Commander Proposal

Good day to all CLA members.

As we all know our wonderful Commander smitsmit is handing over his badge and keys after a decade of leading our wonderful organisation. This, in itself, is a terrible loss to us, but he's staying on as a Senator, so we're not completely losing him. But I would like to be the first to say a massive thank you for everything he did for us over the last decade, the NightWatch would certainly be a poorer place without him. He will be very missed and was a true leader. Thank you so much, smitsmit.

That said, his retirement leaves open the post of Commander. During the last two years, Solanea has been provisional Commander, but there has been no vote to confirm it. I have been Captain provisionally. I now raise the question of who the CLA wants as the new Commander of the NightWatch.

Solanea or myself.

Both of us have been with the NightWatch for a number of years and achieved many things; each of us having contributed to the NightWatch in various ways.

So I propose a vote to one of the following options:

1. Aida as Commander, with Solanea as Captain
2. Solanea as Commander, with Aida as Captain.

The vote will run for 7 days to give as many CLA members as possible a chance to vote.

Thank you to all CLA members in advance for your cooperation, understanding and feedback on this matter.

I can easily say That Solanea has always been and will always be the best Co this paper has had Beside Smit. She is always there for you if needed, she has worked very hard and still will.

I vote for Solanea as Commander, with Aida as Captain.
I'will be mom body guard haha, I love you mother

I just realized that my ballot was misread. My apologies, but my vote was intended for Aida.

(Apparently mobile selected the wrong one even though it showed the right one)

Well,  this is a first!  Weʻve never had a tie vote in the ten year CLA history,   and likely nothing like this in the history of NightWatch.    Interesting.

I would like to have a closed door discussion with CLA members to discuss how to proceed from here. Once that is complete an update will be posted here.

I would like to begin by congratulating and thanking both participants for both their well earned promotions, as well as their patience in waiting on these results.

The positions of Captain, and Commander, are hard earned elected positions.  Both Aida and Solanea have done many great things to help the NightWatch over the years,  and both are deserving of their titles.  What is paramount going forward is cooperation and respect.  The Nightwatch simply cannot function without it!   As a good friend told me, "A good leader does not seek to lead, but rather to inspire".  This holds true in this situation, and applies throughout the NightWatch at all times.

After the end of this unique vote, which resulted in the first tie vote in CLA history, a panel of eight CLA members gathered and all have agreed that vote integrity is paramount in any situation,  but even more so in the NightWatch.

Driretlanish. While I do sympathize with your situation, just like in any election, once your ballot goes in the box, this cannot be undone.  Your vote will stand as it was cast.

Acer, while I understand you had noble intentions and were simply voting for whom you deemed best suited for the position, I'm afraid the fact that you signed up two days after the vote had already started, has been viewed as problematic by many.  I'm afraid your vote will have to be discounted from the final tally. I understand you did not know this beforehand, but again, it is a matter of vote integrity in the NightWatch, which must be preserved in order to maintain precedence in future votes.

This leads to a confirmation of Solanea as the fifth official commander of the NightWatch,  and Aida as its fifth official Captain.  Congratulations to you both!  I would like to thank both of you for your hard work over the years,  and I am happy to see you getting well deserved promotions.

In the fifteen years since the creation of the NightWatch,  we have had many ups and downs.  Iʻm sure there will continue to be more in the future.  As leaders we are only caretakers to a well known and long standing organization.  It is our jobs to inspire, and do the best we can in these positions, so we can continue to pass the torch as time goes on.

I wish you both the best in the future,  and still hope to work with you in the future from a seat in the CLA.  Congratulations, again!