Nov 21, 2013 at 03:00 AM
Thanks Ryan. I accept.
Nominating & Accepting Nominations
Nov 21, 2013 at 04:23 PM
Thank you @Kayt, I'm honored by the nomination and accept with great humility.
Dec 07, 2013 at 10:46 PM
OK, Going into the final week before voting, the current nominations (and soon to acclaimed) are:
President - Jules Roazen
Vice-President - David Stokes
Treasurer - David Yang
Secretary - Todd McLoughlin
Sponsorship Director - Craig Zolan
Development Director - Eric Ragot
Membership Director - Jeff White
Race Director - Charlie I
At Large:
Kayt Mathers
Brendan Rigby
Erika Tarte
We need one more At-Large to make a full board.
Dec 07, 2013 at 11:30 PM
This thread needs a little activity in advance of the elections. So here goes.
I've been nominated for Vice President, a position I have filled in the past (don't ask me when, I can't even remember how old I am). I've been trying to figure out my angle on this, and here is what I've come up with. . .
I love riding my bike and have done so for a very long time in a variety of venues. I cut my teeth in the Bay Area, where it is a joy just to jump on a bike and ride over the nearest ridge. I moved to Boston, where Greg Lemond inspired me to start racing. I moved to London where even old ladies ride their bikes and are allowed their wiggle room on the road (racing sucked). I moved to Charlottesville, where terrain is idyllic and traffic exceedingly light (racing was hard). Finally, I moved to New York, where the roads are choked and the weather sucks almost as much as Boston. But cycling in New York is great, perhaps the greatest of any of those other cities. Certainly I spend more time on my bike here than any previous time in my life. Why? Because of the people. Even though the routes are dead boring (same thing over and over again - I hate Prospect and Central Parks), the group dynamic makes it interesting every time (even horseshit alley). And I have Kissena to thank for that. So my motivation for running for VP is to make sure that this dynamic continues to thrive. To give back to the group that keeps me interested and to the sport that needs us all to pitch in. My agenda: to harness Jules' energy and build on the momentum we have established over the last year.
I've been nominated for Vice President, a position I have filled in the past (don't ask me when, I can't even remember how old I am). I've been trying to figure out my angle on this, and here is what I've come up with. . .
I love riding my bike and have done so for a very long time in a variety of venues. I cut my teeth in the Bay Area, where it is a joy just to jump on a bike and ride over the nearest ridge. I moved to Boston, where Greg Lemond inspired me to start racing. I moved to London where even old ladies ride their bikes and are allowed their wiggle room on the road (racing sucked). I moved to Charlottesville, where terrain is idyllic and traffic exceedingly light (racing was hard). Finally, I moved to New York, where the roads are choked and the weather sucks almost as much as Boston. But cycling in New York is great, perhaps the greatest of any of those other cities. Certainly I spend more time on my bike here than any previous time in my life. Why? Because of the people. Even though the routes are dead boring (same thing over and over again - I hate Prospect and Central Parks), the group dynamic makes it interesting every time (even horseshit alley). And I have Kissena to thank for that. So my motivation for running for VP is to make sure that this dynamic continues to thrive. To give back to the group that keeps me interested and to the sport that needs us all to pitch in. My agenda: to harness Jules' energy and build on the momentum we have established over the last year.
Dec 08, 2013 at 02:33 AM
I nominate Joaquin for at-large
Dec 08, 2013 at 02:34 AM
Thanks Jules. I accept.
Dec 16, 2013 at 10:04 PM
Do we have an election report? Or are we going to have to show up for the 2014 year-end schindig to find out?
Dec 16, 2013 at 10:18 PM
There were no contested elections. Acclimation occurred.
Dec 02, 2014 at 05:54 PM
The 2015 Club Elections will be held
at the year
end party.
Throughout
much of this year the Kissena Board has been positioning the
club to be able to apply successfully for 501c(x) "charitable
organization" status in 2015.
Part of
that work is a simplification of the bylaws, articles of
incorporation and clarification of the Board of Directors
roles. So, in addition to voting for board members, you will
also be voting to ratify changes to the legal entity that
operates the club. We'll provide more details in advance of
the meeting, but the changes will allow us to file for the tax
status mentioned above, streamlines the operations of the
board by reducing its size to make it easier to get a quorum
and solidifies the roles and responsibilities of each board
member.
Please give
these descriptions a read, and if you're interested in any of
them - GREAT! I encourage you to reach out to some folks on
the current (or past) board(s) to get a sense of what's
involved. If you'd like to nominate someone please do so here
in this thread and we'll keep track of those who have accepted
the nomination for a particular board seat.
As always,
you
don't need to be on the board to contribute!
Kissena is
a volunteer run organization so every year we rely on
go-getters and obstacle smashers to make the wheels turn.
Here are
the positions and descriptions:
-
President. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club and shall represent, or assign a Member to represent, the Club to all outside parties, shall ensure that the agenda at all membership and Board of Directors meetings is carried out, and shall ensure that other elected Officers are pursuing the duties of their respective offices.
-
Vice President. The Vice President is responsible for the organization of the annual elections. In addition the Vice President shall be responsible for the risk management policies and procedures of the club. The Vice President shall preside over any board meeting and assume the regular duties of the President where the President is unable or incapacitated.
-
Secretary. The Secretary shall give notice of and attend Club membership meetings and Board of Directors meetings; shall keep a record of such proceedings; shall maintain a record of Club policies; and shall provide a copy of the current by-laws, policies, or any minutes upon request by any Member.
-
Treasurer. The Treasurer shall keep an account of all moneys received and expended by and for the Club; shall make disbursements authorized by the Board of Directors; shall present a written report of the financial condition of the Club to the Board as of the last business day of each fiscal quarter; and shall render a complete statement of the Club’s financial condition and inventory of property as of December 31 of each year to the Board and, once approved by the Board, for communication to the Members.
-
Sponsorship Director. The Sponsorship Director shall pursue sponsorships beneficial to the club, act as the primary representative of the club for such efforts, draft sponsorship agreements and provide executed copies of such agreements to the secretary.
-
Public Relations Director. The Public Relations Director shall represent the club to media, government and other entities - such as parks, community boards or law enforcement - as required, manage all social media presences and relationships, make statements on behalf of the club and respond to formal enquires as from such organizations/entities. Keep a record of all public statements and provide that record to the secretary quarterly.
-
Membership Director. The Membership Director shall recruit new riders and mentors to join the Club, manage a database of current and past Club members, collect annual waivers, manage all communications to current and prospective Club members, manage clothing orders, communications to members regarding sponsorship opportunities, ensure membership communications are fairly distributed and equally accessible to all Members in good standing, and maintain a current roster of riders with appropriate cycling organizations, including, but not limited to, the USAC and NYSBRA.
-
Technology Director. The Technology Director shall be responsible for the development and maintenance all of the Club’s digital infrastructure including providing a current, comprehensive and accessible inventory of all digital assets and relevant login, billing, and registration information, and shall advise the Board of Directors as needed on technology issues.
-
Development Director. The Development Director shall manage the Club’s roster of mentors, mentor events and skill development clinics, develop programs for rider and racer development. All of the Development Director’s duties shall be undertaken with the goals of promoting fair-play and without tolerance for doping or other forms of cheating.
Q: Hey where are the other five board positions?
A:
Part of revisiting our charter (bylaws, articles, etc) is
reevaluating the Board structure. In addition to needing more
specific (and current) duties, the board felt the size was a
problem both in getting a quorum (ever try to wrangle 14
people for a meeting every month?) and led to some of the "oh
someone else will take care of it" thinking.
Q:
How come the club wasn't consulted?
A: The change in the board structure was voted on by a majority of the board, and as over half of this year's board are longtime (2 and 3+ year veterans) board members you can rest assured the decision was made carefully.
A: The change in the board structure was voted on by a majority of the board, and as over half of this year's board are longtime (2 and 3+ year veterans) board members you can rest assured the decision was made carefully.
Q:
Being a board member isn't possible for me right now, but I
still want to participate. What can I do?
A: You don't have
to be elected to the board to help - pick a topic and
reach out to whichever board member is responsible - many
hands make light work, and we need all the hands we can
get
Dec 03, 2014 at 12:57 AM
I nominate the following:
President - Jules Roazen
Treasurer - David Yang
Secretary - Todd McLoughlin
Treasurer - David Yang
Secretary - Todd McLoughlin
and Jeff White for membership or PR director - his choice.
Dec 03, 2014 at 02:42 AM
Thanks Craig, nomination accepted.
Dec 03, 2014 at 03:04 AM
Thank you Craig, I accept 
I also nominate Craig for Sponsorship director.
I also nominate Craig for Sponsorship director.
Dec 03, 2014 at 04:30 AM
I accept. Thanks.
Dec 03, 2014 at 02:24 PM
Well, I'm going to be the asshole here. How come these changes were not open to discussion to all members prior to the board's vote? It seems so undemocratic to me. Lynch me if you want, I don't really care. But I care about this club and its future.
Dec 03, 2014 at 07:31 PM
Thierry I’m happy to address the rationale behind the board's actions and provide the details behind the request to change by-laws and number of board members.
1. During the course of the year, the board investigated how to achieve non-profit status. Non-profit status includes as a subset entities with charitable status
2. The board decided, in consultation with tax advisors, that it was easiest and cleanest to incorporate a new entity that would have good corporate hygiene and thus can have the most chance of success in obtaining non-profit status.
3. The by-laws of a new legal entity, including revising the number of board members and responsibilities were drafted by a working group of the elected board.
4. All steps 1 through 3 were addressed and discussed throughout the year by the board. This is representative democracy and something the board is empowered to do.
5. In order to move forward with the plan the board is asking that you vote for or against the incorporation of a new legal entity and its proposed by-laws. The by-laws will be posted shortly for your review. This part is the direct democracy portion. If the members don’t vote by a majority in favor then the old entity will continue. That said, the current board advises against this and recommends the incorporation of a new legal entity. The assets of the old entity will be transferred to the new and the day to day operations of the club won’t change in any manner noticeable by the members.
6. Thierry we know you care about the club and its future - run for a board seat.
There are several current board members, including myself, who were intimately involved in the process that’d be happy to answer your questions either on-line or off.
1. During the course of the year, the board investigated how to achieve non-profit status. Non-profit status includes as a subset entities with charitable status
2. The board decided, in consultation with tax advisors, that it was easiest and cleanest to incorporate a new entity that would have good corporate hygiene and thus can have the most chance of success in obtaining non-profit status.
3. The by-laws of a new legal entity, including revising the number of board members and responsibilities were drafted by a working group of the elected board.
4. All steps 1 through 3 were addressed and discussed throughout the year by the board. This is representative democracy and something the board is empowered to do.
5. In order to move forward with the plan the board is asking that you vote for or against the incorporation of a new legal entity and its proposed by-laws. The by-laws will be posted shortly for your review. This part is the direct democracy portion. If the members don’t vote by a majority in favor then the old entity will continue. That said, the current board advises against this and recommends the incorporation of a new legal entity. The assets of the old entity will be transferred to the new and the day to day operations of the club won’t change in any manner noticeable by the members.
6. Thierry we know you care about the club and its future - run for a board seat.
There are several current board members, including myself, who were intimately involved in the process that’d be happy to answer your questions either on-line or off.
Dec 04, 2014 at 02:25 AM
Craig,
I'm not in a position to debate to a legal expert like yourself what constitute good " corporate hygiene" in order for Kissena to obtain non profit status. However, you mentioned that it was hard to wrangle 14 people and this statement was confusing to me, hence my overreaction ( very french from my part).
However, I sincerely hope that the reduced board size will include women and so far none have been nominated.
Anyway, thank you Craig for your clarifications and we'll have a chance to talk more one on one on this issue.
I'm not in a position to debate to a legal expert like yourself what constitute good " corporate hygiene" in order for Kissena to obtain non profit status. However, you mentioned that it was hard to wrangle 14 people and this statement was confusing to me, hence my overreaction ( very french from my part).
However, I sincerely hope that the reduced board size will include women and so far none have been nominated.
Anyway, thank you Craig for your clarifications and we'll have a chance to talk more one on one on this issue.
Dec 04, 2014 at 03:13 AM
I think these changes are smart, and I see a bright 2015 for Kissena.
But I agree with Thierry sentiment, it would be better if changes of this scope are discussed before hand openly with members off and on these forums.
Best example I can give is from this post itself, where you state a clear goal of aiming for non profit status in 2015. So we all now what's up, and can chime in, and perhaps contribute.
Also, clearly missing, is the Race Director position. It has historically belonged to Charlie Issendorf, who has been a part of Kissena for, you know, 30+ years and promotes ALL the Prospect Park and a significant number of FBF races. Most of these races are under the KCC banner.
Alternatively, Myles or Bertucco could also potentially be nominated for this.
There are many ways Kissena contributes to the community. Races are a significant part of that contribution, one that sponsors react positively to. From that perspective, it should be represented in the club's board of directors.
Tell us more about this decision.
Does this put Kissena at risk of losing Charlie Issendorf and control of these road races?
Dec 04, 2014 at 05:59 PM
Self nomination is not a bad thing.This old post is a gem. If you're interested in running, let someone know.
If you are interested in running for an office, please let someone know (e.g. the current president or anyone else on the board).
Also, if you think someone would be good, please press them into service. We can certainly have more than one candidate for each position.
Having served on the board for 3 years, I'd be happy to chat with anyone about what the work requires and nominate you if you're interested.
Shoot me a message offline.
Mperlberg@gmail.Com
Dec 05, 2014 at 12:55 AM
Here is the current slate of candidates:
President: Jules Rozen
Treasurer: David Yang
Sponsorship: Craig Zolan
There is an outstanding nomination for Jeff White (either Membership or PR) awaiting his confirmation.
We need some more nominations!
Your team needs you to step up (which reminds me of a funny story about Keith in which a circle of people all took a step back leaving him as the de facto candidate for President that year)
President: Jules Rozen
Treasurer: David Yang
Sponsorship: Craig Zolan
There is an outstanding nomination for Jeff White (either Membership or PR) awaiting his confirmation.
We need some more nominations!
Your team needs you to step up (which reminds me of a funny story about Keith in which a circle of people all took a step back leaving him as the de facto candidate for President that year)
Dec 05, 2014 at 01:56 AM
Eloy,eloy said:I think these changes are smart, and I see a bright 2015 for Kissena.But I agree with Thierry sentiment, it would be better if changes of this scope are discussed before hand openly with members off and on these forums.Best example I can give is from this post itself, where you state a clear goal of aiming for non profit status in 2015. So we all now what's up, and can chime in, and perhaps contribute.Also, clearly missing, is the Race Director position. It has historically belonged to Charlie Issendorf, who has been a part of Kissena for, you know, 30+ years and promotes ALL the Prospect Park and a significant number of FBF races. Most of these races are under the KCC banner.Alternatively, Myles or Bertucco could also potentially be nominated for this.There are many ways Kissena contributes to the community. Races are a significant part of that contribution, one that sponsors react positively to. From that perspective, it should be represented in the club's board of directors.Tell us more about this decision.Does this put Kissena at risk of losing Charlie Issendorf and control of these road races?
I don't want to speak for Charlie, but NOT naming a spot on the board "race director" doesn't in any way change how the club is governed. We continue to support Charlie and his races - either with money or personpower - nobody sees (or wants) that changing in the future.
Charlie is an integral part of the club and has total access to the board and it's resources. We just don't need him for a quorum on regular club issues. He'll be the first to say how many board meetings he's been to in the last three years (hint, you don't need both hands to count them)
Dec 05, 2014 at 02:13 PM
Thierry - thanks for your note. You are right that the corporate hygiene and board composition aren't directly related. We had a corporate problem we wanted to solve - the non-profit status of the company. The solution to that problem, a new legal entity, prompted us to look at corporate structure in its totality and board composition was one facet. This past year there hasn't been a single board meeting where every member was present, hence the wrangling comment. I agree that I would also like female representation on the board. I'd nominate current board members Kayt and Erika in a heartbeat but I don't know about their desire to participate in 2015. If there are other women (or men) who are interested, don't be shy about nominating yourself or asking anyone else to nominate you. Prior experience is not required.
Eloy - the elimination of the racing Director position is one that I noted with curiosity the first time I saw the draft of positions. But I came to believe it doesn't impact the club at all. It doesn't change anything with respect to Charlie's involvement with the races. It also doesn't impact our club's participation and support of them such as registration volunteers, cleaning up after rain storms, etc. In the draft of the proposed by-laws (a copy of which I promise is forthcoming) part of the mission is to advance amateur bicycle racing. As the current sponsorship director, I use our involvement in promoting racing frequently in my conversations with sponsors and so totally agree with you that it is important. I think all the current board members have a focus on continuing to promote and expand racing opportunities within the NYC metro area and I'd expect future boards as a whole will too. In addition, we can create committees to address this that are comprised of board and non-board members alike.
Eloy - the elimination of the racing Director position is one that I noted with curiosity the first time I saw the draft of positions. But I came to believe it doesn't impact the club at all. It doesn't change anything with respect to Charlie's involvement with the races. It also doesn't impact our club's participation and support of them such as registration volunteers, cleaning up after rain storms, etc. In the draft of the proposed by-laws (a copy of which I promise is forthcoming) part of the mission is to advance amateur bicycle racing. As the current sponsorship director, I use our involvement in promoting racing frequently in my conversations with sponsors and so totally agree with you that it is important. I think all the current board members have a focus on continuing to promote and expand racing opportunities within the NYC metro area and I'd expect future boards as a whole will too. In addition, we can create committees to address this that are comprised of board and non-board members alike.
Dec 05, 2014 at 02:42 PM
Thierry, Eloy,
As you've made your watchdog status known, any interest in joining the board?
Dec 05, 2014 at 03:53 PM
JP,
I am contemplating that interest but I have a very busy wife and 2 daughters to take care of therefore I don't know if I can wing it.
Dec 05, 2014 at 03:54 PM
I accept Craig's nomination to stand for Membership Director again. Would love someone to run against.
Dec 06, 2014 at 12:25 AM
Updated list of candidates:
President: Jules Rozen
Treasurer: David Yang
Sponsorship: Craig Zolan
Todd McLoughlin: Secretary
Jeff White: Membership Director
We are in need of:
Vice President
PR Director
Technology Director
Development Director
Also, there is plenty of precedent in past years for having multiple candidates for a single position.
That actually gave us something to VOTE about. Sometimes the elections have been hotly contested and I personally have lost more than once.
So please feel free to nominate for any and all of the Board positions.
President: Jules Rozen
Treasurer: David Yang
Sponsorship: Craig Zolan
Todd McLoughlin: Secretary
Jeff White: Membership Director
We are in need of:
Vice President
PR Director
Technology Director
Development Director
Also, there is plenty of precedent in past years for having multiple candidates for a single position.
That actually gave us something to VOTE about. Sometimes the elections have been hotly contested and I personally have lost more than once.
So please feel free to nominate for any and all of the Board positions.
Dec 06, 2014 at 02:23 AM
I'll throw my hat into the ring for Development
... I can lead all expenses paid training rides in Majorca, right?
Even with a budget of zero, I'm in.
Dec 06, 2014 at 02:35 AM
I meant to nominate Patrick for development director, so I will second the nomination instead!
I think he'd be a great person for the job, given his knowledge of the club and his success in wrangling the cat 4s to multiple jersey wins in the l&c cup this year.
I think he'd be a great person for the job, given his knowledge of the club and his success in wrangling the cat 4s to multiple jersey wins in the l&c cup this year.
Dec 06, 2014 at 03:19 AM
I'm nominating Brendan Rigby for VP.
Who else wants to run?
Dec 06, 2014 at 03:40 AM
I'll put my hat in for technology director. It'd be perfect if someone tech savvy would be interested in collaborating with me as my strengths lie more on the design side of things.
Dec 06, 2014 at 03:52 AM
Thierry tells me he will run for VP.
With that, the candidate list expands to the following (though I'll check with Rigby).
President: Jules Roazen
VP: Thierry Bonnaire
Treasurer: David Yang
Sponsorship: Craig Zolan
Secretary: Todd McLoughlin
Membership: Jeff White
Development: Patrick Grehan
Technology: John Malcomson
Public Relations: ??
Keep them coming . . .
With that, the candidate list expands to the following (though I'll check with Rigby).
President: Jules Roazen
VP: Thierry Bonnaire
Treasurer: David Yang
Sponsorship: Craig Zolan
Secretary: Todd McLoughlin
Membership: Jeff White
Development: Patrick Grehan
Technology: John Malcomson
Public Relations: ??
Keep them coming . . .