Bylaws Option?

[kenrexford]

Frequent discussions surround dissatisfaction with some aspects of ACBL governing. It seems to me that there is a possibility of a "coup."

 

If at least one ACBL member from 51% of the ACBL Districts, and a total of at least 50 members, sign a petition, then a proposal for amending the bylaws can be submitted for consideration at the annual membership meeting. I cannot imagine that a ton of people go to this. If supporters of the amendment swarm the room, then a bylaw proposal might pass.

 

These days, constitutional amendments seem to be the route for people sticking their noses into State decisions with respect to anything from gay marriage to gambling to smoking.

 

It seems that some movement of similar sort could in theory be accomplished with the ACBL, such as perhaps establishing a C&C Commitee change to force reporting of minutes or inclusion of voting for committee members. Or, bylaw changes to directly handle a specific issue (Multi allowed in Mid-Chart as a bylaw?).

 

On the other hand, maybe popular vote on systems would be worse. Maybe conventions reg's make more sense with something akin to lifetime judicial appointments, because some alternatives to sluggish secrecy might be worse.

[csdenmark]

I am not an USA citizen and I think at least half of those raised their voice in the two lately threads about regulations are neither. I doubt there is any light the way you propose here. The problem is not only in USA, it is in fact everywhere.

 

I think it will be neccesary to use the methods used in professionalising other sports - a breakaway. Then a merger can be established somewhat later.

[TimG]

Frequent discussions surround dissatisfaction with some aspects of ACBL governing. It seems to me that there is a possibility of a "coup."

 

If at least one ACBL member from 51% of the ACBL Districts, and a total of at least 50 members, sign a petition, then a proposal for amending the bylaws can be submitted for consideration at the annual membership meeting. I cannot imagine that a ton of people go to this. If supporters of the amendment swarm the room, then a bylaw proposal might pass.

I'm surprised that the number of signatures is that low and imagine if this were a practical method then it would have been used before. Back in the days of the COI, they would have easily been able to put bylaw amendments before this body.

[kenrexford]

Frequent discussions surround dissatisfaction with some aspects of ACBL governing.  It seems to me that there is a possibility of a "coup."

 

If at least one ACBL member from 51% of the ACBL Districts, and a total of at least 50 members, sign a petition, then a proposal for amending the bylaws can be submitted for consideration at the annual membership meeting.  I cannot imagine that a ton of people go to this.  If supporters of the amendment swarm the room, then a bylaw proposal might pass.

I'm surprised that the number of signatures is that low and imagine if this were a practical method then it would have been used before. Back in the days of the COI, they would have easily been able to put bylaw amendments before this body.

From my experience, especially in the area of governance, the obvious is only obvious once someone actually mentions it. Until then, no one thinks of it.

 

Of course, that does not mean that this is one of those areas.

[ArtK78]

I have been to one or two of the so-called annual meetings of the membership. I don't believe you can get any real business accomplished at them. Those meetings are purely ornamental.

 

The real business of the ACBL is accomplished by the Board of Directors in committee meetings and board meetings.

[kenrexford]

I have been to one or two of the so-called annual meetings of the membership. I don't believe you can get any real business accomplished at them. Those meetings are purely ornamental.

 

The real business of the ACBL is accomplished by the Board of Directors in committee meetings and board meetings.

If a proposed bylaws change is properly submitted, then a vote must occur. Have you seen properly submitted bylaw change proposals not voted upon?

[ArtK78]

Actually, there may have been a vote ratifying the actions of the board. It is done, of course, by acclamation. I don't have any clue what would have happened if someone actually objected to anything being discussed at the meeting.

 

In my prior post, I used the word "ornamental." I should have said ceremonial. It was all a show, with no real substance.

[xcurt]

The real business of the ACBL is accomplished by the Board of Directors in committee meetings and board meetings.

Exactly. This is how all such bodies work -- by the time something is presented to the full board (of a company, Congress, whatever) the decisions have already been made.

 

If you want to force a change in the ACBL, propose scrapping the 25-member board, replacing it with a 5 member board (northeast, southeast, midwest, west, Canada), have the board meet twice annually in Memphis (and not at NABCs on memberships dime).

 

Or, accept that the ACBL is what it is. Since the ACBL is no longer responsible for determining who represents the US in WBF play, and since you can set up games online at whatever skill level and playing whatever methods you choose, you don't really need them so much any more.

[JoAnneM]

One of the Board of Governors main areas of concern is the ACBL Bylaws. They make recommendations to the ACBL Bylaws committee for changes. Actually the ACBL Bylaws are very streamlined and mostly contain info pertaining to the administration of the ACBL and the Board of Directors and very little to the actually playing of bridge.

 

Anyone can attend the Board of Governor meetings, and you can also contact the members of your District who belong to the Board of Governors. From each District there are three elected members, plus the 1st and 2nd Alternates to the District Director, plus some retired District Directors.

 

I don't know why you would need a "mutiny" when you have these people to access.

 

The Board minutes are always posted on the ACBL website, along with various appendixes. I have not seen committee reports posted and it would be nice to see at least summary reports.

[xcurt]

I don't know why you would need a "mutiny" when you have these people to access.

Not all the Directors and Governors are complicit, but have a look at recent ACBL budget figures: http://web2.acbl.org/bb/BOD/FinancialForecast83107.pdf. Please note that you need to delve into the board minutes for the 2007 San Francisco NABC, then look at the CEO report, then find the link to the financial forecast to actually find this page. By the way, what other nonprofit of comparable size goes so far out of their way to hide their financials?

 

I'll assume the document I reference is in thousands of dollars since that's the only thing that makes sense. The ACBL has an annual budget of about $10M. Their expenses just for their board run 3% of that (includes BoG). As far as I can tell, this does not include the implied expense for accomodations at NABCs since I think those expenses are netted into the P&L for the NABCs themselves.

 

Despite spending $350,000 on themselves in 2008, the board only spent $283,000 on education.

 

The ACBL made $297,000 in Bulletin advertising in 2008 (which probably includes advertising by regionals and sectionals, which ends up being borne by the membership anyway through card fees) but spent over $1M printing and mailing it. If the board can't turn a profit printing the bulletin maybe they should just get out of the bridge magazine business and leave it to the Granovetters and TBW.

 

I could go on but you get the point. Bridge isn't dying but the ACBL is sure trying hard to kill it.

 

Curt

[blackshoe]

"Follow the money". I like it! :P

 

I suspect that the cost of advertising for regionals and sectionals is borne by the Tournament Organizers (usually Districts and Units), but I could be wrong. Maybe the ACBL offers ad space in the bulletin to those TOs "for free".

[bid_em_up]

If the board can't turn a profit printing the bulletin maybe they should just get out of the bridge magazine business and leave it to the Granovetters and TBW.

Maybe you missed the part about where the ACBL is a non-profit organization?

[TimG]

If the board can't turn a profit printing the bulletin maybe they should just get out of the bridge magazine business and leave it to the Granovetters and TBW.

Maybe you missed the part about where the ACBL is a non-profit organization?

That doesn't mean one of their activities can't turn a profit. They've turned two profitable years in a row, if the Bulletin is losing money, something must be making money. It seem more attractive to hope that the Bulletin (with some of it's non-ACBL advertisers) makes a profit than some of it's tournaments (which are virtually 100% member supported).

[hrothgar]

BTW... did anyone else notice the line item about building a new corporate HQ?

I thought that we just got done selling a corportae HQ

[helene_t]

I dunno about ACBL, but I have seen such by-law "coups" in a couple of organizations. Some organizations require submissions either to be signed by a board member or to be submitted long enough in advance that the board can prepare a contra-coup. You can still try to coup the assembly by phrasing your proposal as an amendment of another proposal, though.

[JoAnneM]

The ACBL prints an annual financial in the Bulletin every year.

 

As far as I know the only cost for the BofG is some coffee and doughnuts on meeting day, they have certainly never offered me any expense money. Wait, I think the president of the BofG gets some expenses paid.

 

Regional and Sectional ads in the Bulletin are fairly expensive, at least we think so in our District. They almost doubled in price when they went to the new format, and a 1/2 page ad is now over $1,200.

 

The purpose of the BofG is mostly watchdog. It makes suggestions to the BOD, but those suggestions must be put on the agenda so it does have a voice.

 

Maybe it is not so much that these two bodies are are worthless, as most of you are suggesting, but that the people elected to them don't have the right motivations. When was the last time you paid any attention to who was doing what in your District, except gripe about it? And I mean that in a friendly way, after spending nine years in bridge administration. Doing something positive like running for one of the positions if you think you have good ideas would be the best thing for the ACBL.

[barmar]

BTW... did anyone else notice the line item about building a new corporate HQ?

I thought that we just got done selling a corportae HQ

That's why we need a new one. They sold the old HQ last year, and they've been leasing the space there until they find or build a replacement.

 

Actually, I don't see this line item in the budget that xcurt linked to. Is it somewhere else?

[JoAnneM]

Why would there be a line item in the budget about building a new building. Isn't that a capital outlay? Why would it be an expense item?