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Chess Forum / General Topics / July 2005Open Letter to Beatriz
AN OPEN LETTER TO BEATRIZ MARINELLO July 26, 2005 Dear Beatriz: With slightly over two weeks remaining before the Delegates meet in Phoenix and the new Executive Board takes office, you have declared your intention to sign a contract with a builder to construct USCF's new headquarters in Crossville, and to arrange a mortgage to fund this construction cost. The estimated cost of this construction is about $550,000. The real cost is likely to be more, as such projects frequently run over budget. There will also be interest charges. The five signers of this letter will be on the new Executive Board that takes office August 14, a majority of that seven person Board. None of us supports moving USCF out of Crossville, but all are concerned that the Federation is about to commit to spending a great deal of money without having carefully considered alternatives. Randy Bauer, a current Board member who you supported for re-election, has expressed the same concern and suggested that you not sign the construction contract. There appear to be appropriately sized office buildings in Crossville advertised for sale at prices well below what it will cost to construct this building. Especially if we are able to obtain compensation for returning or selling the land we currently own, it is possible that USCF might save a great deal of money by purchasing in Crossville rather than building. While this is not certain, we do not feel it is prudent to eliminate this possibility by the immediate signing of a contract, nor do we understand why such signing is so urgent that it justifies shutting the Delegates and the new Board out of the process only about two weeks before the meetings. Too often in the past, USCF has signed contracts without adequate consideration and it has cost us money. Maybe the arrangements currently negotiated are desirable for USCF and maybe not, but analysis of our options before taking a fateful step is surely appropriate at this time. Joel Channing Bill Goichberg Don Schultz Greg Shahade Robert Tanner This letter represents a complete and total repudiation of Beatriz's inept leadership ever since the bids from Lindsborg and Liberty were rejected out of hand. Her tenure as COO was a costly disaster. Even Randy Bauer finally sees the error of his ways. Surprise. Surpise. Larry Parr was right all along. >This letter represents a complete and total repudiation of Beatriz's >inept leadership ever since the bids from Lindsborg and Liberty were >rejected out of hand. Her tenure as COO was a costly disaster. Even >Randy Bauer finally sees the error of his ways. Shows just how little you've been paying attention. I voted for the 2 week delay in the decision to locate in Crossville and abstained on the final vote to move to Crossville. I expressed concerns in writing to the rest of the EB about the decision to prefer new construction. Randy Bauer >Surprise. Surpise. > >Larry Parr was right all along. This letter has me wondering again...why did we move down there in the first place? > None of > us supports moving USCF out of Crossville, but all are concerned that > the Federation is about to commit to spending a great deal of money > without having carefully considered alternatives. OUR CROSS-TO-BEAR This letter has me wondering again...why did we move down there in the first place? -- Angelo Selling the building in New Windsor was the first blunder. One must also wonder how many pockets were lined when the move to Tennessee was approved. As I reported to you many weeks ago, there were talks going on about returning the land in Cross-to-Bear. I was called a liar amid blank denials of said talks. Randy Bauer was utterly shameless -- truly a low flying bird. It's a pity the new Board coming in does not yet support moving. If memory serves, the USCF rejected the offer of a free building in Lindsborg and would not wait two weeks while exploring a bid from a billionaire in Liberty. End result: the Federation has lost its expertise to sell products; they have no building; they are in the middle of chess nowhere rather than near the center of U.S. chess. And so it goes. >OUR CROSS-TO-BEAR > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Randy Bauer was utterly shameless -- truly a low flying bird. Absolute bull dung. I had NO involvement or knowledge of these presumed talks. Beatriz and the EB recently voted to sign the contract to construct a new building for God's sake -- this discussion of not building a building is based on the election of new officers. You ARE a liar if you are claiming I was either involved or knew about these claimed negotiations. And I'll take a polygraph on that and make the wager of your choice on the result. Randy Bauer >> Randy Bauer was utterly shameless -- truly a low flying bird. "Randy Bauer" <Randy_member@newsguy.com> spewed forth: > Absolute bull dung. I had NO involvement or knowledge of these presumed > talks. Bauer, you're a worse liar than the Baron von Munchausen! You have been caught red-handed lying in the past, and you expect anyone to believe you now? > And I'll take a polygraph on that and make the wager of your choice on the > result. Your wagering hasn't gone too well these days has it Bauer. How much did you lose on the Gredge match? Also, I understand that chronic liars like you find techniques to beat a polygraph. Regards, Jason (check my headers) Repa > >> Randy Bauer was utterly shameless -- truly a low flying bird. > > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Jason (check my headers) Repa Is this guy still talking? >This letter has me wondering again...why did we move down there in the first >place? There still are good arguments for the move, and the new Board members aren't talking about leaving Crossville. We have lower costs in a variety of areas, have been able to change our staff structure to reduce costs and make it more efficient, etc. I don't think the physical plant is the primary motivation pro or con for the move. Randy Bauer >> None of >> us supports moving USCF out of Crossville, but all are concerned that >> the Federation is about to commit to spending a great deal of money >> without having carefully considered alternatives. "This letter has me wondering again...why did we move down there in the first place?" (Angelo) ========== So the staff can have real BBQ for lunch. Old Haasie > This letter has me wondering again...why did we move down there in the first > place? STUPIDITY RANDY KNEW NUTHIN' >There still are good arguments for the move, and the new Board members aren't talking about leaving Crossville. We have lower costs in a variety of areas, have been able to change our staff structure to reduce costs and make it more efficient, etc.> Randy Bauer Randy Bauer offers, as I also predicted he and the others would, a defense of moving to Cross-to-Bear even if there is no free land or no cheap new, wonderful building. They cannot state the obvious: they gave up over 11,000 square feet in New Windsor with an experienced staff and land fer nuthin' in the middle of chess nowhere. I reported last March that a new building in Cross-to-Bear was projected to cost at least $650,000 and that this building would be small, less than 5,000 square feet, compared with the more than 11,000 square feet in New Windsor. A comparable building to the New Windsor facility in "low-cost" Tennessee would cost about one million. Sam Sloan's estimate of a cost overrun running to about a half million was almost exactly right on. I was called a liar and dirt farmer. Then the Board majority let the other shoe drop: they confirmed the $650,000 estimate (Randy Bauer knew nuthin' about that either, of course!) and said that it would save an absurd $50,000 by not paving a steep area in the back meant for deliveries! Key-reist, what a face-saving lie that was meant to be! Yet we were told that a major reason for selling the HQ in New Windsor was lack of adequate parking! I told you about the crooked architect's contract for $60,000, which Randy Bauer and the other honest guys did not want you to know about. I let you know about wetlands and radon issues as well as the bedrock right at the surface. No one will yet answer whether Harry Sabine was passing on contracts for famished Phil Elmore, the local Cross-to-Bear architect and $60,000 man. Then I reported weeks ago that talks were going on about returning the land and trying to get some form of compensation because building was becoming an impracticable solution. I was called a liar again, and once again, honest Randy Bauer said he knew nuthin' of such talks. YET: there was a search going on for my sources even as these guys were denying that what I reported was true. Well, the gang of four soon will be gone. Randy Bauer will try to hang around, no doubt, but I think his credibility is far from what it was. And rightly so. THE NEW OFFICIAL LINE <The land talks will only be confirmed, I am told, AFTER the elections. The official line will be that the Federation did not need a new building in any event. Baloney. Come on, Larry -- put up or shut up.> Randy Bauer, May 31, 2005, in response to my report on "Secret Talks to Return Land." I hope to be able to tell you about what they are planning by way of one of those older buildings in downtown Crossville. Right now, that information has yet to come my way. I told you the price of the small new building; I've told you about the crooked architect's contract; I've told you about the plans to give back the land for compensation of some kind; and yes, they were looking for my source or sources while calling me a liar and dirt farmer. Finally, I told you that the official line would be that after giving back the wonderful free land, it was still a grand and wonderful thing to leave the center of chess for a chess nowhere. That is now Randy Bauer's line, and it will be the official line. We gave up over 11,000 square feet in New Windsor; we have no capability any longer to sell products; the staff has been dumbed down and lacks earlier capabilities; Tennessee is "low-cost," though it costs double the price to have a building the same size as the one we sold in New York; and all is the for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Oh, yes, I am still a liar, dirt farmer, and divisive -- though I was right from the start. Those who hid the architect's contract from you; hid until the last possible moment the real cost of a small, new building in Cross-to-Bear and denied the unsuitability of the land -- well those worthies are honest Johns. And so it goes. It's obvious that Bauer was the lone voice of reason on the board w/ respect to the Crossville move. He may not have voted in accordance to the Precepts of Parr 100% of the time during his tenure, but you can't pin this XXvile blunder on him. Randy is a decent guy who has a lot to offer US Chess. Throughout the recent campaign he conducted himself professionally despite being vilified for no good reason other than partisanghip by you and a bunch of cowardly anonymous posters. Randy deserved to be re-elected. The election is over, Larry. > RANDY KNEW NUTHIN' > [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > hang around, no doubt, but I think his credibility is far from what it > was. And rightly so. THE ELECTION IS OVER >Randy is a decent guy who has a lot to offer US Chess. Throughout the recent campaign he conducted himself professionally despite being vilified for no good reason other than partisanghip by you and a bunch of cowardly anonymous posters. Randy deserved to be re-elected. The election is over, Larry.> Angelo DePalma Dear Angelo, I can only go by the public record here at rgcp. I readily concede that Randy Bauer made himself look worse than he probably is by being just about the only one among the Board majority to participate actively here. His active participation speaks well of him. I understand this point. He gets vilified for speaking out, whereas others like Steve Shutt and Elizabeth Shaughnessy escape by taking the less courageous course of keeping silent. In that sense my attacks are unfair. But my reports were accurate. Overall, I read his behavior differently than you do: I see it as more carefully calibrated politically and opportunistic, taking both sides of an issue rather than a genuine attempt at inspecting issues. But it didn't help him because he lacked a political base (which is why Shaughnessy pulled more votes than he) and, more importantly, because there was a juggernaut that flattened him and his confreres. In any event, I let you and the rest of rgcp know what was happening weeks before Mr. Bauer and the others chose to tell you. I can't consider his behavior as honest. I disagree only on the point of why Randy lost. Perhaps the way to explain is first by mentioning the obvious, that Bill Goichberg won because of his huge name recognition and what is an apparently overwhelmingly positive view of him by the membership. Bill has made more chess players happy than any mere chess politician. The "juggernaut" you mention was mostly Bill. There is simply no other explanation for how the other three gentlemen, qualified and able as they may be, trounced sitting board members as they did. > THE ELECTION IS OVER > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > weeks before Mr. Bauer and the others chose to tell you. I can't > consider his behavior as honest. WHEN DIPLOMACY FAILS <Grandstanding is grandstanding...When one Board member wants to discuss something with another Board member, his first step is to get his own POV posted to some newsgroup or listserv. This is, apparently, the cool way to score points. Beats the hell out of persuasion, doesn't it?> Bruce Leverett This is wacky. If Bill Goichberg and four other board members speak the truth, then the obvious point behind "grandstanding" is to put pressure on Beatriz Marinello not to commit the Federation to a major contract when her entire team has been overwhelmingly repudiated in easily the most participatory election in USCF history. What's wrong with an Open Letter when private diplomacy has failed, though there is not much to be said for private diplomacy, in truth? Contrary to Mr. Leverett, most of the problems that bedevil this Federation are the result of far too much secrecy and not nearly enough sunshine. You never learn, do you Larry? I hereby change this topic to "pictures of Gulko and Polgar." > WHEN DIPLOMACY FAILS > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > Federation are the result of far too much secrecy and not nearly enough > sunshine. In the internet age, it may not matter much where the organization is located (as long as a major airport is within 90 minutes) so I never had a problem with moving to Crossville as a low cost area. I have never felt comfortable about building a new building. Cost overruns, delays and quality issues are all possibilities. I would prefer the federation to lease or buy existing commercial space in the Crossville area. I keep hearing ads about the steel buildings that are quick to erect and cost effective. Apparently the new gen of steel buildings can have the look and feel of traditional office space at a meaningful reduction in cost and long term upkeep. Is this just advertising BS? Does anyone have personal experience with this type of construction used as office space? Seems to me like we could delay the signing the building contract to give the new board time to review all the issues. The cash available is the last meaningful asset of USCF. We blow this and it's bye-bye USCF (although I see this as less and less of a tragedy despite a sentimental attachment to the Old Dame). "...I keep hearing ads about the steel buildings that are quick to erect and cost effective. Apparently the new gen of steel buildings can have the look and feel of traditional office space at a meaningful reduction in cost and long term upkeep. Is this just advertising BS? Does anyone have personal experience with this type of construction used as office space?.." (Fifiela) ========== Some months ago I suggest Chess HQ look into building a Butler building. Google up Butler Building and see sample photos of their buildings ... which occupy industrial parks all over the country. Old Haasie The new Board has not yet even taken office, but I can already see that it will be business as usual. When one Board member wants to discuss something with another Board member, his first step is to get his own POV posted to some newsgroup or listserv. This is, apparently, the cool way to score points. Beats the hell out of persuasion, doesn't it? As a reader of RGCP, naturally I am curious about what goes into decisions like build vs. buy. So I read the "open letter". But I would have to say that in discussing serious business with the leaders of chess clubs and other organizations, I myself do not normally proceed by means of "open letters". It seems like exhibitionism, and as such, it would discourage people from taking me seriously. Bruce Leverett > AN OPEN LETTER TO BEATRIZ MARINELLO > July 26, 2005 [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > Greg Shahade > Robert Tanner |
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