Ratification of Expense Reimbursement and Discount Policy

[TwentySix]

Mike Andrews wrote:

I applaud your loyalty toward Graham. It’s nice to have friends as close and devoted to each other as you guys are. But, and this is a big but, the loyalty needs to be to the club. Not the guy at the top. We on the exec serve the members, not our friends.

Michael we've been friends a long time, and I hate to say it, but I think that you have done exactly what you are complaining about, then pointing the finger at someone else. First off, Graham and Chris are friendly, but I wouldn't call them devoted to each other, or even good friends, certainly not the caliber of friends that you and Jim Zelinski are by a long shot. Why is Jim Zelinski running? Because he had planned to run for Vice President earlier in the year, and he felt it was the job for him? Or because he's one of your very best friends and you needed someone to fill the hole left after you realized so many of the Executive Board would not throw Graham under the bus? Please don't get me wrong, I respect Jim and what he has done for the club, but I can't help but think he's been nudged into this roll by you, and not of his own accord. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Mike Andrews wrote:

We tried to get you and Allison and Joe and Steve to understand that. Yet you would not continue in the positions Graham had you slated for on his ballet. We, the current slate, see the difference and I suspect the membership sees the distinction as well

I think you are mistaken by generalizing about what the membership sees. Maybe you are too far on the inside to have a better understanding, but from out here it seems that most people I have spoken to disagree with you. They see you as a puppet of the Past President's agenda playing forward. They see the refusal of Graham's slate to run with you as a matter of principal, not an unwillingness to serve the club. You can spin this all you want, but it's just that. Spin.

You told me that Graham has done nothing wrong, so why keep pretending he is at some kind of fault? If you really cared about the membership more than your own ambition, you would have the grace to step aside, instead of pitting friend against friend as you have.


Now back to your regularly scheduled thread hijack