Board members

Larry.  In your email you thougt that to run for the board, a member should gather 150 signatures from adult USATT members.  I think it should be about half that.  Those of us who live in rural areas or even states whould have a very difficult time gathering 150 signatures.  I don't think the 10 nearest clubs to me even have 150 adult members.  Since I go to the Nationals I could get the signatures without a problem, but for someone who doesn't hit the big tournaments they would have to travel to many clubs to be successful.   If we had 6 months to a year to gather signatures we could get it done by having friends in other clubs help gather signatures. 

Just a thought.

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Larry Hodges Thu, 12/04/2014 - 19:23

It's a good point. On the other hand, if someone lives in a rural area where there aren't that many table tennis players, it might be important for them to go to the big tournaments to meet and talk to other players, and see what table tennis really is like. It only takes one trip to the North American Teams, Open, or Nationals to get the signatures. I did it once before, in 1991, and have helped others do it a number of times. I'd be leery of a candidate who doesn't venture out ever. Does this sound reasonable?

mts288 Thu, 12/04/2014 - 19:43

It's reasonable if the person is given the time to get the signatures.  If after the Open it's announced that that the election will be held in December and those who want to run have until November 1st to get the signatures, it would be difficult for me to get the needed signatures.  A years notice would be great.  A person could choose one of the three majors to get the signatures.  If I wanted to be a board member and had to spend $1,000 to go to the Teams to get the signatures over Thanksgiving weekend, I'd be reluctant to run. 

I don't have any plans to run, in fact I think one would have to nuts to try to fix the USATT mess.  I am glad that you are nuts enough to want to be on the board.

I think the USATT should have not given Jim the email addresses of the members the same day the election notice went out without giving you the same opportunity.

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Larry Hodges Fri, 12/05/2014 - 03:07

In my email to the membership and on my election page I said I would push not only to allow anyone on the ballot who gets 150 signatures from USATT members, but that it should be timed so they can do so during the Thanksgiving Team events. I think I can add to that the provision that anyone can get signatures up to six months before the election, i.e. allow at least the U.S. Open to get signatures. That shoulds like a reasonable compromise.

Regarding the Jim McQueen mass emailing, no one seems to know yet how he got access to those emails - they are looking into it. (I don't think he is telling. I even sent him a polite email asking him, but he did not respond.) We don't have all the facts yet. I want to know as well, but USATT was fair about this and ruled that I would have access as well, though it was a day later.

mts288 Fri, 12/05/2014 - 05:06

Since I'm not going to run, any decision that is made won't affect me.  Although the teams event is big in your area, I think Danny only had 16 teams and I'm not sure the one in California even happened.  The Nationals is the place to get signatures since all players are members.  It gives the west coast players a place to get signitures.  If your proposal included the teams and Nationals most of the U.S. would have access to members. 

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Larry Hodges Fri, 12/05/2014 - 05:12

True, the US Open has a lot of non-members, while the Nationals is 100% members. Some will flinch at allowing a petition a year in advance. The other option - perhaps the better one - is to simply have the election in January, allowing members to get the signatures at both the Teams or the Nationals. I think that's probably the best bet. It would likely mean a bylaw change (since some of the dates are in the bylaws, but that's not hard if the board agrees. My thinking might have been a bit biased, not just because the Teams are in my area, but because Dr. Jiing Wang flew in from California one year to get the 150 signatures - but he's very wealthy. Others might not be able to afford to do so just to get signatures.