[Widget Codriver]

From http://www.specialstage.com/forum/cgi-bin/DCForumID2/1731.html#32, Bill asked "I thought Kendall was the steward."

Mike Strawbridge claims to have the title but no one has answered the question. What happened to Kendall?

 

[rallytaff]

Just to fan the flames. Could it be that his title was taken away by SCCA for his defection to the better Organization?

 

[jandreini]

>Just to fan the flames. Could it be that his title was taken
>away by SCCA for his defection to the better Organization?

No, but it could be that his title was taken away by SCCA for his defection to a different Organization.

 

[Colin B]

This discussion interests me as I have seen a similar situation in our region. Can't someone abdicate a position, either by inaction or their own words? If a given person isn't fulfilling their duties, shouldn't they be replaced?

Colin B

 

[Lancia037Rally]

>This discussion interests me as I have seen a similar
>situation in our region. Can't someone abdicate a position,
>either by inaction or their own words? If a given person
>isn't fulfilling their duties, shouldn't they be replaced?

Does that mean you are stepping down as DC region rally chairman?

 

[daphne]

Well, according the SCCA's web site, Mike is the ClubRally Steward of record: http://www.scca.org/getstarted/sediv.html#rrs

As for why Mike is in and Kendall is out...I have no idea. Why not give her a call or drop her an email to find out. After all, Kendall is one of the nicest people in rally and speaking with her is always a pleasure.

 

[rallytaff]

My apologies to Kendall for assuming that she was a male. You live and learn. Sorry Kendall.

 

[Widget Codriver]

Clever turn of phrase: abdicate through inaction?

>This discussion interests me as I have seen a similar
>situation in our region. Can't someone abdicate a position,
>either by inaction or their own words?

Clearly someone can resign if they choose to do so. Resignation implies that they took action and notified somebody. Is that the situation you've got?

As for "abdicate through inaction:" What you're trying to say is that you want people to believe that person D stepped down when in truth that person was kicked out (whether or not there was just cause).

The question really is this: did they "abdicate" or were they "deposed"? They are very different things. Clue: who took the action? For what reason, if any?

>If a given person
>isn't fulfilling their duties, shouldn't they be replaced?

Are you referring to someone in Denver/Topeka or in DC? Why one and not the other?

Lastly, it all comes back to the same old thing. We've been operating in secret for the last five years (okay, maybe 55 years). If someone resigned, then let the membership know, even if it reads only "KS resigned for personal reasons." If someone was fired, then tell us that too after follow due process. "The Region asked SD to step down because he's violated section XYZ of the by-laws. PN has been appointed the new chairman of cash collection and toilet cleaning." Don't just quietly revise history to show a new name in a list where an old name was before while refusing to answer questions.

Your mileage may vary....

 

[Widget Codriver]

RE: Clever turn of phrase: abdicate through inaction?

Oh, one more thought on the phrasing. "Abdicate through inaction" sounds like shifting blame, like "she asked to be attacked", somehow trying to justify the criminal acts of the attacker. Here's a business analogy:

If an employee doesn't do their job, the boss can fire them. However, it's still the boss who makes the decision, based on the actions of the employee. The employee didn't "abdicate through inaction." Somebody fired him (hopefully for just cause). Should the employee be responsible for his actions? Absolutely. But the boss is also responsible for his own actions, the firing of the employee.

On the other hand, the owner of a company can choose to close his doors if he so desires. He may still own the name, the rights, the inventory, and whatever other assets he might have (until/unless he sells/gives them away, perhaps to creditors). In this case it's still the boss's action, but the boss is the employee.

[hr]

[p align=right]John Dillon
John @ WidgetRacing.com
www.WidgetRacing.com

 

[Lancia037Rally]

RE: Clever turn of phrase: abdicate through inaction?

>As for "abdicate through inaction:" What you're trying to
>say is that you want people to believe that person D stepped
>down when in truth that person was kicked out (whether or
>not there was just cause).

In the DC scenario, neither stepped down nor kicked out.
Someone does not not know that if they want to create their own event at a popular rally venue, they must create their own name for it.

 

[Bjorn240]

RE: Clever turn of phrase: abdicate through inaction?

>Don't just quietly revise history to show a new
>name in a list where an old name was before while refusing
>to answer questions.

John, have you asked such a question to the PRB, the BoD, the SEDIV Director, the Chattanooga RE, or Kendall? I don't think anyone is refusing to answer questions, when none have been asked.

You email me if you like or you can patiently wait for the minutes of the 08/27 PRB meeting, which will be published in November Fastrack.

PS: Note to all competitors -- I really really like email. If I get an email from you, I will answer it.

- Christian

Bjorn Christian Edstrom
Co-Driver

 

[Widget Codriver]

Have I asked?

I've talked with a couple of the folks you mentioned and received conflicting stories. Since they haven't said I can share publicly, I won't speak out of turn.

For five years now we've been told to just call up Kurt and talk with him, which I've done. Whatever he might tell you in private, getting any information publicly has been a bit of a struggle, and usually it has changed from "just a bit" to dramatically if it does finally get published.

It's not for lack of trying on your (PRB's) part, it just seems to be the nature of the communication beast. No matter how hard Steve asks (Oct 2000 was first call, I think), getting the SCCA to be open and honest is just incredibly difficult.

I look forward to reading your minutes from 8/27.

Rally on!

[hr]

[p align=right]John Dillon
John @ WidgetRacing.com
www.WidgetRacing.com

 

[Kendall Russell]

Hi All,

WOW! You can imagine my surprise when I looked at this thread. Guess some of you may want to hear what I have to say- if not, tune out now.

First let me note that in all of the time (4 ½ years) I served as SEDiv CR Steward, I think maybe I missed two Steward?s meetings/conference calls. I also covered for the NEDiv Steward during a transition period and returned rally to the SE primarily at my and John?s own personal expense. Helped any one who asked for help with their rallies- even answering those middle of the night ?what should we do? calls. In other words I have always been available to help grow and support our sport- in SEDiv, nationally and internationally. As a competitor, I came up through the divisional ranks, ran the national series 3 ½ years then helped with other rallies, and have helped many others get started in rally. Hopefully, those of you who know me, think of me as a friend to the sport of rally.

SCCA has evidently replaced me as your SEDiv CR Steward; however, I have yet to be informed of this by phone, e-mail, fax, or anything else. How did I find out? One day several folks either called me or forwarded e-mails to me from Mike Strawbridge who was announcing that he was SEDiv CR Steward and he wanted their support! This shortly following a face to face with Mike and Bill Perry regarding rumors that they were trying to have me replaced as SEDiv Steward which they denied.
My response to this is: Got Balls Anyone? (Trevor and others I ran the national championship with in 1998 or 99 will appreciate this).

How I think this all started.
Silly me, I had to have major surgery to remove an 8 inch tumor in my abdomen and 18 inch section of bowel last August. Of course once the diagnosis was made in late June, I was a basket case. After the surgery I was really too weak to do much for almost 4 months but I did manage to make it to Wild West to help although I was not much help. This was when I missed my first SEDiv meeting in 3 years in January 2003.

Prior to this Jan meeting, I had a problem with the SEDiv Administrator, Phil Mellor. The Stewards were asked by the CR Manager to appoint/recruit interested RallyCross Stewards, Spectator Safety Stewards, etc. I did what I was told, submitted the names to the CR Manager, copied the correspondence to Mr. Mellor and was subsequently blasted because these folks were not approved by the SEDiv REs etc. This was when Jim Kloosterman was taking over for CR Manager and I turned the matter over to him for review.

The Jan. meeting was held at Jekyl Island, a 12-hour drive for me from Knoxville, TN. An ice storm hit the city on that Friday causing power outages and many other problems because it hit suddenly in late afternoon. I had just evacuated my school and was in the attic with the plumber trying to keep a pipe from bursting when another school close by called and announced that their remaining students were evacuating to my school! I got home at 1am and was definitely not up to the drive to the SEDiv meeting. I faxed my report that had already been e-mailed to Phil Mellor at the Holiday Inn. Seems this report went ?missing? but am only guessing from inferences. This is when I received the first poison letter from Mr. Mellor. Seems the SEDiv boys had formed a plan to throw me out of the club.

Things got worse in SEDiv with the suspension of CR. I was now trying to keep everything glued together. When I did not go to the July SEDiv meeting for which I had no notice or correspondence regarding other that my request for location/time to Mr. Mellor 3 day?s prior, they decided to make Mike Strawbridge CR Steward. I received another poison pen letter from Mr. Mellor stating that he was going to ask for my removal. That was the last of the correspondence. I have received no word since from anyone on an official letterhead stating the specific reasons I was replaced.

This is the second time SEDiv has killed our rally program by turning it over to the road race guys.

SEDIV of SCCA and SCCA have created an enemy where they once had a friend.

I have since accepted a partnership with NASA Rally Sport to administrate the Eastern US program. I am committed to making rally fun again. I am committed to the development of rally from the grass roots up to the international level.

I officially invite you to join NASA, get your NASA rally license, help develop rallies, and help officiate at NASA rallies. Let?s have fun again and go rally racing!

Yours In Rally Sport,

Kendall Russell

 

[Widget Codriver]

Div Meeting

Since when did attending a divisional meeting (we call 'em Round Tables out here) become required for *anybody*?

I remember one year when practically no one from two or three regions showed up, not even the road racing folks.

On the flip side, I've enjoyed most of the Round Tables I've attended. In fact, Donna and I rescheduled our wedding in 2000 so I could attend the SoPac Round Table. (That was the year I met newly-hired Steve Johnson and renewed my hope in our club.)

 

[Colin B]

RE: Div Meeting

Dave,

Its as simple as the fact that you, Sumit and Torio all resigned from your respective positions on DC Rally last year. I reluctantly assumed the lead position only because I wanted to have a place to rally-x until my car is prepped. Since then the only non road rally events in the DC Region are the rallycrosses Rob and I organized. If Rob, Nick and others didn't step up to do the "Oakland Acres" rallysprint this Nov. there would be exactly zero non rally-x events in our region for 2003. Where exactly is the announcement for your NASA sanctioned rallysprint?

I find it to be absolutely pathetic that you are giving these guys a hard time over the event name now...And we'll concede the name and call it something else, not like the event has some real history we are trying to exploit. But way to go not promoting local events and not helping us run the rallysprint, IMO you are worse than the SCCA you complain about all the time.

 

[rallytaff]

RE: Div Meeting

Kendall, Thank you for clearing the air. I'll leave it to others to criticise SCCA, I've had my fill. If that's the way they operate, you're better off without them. I'm sure that NASA will benefit greatly from the experience you bring with you.I'll be joining NASA at Prescott.

 

[wvonkessler]

RE: Div Meeting

>Dave,
>
. . . Where exactly is the announcement for
>your NASA sanctioned rallysprint?
>

It was made on August 12, 2003.

http://www.specialstage.com/forum/cgi-bin/DCForumID2/1621.html

>I find it to be absolutely pathetic that you are giving
>these guys a hard time over the event name now...And we'll
>concede the name and call it something else, not like the
>event has some real history we are trying to exploit. But
>way to go not promoting local events and not helping us run
>the rallysprint, IMO you are worse than the SCCA you
>complain about all the time.

Actually, he is promoting local events . . . has in the past, and obviously from the above thread, will be promoting them in the future. He is just choosing to not to do it under the SCCA banner, for some very good reasons as set forth earlier, and linked to by Mr. Dillon.

There is nothing stopping you all from putting on a rallysprint. Go for it. We need more events. But to boldly go and assert that you have ownership of an event developed by another individual is dirty pool. And to do so without even a simple consultation with the chairman of the named event . . . I won't even touch that one. Change places, and tell us whether you would not take offense.

Wilson

 

[Don Kennedy]

RE: Have I asked?

>It's not for lack of trying on your (PRB's) part, it just
>seems to be the nature of the communication beast. No
>matter how hard Steve asks (Oct 2000 was first call, I
>think), getting the SCCA to be open and honest is just
>incredibly difficult.
>
What's new? Have we ever heard, for example, what the result of the investigation of the acident on stage 1 of Oregon Trail was (or Sawmill or any others)? Do we competitive members have any rights to know the cause to help our sport become safer or to make our own decisions on making the sport safer?

 

[John Sundelin]

RE: Div Meeting

Normally I would not go sticking my nose into something that isn't my business anymore (since I moved to AZ), but I got the distinct impression from Dave at the WDCR Rally meeting that Colin and Kristie put together last October that he wasn't going to organize a Rapidan Rallysprint this year, and that if the group wanted to organize one, they could go ahead. Clearly, that has changed because of the availability of alternative sanction. Its pretty easy to miss a single post on specialstage, so unless something that I don't know about is going on, I don't think there is any malice here, just a simple failure to communicate, which is typical of most things rally.

I would also encourage the guys back in Virginia to patch this up. I doubt there are enough interested people in the area to support an event much grander than Rapidan right now, and dividing into two camps isn't going to help the situation.

--
John

 

[Lancia037Rally]

DC region stuff

I had never relingished myself from Rapidan, just the rallyX program because I felt it was established enough that others who showed interest and actually competed in them could take over at that point.

The property for a rallysprint had not been available until recently due to required agriculture taking place there. When it appeared we had enough terrian regrown that we could have a rallysprint, Rob Bergstrom who was going to a rallyX there that weekend (would have gone again myself but was competing in Canada) told me he would ask the property owner and let me know the availability. But!, when I returned I found this in my inbox.

" Dave- Sumit, Rob and I spent the evening going over the property with
the landowner and we've come up with a viable course, and have begun the event planning, and I've taken over as event chairman.
I've decided that for the sake of continuity, we will keep the name
"Rapidan RallySprints." This SCCA event has been run under the name "Rapidan" for two years now, and everyone knows it as such.
I've said many times on Special Stage that to make the SCCA ClubRally
program better, more organizers need to step up. I've decided to take my own advice and step up to keep this from becoming yet anther event that's gone by the wayside.

Nick"

Before this, I had been in contact with various SCCA and NASA officials about the possibility of a dual sanction SCCA/NASA Rapidan to keep everyone happy.

My problem with someone who was not even on the organizing committee last year stating that are the Rapidan Chairman is that my name is associated with the event that I would have no control over quality or safety thereof. With a new name, the new organizers get the blame if something goes wrong or the credit for a good event.

Edit: The name issue has since been resolved.

And, its not like there are no dirt roads in West Virginia. Get road use permits for them.

Yours in the sport,
Dave