KCBS Regional Vote

[big brother smoke]

Discuss civilly? :wink:

Discuss civilly? :wink:

ALERT TO ALL KCBS MEMBERS!!!
For several years now the Directors on the Board have been split on what to do and how to do Regional Representation on the Board. This message will consolidate the Pros and Cons of Regional Representation and, hopefully, get KCBS on the path towards this goal or put the effort behind us to continue as KCBS is now.

Right now, four Director seats are filled each year by a popular vote of the entire KCBS membership (last year only 3,190 members voted) with the top 4 candidates getting a seat on the Board. Every KCBS member gets 4 votes to select 4 candidates. Every candidate for Director answers the same questions to state their qualifications and reasons for seeking a seat as Director of KCBS. All Directors on the Board are equal in that each has one vote to determine decisions and direction of KCBS. The president of KCBS only votes as a tie-breaker.

PROs
-Commitment to Diversity
-May increase voting in under-represented areas

-Representative Voice from Region
-Members more connected to KCBS

Cons
- May slow down director decision making with need to consult with region’s membership
- Assumption that one director speaks for entire area
- Allegiance to a region not to KCBS as a whole
- Cause directors to be more regional in perspective rather than looking to whole of KCBS – weak and indecisive Board
- A director may be elected with just a handful of votes just because they are from a specific area

Since 2000, the geographical diversity of the Board of Directors of KCBS has expanded. This is due to members electing directors from different areas of the country.





Currently, the Board has individuals serving as Director from 6 different states:
Missouri 3, Kansas 2, Tennessee 2, Alabama 1, Arkansas 1,
Iowa 1, Massachusetts 1, North Carolina 1

The Board of Directors of KCBS would ask all KCBS members to weigh in on this issue. We do not want to spend the time that this issue requires (reaching Board concensus, planning implementation methods and rewriting bylaws) if the Membership of KCBS does not want that this be done.

How do you feel about regional Representation?

This map is the basis for the Director distribution (2000-2014) chart above. Numbers in the area is based on voting membership in each region.

excuse the cut and paste hack job!

 

[bbq.tom]

Personally I like the idea of having regional representation.

 

[Fat Freddy]

i like the idea of regional reps and would vote for that. Unfortunately i dont care for the way the regions are split up. i also understand it is very hard to make everyone happy. I just wish there were other voting options than what was included in the emai. Since i dont agree with either option I dont know which way to vote. I will just do some thinking on this before I make my decision.

 

[Pig Headed]

Though not entirely happy with the map, I did vote for regional representation.

 

[Funtimebbq]

Regional representation is the way to go. Looks to me like the people who made the "pros vs cons" list think getting feedback on important issues is a bad thing. I've seen nothing that our BODs vote on that is so urgent a motion made one month cannot wait for a vote until the following month. In fact, maybe that should be made a rule so BODs can get membership feedback and not make hasty decisions with feedback.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Though not entirely happy with the map, I did vote for regional representation.

After sleeping on it and looking at map and email again. I decided to vote for regional representation because i like that idea for people in other areas of the country. The way I read the email if there was not enough votes "for" regional then it wont even be discussed anymore. But maybe if there is enough votes "for" then it will be discussed more and perhaps the regional split up will be re-evaluated.

 

[didisea]

As evidenced by the way they drew the map, the board has no idea of the concept of the word "region." I really don't see how Minnesota and Alabama belong in the same region.
They also failed to realize that they are now an international organization, which did not include representation for Canada, Europe, and the rest of the world. They also did not include Alaska and Hawaii. Please start thinking out of the box. They need to do this for what the organization will be, not their 1958 view of the world.

 

[82's BBQ]

So where is the poll located at?

 

[Fat Freddy]

So where is the poll located at?

I got an email from KCBS yesterday evening.

 

[82's BBQ]

Thanks Fat Freddy, I guess I'll have to wait for mine

 

[midwest_kc]

Yeah, I haven't gotten mine yet, either.

 

[arrowhead]

I voted in favor. The regions are a bit askew.

 

[big brother smoke]

I like to see us shake things up a bit and starting with regional representation may be a good or bad thing; time will tell, if enacted. We always can go back to the way things were, but you never know unless you try something new. Just my immediate thoughts!

 

[Rich Parker]

It's actually entertaining to listen to the board meetings when this topic comes up. The board members really don't want to discuss it and do anything about it but know members are listening. I will vote AGAIN for regionalization and then can deal with the map later.

 

[ThomEmery]

My first thought was why were the regions based on actual votes and not eligible voters?
I have long supported the regional concept.
The chosen map is odd at best.
There is a reason it was it was done this way, just don't know what that would be.
I voted in favor and agree the map needs to be revisited.

 

[TooSaucedToPork]

That map is ridiculous









T.v.
Options
Show your signatureQuote message in reply?
Disable smilies in text

 

[thesemicullen]

I cannot vote in favor of regionalization with that map.

 

[Podge]

I agree with the map being ridiculous. Especially where Kentucky is. I think the map should better reflect where the most teams AND judges travel to. Sam's has had a better map of regions.

 

[Fat Woody]

I like the idea of regional representation because, in theory, that would make all regions equal in voting power, no matter the number of members in each region.

It looks likes the map was made to try and keep the number of members as nearly equal as possible from region to region. However, with Kansas and Missouri in different regions, it appears to give a disproportionate advantage to KC area members. Then again, it IS the 'KC'BS...

Curious if that might be a problem for members in the other regions?

 

[nukenight]

Expand

Regional representation is the way to go. The shown regions in the ballot e-mail are gerrymandered. What does the status of BBQ contests in LA have to do with those in IL or KS? Same deal for MS and MN, these were done to balance the numbers. Your best option is to ADD Board spots and make these regional spots geographic in nature. Bigger KCBS means you can add to the Board size.