Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2006-09-25/Clerk resigns

After concerns over a three-hour block placed on Giano, as well as incivility concerns, Tony Sidaway resigned as arbitration clerk on Monday, after a request to do so by arbitrator Charles Matthews.

Private discussion after controversial edits on an arbitration case involving Giano led to the request, which was made public in a proposed finding of fact in the case. Arbitrator Fred Bauder commented "I don't think much of it, cutting our nose off to spite our face, but I think there was a sense that Tony's actions reflected badly on the Committee. I think they reflect badly on Tony, but he was the best clerk we have ever had."

After confirming his resignation, Tony said "I worked hard at a time when there was nobody else to do the job, and I felt appreciated. I am happy to leave the clerks' corps after seeing our three new clerks do an excellent job of taking over. ... A controversial sysop is not a sensible choice of clerk, no matter how good he may be at the job. There is a conflict that, with experience of the role, we have come to acknowledge."

Sidaway's resignation comes just after former arbitrator Kelly Martin left the English Wikipedia, resigning her administrative, checkuser and oversight privileges and access to the Arbitration Committee mailing list on Friday, after multiple administrators asked her to resign.

The arbitration case, of which Sidaway and Martin are still parties, is in the evidence phase.