The Date of the EGM
After ignoring advice from Andrew Rattigan and Micheal Nugent to hold the EGM on a suitable weekend in July the Board set the date for the EGM as Wednesday 26th of June.
In response, Aaron Keohane, co-founder of the Cork Humanists, created an online petition calling on the board to support the adjournment of the EGM so that regional members could attend.
Ann James, Chairperson of the HAI then sent an email to the HAI membership in which she mentioned the board's decision to hold the EGM on the 26th. The content of that email can be found on this website here.
In response to the Board's email Aaron Keohane made the following statement:
The Board made a bad call even though they might not have intended to discriminate against regional members they have. The comments people have left after they have added their name to the petition clearly show that thereis no question over whether regional members feel they have been disrespected and excluded. However the Board state that this is not what they intended and have accordingly apologised. I accept both their explanation and their apology.
However, a recognition of wrong doing sounds hollow unless it is followed by a genuine effort to undo the harm which has been done. What I do not accept is that the Board can do nothing to make up for their mistake. In the email they state that the "[EGM] can be postponed... but it would seem counter-productive to meet on the 26th simply to agree to change the date." However, if the Board issued a public statement in which they committed to encourage members who attend on the 26th to adjourn the EGM, this would effectively mean that the board could then run a non-EGM. Granted it would be a waste of time, but at least a rescheduled EGM will not see so many regional members discriminated against.
Part of the Board's justification for not adjourning the EGM was that "some people who need to travel have already told [the Board] they will make arrangements to be there on Wednesday 26th." But how many people? The petition to adjourn the EGM currently stands at 70. Granted some of these might not be eligible to vote but I'm sure the majority can. I call on the Board to make up for their mistake by undertaking to support the adjournment of the EGM to a suitable weekend.
In response to the Board's email Michael Nugent made the following statement:
Now that the board agrees that the date is a mistake, it would be the easiest thing in the world for representatives of the board and the Cork and Galway Humanists to agree a new date, and for the board to send out a new notification asking people not to turn up on the original date, then have the required quorum of seven people to turn up in the hotel on the date (the room can be canceled beforehand) and formally adjourn the meeting to the new date that has been agreed.
There is no shame in making a mistake, and a lot of credit due for admitting a mistake has been made. Problems can be resolved when mistakes are rectified. Let's rectify this one by setting a new date and enabling us to focus on discussing the issues.
In response, Aaron Keohane, co-founder of the Cork Humanists, created an online petition calling on the board to support the adjournment of the EGM so that regional members could attend.
Ann James, Chairperson of the HAI then sent an email to the HAI membership in which she mentioned the board's decision to hold the EGM on the 26th. The content of that email can be found on this website here.
In response to the Board's email Aaron Keohane made the following statement:
The Board made a bad call even though they might not have intended to discriminate against regional members they have. The comments people have left after they have added their name to the petition clearly show that thereis no question over whether regional members feel they have been disrespected and excluded. However the Board state that this is not what they intended and have accordingly apologised. I accept both their explanation and their apology.
However, a recognition of wrong doing sounds hollow unless it is followed by a genuine effort to undo the harm which has been done. What I do not accept is that the Board can do nothing to make up for their mistake. In the email they state that the "[EGM] can be postponed... but it would seem counter-productive to meet on the 26th simply to agree to change the date." However, if the Board issued a public statement in which they committed to encourage members who attend on the 26th to adjourn the EGM, this would effectively mean that the board could then run a non-EGM. Granted it would be a waste of time, but at least a rescheduled EGM will not see so many regional members discriminated against.
Part of the Board's justification for not adjourning the EGM was that "some people who need to travel have already told [the Board] they will make arrangements to be there on Wednesday 26th." But how many people? The petition to adjourn the EGM currently stands at 70. Granted some of these might not be eligible to vote but I'm sure the majority can. I call on the Board to make up for their mistake by undertaking to support the adjournment of the EGM to a suitable weekend.
In response to the Board's email Michael Nugent made the following statement:
Now that the board agrees that the date is a mistake, it would be the easiest thing in the world for representatives of the board and the Cork and Galway Humanists to agree a new date, and for the board to send out a new notification asking people not to turn up on the original date, then have the required quorum of seven people to turn up in the hotel on the date (the room can be canceled beforehand) and formally adjourn the meeting to the new date that has been agreed.
There is no shame in making a mistake, and a lot of credit due for admitting a mistake has been made. Problems can be resolved when mistakes are rectified. Let's rectify this one by setting a new date and enabling us to focus on discussing the issues.