District 2. Is anybody minding the Store?

[edgeless2]

Hl4me,

I too am a volunteer that puts in plenty of time in support of youth hockey. Your assumption that the members of this forum are mis- or un-informed is simply not necessarily the truth. And if it is a joke, then why are you wasting your time.

Your comparison argument carries absolutely no merit. You are comparing mistakes to intentional theft, hardly similar. Yet, this D2 regime has been known to be extremely punitive and harsh in its judgments against others for mistakes. As such, sympathy for their plight is going to be difficult to come by. How can you honestly defend those who have not held themselves to the same standards they have repeatedly held others to?

An audit process should have been instituted long ago by the leadership elected to oversee the best interests of its membership. Such action has been urged by others but overlooked. What is interesting is the offender was a personal friend of the president, making a decision to not institute an audit even more suspicious. The leadership which enabled the situation in which the ability to commit such a crime with relative ease and go undetected for the amount of time it did, need also be held accountable with consequences.

To address your points:
1. Our association rep reported to our board that treasurer reports were rarely if ever given or voted on, and he rarely even attended meetings. So what is the truth? We may never know but it is certainly our duty to ask. It is simply naive to trust everything you read or find on the web.
2. Audits were urged by MNH and others, just not instituted by the leadership as I understand. Why?
3. Perhaps the nature of the leadership asking for the help is what prevents others from wanting to get involved and be associated with the organization. I know first hand this to be true for many. Are you sure anyone really wants to be associated with those in charge? Sure doesn't seem so.

I believe that many on this forum as well as others will be present at the next meeting to ask these and other questions.

Finally, don't apologize for having an opinion, but do apologize for sticking your head in the sand and ineffectively arguing a point in support of the poor leadership which has facilitated a situation of susceptibility to criminal behavior which has been attempted to be excused under the guise of volunteerism.

You should be done with this.

Ding Ding!

[Ugottobekiddingme]

And finally, I don’t owe anyone an apology for sharing my opinion any more than you do. It’s my perspective and just because you don’t agree, doesn’t mean your right. I’ve seen people pay more money in one season to get out of concession stand duties than what the families in D2 lost cumulatively in all 7 years to this deal. Do the math. I'm done with this.[/quote]

This would be the second worst post entered into this site. I'm going to do the "math" as suggested on my trusty TI-35 Texas Instruments super computer. $380K of venue coming in from bad volunteers avoiding concession stand duty equals $380K towards individual associations surplus. $380K of money withdrawn (sounds better than stealing) equals $380K of money taken away from all association within D2. No need for the apology because the net sum is zero.

[InigoMontoya]

Sadly no matter what, this has a good chance of happening again when people either get lax in their duties or their friends are all in positions of power and you blindly trust them.

Isn't this the foundation on which MH and the district system have been run for years?

[YouthHockeyDad]

Not from D2, and am just catching up on this conversation in some free time. It interests me because I serve on other non-profit Boards, and understand the fiduciary duty I have to those organizations. Suffice it to say, the volunteers in charge in this situation ALL have a duty to ensure this type of malfeasance doesn't happen. The fact that little attention was paid to the Treasurer's reports......or that they were rarely provided.......and that there was not an audit process in place at least every other year is worrisome.

I understand that all involved were volunteers, but that doesn't absolve one of a fiduciary responsibility in the eyes of the law. However, there are stipulations in the code of conduct for non-profit directors that allow for reliance on statements provided by a professional (below).

Bottom line (and this doesn't bode well for volunteer numbers), allowing oneself to be a volunteer Director on any non-profit comes with risk and responsibility. Be sure you have the time, inclination, and capacity to do the job well. This is not an indictment of anyone in this situation, as I don't know any of you. Just a 3rd party sharing some info to add to the overall conversation.

Here is the language in the MN statute for the duties of a non-profit director:

317A.251 STANDARD OF CONDUCT.
A director shall discharge the duties of the position of director in good faith, in a manner the director reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation, and with the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances. A person who so performs those duties is not liable by reason of being or having been a director of the corporation.

Subd. 2.Reliance.

(a) A director is entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by:

(1) one or more officers or employees of the corporation whom the director reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;

(2) counsel, public accountants, or other persons as to matters that the director reasonably believes are within the person's professional or expert competence; or

(3) a committee of the board upon which the director does not serve, duly established under section 317A.241, as to matters within its designated authority, if the director reasonably believes the committee to merit confidence.

[old goalie85]

Anything new ??? Did they get the $$ back yet ???

[Ugottobekiddingme]

Maybe a shout out to TS at YHH with the latest and greatest info is in order here. At a recent event in Stillwater I had to fork out $22.50 for a red hot and serve myself because many bad volunteers opted for the non-concession stand duty payment. Someone knows the details and not much offered for information within D2...anyone?