** Former Chairman of LSK, Heidi Scheie, has responded to this background paper written by Romerikes Blad sports director Morten Svesengen. Scheie commenting article point by point. The post you can read here: tendentiously and falsely about LSK Board
BACKGROUND Morten Svesengen, sports manager
Most communicated from LSKs highest body to the public in recent months has been either neutral releases or statements from the club now retired chairman.
All the other board members have been silent. Instead of going in discussion with the chairman of the media, they have chosen “no comment.”
RB sport know that it has been anything but calm within the walls at its meetings lately. Where there has been a struggle for the club’s future and the way forward.
Yet none of the other directors wanted to come with his version when Chairman Scheie on several occasions has agreed to be interviewed about how she experiences the economic situation in LSK.
There is a version of reality in which neither LSK majority of the Board or the staff of the club’s management parts.
When the majority of the Board has chosen to sit quietly and not answer questions, so it’s about that they wanted peace around LSK that the club should be able to look forward.
The truth is that since the summer and especially in the fall, has been a huge disagreement internally LSK Board on the way forward. In addition, finance group as chairman relied on (also called DD-group) and other key LSK people affected board from each side.
Where chairman talked about large debts, sales of LSK hall and other properties, it has gradually become a clear majority on the board to look at other solutions. Scheie in turn have meant that sales are only resort to salvage club economy.
Gradually were very few directors and none in LSK administration involved in the process of finding a solution with Skedsmo municipality. RB sport know that both present and former directors in the process have felt that they have been accused of hiding things.
Although signals from Skedsmo municipality became clear that a purchase of the LSK hall was not relevant, did not want the chairman to change strategy. It created concern in the board as a whole. They feared that standing leg hard on sale would make it difficult to come to a solution with Skedsmo municipality. Without an agreement with the municipality, would neither bank or other lenders discuss installments on loans to Arasen Property A / S and LSK in 2015.
At worst, such a strategy ended in bankruptcy court for LSK already before the New Year.
It was therefore the majority of LSK Board at the Board meeting on 18 November deprived Heidi Scheie responsibility to work with hall case she had spent almost all his time in recent months.
In a memo from LSK Board after the meeting on November 18 where it was requested that especially Rome Blad should access it, it says among other things:
The Board has received clear signals from the municipality that it has received divergent messages from different quarters of the club, and that the internal disagreements and unrest has come out clearly for the municipality. This has weakened the possibility of finding a solution. The Board has asked the CEO Anita Bjerke to lead this effort – with assistance from some other designated persons. The Board will ask Per Berg as director of Arasen Property to participate in the work, and it is contemplated that one of the members of the Club participate. Board appreciates that so many volunteers have participated with enthusiasm and fervor in formal and informal channels, but it is essential that the club forward acting with one message. Board requesting that the designated team gets control the further process alone. The club is dependent on finding a solution with the municipality, and we still strongly believe that it should be done.
The following week passed the chairmanship to provide recreational sports in LSK 2.1 million in annual funding for three years. Majority of the board sees it as a positive decision for LSK.
In message board embarked on the club’s website after the board meeting, stated that Scheie had informed the Board that she would not stand for reelection as chairman in February, but that the Board until further would work as before. There was also general manager Anita Bjerke should lead efforts for the club in the important matter of finding a solution for the LSK hall.
RB port stated on November 19, on the basis of the Board’s message, that Scheie was deprived task to lead this work. Then I felt the chairman is necessary to go out to RB to tell that everything was as before.
plan to control the majority was, as we know, to let it be with this castling and let Scheie continue on the Board to the AGM in February. But that view changed after the chairman chose to go to RB with what they perceived as erroneous information.
Wednesday 3 December, the Chairman convened a joint meeting where the Board of LSK, Board of Arasen Property and club control committee was collected at the end of the meeting was only LSK Board present and there gave majority from what we know Scheie a deadline to resign as chairman. The alternative to that she should resign, was that the majority would convene an extraordinary meeting just before Christmas to remove the chairman.
On the afternoon of Friday, 5 December came the press release from LSK Board that Scheie had resigned as chairman. She has not wanted to give any further comments to Rome Blad. But in an interview with VG on the evening of Friday December 5th she pretended to be interviewed and explained including his retirement as follows:
– There is a need for major changes in the team. It’s something I’ve worked with for years, and it is still necessary. But there must be limits to implement it, and it is not present.
Last month drew both Anja Snedsbøl and Ronny Blomseth from their posts LSK Board. Asked by VG that “it sounds dramatic when three directors retires?”, She answers the following:
– Yes, it is of course unfortunate. There is nothing else to say about it.
Scheie was informed that the two other members are withdrew for other reasons, and that their departure has nothing to do with her. But so her response is reproduced in the VG interview she chose not to emphasize it.
Facing RB sport confirms Snedsbøl and Blomseth that they withdrew from their duties because of changes in their jobs, which meant less time to work in LSK Board. Their decision, according to the two former directors do something Scheies retirement to do.
Cut process in LSK has been both long and painful. It is the consequence of that Arasen club for several years has spent far more money than it should, and that large financial hole has been plugged by borrowing money LSK strictly should not borrowed.
For several years chose LSK Board to cover deficits in a different way than they should, but this did not happen without sitting board knew what they did. Therefore, many employees, current and former directors reacted with amazement as the retired chairman and her finance group believe they have found “hidden bills in locked cabinets” in their pursuit of financial overview at Åråsen.
In their eyes they came up with figures which were known before, and figures such as finance group could easily obtained by asking the economically responsible in the club administration. It was perceived as suspicion of both employees and early LSK controls that economics group did the job on their own, and in a way wasted important time.
Former regime Arasen has rightly been criticized for some of the choices made when it comes to finances. But fair’s fair. It was actually the previous board that started downsizing in LSK administration when two employees were dismissed and three FTEs cut already 31 January.
Scheie and her new board came up job from day one, and in May adopted a unanimous board to conduct an even greater downsizing so that administration total was cut from 14 to six years. It was an absolutely necessary cut process to create a sustainable economy in 2015 as LSK Board under Scheies management conducted.
Until then also stood Board LSK quite collected on important decisions. But in the summer and especially autumn was cooperative climate deteriorated. The disagreement on the way forward became so great that frustration spread in both parts of the Board and management.
Chairman Scheie was together with his supporters in economics group outside board keen to sell parts of LSKs property portfolio to get rid of debt. A large majority of the board has gradually seen opportunities to rectify LSK economy without selling the family silver.
The majority of the Board believes that the situation in LSK looks much brighter than the chairman Scheie have expressed.
The willingness to bow to the majority board was ultimately what led to the others in the LSK Board felt obliged to compel the Chairman’s departure. On the way they wanted to create calm around the club and to give the club’s management and sporting apparatus work undisturbed.
See Behind Measure LSKs Simon Mesfin talks about 2015 season:
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