July 2008 Board of Directors Meeting

[Inquartata]

Jesus this thread is pathetic. There are obviously issues here that need to be addressed and important information that needs to be reviewed, but every other person here just seems to care about whining about who's being mean or insensitive, blah, blah...

I'd also like to know about this report and what it says. I dont really care about what logical fallacies (in latin or otherwise) are being committed.

.

%$#@ you, and you can go %^&* your $#%@!!!

How's that for "substance"?

( Yes, the above is a JOKE. )

[tchwojko]

%$#@ you, and you can go %^&* your $#%@!!!

How's that for "substance"?

( Yes, the above is a JOKE. )

You spelled %$&* wrong.

[Inquartata]

I couldn't find it in the OED.

[Mr Epee]

I couldn't find it in the OED.

French words are like that.

[telkanuru]

I find this fitting.

[Inquartata]

"He who smelt it dealt it"?

[heretic]

Does anyone have any info on the BOD meeting?
Treasurers report
Budget/finance committee report
Audit Committee Report
ED report

[Philistine]

Dilworth is co-chair of the budget and finance committee established at the 2008 JO BOD meeting that was charged with reviewing the USFA finances and reporting back. He personally told me the mandatory audited financial report would be made available ASAP; back in March. I also repeated my request by phone and email to USFA lawyer-in-chief Donald Alperstein. This report is now 11 months overdue.
{snip}

Are you suggesting that you expect an audited financial statement would be produced the day after the fiscal year ends?

501c3 corporations are legally required to file an independently audited financial report. The report must be filed at the end of the fiscal year (USFA's fiscal is 8/1 - 7/31). In most non-profits, the CFO and treasurer have the responsibility to make sure this gets done. The report is a public record, and anyone can see a copy on demand.
{snip}

What is your basis for your understanding that 501(c)(3)'s are required to file audited financial statements? I don't believe that to be true (though I don't know for sure).

501(c)(3)'s are required to file IRS form 990's--which are public documents. To the extent the USFA does produce a financial statement, which appears to be their practice, they are required to be produced to a member who requests them, under Colorado law. Colo Rev. Stat. 7-136-106. If you're really looking for them, I'd suggest a letter to the Secretary, making the request, citing the statute with a written cc to the general counsel.

When all is said and done, I agree it's past time for the financials to be made public--but if you're going to be pissy about it and insulting, don't expect people to go out of their way to accommodate you.

--Philistine

[tchwojko]

I have this image of a drunk guy in Vegas yelling in the window at one of those drive-in wedding shacks at 3 am trying to figure out where his burger is, when the fast food joint is across the street.

[heretic]

Are you suggesting that you expect an audited financial statement would be produced the day after the fiscal year ends?



What is your basis for your understanding that 501(c)(3)'s are required to file audited financial statements? I don't believe that to be true (though I don't know for sure).

501(c)(3)'s are required to file IRS form 990's--which are public documents. To the extent the USFA does produce a financial statement, which appears to be their practice, they are required to be produced to a member who requests them, under Colorado law. Colo Rev. Stat. 7-136-106. If you're really looking for them, I'd suggest a letter to the Secretary, making the request, citing the statute with a written cc to the general counsel.

When all is said and done, I agree it's past time for the financials to be made public--but if you're going to be pissy about it and insulting, don't expect people to go out of their way to accommodate you.

--Philistine

Once again, I asked for fiscal 07, not 08.

I was the President of the Fencers Club (which is a 501C3) for four years. We were required to file the report in question and make it available to anyone who requested it. All non profits must do so. Receiving it is not an accomodation - it is a right. So far, my right, and possibly compliance with the law have been ignored.

If more USFA members demanded transparency, just as those of us who initiated the recall, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.

And yes, I did make my request known via email and by phone to the general counsel (Don Alperstein), who acknowledged my request with an email.

I consider my treatment on the part of Dilworth and Alperstein insulting.

[Philistine]

Once again, I asked for fiscal 07, not 08.

Fiscal year 2007 ends 7/31/07. It can only be 11 months overdue if it was due to be prepared immediately thereafter.

I was the President of the Fencers Club (which is a 501C3) for four years. We were required to file the report in question and make it available to anyone who requested it.

501(c)(3) is a federal tax designation. There are certain requirements the federal government requires of 501(c)(3) corporations. To the best of my knowledge there is no requirement that financial statements need be prepared by a 501(c)(3), nor is there a requirement (again, AFAIK) that if prepared they be disseminated to anyone.

Nonprofit corporations are governed by state law. In order to be a 501(c)(3), you must also be a nonprofit corporation, but you don't need to be a 501(c)(3) to be a nonprofit.

Different states have different rules. FWIU, there is no requirement under Colorado law that a nonprofit prepare financial statements. However, to the extent it does, they must be provided to a member who requests them (at least the most recent one).

All non profits must do so. Receiving it is not an accomodation - it is a right. So far, my right, and possibly compliance with the law have been ignored.

An accommodation would be providing you something without forcing you to jump through all the correct hoops. My understanding is that all the correct hoops would most likely be making a written request to the Secretary.

If more USFA members demanded transparency, just as those of us who initiated the recall, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.

I agree. I am hopeful that the new slate will be much more forthcoming with information. From previous postings, it seems they have already started to be.

And yes, I did make my request known via email and by phone to the general counsel (Don Alperstein), who acknowledged my request with an email.

I consider my treatment on the part of Dilworth and Alperstein insulting.

Could be. That would depend on the tenor and tone of the conversations, I suppose.

--Philistine

[samster]

Once again, I asked for fiscal 07, not 08.

I mostly lurk being a "low powered fencer" and all. But I have to say that what this guy/gal is asking for seems entirely reasonable. Maybe you find the tone to be less than pleasant, but if s/he really hasn't gotten 07 reports after multiple request from the appropriate sources, there's something amiss.

[seak]

I agree that if heretic has requested these statements in the proper manner (as he indicates he has) then it is sad he has not received them.

What some of us take issue with is his tone and characterization of certain individuals in his post. For instance he attacked Andrea in another thread and accused her essentially of personally submarining an athletes Olympic bid, through purposeful failure to send in the proper forms.

In this case he seems to be blaming Greg Dilworth for not providing the financials, even though Greg isn't the treasurer, nor is he the auditor, and in fact he was only appointed to the Budget committee (which was newly formed at his suggestion) in February. Additionally, all of the financial information any of us has has been provided by Greg, not by Derick C who is the treasurer or Nancy or anyone in the current administration.

heretic I sympathise with your frustration and would like things to change but, I don't think personal attacks are the way to go about it.

[Phrogger]

Curious as to why there's no news out of the BOD meeting. Can anyone comment on it?

[KD5MDK]

Not much happened. We've covered a bit of it in the politics forum.

Brad Baker and Greg Dilworth were selected as trustees of the USFF.

As far as 2nd hearing motions go (the funny names come from the bad numbering in the PDF agenda posted by Brad):
Motion 1: Defeated
Motion 2: Postponed for lack of sponsor present
Motion 1 (Masin): Declared moot as Mr. Masin can talk directly to the USFF, there is no need for the USFA to become involved.
Motion 2 (Masin): I think the same as above, or maybe passed with the removal of the naming of T. Rowe Price. I distinctly remember Greg being uncomfortable with naming a specific firm in the motion.
Motion 3 (Masin): Defeated by a vote of all to 1.
Motion 4: Postponed to September meeting.

[Phrogger]

Thanks. I've avoided the election forum ever since I decided who I was voting for and because the same issues came up again and again. I hope Craig merges it back into the main forum soon. (hint hint)

[ATCurry]

I think it is reasonable for Eric to have received a copy of the report that he requested by now, since from the release on the USFA website from the USFA addressing the press release of the USOC has this quote in it:

"As is customary, the U.S. Fencing Association underwent an extensive detailed audit by an independent CPA from October 2007 through April 2008. The completed audit showed no evidence of misappropriation of any funds. "

Does anyone have this audit report that can be posted?
Does anyone know who the independent CPA was?

[heretic]

I wish you or anyone else would send in a request for this report to the USFA secretary, treasurer, legal counsel, Dalai Lama or the Brain from the Planet Eros. Just make certain you approach them with the demeanor of Oliver Twist asking for a few more spoonfuls of gruel. Otherwise, they have a perfect justification for not responding.

Unfortunately, our feckless Board of Directors did not seem interested enough to ask them or the ED for any kind of financial report or explanation at the summer nationals. Did outgoing Treasurer Derek Cotton even bother to submit anything in writing?

I would be much more worried about the USOC’s reaction to our financial competence, reporting and transparency than vote totals and minor procedural fluff.

Both Mark Stasinos and Brad Baker have openly proclaimed on this forum the dawning of a new age of information. Even though their terms do not begin until after the Olympics, everyone knows that Nancy & Co have divorced themselves from any further involvement (not much of a reach) in USFA activities.

So, when do you plan to show us the money?

As to my “attacks” against Dilworth and Lagan, no action I attributed to them is baseless. Since I don’t hide behind a screen name, this is not some petty exercise in anonymous swiftboating. I challenge them to answer any statement I made.

[mdstasinos]

Unfortunately, our feckless Board of Directors did not seem interested enough to ask them or the ED for any kind of financial report or explanation at the summer nationals. Did outgoing Treasurer Derek Cotton even bother to submit anything in writing?

I would be much more worried about the USOC’s reaction to our financial competence, reporting and transparency than vote totals and minor procedural fluff.

Both Mark Stasinos and Brad Baker have openly proclaimed on this forum the dawning of a new age of information. Even though their terms do not begin until after the Olympics, everyone knows that Nancy & Co have divorced themselves from any further involvement (not much of a reach) in USFA activities.
.

I just wanted to clarify a point. At the BOD meeting both the budget and the audit report were discussed. Ed Wright presented the findings and went over the audit report and conclusion which is in the minutes of the meeting and Greg presented a budget for the upcoming 2008-2009 season with a proposed $350,000.00 surplus planned for. Last years numbers for the 2007-2008 were also shown to date, but since the fencing year is not yet concluded the end of year totals are not complete that should be ready for the September BOD meeting.
MD Stasinos

[CadetVet]

I wish you or anyone else would send in a request for this report to the USFA secretary, treasurer, legal counsel, Dalai Lama or the Brain from the Planet Eros. Just make certain you approach them with the demeanor of Oliver Twist asking for a few more spoonfuls of gruel. Otherwise, they have a perfect justification for not responding.

Unfortunately, our feckless Board of Directors did not seem interested enough to ask them or the ED for any kind of financial report or explanation at the summer nationals. Did outgoing Treasurer Derek Cotton even bother to submit anything in writing?

I would be much more worried about the USOC’s reaction to our financial competence, reporting and transparency than vote totals and minor procedural fluff.

Both Mark Stasinos and Brad Baker have openly proclaimed on this forum the dawning of a new age of information. Even though their terms do not begin until after the Olympics, everyone knows that Nancy & Co have divorced themselves from any further involvement (not much of a reach) in USFA activities.

So, when do you plan to show us the money?

As to my “attacks” against Dilworth and Lagan, no action I attributed to them is baseless. Since I don’t hide behind a screen name, this is not some petty exercise in anonymous swiftboating. I challenge them to answer any statement I made.

I think that it may be appropriate to allow the new folks to get in their positions (or assume the position, as the case may be) prior to nailing them for not performing functions they do not yet have the authority to perform...

After they take office, then if the veils are not lifted, we can begin to pick on them.