Breaking: Macquarie Bank wiz to join Eels Board

[emjaycee]

It all seems strange and poorly managed.

How can he be seen to be independent when you have the chairman trying to convince members to vote to have him included on the board?

This is part of the confusion in how this was communicated IMO.
The "INDEPENDANT" is not referring in any way to the level of seperation from the current board.

It means in this context "independant' from the normal election process for electing Directors.
The purpose of this type of appointment and the reason for the NRL supporting and encouraging clubs to go down this path is that it is recognised that popularly elected officials are just that, winners of a popularity contest and may not have the pre-requisite skills to effect the best mix within the Boardroom and this allows the Directors to select (by majority vote) someone to assist them and provide additional skills that might not otherwise exist on the Board.

The Chairman put forward his preferred candidate if the motion was successful however the appointment would have to have been voted on by our elected Board and a majority obtained. Any other director could also nominate their preferred candidate and have the Board vote on this as well.

 

[Jodeci]

Just to help people understand, the members didnt have a problem with Mr Moss.

It was the way it was sold to the members. It was a 2 line sentence asking the members to change the constitution to allow an 8th director.

No terms and conditions outlined, did the 8th director have to be a Leagues Club member?, did the 8th director have to be a voting member? Does the 8th director need to have the special qualifications to be a director? What's the duration time of the 8th director? and so much more.

Dennis and Chris Jurd both spoke out regarding this and how the members have not been given enough information on this and I hate to agree with Dennis but he was right.

One booklet said the pay increase to the chairman was $25,000 and then the other booklet said it was to be $60,000. Thankfully this was corrected.

All 4 motions got blocked because they failed to address the members on the terms and conditions of them.

Sharp even mentioned regarding the pay increases when an older member who got up and asked why should board members get paid and Sharpy replied that he would do it for free but then there is a motion to get an increase???

It was very poorly run and the fact that the 6 other directors didnt take to the stage I thought was very poor form also. Not one other director got up and supported Sharpy even when he was getting drilled by every member getting up on the microphone including Dennis.

And so we move on.

Bring on those Sharkies....

 

[emjaycee]

you are right Twizz I would say most members were not fully informed at all.

What constitutes an "independent" director?

Most people who have commented in this thread think they were voting for Moss to be on the board, this was not the case. it was to change the constitution to allow the board to vote on another director to the board.

How the process was going to work beyond that who knows? Did a majority vote of the board suffice or did it have to be unanimous? what was the term of service etc?

I posted about the selection process above.
WRT to the term of service, it was to be from appointment until the next election and then following the convening of the new elected Board (whether it changes or not) a re-appointment would be made to be effective until the next election (or to the completion of 6 years consecutive or cummulative service, whichever comes first).

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Our members are dumb.

 

[strider]

It all seems strange and poorly managed.

How can he be seen to be independent when you have the chairman trying to convince members to vote to have him included on the board?

i can't see any such thing as an "independent appointment" being believable unless some external group (ie the nrl) appoint them - cos everyone has to be put forward by someone and people will always then believe they are associated

 

[Gronk]

Think it's time that the NRL step in. This can't go on! Implement a 7 man board chosen by the NRL. No factions no bullshit.

Nurse ! Better take my temperature, cos I agree with this merkin.

Let the NRL appoint a bunch of independent people like Moss and perhaps we can then move forward.

In the meantime, a black van and a few protagonists disappearing in the middle of the night might be the only answer.

 

[emjaycee]

Nurse ! Better take my temperature, cos I agree with this merkin.

Let the NRL appoint a bunch of independent people like Moss and perhaps we can then move forward.

In the meantime, a black van and a few protagonists disappearing in the middle of the night might be the only answer.

If the first special condition was passed we would have seen the end of factions however as I stated above, it was communicated badly.

The 3 year terms require a seperation of the Board into 3 groups with one goup standing for election annually meaning that during the transition to 3 year terms 2 or 3 directors could be replaced after 1 year, another 2 or 3 after 2 years and the final group after 3 years. Each 'group' would serve 3 years from their (re)election date and then be up for re-election in small groups again.

 

[strider]

If the first special condition was passed we would have seen the end of factions however as I stated above, it was communicated badly.

The 3 year terms require a seperation of the Board into 3 groups with one goup standing for election annually meaning that during the transition to 3 year terms 2 or 3 directors could be replaced after 1 year, another 2 or 3 after 2 years and the final group after 3 years. Each 'group' would serve 3 years from their (re)election date and then be up for re-election in small groups again.

don't know if it would really get rid of factions, there'll always be groups trying to get in control even if it is split by numerous elections - unfortunately i think our basket case will always be dogged by them

 

[born an eel]

thanks emjacee & Jodeci for the additional information.

What is the requirement to have a special motion to change the constitution voted on outside of the AGM. Can't the members force a special meeting if a certain number of members sign a petition?

 

[born an eel]

Nurse ! Better take my temperature, cos I agree with this merkin.

Let the NRL appoint a bunch of independent people like Moss and perhaps we can then move forward.

In the meantime, a black van and a few protagonists disappearing in the middle of the night might be the only answer.

who cares if the NRL appointed independents decide the Perth Eels are the best way to go for the club/NRL. :sarcasm:

 

[Gronk]

who cares if the NRL appointed independents decide the Perth Eels are the best way to go for the club/NRL. :sarcasm:

Oh dear. Yes, you're right. The appointment of savvy like-minded directors would no doubt spell the end of our club.

 

[strider]

who cares if the NRL appointed independents decide the Perth Eels are the best way to go for the club/NRL. :sarcasm:

I don't think you'd ever get a majority of a board appointed externally - that'd be plain dumb ... i think there still has to be a degree of passion for the club on the board - could you find enough externals to really care about hte club given the small amount they get in return for what they do?

 

[born an eel]

don't know if it would really get rid of factions, there'll always be groups trying to get in control even if it is split by numerous elections - unfortunately i think our basket case will always be dogged by them

I wonder if a situation could arise where a particular director gets voted out by the members at an election but still has the numbers on the new board to get voted in as the "independent" director. :crazy:

 

[emjaycee]

don't know if it would really get rid of factions, there'll always be groups trying to get in control even if it is split by numerous elections - unfortunately i think our basket case will always be dogged by them

True, not directly but it would let us (the members) mix up the Board if we saw factional preferences appearing.

 

[strider]

Oh dear. Yes, you're right. The appointment of savvy like-minded directors would no doubt spell the end of our club.

what would be in it for them? would they come up with 7 of these people who are really in it for the eels?

 

[emjaycee]

I don't think you'd ever get a majority of a board appointed externally - that'd be plain dumb ... i think there still has to be a degree of passion for the club on the board - could you find enough externals to really care about hte club given the small amount they get in return for what they do?

And yet we voted not to increase the pay to Directors so we obviously dont want the best people in the role.

 

[The Elephant In The room]

thanks emjacee & Jodeci for the additional information.

What is the requirement to have a special motion to change the constitution voted on outside of the AGM. Can't the members force a special meeting if a certain number of members sign a petition?

Didn't make it last night, but I've learnt more about the motions this morning (after the fact) than I did before hand, and that, IMO, means that the motions were guaranteed to fail, if for no other reason other than the members are constantly suspicious and don't want things thrown at them with information to back it up.

 

[The Elephant In The room]

what would be in it for them? would they come up with 7 of these people who are really in it for the eels?

I don't know, but the Roosters seem to have no problems getting board members that are successful, intelligent and appear to have the best interests of the club at heart. We can only dream of a line up like that (and that's not a shot at our current directors).

http://corporate.roosters.com.au/Roosters-Board.html

I, for one, would be willing to put trust in the NRL to select 1-3 independent board members for the good of the club. We couldn't get any more of a dysfunctional board that we have had for the past 10 years.

 

[born an eel]

I don't think you'd ever get a majority of a board appointed externally - that'd be plain dumb ... i think there still has to be a degree of passion for the club on the board - could you find enough externals to really care about hte club given the small amount they get in return for what they do?

actually a very good point, to attract the sort of businessman they want you would expect the level of compensation would have to increase.

 

[Gronk]

what would be in it for them? would they come up with 7 of these people who are really in it for the eels?

You would have to make them take a Eels Trivia Quiz as a prerequisite to sitting on the board.

They could hold it at the Rose & Crown. You'd submit your quiz results and resume to the NRL for consideration.