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Obviously a bad implementation of an executive structure.
Bob A
A great implementation of an executive structure if you want to control all those nosy outsiders who might have some questions about any rule violations that you were contemplating.
In the OCA, the executive are elected at an AGM by the OCA Governors, not by OCA " members ". So the governors have no one to blame but themselves, if they elect an executive in such a way that there is little monitoring possible. To the point, Hal Bond, not from Brampton CC, had no clue 'til later what was transpiring, despite being V-P ( or if he did inquire, he obviously wasn't finding out ).
In the OCA, the executive are elected at an AGM by the OCA Governors, not by OCA " members ". So the governors have no one to blame but themselves, if they elect an executive in such a way that there is little monitoring possible. To the point, Hal Bond, not from Brampton CC, had no clue 'til later what was transpiring, despite being V-P ( or if he did inquire, he obviously wasn't finding out ).
Bob A
Actually, it is more than likely that they were all elected by acclamation. Prior to Thorveldson becoming president, the OCA was dead in the water and moribund.
The truth of the matter is that the OCA does serve a purpose. It was created to allow us to pursue grants, to distribute funding to the leagues, to help out with the overseeing and running of Ontario-wide tournaments and to be able to promote the growth of chess among other things.
Hi Robert
I assume the other things the OCA promotes, besides the growth of chess, are given in the OCA Constitution.
While the OCA might be beginning to get more focused on its goals/purpose again, aiming to have a few bells and whistles at some point might not hurt. An online newsletter, an OCA message board, and perhaps a partnership with a chess server are things the OCA could hope to someday provide.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer
I assume the other things the OCA promotes, besides the growth of chess, are given in the OCA Constitution.
While the OCA might be beginning to get more focused on its goals/purpose again, aiming to have a few bells and whistles at some point might not hurt. An online newsletter, an OCA message board, and perhaps a partnership with a chess server are things the OCA could hope to someday provide.
I don't know about a newsletter, but I suppose another one cannot hurt - provided the OCA can find a volunteer (not likely, in my opinion).
As for message boards, we already have 2 and that is at least 1 too many :)
It might cost the OCA some money (that it does not have) to partner with a chess server (one can always hope for a complimentary partnership) and having the OCA actually operate a server is a bit of a stretch I think.
Anyway, sorry to be somewhat pessimistic, but the OCA has very little money (almost by definition) and it has the same problems the CFC has in terms of garnering volunteers, support etc. with a lot fewer members.
Anyway, sorry to be somewhat pessimistic, but the OCA has very little money (almost by definition) and it has the same problems the CFC has in terms of garnering volunteers, support etc. with a lot fewer members.
You forget - one of the goals of the OCA, apparently, is to seek grants :).
Also, someday the number of CFC/OCA members in Ontario might be much higher again, boosting OCA revenues.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer
I don't know the exact distribution of OCA funds from the CFC, for OCA memberships, but I think most of it is devolved to the four regions, for local activity. I don't know what percentage the OCA keeps - maybe someone can enlighten us?
I don't know the exact distribution of OCA funds from the CFC, for OCA memberships, but I think most of it is devolved to the four regions, for local activity. I don't know what percentage the OCA keeps - maybe someone can enlighten us?
(from the OCA main page, following 'Meetings', then click on 'OCA AGM 15 May 2010 in Kitchener' and then click on 'Treasurer Report' - that ultimately leads to the document cited above.)
Looks to me ( if my math is right ), that OCA keeps a full 42.7% of the rebate from the CFC - this is more substantial than I expected. So OCA does have some modest budget.
There are checks and balances in any corporate structure. If two people with signing authority work together there is little that you can do to stop them until they are caught and prosecuted. Yes, fraudulent or other damaging collusion is a potential problem in most businesses, and, as you say, it's very hard to stop. That doesn't mean that you don't make the effort to stop it by tightening up rules, procedures, etc. There was no danger of that here... Vlad, you don't know that. There was no after-the-fact investigation done. No one knows, for example, what Jim Ferrier's role was in all of this. Did he know that Thorvardson was breaking rules and went along with him or was he just another Canadian chess exec who couldn't be bothered to do a good job? ...because doing a bad job is not illegal and the rules broken were Trillium's rules and OCA rules and perhaps some rules of morality and not any laws. The only thing you could have done different is requiring three signatures on every check...Really? I think I can come up with some better ideas than that. ...but that is not realistic in an organization with signing officers spread across the province and I am not aware of any organization that requires three signatures on a check though there may be some out there.
Hal Bond was the one who uncovered this fiasco despite the stonewalling from Barry and his buddies. As such he deserves our thanks and not criticism over this deplorable situation which he brought to everyone's attention. ...OK, you're partly right. Hal does deserve some thanks for uncovering the problem but, in my humble opinion, it could have been uncovered much sooner and could have been dealt with much more effectively. Not that this makes Hal a bad person. He's still a good human being and one of Canada's top organizers. Regardless, he still gets a failing grade from me with respect to the Trillium fiasco. To be fair, so do all of the other people who "served" in the OCA exec during the Trillium period; people like: Doubleday, McDonald, Gordon, Ferrier, etc.... That being said, I don't see what is accomplished by dredging this up again and will probably refrain from commenting on this further. Suit yourself.
My interest in this, as I've noted elsewhere, is to reduce (since, as you've pointed out, Vlad, it can't be eliminated) the risk of a fraudulent collusion, or the risk of one overbearing and secretive executive essentially taking control of the organization while the other execs are too busy (or too lackadaisical) to care about their responsibilities to the members. Specifically, with an annual budget in the $6,000+/- range I'd be surprised if the OCA writes more than 15 or 20 cheques in an entire year. Why not upload each month's bank statement to the OCA's website? The Treasurer would list the outstanding cheques (dates, amounts & payees), if any, and provide the names of the payees for all cheques clearing in the month plus the source of any deposits. In this way, all OCA members can, if they choose, become familiar with how their organization operates. If a month goes by without the bank statement for the preceding month being uploaded, then hopefully there would be at least one member who would call the executive to account for the lapse. Using this procedure the OCA could also dispense with the crap that typically passes for year-end financial statements.
I'm told that this would not be an expensive procedure from either time or cost perspectives. So, there's one idea for how the OCA might reduce the risk of another fiasco. I have a few more. Do you have any, Vlad?
"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." - Aesop
"Only the dead have seen the end of war." - Plato
"If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination." - Thomas De Quincey
I'm told that this would not be an expensive procedure from either time or cost perspectives. So, there's one idea for how the OCA might reduce the risk of another fiasco. I have a few more. Do you have any, Vlad?
My main suggestion would be not to hand the money over to anyone who isn't scrupulously honest and willing to avoid conflicts of interest. Avoiding giving three of the members from one club or group signing authority would also be another good idea.
Uploading an unredacted bank statement would not be a good idea. It would increase the opportunity for outside fraud. The financial statements are still necessary and required by law.
I don't think that the administrative burden of what you are suggesting is as light as you think it is though a computer literate person should be able to do it with the right website access. A detailed posting of the details of disbursements either quarterly or in annual statements would do just as well.
If you really feel that strongly about it then run for treasurer and implement the reforms you would like to see implemented. I don't think there is a stampede of people seeking the position and you can probably get it by acclamation. I know that I wouldn't want the job.
My main suggestion would be not to hand the money over to anyone who isn't scrupulously honest and willing to avoid conflicts of interest. Avoiding giving three of the members from one club or group signing authority would also be another good idea.
Uploading an unredacted bank statement would not be a good idea. It would increase the opportunity for outside fraud. The financial statements are still necessary and required by law.
I don't think that the administrative burden of what you are suggesting is as light as you think it is though a computer literate person should be able to do it with the right website access. A detailed posting of the details of disbursements either quarterly or in annual statements would do just as well.
If you really feel that strongly about it then run for treasurer and implement the reforms you would like to see implemented. I don't think there is a stampede of people seeking the position and you can probably get it by acclamation. I know that I wouldn't want the job.
Hi Vlad,
Peter works for a bank so he has a certain insight :).
Hey I was taken in this game...hopefuly I learned something :).
What Peter suggests is overkill...basically if administrators perform their duties then normally there should not be any problems.....however....I can understand the trusting nature....your prez works on a proposal...that brings $120,000 to the organization...wow...he puts out info that is exciting...he brings some great people onboard...so we all feel this will be awesome for Ontario chess...so we become complacent...and we lower our guard...expecting the best...and...
It was a sad experience...hopefully we have learned something.
Fortunately Trillium is very regionally structured...which has allowed Windsor to do some great things with the money...thanks to John Coleman!
I know Cornwall...and probably other regions within Ontario...benefit from Trillium funds. I think that is great and it does make a difference!
There are probably 9 positive contributions to every negative...let's learn...and focus on the positive!
Okay guys, I accept that nothing is going to happen and I concede defeat w.r.t. Trillium.
"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." - Aesop
"Only the dead have seen the end of war." - Plato
"If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination." - Thomas De Quincey
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