President's Statement January 20, 1983 2. come up and can be fitted into his business routime. The Chairman and I will devote more attention than we have in the past to developing the Corporation's relationships here in Washington, but will do so as part of the coordinated program under which all of us will be operating. In that regard, I intend to make sure that all of us in the My intention is to propose for your consideration establishment of a Synthetic Fuels Information Clearinghouse that will identify this Corporation as the national focal point for information on synthetic fuels. Together with coordination of the Corporation's existing information activities and the existing activities that deal with various of our constituencies, the Clearinghouse would complete the spectrum for informational support in a comprehensive external communications program. Moreover, unlike our existing information programs, which are reactive, the Clearinghouse would be an active, initiative-taking information facility. I also have available for you a summary of the scope of the functions of the Clearinghouse, which is to be staffed by existing personnel. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS The communications program under development also addresses improvements I intend Jimmie to require in the Corporation's internal information flow. I am currently reviewing options for an accountability system which will coordinate, facilitate, and enhance the quality and effectiveness of our internal communications so that Corporation staff may be able to respond more efficiently to the policies, plans, and programs established by the Board. Such is the overview, if you will, of what's now under development for the improvement of our communications. I am prepared to discuss any of those areas in more detail if you wish. SYNTHETIC FUELS INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE Outline of Functions The United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation is reviewing the establishment of the Synthetic Fuels Information Clearinghouse, comprising program: and activities intended to: (1) Identify the U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation as the national focal point for technical information on synthetic fuels by fostering an understanding of the mission and programs of the U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation and the synthetic fuels industry. (2) Serve, as primary users, the various external constituencies of the Corporation by providing, or facilitating access to, reliable information on synthetic fuels; and by monitoring and anticipating the information needs of these user communities. (3) Establish an efficient response mechanism for inquiries, including: referral to verified sources of technical information 0 feedback regarding constituency requirements and attitudes. (4) Provide information support to conferences/meetings. (5) Establish a registry of synthetic fuels information sources (from government, industry, academia, etc.) including print collections, data bases, on-going research, publication activities, etc. The organizational entity under which this program is to exist is yet to be determined. The Clearinghouse will not overlap with the existing Public Disclosure Office; but, rather, will complement that activity by providing information of a scope beyond the Corporation's public disclosure responsibilities and under an active, rather than a reactive, dissemination program. The Synthetic Fuels Information Clearinghouse, together with the liaison activities, completes the spectrum for support of the Corporation's comprehensive external liaison program. January 20, 1983 DRAFT PLAN SECRETARIAT U.S. SYNTHETIC FUELS CORPORATION The Secretariat shall serve as the processing center and repository for all official SFC communications and shall be established in three phases as follows: Phase I (to be initiated immediately) The Secretariat shall provide direct support to all members of the a. b. C. d. e. f. g. The processing and transmittal of correspondence and other information materials prepared or received by the Corporation for use by individual Directors or by the Board in the aggregate. The monitoring of selected scheduled and unscheduled activities of individual Directors and of Corporation staff. The establishment and maintenance of an operations center which shall serve as the focal point for apprising all Directors of the status of any Corporation-related activity with which they are concerned. The coordination of all activities of Corporation staff necessary to support each Director's participation in the USSFC communications program and in such other programs as may be required by the Board. The provision to Directors not resident at Corporation The provision to Directors resident at Corporation headquarters, including the Chairman and the President, of such administrative, secretarial, and clerical assistance as may be required from time to time by those Directors or by their immediate staffs. The establishment and maintenance of such records, logs, indices, schedules, and related documents and files as are necessary for the orderly and efficient accomplishment and accountability of tasks implicit in items a through f, above. January 20, 1983 For Phase I, the Secretariat staff shall be comprised of a Director, an Administrative Assistant, and a Senior Secretary, all of whom shall be internal transfers, without replacement. Phase II (to be initiated April 1, 1983) The Secretariat shall assume the additional responsibility for operation of the Corporation's Correspondence Control system and for establishment and maintenance of the Corporation's Central Files facility (exclusive of the Central Project Files). Staffing of the Secretariat shall be increased by one clerk, who shall be an internal transfer, without replacement. Phase III (to be initiated June 1, 1983) The Secretariat Central Files facility shall be expanded to incorporate the Central Project Files. In addition, a Program Review Center shall be established for use of the Board and senior Corporation staff. Staffing of the Secretariat shall be increased by one professional and one clerk, both of whom shall be internal transfers, without replacement. January 20, 1983 E.E.Noble, Chairman United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation 2121 K Street, N.W. Washington, D.C., 20586 Dear Mr. Chairman, The undersigned, being duly appointed and serving Directors of United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation ("SFC"), have indicated to you on many occasions over the past six months, individually and jointly, privately and in open and closed meetings, our concern over the management of the corporation. We write in order to make unmistakably clear (1) our continued conviction that management is impeding the Board of Directors in attempting to discharge its duties under the Energy Security Act; (2) our conclusion that there does not presently exist in SFC a system of organization to fix responsibility and promote efficiency; (3) our belief that the appointment of the incumbent as President of SFC should be terminated; and (4) our determination that the Directors should be involved with you immediately in developing a new system of organization, establishing new offices, and considering anew the appointment of officers. This is, therefore, our formal request of you as Chief Executive Officer responsible for the direction and management of SFC: 1. To investigate the meeting between two directors of SFC on March 23 and 24 during which certain agreements were alleged to have been reached with respect to the exercise of their respective fiduciary powers as directors. Each of us has told you repeatedly of our concern over this meeting, so it does not seem necessary here to repeat the names of the concerned directors. However, if you are in any doubt as to what we have reference, we count on you immediately to communicate with any one of the undersigned. We require that you provide the Board with a written report of your conclusions as to what took place at this meeting, the propriety of the meeting and any agreements arrived at there, together with a summary of the actions that you propose to take with respect thereto. It is widely known that this meeting took place. Rumour as to what was agreed abounds both inside and outside the corporation. The Corporation has waited over long to take appropriate curative action. It is absolutely essential that this matter be dealt with in a definitive manner at once. We need and require the above mentioned formal report at or before the May 26, 1983 Board meeting; 2. To make suitable arrangment for termination of service of the incumbent President of SFC at or before the May 26 Board meeting; 3. To appoint a committee consisting of yourself, Mr Wilkins and Mr. Bowden to develop for the Board's prompt consideration and approval at the scheduled meeting on June 30, 1983 a new organizational plan for SFC. In the event that you are not agreeable to carrying out each of the foregoing items 1 through 3, this is our formal request that you cause each such item to be specifically included and listed in the agenda for the public portion of our scheduled May 26 Board meeting. Unless we hear from you to the contrary, therefore, we will rely either that you will deal with requests set forth above as 1-3 in accordance with their tenor or that you will cause them to be placed on the agenda for discussion and action at our open Board Meeting in Tulsa in two weeks time. Respectfully Submitted, JBC, HW, RAGM |