11:23 Tue 13 Jun 2006 				REF:2PCAAER1

TO: 	Peter SYMONDS 		cc 	PRSLFC Management Committee 
	President 			Australian Sports Commission
	PITTWATER RSL FOOTBALL CLUB	Interested Bodies

Dear Peter

		RESPONSE EXPULSION NOTICE REASONS

Further to your registered letter dated 18 May 2006 collected Fri 01 Jun 2006 
I respond to the 9 items listed in you letter as reasons why I have been called 
before the Executive Committee "to inform you of its intention to expel you from 
the Club".

I believe that wording that may be more appropriate is "to inform you of the Committees
decision to INVITE you to explain your actions.  

If those actions are considered inappropriate the Executive Committee may recommend 
your expulsion from the Club".

I provided my service to a Voluntary Organisation that I would expect to have the
appropriate management processes in place for Sub-Junior, Junior and Senior Sport

On my understanding of the NSW Associations Incorporation Act and how it is implemented
by organisations like the State Chambers of Commerce the Executive Committee can 
discipline a member but can not expel a Voluntary member of the Committee.

The Executive can recommend that to an Extraordinary General Meeting [EGM] or Special
General meeting [SGM] that a person should be expelled for certain reasons but the
members have to make that decision.

The Law and the Process has been developed that way to protect members from 
vindictive Management Committees.

You have listed 9 reasons why the Executive Committee should recommend that I should
be expelled.

I have responded to each of those reasons after I have put the issue in context as to
why I have acted in the best Interest of the Sub-Junior & Junior members and their 
parents.

A	My Involvement with Pittwater RSL Football Club - 3 years
B	My experience with other Volunteer Organisations
C	Response to your reasons for expulsion

A	MY INVOLVEMENT WITH PRSLFC - 3 YEARS

2004
My son was enrolled in the U6 in 2004.  I did not attend the registration but I was told
it was a "bun fight" and the socks had run out.

After 2 or 3 weeks I attended a training session and the Team Manager wanted to step down.  

As nobody else was prepared to take over the position I took over as the Team Manager

There was not job description either in the folder or on the web-site.

Each week on away games we had difficulties with Player Parents not being able to find the
grounds in time and starting games short particularly if it was wet at Mona Vale.  

Some players would not turn up as the Player's Parents assumed the away games were off .

This caused problems with the Shirt Washing Roster.

Each week while completing the Match reports and Player reports I thought there was a far
better way to do this using the Internet.

2005
Over the summer 2005 after discussion with the Players parents the website was developed 
"Leadership Development & Responsibilities Practice"

The objectives of developing the web-site included:

1 	provide the ground venues for the parents

2 	record the game results to assist with the coaching

3 	help identify players who may be able to move onto the next levels of soccer

4 	assist with developing "Leadership Skills and Responsibility Practice" for the Players

During the winter of 2005 the players parents appreciated the maps, match reports and results

However I became very aware of the amount time it was consuming being a Coach and a Team Manager.

Hence in Sep 2005 I approached the Club with a proposal to provide a way for local Small 
Businesses to advertise on the PRSLFC Web-site to not only generate revenue for the Club but 
help generate revenue to the local Small Businesses.
Initial Discussion Document 10 Sep 2005

According to the Pittwater Council Management Plan for 2006 - 2011 97.7% of all enterprises 
in the Pittwater  were certified as Small Business (under 20 employees)  ref P8 Guiding Docs 

At the Executive Committee meeting on Wed 14 Sep 2005 it was agreed in principal that the Club 
would propose that the members consider the Joint Venture at the AGM.

At that meeting you (as President) outlined a need for the Club to appoint a paid Club 
Administrator to assist with developing Job Description.

We met on Sat 17 Sep to discuss to if I could assist with the Job Description issue.

You gave me the Apr 2004 documents sent to Cathy by Soccer NSW with a view of preparing a
timetable and proposal for the AGM on 09 Nov 2005.

I reviewed those documents over the next 6 weeks and prepared a timetable
to prepare the Job Descriptions over the Christmas break.

I probably spent over 40 hrs reviewing those documents, discussing the requirements with my
colleagues and preparing a Succession Plan as Lorna and Don were retiring at the end of the 
year and you said you would be leaving during the Year as you would be moving up to 
Queensland

Unfortunately the AGM on 16 Nov 2005 was attended by only 11 people.

4 of the Executive Committee voted against your proposal for me to prepare the Job
Descriptions.

However because the rest of the members wanted the Job Description and Succession Plan 
prepared the matter was carried that for 4 weeks I would prepare an outline of the 16 
Executive Committee Job Functions .

Right from the start on 26 Nov 2005 the Executive Committee has not assisted with the 
Job Descriptions.  

The Treasurer and the Secretary failed to respond to both the emails and the timetable 
prepared.

On 29 Dec 2005 you gave me a revised organisation chart with an Additional 22 positions
and we agreed to extend the project until 29 Jan 2006.

At all time I keep you and all of the Committee informed and up-to-date be e-mail

However during the project it took more time for me to collect the agreed expenses at 
$ 275.00 a week as the Club refused to pay by Electronic Banking.

And the Treasurer works for a major Bank !!!

B	PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WITH VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 

A	SPORT

a	1961-1968	Juniors
b	1970-1982	Seniors

Positions held:
1	Team Co-ordinator	8 years - helped develop club from 40 players to 140 players
2	Social Secretary 	7 years - Monthly functions - discos, quarterly events
3	1st team player  	8 years
4	Team Captain 		6 years
5	Overseas Tour Organiser 4 years
6	President 		4 years 

B	BUSINESS
a	Chamber of Commerce
b	Australian Small Business Association
c	UK Federation of Small Business
d	Adviser Electronic Event Management - UK Institution of Electrical Engineers
e	Consultant UK British Standards Institute [BSI] on Electronic Committee
	Information distribution 

C	RESPONSE TO YOUR ALLEGED BREACHES OF U8 DUTY 

RE: STEPHEN GOULD Under 8 Age Co-ordinator 2006

Behavior (sic) of the subject person

1 	Has failed in his duty as Under 8 Age Co-ordinator

The Under 8 Age Co-ordinator duties were never explained.  

In 2005 I sent an email to ask both Jim KOOPMAN and Lorna GALE what the duties were for the
U7 Age Co-ordinator.

Neither provided response - just Welcome as U8 Co-ordinator !

***30 JUN 2006 - HERE IS THE LINK TO THE E-MAILS RECEIVED

2	Response from Lorna GALE - 17 Aug 2005

1	Response from Jim KOOPMAN - 12 Aug 2005

These e-mails were retrieved on Fri 23 Jun 2006 and sent to the Management Committee
as part of the Appeal process 

*********

This was one of the reasons why I became involved in offering to define the Job
Descriptions as a joint venture ref Record meeting 11 Nov 2005

On 05 Mar 2006  I submit a report on what was involved as the U8 Age Co-ordinator trying 
to organise and confirm teams for the U8.

On 17 Mar 2006 the President sent me a copy of the U8 Age Co-ordinator Job Description 
which was not a Job Description.  

It was simply do what you are told by the or you will face "disciplinary action"

The duties of an Under 8 Age Co-ordinator are still being defined as I go along because 
there are new additions virtually every week 
	
2 Has refused to follow the requests of the Executive re emails

The Executive Committee unfortunately have set that example.  

The Executive Committee refused to respond to e-mails for information on the Job Descriptions
as agreed by the members at the AGM
 
After I volunteered to help the Club out by offering to do the Job Descriptions for nothing 
2 of the Executive would not respond to e-mails over 10 weeks with their job descriptions.

3 	Has used the Pittwater RSL FC Logo without the authority of the Executive

I emailed Brian GRAHAM as the webmaster in 2005 to ask if we could use the Club Logos as 
part of the web site to help me as a Team Manager and the U7 Crows to find their way to games.

***30 JUN 2006 - HERE IS THE LINK TO THE E-MAIL RECEIVED FROM BRIAN GRAHAM 06 APR 2005

1	Response from Brian GRAHAM Webmaster - 06 Apr 2005

I spoke with Brian and he agreed that the OIC could use the logos as part of
the web-site that had been developed for the U7 Crows for demonstration to
the Club
 
This e-mail was retrieved on Fri 23 Jun 2006 and sent to the Management Committee 
as part of the Appeal

*********

We had 3 new players in 2005 and they did not know the venues hence the Players Parents
agreed that we should use the Web site to help teach the players how to use the Internet 
and Responsibilities practice.

The website was also developed to help identify where the Club may be able to help with 
Coaching and Grading issues

Once this had been refined during the season I approached the Club with a Proposal for a 
Joint-venture in Sep 2005.

At that time neither Peter or anyone else has said do not use the Club Logos.

When I received the letter from people the sponsors logos were removed from the site
  
4 	Has used the Registered Trade Mark of the Club's sponsors and Logos of other
	Club sponsors without the authority of the Executive

I emailed Brian GRAHAM as the webmaster in 2005 to ask if we could use the Club Logos as
part of the web site to help me as a Team Manager and the U7 Crows to find their way to games.

***30 JUN 2006 - HERE IS THE LINK TO THE E-MAIL RECEIVED FROM BRIAN GRAHAM 06 APR 2005

1	Response from Brian GRAHAM Webmaster - 06 Apr 2005

I spoke with Brian and he agreed that the OIC could use the logos as part of
the web-site that had been developed for the U7 Crows for demonstration to
the Club
 
This e-mail was retrieved on Fri 23 Jun 2006 and sent to the Management Committee 
as part of the Appeal

*********

Once this had been refined during the season I approached the Club with a Proposal for a 
Joint-venture in Sep 2005.

The links have been provided in many e-mails to the Executive Committee

At that time neither Peter or anyone else has said do not use the Club Logos.

When I received the letter from the President on 01 Jun 2006 the sponsors logos were removed 
from the site

5 	Has wrongly informed members in relation to the distribution of gear when he has had
	full knowledge of the requirements and arrangements

This is not the case.  

In Dec 2005 I offered to help with a stock take of the gear particularly Socks because for 
the previous year the socks had run out during Registration

When I arrived to do the Stock Check I was asked to help Henry in sorting out the Team bags.

Lo and behold at Registration the Socks ran out again and U8 Parents were asking when they 
could collect the socks prior to the Season.

That is the 3rd year that the Socks have run out during Registration.

I have endeavoured to assist the Parents obtain Socks - even giving a set of my sons socks to 
someone so that they could play

6 	Has undermined the workings of the Committee and persons on the Committee of the 
	Pittwater RSL Football Club

That has not been the intention.

The Intention is to show that a Volunteer organisation can only grow and develop with 
effective communication and job descriptions.

An example was at the AGM when I volunteered to be the Sponsorship Officer and submitted 
a report to the Committee on how to increase Sponsorship.

That report was not included in the Committee Minutes and the President decided that the 
report was not to be recorded or discussed

Every suggestion at the Committee meetings has been derided

Eg

1	Monthly events for sub-juniors so that they could meet each other

2 	Welcome BBQ so new players could meet their new team

3 	Use of sms to inform parents when games have been cancelled.  

	An example was last Fri 09 Jun when I received a telephone call at 19:00 (7.00 pm) 
	from the Competition Secretary to say all games the next day were cancelled.

7 	Has continued with his electronic harassment of members of the Pittwater RSL Football 
	Club when requested to cease

Email is like junk mail it is not harrassment - you do not have to read it

However on certain issues I have a Duty to Inform and people have the Right to Ignore, Refute
or Accept

As I have said on a number of occasions the Australian Sports Commission has provided 
Guide-lines for Junior Sport which the Pittwater RSL Football Club has not even acknowledged.

As the Club has refused to acknowledge that the ASC has Guide-lines for Duty of Care I have
a responsibility to inform the Players Parents

8 	Has abused his position whilst associated with the Pittwater RSL Football Club be 
	emailing members of matters not associated with the Football Club, but with matters in
	his role as Public Officer for "Open Interchange Consortium"

Far from the that the opposite in affect.

Have tried to point out that the Club and the Committee is at risk because the Management
Committee are not full filling the basic Duty of Care requirements for sub-junior and junior
 Volunteers and may not be meeting the Fiduciary requirements of the Association 
Incorporation Act

In matters that concern the welfare of the sub-juniors and the juniors I have a Duty of 
Inform and they have the Right to Ignore, Refute or Act on the information provided.

However sometimes emails may have been sent in my capacity as the Public Officer of the
Open Interchange Consortium because I have been in the wrong profile to respond to an e-mail 
or when sending an e-mail. 

9 	His Agenda is not that of the Under 8 Age Co-ordinator of the Pittwater RSL Football
	Club

My Agenda is fully for the welfare of the U8 in ensuring they receive appropriate Coaching,
Support and Duty of Care as defined by the Australian Sports Commission as neither the
Football Federation of Australia, Soccer NSW or the Manly Warringah Football Association have
provided any information of the Duty of Care issues for Sub-Juniors


Stephen GOULD
U8 Age Co-ordinator
Pittwater RSL Football Club Inc

Revised: S: 21:29 Sun 26/11/2000 Syd 2089
F: 22:52 Sun 26/11/2000 Syd 2089
Who: lsx
Authorised: sgg
Created: 09:45 Tue 19/09/2000 Syd 2089
By: sgg
Revision: 3a4.002
Original Page: 3a4
Change date:
Who:
Authorised: