of Directors
Votes to Let 2003 Election Stand

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 9, 2004) - After considering a complaint lodged by four candidates in the 2003 USA Triathlon Board of Directors election, the USA Triathlon Board of Directors voted 5-2 Thursday to let the election results stand.

The complaint, as filed by 2003 Board candidates Karen Buxton (Greensboro, N.C.), John Duke (Cardiff, Calif.), Mike Greer (Canyon, Texas) and Robert Vigorito (Columbia, Md.), alleged that USA Triathlon bylaws were violated in the conduct of the election. They contended that technical aspects for approval of the election process were not completed.

Had the complainants been successful, part or all of the 2003 election most likely would have been rerun.

Thursday's discussion and vote were done in a telephone conference call that was run by Tucson, Ariz., lawyer and former USA Triathlon Board president Jonathan Grinder. Four current members of the Board who were candidates in the 2003 election - Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis (Louisville, Ky.), Jim Girand (Palo Alto, Calif.), Diane Travis (Clermont, Fla.) and Jack Weiss (Euless, Texas) - were not permitted to participate in the discussion or voting. However these four members and three of the four complainants did listen in on the call.

Two other members of the 2003 Board - Eric Schwartz (Boulder, Colo.) and Amanda Pagon (Glenn Dale, Md.), both elite athlete representatives who did not run for re-election - had a voice in the discussion, but no vote.

Those voting in favor of the complainants were Brad Davison (Austin, Texas) and Ray Plotecia (Ruxton, Md.). Those voting against were Eric Bean (Palo Alto, Calif.), Tim Becker (Seattle, Wash.), Kevin Carter (Silver Spring, Md.), Susie Gallucci (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Fred Sommer (Clermont, Fla.).

In discussing the complaint, the Board members all acknowledged that there were election deficiencies and that major modifications would be implemented immediately for future elections.

However, those that voted against the complaint contended that all 2003 candidates operated under the same election rules and had the same ability to be elected. The system used in the 2003 election (to select directors for the 2004-05 term) was similar to election procedures held over the past several years.
=======================

And now it looks like a lawsuit against USAT is soon to follow:

http://www.insidetri.com/news/fea/2002.0.html

---

- Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
P. J. O'Rourke

Not to beat a dead horse, but here is an article Slowman wrote in Nov of 2002 regarding the 2002 election.

http://www.slowtwitch.com/...nion/election02.html

All the same election tactics were used last year that everyone is complaining about this year. I do not agree with the tactics and believe they should be change. I also don't believe it is OK to use rules just because they were used last year.

But noone made a stink last year. Should we have the 2002 election rerun? How about 2001?

Willy in Pacifica

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.
Willy in Pacifica

Willy, there is a difference in holding an election which flies in the face of a web host's opposition after the election and one that flies in the face of a legal opinion re flawed election practices rendered BEFORE the election.

Bob Sigerson

I guess what I am trying to get at is that each of the candidates knew how this election was going to be conducted but noone spoke up beforehand. They may have disagreed with the procedures, and voted against it, but noone said, "If I lose this election I plan to contest it all the way to court." Or, "I refuse to run for office in a flawed election".

Perhaps, if someone spoke up beforehand, and mentioned they were going to take it to court, the board would have changed the rules to avoid this whole mess.

My understanding, and I could be wrong with the exact issue, but isn't Steve Locke resigning largely due to how this election was run and that the board voted to let it stand. Why didn't he resign last year, or the year before, since the election was run the exact same way.

Why didn't any of the prior years losing candidates contest the election?

Willy in Pacifica

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.
Willy in Pacifica

One of the more vocal opponents was elected by this practice in 2001 and defeated by it in 2003. One time it was good; the other time it was bad.

Larry

Bob, you can rest assured that if I find myself on the regional board that I will not be influenced, play favorites, or participate in any under-the-table self serving BS. Will you be at the FYF Banquet? If so, let's talk there.

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Olen

Olen, yes, I will be at the banquet. I plan to get there in the afternoon in time for the 5:00 pm open meeting. By the way, I got a bunch of people to write in Chris's name so maybe he'll come on board. I might have gotten enough votes for him so he will beat me oul.

Bob Sigerson