March Madness 2024: Credit Union Division Bracket - Center Court...

        

                                    ... Game on!

If you haven't noticed, college basketball has a few fans in North Carolina.  Three North Carolina teams will be competing today and Friday in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen! Everybody will be watching!

Who will win? That's easy, not a tough question at all. The winners will be our local beer distributors and Domino's Pizza. You knew that.

Basketball at this level is not a matter of luck. All the teams are highly skilled. Most of those 19 year old players have been practicing their craft since they were two years old. Coaches are seasoned, savvy, intense. Now's the time, this is what it is all about. Real life, no excuses, center court. Everybody will be watching.

So what will make the difference?  Why will one team prevail? Fate and fortune? Nah again, not that much! Most folks say it simply comes down to doing the right thing at the right time. Under pressure that is harder to do than it sounds, especially when everybody is watching.

Carolina fans lost a former 1993 National Championship player with the recent death of Eric Montross. In the obit, Mr. Montross was quoted as saying this about winning in basketball and life - something he said he learned from UNC head coach Dean Smith: "You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do the right thing."

Sounds familiar, sounds right. We've all heard: "Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching" ... and that leadership is doing the right thing, at the right time when everyone is watching.

   Well, everyone is watching; will be interesting to see how this "plays out"... who steps up, who fouls out.

Mr. Chairman, Just Do The Right Thing! It Really Isn't That Hard...

  ... Mark Twain 

"Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest." 

To: Chairman Jaime Applequist

The N.C. Credit Union Commission

March 27, 2024

Dear Chairman Applequist,

Hope that the email below from Ms. Ray to Representative Faircloth will confirm to you that the Credit Union Administrator is answerable to the citizens of North Carolina on her responsibilities under the law. The inquiry from Representative Faircloth was neither complaint nor appeal; Ms. Ray's response is not a legal opinion, nor is any other credit union involved. 

We ask that you use your legal authority and duty as Chairman to immediately resolve our inquiry to the Commission, which began over six months ago. Please ask the CU Administrator to provide you as Chairman with the answers to the following three questions - it really isn't that hard. Ms. Ray does know the answers, so should you and the entire Commission - so should we all:

1)  Is the NC Administrator of Credit Unions required by law to approve, monitor, and enforce compliance by state-chartered credit unions with bylaws?  Y/N

2)  May a NC state-chartered credit union adopt rules, policies, and procedures which effectively amend its bylaws without approval by the NC Administrator of Credit Unions ?   Y/N

3) Does the NC Administrator of Credit Unions permit NC credit unions to deny eligible, qualified members the right to seek self/membership nomination to serve on the credit union board?   Y/N

 

We hope you will step up as Chairman and convey those three simple answers now. Looking forward to your immediate, positive response, so that a continuing stream of future inquiries from our political community will not be necessary. Never wise to waste those folks time.

 

We all need to move on to more important issues, don't you think?

 

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jean and Jim Blaine

March 27, 2024

 

✅ From: Ray, Kristina W <kristina.ray@nccud.nc.gov>
Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2024 

To: Becky Bauerband (Legislative Assistant, Rep. John Faircloth)
Cc: Rep. John Faircloth (House Representative, District 62 - Guilford County)
Subject: RE:: N C Commerce Department - Credit Union Division

 Good morning, Ms. Bauerband,

Thank you for your email.  We have received similar questions. Our response is as follows:

Among other responsibilities, the North Carolina Credit Union Division (NCCUD) reviews North Carolina state-chartered credit unions’ bylaws for compliance with required information outlined in North Carolina laws, rules, and regulations. Each credit union’s bylaws contain procedures for requesting amendment approvals from the NCCUD Administrator. Additionally, some provisions within the standard form bylaws, which may be used by credit unions as guidance, allow for the credit union’s Board of Directors to adopt policies and procedures, as long as the membership is notified within a specified time frame before becoming effective. The Administrator approves or disapproves proposed bylaw amendments after a thorough review of the request.

If Representative Faircloth wishes to discuss my response further, I am available at (980) 892-1876.

Sincerely,

Kristina Ray

Administrator of Credit Unions

 

... way past ready to be "gratified and astonished", aren't you?