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 has me wondering again...why did we move down there in the first
place?

wrote

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.

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).

In article . com, cynic says...

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.

In article , Angelo DePalma says...

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

wrote

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.

In article .com,
says...

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.

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

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

wrote:
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

Randy Bauer was utterly shameless -- truly a low flying bird.

"Randy Bauer" 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