Good to see a lot of people putting themselves forward for positions on the Trust board. Some well known and well respected new (and returning) names in there, there’s clearly an appetite to work with the new owners so fair play.


Candidate statements here - http://www.marinerstrust.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Mariners-Trust-Election-Candidates-and-Statements3273.pdf


Polls now open for all paid up members - https://forum.thefishy.co.uk/Blah.pl?m-1614027905/s-new/

New members eligible to vote as long as you join up before 28th Feb (this Sunday coming).

I’d imagine the new ownership of the club and the opportunity to overhaul many a thing related to GTFC has appealed to the candidates.

Always good to have variety and choice and whilst there’s a couple on the list I’ve not heard of or seen before, the list is well stocked with well read and forward thinking folk who care about GTFC and the supporters...

Get rid of Rutter and things will improve. Read his 900 words of waffle.

I am no expert on boards, but when we have 8 genuine looking people who want to be on the board and give time and effort for the benefit of our beloved club, why is the board limited to 6?  :-/

As I understand it Mr Rutter gave an interview to the Daily Mail saying that we should give May a chance. I can’t think of a better reason not to vote for him.

The rules that we work to have a maximum board size of 12 with 3 additional place co-opted during a year before standing for election at the next AGM.  Currently there are 9 board members and 1 co-opt, with 3 up for re-election along with the co-opt.  

There is no reason why anybody can't get involved with the trust and help without a board place.  It's actively encouraged in fact.

Quoted from Mallyner

I am no expert on boards, but when we have 8 genuine looking people who want to be on the board and give time and effort for the benefit of our beloved club, why is the board limited to 6?  :-/

Quoted from Kristine

The rules that we work to have a maximum board size of 12 with 3 additional place co-opted during a year before standing for election at the next AGM.  Currently there are 9 board members and 1 co-opt, with 3 up for re-election along with the co-opt.  

There is no reason why anybody can't get involved with the trust and help without a board place.  It's actively encouraged in fact.

Thank you for explaining that Kristine; and I know what I need to know now.  :)

Quoted from realist

Get rid of Rutter and things will improve. Read his 900 words of waffle.

Harsh that. Alan Rutter has worked incredibly hard for the club. He's a good bloke and doesn't deserve your words IMO.

so you could elect 6 and co-opt the other2?

In theory you could but in reality you wouldn’t look to co-opt somebody straight onto a board after they had just been unsuccessful in a contested election.  It looks like it’s undermining the whole voting process.

That’s not with this situation in mind but any where there is an election taking place.

A real strong and varied candidate field this year for sure.

Quoted from fishboyUTM

Harsh that. Alan Rutter has worked incredibly hard for the club. He's a good bloke and doesn't deserve your words IMO.

I'm sure he has worked incredibly hard for the current regime. Phrases at Fans Forums like 'keyboard warriors' spring to mind.

People forget that Board (Committee) members call them what you like in these type of organisations give their time up freely for the betterment of others. Those I was involved with when was on such committee's had supporters and vocal non supporters.

Any Board are not going to please all their members all of the time but as long as they can please most of the members most of the time then they will be doing a good job. If members disagree attend  meetings, live or virtual, and make your feelings know in writing.

At elections times if you disagree with the current Board get nominate and await the election. If you're voted in you can start to express your views for improvement. If you lose then your views are not popular so accept the fact.

I do not know any members of the Board or those nominated for election. Neither am I a member of the Trust, I will join when Fenty's reign officially ends. What I do not like is people sniping at people who have been nominated for elections. If you don't like them great I don't mind, but give your reasons.

I'll vote for any of the candidates who pledge to organise an online voting platform for future elections. Getting members to edit a word document and then email or post it in is very 2004.

Quoted from Chrisblor

I'll vote for any of the candidates who pledge to organise an online voting platform for future elections. Getting members to edit a word document and then email or post it in is very 2004.

Jesus, Chris - give them a break. There's another little thread on this from last night, on which i commented that they seem to have upped their game in the last couple of months.They've also already taken on board some of the suggestions that was made in the long Trust thread last week.

Quoted from realist

Get rid of Rutter and things will improve. Read his 900 words of waffle.

Read Rutter's statement, he seems to reel off the good things that the Trust as a whole has achieved rather his individual contributions (as you would expect when said individual is putting themselves forward for election).Talk about taking credit for other peoples work!

Agree with what people have said about Rutter. Think the trusts communication with the fans has gone backwards since he has been involved and I haven’t liked the way he has used his own view points to defend the current regime instead of highlighting the majority of the fans problems with the board.

Over 900 words when all the others used around 400-500. I got bored reading it...some definite self adulation in it me thinks...

Duly noted and something we’ve already discussed. As mentioned previously this is the first time it’s been contested, and with other policy work done recently, it’s taken a lot of time but we are looking at ways to make things better.

We have to balance the ease of credible votes (1 per member/actual members) against the volume that an online platform will give us.  Sure there’s an answer; I just ran out of time for this AGM.

Quoted from Chrisblor

I'll vote for any of the candidates who pledge to organise an online voting platform for future elections. Getting members to edit a word document and then email or post it in is very 2004.

Quoted from aldi_01

Over 900 words when all the others used around 400-500. I got bored reading it...some definite self adulation in it me thinks...

Perhaps a short video for each so we can put faces to statements would also be good, it’s not as if the technology is not there to support this, they are to a large extent names on a list saying similar stuff. I am sure I would recognise a few if they are Town regulars

Edit:- apologies I thought I was replying to Kristine

We might look at photos next time. Think a video would unconsciously exclude people. I wouldn’t want to do one for instance, so likely others that would want to stand but wouldn’t do a video.

Quoted from codcheeky

Perhaps a short video for each so we can put faces to statements would also be good, it’s not as if the technology is not there to support this, they are to a large extent names on a list saying similar stuff. I am sure I would recognise a few if they are Town regulars

Edit:- apologies I thought I was replying to Kristine

Quoted from 1739

Agree with what people have said about Rutter. Think the trusts communication with the fans has gone backwards since he has been involved and I haven’t liked the way he has used his own view points to defend the current regime instead of highlighting the majority of the fans problems with the board.

so what your saying is that he isnt entitled to his own opinion, and that he should bow to the views of others?  

Quoted from Boris Johnson

so what your saying is that he isnt entitled to his own opinion, and that he should bow to the views of others?  

He is entitled to his own opinion but he shouldn’t use the trust as a platform to elevate it as he is there to represent the trust members and the position is not there for Mr Rutter to sort out his own problems. So effectively yes he should bow down to what the majority of trust members want when that’s what he is elected to do. Others may think different but I personally don’t think the trust has been a very good voice for its members over the past couple of years whilst he has been chairman which is a shame after all the good work they did during the non league years.

Quoted from Boris Johnson

so what your saying is that he isnt entitled to his own opinion, and that he should bow to the views of others?  

It’s called the Mariners Trust, not the Alan Ritter trust. Have an opinion by all means but the platform he was provided wasn’t designed or created for him to simply use at his will to peddle personal opinions...

Rutter must be in a good mood today his team won last night , in other news my team also won last night👍

How come the nominees are always the same old faces ?

Quoted from It Bites

How come the nominees are always the same old faces ?

Any member could have nominated themselves. To genuinely effect change requires a lot of time which many people don't have.

People also like to complain but not do anything about it themselves.

Contested elections mean the members can actually help shape the future of the Trust . Progress has been made the last couple of months. I haven't voted or read the statements yet but seen a few people say it's not ideal. Kristine has already acknowledged that and said she ran out of time. Fair comment, Rome wasn't built in a day. It's been acknowledged so hopefully we will see a better system in place next time if it's required.

Lets be positive here. Weve got a contested election for the first time, which shows weve got an increase in interest  ,and its not THAT difficult to vote, so all of you complaining about Rutter know what to do!
Hopefully the Trust will also have had a few new members from the increased activity

Lost interest once i saw the name Chris Parker

And yet, here you are. Again.

Why when accessing the Trust's website are some pages coming up as "not secure" ?

Quoted from Boris Johnson

Lost interest once i saw the name Chris Parker

I would Hazard a guess you weren't the only one

And I’d hazard a guess there’s plenty more who will appreciate Chris Parker’s input rather than two trolls on a message board forget m who hide behind pseudonyms and offer nothing.

Quoted from marinerjase

two trolls on a message board

Wouldn't surprise me if they were both the same person.

A troll for having an opinion ehh . Nice

If Chris Parker’s name being on that list is a reason to disengage then you may as well just give up even supporting the club.

The only name on that list that should concern folk is Rutter’s...

If there's a bloke's name on the list you don't like, maybe vote for someone else?

There are some sick puppies in this board. Getting their joy out of making stupid provocative comments. What sort of a sad, unfulfilled life must they lead? Plankton must lead more fulfilling lives than those two.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

There are some sick puppies in this board. Getting their joy out of making stupid provocative comments. What sort of a sad, unfulfilled life must they lead? Plankton must lead more fulfilling lives than those two.

Joy ? Plankton ? sick puppy ? Stupid comments ? It's called having an opinion . It's ok to slag Fenty et al off to the hilt but your not allowed an opinion on this board are you . It's pathetic .

Even the name shouts ‘Troll’. Actually ‘sick puppy’ in this case is an insult to dogs.

PS it actually concluded I was talking about it. Guilty conscience.

An opinion is not necessarily a FACT . So let people have one or intercourse off to North Korea

Quoted from It Bites

An opinion is not necessarily a FACT . So let people have one or intercourse off to North Korea

I’m all for having opinions. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have an opinion. Be my guest.

My opinion of you and the other one is that you’re trolls who must have sad little lives.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

I’m all for having opinions. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have an opinion. Be my guest.

My opinion of you and the other one is that you’re trolls who must have sad little lives.

That's a poor argument isn't it .

Well I for one agree with some of the comments suggesting the Trust have upped their (Communication) game.  Sure, an online system of voting might be better, but how long does it take to fill in a word document, save, and mail it?

Quoted from It Bites

That's a poor argument isn't it .

I thought it was pretty apt. You accused me of trying to stop you giving your opinion. I said I’m happy for you to give your opinion. Then gave mine. Fair enough I’d have thought.

I assumed you had the intelligence to understand that. I didn’t want to patronise your intelligence. I thought you lead a sad, unfulfilled life, but I didn’t think you were stupid too. ‘Didn’t’ being the operative word.

Your Sunday reminder that proxy and voting forms are due in by 3pm this Thursday.

The AGM is also this Thursday, 4th March 6:30pm via zoom.

Both are for members only - AGM access request to membership@marinerstrust.co.uk

New members welcome - https://membermojo.co.uk/marinerstrust/joinus

#GTFC

Bump.  

Pleased that there is a contested election, just a shame that it means that 2 of the  8 standing wont get to be on the board.

But that's democracy.

I hope that elections encourage fishy posters to join and to vote.


8)

Finally got around to voting. Two days left.