| 9-23-15 NCCA Officers Should Be Impeached! But, since members can't vote, the officers must impeach themselves!? by NM Leland Fuerstman Approximately 3 weeks ago, a reliable CCC covert operative ("chess mole") reported information to me which was directly quoted from a conversation of certain "insiders" who seemed to know what they were talking about. The first issue referred to the resignation of current NCCA President, Kevin Hyde, and the extent to which the NCCA attorney went to prevent him from making that fact public?! For a short while, it seemed as if Hyde had changed his mind and decided to stay on as President. (Hopefully, to fulfill his duties of organizing and conducting the 2015 North Carolina Invitational Championship). Unfortunately, after 3 more weeks of silence, and unanswered offers by insiders (as well as one "outsider") to actually conduct the event for the NCCA for FREE, there is still no evidence that the event will take place this year? (Even though the NCCA Articles of Incorporation have it listed as a mandatory requirement!) How shameful... typical NCCA negligence and incompetence. It was also reported by the same source that "NCCA Sec/Treas. Tom Kabasakalian had resigned and turned everything over to VP Jeff Jones??" Yet, after those statements were posted on the CCC Message Board 3 weeks ago, neither Hyde nor Kabasakalian have peeped one sound much less made any official statement to the members as to their actual status? (During the reign of Dictator Rudy Abate, 2 officers jumped ship in the middle of the stream, yet it was never reported to the members nor were they replaced??) Again, the same veil of secrecy prevails as the person who controls the organization continues to appoint incompetent officers who neglect their duties and avoid communication with the members. I just don't get it... the position of President should be an honor bestowed upon a deserving chess player. A person who has not only dedicated himself to a lifetime of study, but who has also proven his expertise as a player and a competitor. Naturally, any normal procedure would require that you start at the top of the rating list and work you way down. Unfortunately, the miserable litany of Class "C" & "D" players who have represented the NCCA over the past many years (save for a few exceptions) has only served to reward mediocrity and ignore expertise!? I mean, if you're not expecting the President to do much of anything anyway, at least his mastery of the game would more accurately reflect a favorable description of the people who represent chess in North Carolina. Right now, the current NCCA President's rating is 1429... The point is, if he were an effective President who properly did his job, no one would care. But, he's not. As for Vice President Jeff "Pig" Jones, most of the brilliant ideas he comes up with are convoluted schemes which are either too complicated to put into effect or a duplication of that which is already required. He spends far more time grandstanding with excuse after excuse about his inability to find any volunteers to do the work? Oh really? Dude, YOU are the volunteer, and if you are unable, as a leader of men and an officer, to elicit the assistance of other subordinates, it becomes solely your responsibility to do the job, period! Posting all of 4 stale, outdated articles in one full year is a feeble exercise, particularly since chess events in N.C. take place almost every weekend of the year! Any other so called "chess editor" would be embarrassed. But, considering the absence of a President, Jones seems to have become the mouthpiece for the organization. Even to the extent of recently intimating that organizer retiree Gary Newsom will be added to the list of members of the NCCA Hall of Fame at the next meeting?! (Gosh... I didn't know that the VP had the power to appoint members to the H of F?) Profit motive notwithstanding, regardless of our tumultuous relationship and political differences of opinion, it is obvious that Newsom has been an effective "mover and shaker" for chess in North Carolina. As for his being elected to the Hall of Fame, I can only say that there are far less deserving people who are already on the list... (And, don't say, "yeah, and you're one of em'?!!" LOL FYI, I was the very first member to be elected to the NCCA Hall of Fame! And, that was done by a vote of the members!! My, how times have changed...) As the weeks have gone by, (though I have been denied the privilege of participating), I have monitored the NCCA Forum. It seems as if LM Chris "the Babe" Mabe is also extremely disappointed with the performance of certain NCCA Officers and indifferent to some of the current policies. And though we are hardly a coalition of personal friends, even Expert Patrick McCartney has vehemently voiced his opinion about these same issues... (apparently, great minds think alike! LOL) Yet, the officers still fail to address any of the issues publicly. The problem is, since members don't have the right to vote on anything but the election of officers (which is already rigged with the absurd abuse of "proxies,") nothing is going to change any time soon. Back to Lee Iacocca: "Either lead, follow or get out of the way!" I remain, NM Leland Fuerstman Past NCCA President |