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New Hockey of Eastern Ontario (HEO) Fees - Impact on Southend and what the Executive is trying to do
2014-02-18important information concerning new fees being imposed on us....
Good morning all,
Over the past 3 months, Associations in our District (House League and Competitive) have been working together to obtain information from Hockey Eeastern Ontario (HEO - our local governing body) about a new fee structure that drmatically raises their fees and what we pay per player. Below is a letter outling the issues at hand as well as a letter that you can send to Hockey Canada and HEO asking for changes and discussions about said issues.
the story has been picked up by CTV and CBC so if you feel strongly about the issue, please send the letter along.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/hockey-eastern-ontario-running-deficit-wants-to-raise-fees-1.2540878
Fabio
To Parents within Eastern Ontario,
On November 21st, 2013 the presidents of all associations within Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) boundaries were summoned to a meeting. HEO, previously known as ODHA, is the governing body of amateur hockey in our region and the sanctioned governing body for this area by Hockey Canada. HEO employs 5 fulltime people and is governed by a board of directors of approximately 20.
At this meeting associations were told that HEO, facing a large self-imposed deficit, intended to raise the fees they charge each association it governs from $3.60 to $17.00 per player, effective the 2014-15 season. The main reasons given for the increase were:
the need to fund their deficit and
the need to finance an upcoming move of HEO’s offices to a new location (a move planned by HEO despite knowing they had been in a deficit financing position for the past three years).
When questioned if at least the “move portion” of the increase would be then removed for following years (since the move would be over and paid for) HEO’s answer was no, the fees wouldn’t be reduced in future years. Request for past accounting of how the HEO deficit was allowed to develop, and for a five-year prospective budget showing how HEO intended to spend this significant increase in fees were rebuffed.
HEO simply refuses to consider any arrangements to lessen the negative impacts of this 300% increase in their fee. When asked if they were going to provide any new or additional services to justify maintaining the “move portion,” again there was no justification, details or prospective budgeting information as to how they would be spending these extra revenues. Indeed all requests for any spending details have been essentially ignored.
On January 20th 2014, the HEO Finance committee voted to approve a slightly reduced increase (to $14 per player) again without providing any explanation or employing any of the proposed mitigating actions and no justification as to why the one-time “office move” expenses would be continuously recovered in future year’s fees without any additional provision of service or identified costs or proposed budget for their use.
It is simply impossible to justify this increase, especially based on the services currently received from HEO, and the poor fiscal governance they have demonstrated. The associations feel that this increase is too high, unwarranted and HEO’s governance and fiscal prudence is quite frankly absurd. We are providing the original HEO presentation regarding the increase for your review and believe you will agree that there are major inconsistencies with HEO’s accounting and financial governance.
Unfortunately we are currently powerless to vote down this increase at the upcoming HEO Annual General Meeting this spring due to the voting structure of HEO that, in effect, prevents those associations that represent the majority of minor hockey players under HEO’s governance from having any effective influence over HEO’s actions. HEO is well aware this fact and indeed is relying on it so that that they need not consider or respond to the objections of the majority.
Under HEO’s voting rules every association has just one vote per every 500 players they have registered. But every junior competitive team gets between one and five votes per team (20-25 players). Therefore the junior competitive teams have a falsely created voting majority in the HEO governance structure.
Basically this allows 20% of the HEO player base to make and push through decisions despite any objections from the 80% majority. This structure has long been a source of frustration for the majority, it has been used to keep the majority opinion at bay in the past, and it’s being used to do so again on this important matter.
The time has come for the skewed HEO governance structure, and resulting lack of accountability in its financial actions and customer interactions to change.
How can this be done?
Ultimately HEO is funded by you, the hockey parents and players in our region, but HEO is really only accountable to Hockey Canada. So the associations are asking you to let Hockey Canada and HEO know how you feel about this fee increase and ask for change by sending the attached letter to the identified Hockey Canada representative.
As associations we need to fight this increase and demand that HEO become accountable and answerable to the majority. Hockey is already a costly sport and increasing these fees will add an incredible financial strain to associations that they will be forced to pass on to its members. Should you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact your association president.
Letter to Send:
Hockey Canada
skelly@hockeycanada.ca
Open Letter to Hockey Canada
Re: Operation and governance shortcomings at Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO)
To whom it may concern,
As a member of good standing with Hockey Canada I request that Hockey Canada do the following in order to ensure minor hockey is kept affordable without compromising safety and to ensure there are checks and balances in place:
Over the past 3 months, Associations in our District (House League and Competitive) have been working together to obtain information from Hockey Eeastern Ontario (HEO - our local governing body) about a new fee structure that drmatically raises their fees and what we pay per player. Below is a letter outling the issues at hand as well as a letter that you can send to Hockey Canada and HEO asking for changes and discussions about said issues.
the story has been picked up by CTV and CBC so if you feel strongly about the issue, please send the letter along.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/hockey-eastern-ontario-running-deficit-wants-to-raise-fees-1.2540878
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Hockey+groups+drop+gloves+over+proposed+hike/9517465/story.html
Fabio
To Parents within Eastern Ontario,
On November 21st, 2013 the presidents of all associations within Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) boundaries were summoned to a meeting. HEO, previously known as ODHA, is the governing body of amateur hockey in our region and the sanctioned governing body for this area by Hockey Canada. HEO employs 5 fulltime people and is governed by a board of directors of approximately 20.
At this meeting associations were told that HEO, facing a large self-imposed deficit, intended to raise the fees they charge each association it governs from $3.60 to $17.00 per player, effective the 2014-15 season. The main reasons given for the increase were:
the need to fund their deficit and
the need to finance an upcoming move of HEO’s offices to a new location (a move planned by HEO despite knowing they had been in a deficit financing position for the past three years).
When questioned if at least the “move portion” of the increase would be then removed for following years (since the move would be over and paid for) HEO’s answer was no, the fees wouldn’t be reduced in future years. Request for past accounting of how the HEO deficit was allowed to develop, and for a five-year prospective budget showing how HEO intended to spend this significant increase in fees were rebuffed.
HEO simply refuses to consider any arrangements to lessen the negative impacts of this 300% increase in their fee. When asked if they were going to provide any new or additional services to justify maintaining the “move portion,” again there was no justification, details or prospective budgeting information as to how they would be spending these extra revenues. Indeed all requests for any spending details have been essentially ignored.
On January 20th 2014, the HEO Finance committee voted to approve a slightly reduced increase (to $14 per player) again without providing any explanation or employing any of the proposed mitigating actions and no justification as to why the one-time “office move” expenses would be continuously recovered in future year’s fees without any additional provision of service or identified costs or proposed budget for their use.
It is simply impossible to justify this increase, especially based on the services currently received from HEO, and the poor fiscal governance they have demonstrated. The associations feel that this increase is too high, unwarranted and HEO’s governance and fiscal prudence is quite frankly absurd. We are providing the original HEO presentation regarding the increase for your review and believe you will agree that there are major inconsistencies with HEO’s accounting and financial governance.
Unfortunately we are currently powerless to vote down this increase at the upcoming HEO Annual General Meeting this spring due to the voting structure of HEO that, in effect, prevents those associations that represent the majority of minor hockey players under HEO’s governance from having any effective influence over HEO’s actions. HEO is well aware this fact and indeed is relying on it so that that they need not consider or respond to the objections of the majority.
Under HEO’s voting rules every association has just one vote per every 500 players they have registered. But every junior competitive team gets between one and five votes per team (20-25 players). Therefore the junior competitive teams have a falsely created voting majority in the HEO governance structure.
Basically this allows 20% of the HEO player base to make and push through decisions despite any objections from the 80% majority. This structure has long been a source of frustration for the majority, it has been used to keep the majority opinion at bay in the past, and it’s being used to do so again on this important matter.
The time has come for the skewed HEO governance structure, and resulting lack of accountability in its financial actions and customer interactions to change.
How can this be done?
Ultimately HEO is funded by you, the hockey parents and players in our region, but HEO is really only accountable to Hockey Canada. So the associations are asking you to let Hockey Canada and HEO know how you feel about this fee increase and ask for change by sending the attached letter to the identified Hockey Canada representative.
As associations we need to fight this increase and demand that HEO become accountable and answerable to the majority. Hockey is already a costly sport and increasing these fees will add an incredible financial strain to associations that they will be forced to pass on to its members. Should you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact your association president.
Letter to Send:
| Please forward your e-mails to: Ron Thompson, President president@hockeyeasternontario.ca |
|
skelly@hockeycanada.ca
Open Letter to Hockey Canada
Re: Operation and governance shortcomings at Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO)
To whom it may concern,
As a member of good standing with Hockey Canada I request that Hockey Canada do the following in order to ensure minor hockey is kept affordable without compromising safety and to ensure there are checks and balances in place:
- Stop HEO from being allowed to increase the fees without further investigation
- Review and investigate accounting practices of HEO
- Provide detailed proof of past audits
- Require HEO to provide details of what benefits the associations will receive for the increase.
- Require HEO to justify why the entire hike in fees is to remain in place for future years.
- Require HEO to change its member voting structure to a “one player one vote”
- Declare a non-confidence motion with regard to the HEO Board and have a new board elected under a “one player one vote” equal voting structure.
- Examine the hierarchy and eliminate the imposition of operating conditions and unnecessary fees on associations without consultations
- Require improvements and more transparency within the HEO structure
- Meet with association presidents that are governed by HEO to discuss the above and work with them towards an equitable solution.