Oklahoma
Chess Association Response to ADM 04-22 by Oklahoma
Delegate Frank Berry
Former OCA leaders who lost control
of the Policy Board at the June 2003 Annual Meeting formed the Oklahoma Chess
Foundation in July 2003. At that time, the OCF leaders stated their objective
to be the destruction of the USCF State Chapter OCA and to replace it as such.
Their actions since that time on many occasions have supported that stated
objective.
Upon the formation of the OCF, most
assets of the OCA were converted to the use of the OCF without authorization,
leaving the OCA with only:
- a very
inaccurate membership list,
- a few
blank membership cards,
- a
cashier’s check for a small amount of funds that had no supporting
financial records,
- and
most importantly, the USCF State Chapter Affiliate.
After a challenge of the OCA
election results by the OCF, the USCF States Committee issued its Decision on Oklahoma
which found the election to be legal and recommended that the OCF leaders
participate in the next OCA annual election. The OCF leaders chose to NOT abide
by this USCF recommendation or accept the invitation of the OCA leadership to
participate in the State Chapter’s established election process.
USCF membership is inadequate for Oklahoma
to have two State Chapters. So, State Chapter Affiliate revocation would have
to precede any granting of this status to another qualified organization. The
OCF has made no formal attempt to utilize the processes explicitly allowed for
in the USCF Bylaws to revoke Membership of the State Chapter Affiliate. The OCA
is ready to present convincing evidence that it has met or exceeded the
published Duties and Responsibilities for a USCF State Chapter Affiliate, and
their intent.
The OCF has not properly applied
with credentials, per the USCF Bylaws, to become the USCF State Chapter
Affiliate. ADM 04-22 is an attempt to circumvent the USCF Bylaws regarding this
and the prior paragraph.
If Frank Berry does not withdraw ADM
04-22, the OCA is reluctantly prepared to
present compelling evidence that the OCF has not fulfilled the Duties and
Responsibilities of a USCF State Chapter, and has behaved in a manner
unbecoming of one. We appreciate that the OCF has organized some nice
tournaments and is planning more, which the OCA
remains willing to support.
The new business model of the OCA
now encourages organization and directing of tournaments by others to
facilitate more Oklahoma chess
activity. The Oklahoma Scholastic Chess Organization is the OCA designated
affiliate now responsible for scholastic affairs. OSCO has fulfilled their
obligation as such to focus on serving the special needs of younger chess
players, their organizers and parents. This new OCA leadership approach has
facilitated very significant positive results in its first year, for the full
spectrum of Oklahoma chess
players.
The OCF has scheduled tournaments
that conflict with all OCA tournaments in 2004. There were 140 Oklahoma
attendees at OCA tournaments on these weekends, while only 49 chose to
participate in the OCF events. The most recent instance was on the 26-27 June
weekend of the OCA’s Oklahoma Open State Championship and Annual Meeting. On
that weekend 58 Oklahoma players chose to participate in the Oklahoma Open,
while only 15 were at the OCF’s event, which even included a very generously
paid GM.
The OCA submits that the very
positive direction of the Oklahoma
chess metrics attached, and recent tournament participation during conflicting
events, clearly indicates the OCA is fulfilling its obligations to the USCF and
in good standing with the vast majority of Oklahoma’s
USCF members.
The Oklahoma
Chess Association requests that all USCF Delegates vote against ADM 04-22.
The OCA also requests that Frank and James Berry be required to follow proper
procedures as explicitly provided for in the USCF Bylaws regarding any further
actions initiated regarding the USCF Oklahoma State Chapter Affiliate.
Respectfully,
National Master Chuck Unruh
President, Oklahoma Chess
Association