A Sign of Things to Come?

[Mac1]

I am thinking that Paul Waddell's nomination for the WBCCI's 3rd VP from the floor could have been a shot across the bow for the club. His nominee (Peter ?) was defeated but there were delegates who said they would like more timely notice in order to support a candidate who may be more qualified. I can see units looking for those qualified candidates who could lead the club where many would like it to go - and conceivably quicker than putting candidates in the traditional long line of ascension. It could happen very quickly if the leaders don't listen.

What do you think? Who are your candidates and how would interested parties get the ball rolling?

Possible?

Mac

[moosetags]

In the current "control system", the leadership controls who will be their successors. The system is designed that way. That's the way that they want it. How many organizations are there that have a large block of members (MALs) that have absolutely no voice? This club fears members who could vote without the contols at the regional and unit level.

Change will only come with one member/one vote within our club. Anything less is meaningless lip service.

[Mac1]

I agree, but think that even under the present system if members belonged to units that would split their vote (as some did with the nomination from the floor) then outstanding candidates have a good chance to be elected from outside the "System". I think that it would be important to give it a try, who knows it just may threaten the machine enough that they may just listen or be earmarked to have an outside candidate give that nominee a run for their money.

Hope you guys have recovered from your travels, where to next?

Mac

[wkerfoot]

What came out of the election was that many delegates received specific instructions from their members to vote one way and they were duty bound to comply. If you listened to Leo Garvey when he asked to have his name removed from nomination, is is clear that there will be information sent to each unit prior to next year's business meeting which will enable the units to consider other nominees. This is an important step to changing the course of WBCCI.

Hopefully the IBT will allow this information in the Blue Beret. I would like to see position statements by each officer as to their vision and how they would address the challenges of declining membership.

I was amazed at the confusion in how to handle three nominees for the two positions on the nominating committee. To my simple mind it is just allowing cumulative voting, weighted for the number of members in each unit. This is the way some corporations handle multiple nominees for open board of directors seats.

Also, and this is not directed at anyone in particular, what are you doing to help this club other than complaining?

Bill

[skyvalley]

Originally Posted by moosetags

In the current "control system", the leadership controls who will be their successors. The system is designed that way. That's the way that they want it. How many organizations are there that have a large block of members (MALs) that have absolutely no voice? This club fears members who could vote without the contols at the regional and unit level.

Change will only come with one member/one vote within our club. Anything less is meaningless lip service.

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Moosetags,

You said it all!!

One member one vote is the only way this organization will ever become anything in the twentyfirst century.

Members At Large are ignored--except for their excessive fees.

MAL should be the first step in joining-they should be full partners, it is the only way to build up numbers.

Change now and save the club! There are a few thousand folks out there that I bet would Join.

My 2 cents...

John

[wkerfoot]

Originally Posted by skyvalley

------------
Moosetags,

You said it all!!

One member one vote is the only way this organization will ever become anything in the twentyfirst century.

Members At Large are ignored--except for their excessive fees.

MAL should be the first step in joining-they should be full partners, it is the only way to build up numbers.

Change now and save the club! There are a few thousand folks out there that I bet would Join.

My 2 cents...

John

I respectively disagree, there are units which allow voting by email and in person and already have 1M1V in practice if not in their bylaws. It is truly unfortunate that this has to be legislated, as it is common courtesy to our friends, our members. MALs have the option to join either WDCU or 4CU and pay only $1 instead of $15, they can keep their MAL badge if they wish and the general public will not know they belong to a unit.

I truly doubt that someone is waiting to join until they have a vote, I would guess that voting on issues is the farthest thing in a potential members mind when it comes to deciding whether or not to join.

Bill

[Ed Emerick]

Hey all,
In the WI Unit we had the ability to vote on the MOHO issue by mail. If you wanted a voice you had it and did not have to attend the rally. I can see this continuing in the future for other items of importance. So to those of you that are MAL, come join us, I will say that our dues are not as cheap as the DC Unit but we have a great time with the money!
Ed

[maxandgeorgia]

". . .I truly doubt that someone is waiting to join until they have a vote, I would guess that voting on issues is the farthest thing in a potential members mind when it comes to deciding whether or not to join." (quote from above post)
It surely made a difference to us and to some other like-minded MAL's this season who moved from MAL status to a unit membership (for us, WDCU) in order to have a voice in this summer's big issue. And along with that voting privilege, comes membership in an active unit that, though distanced from us, may tempt us to travel to their rallies. Isn't that what an Airstream is all about? So, maybe with important issues at stake, some others will join in order to help this club with their vote and subsequent participation.

[wkerfoot]

Originally Posted by maxandgeorgia

". . .I truly doubt that someone is waiting to join until they have a vote, I would guess that voting on issues is the farthest thing in a potential members mind when it comes to deciding whether or not to join." (quote from above post)
It surely made a difference to us and to some other like-minded MAL's this season who moved from MAL status to a unit membership (for us, WDCU) in order to have a voice in this summer's big issue. And along with that voting privilege, comes membership in an active unit that, though distanced from us, may tempt us to travel to their rallies. Isn't that what an Airstream is all about? So, maybe with important issues at stake, some others will join in order to help this club with their vote and subsequent participation.

Maxandgeorgia,

I felt that skyvalley meant that if MALs had the right to vote then WBCCI would have more members, as the absence of that right stopped them from becoming WBCCI members. I, in no way, feel that MALs should not have the right to vote. It is unfortunate that there are so many members who do not have the right to vote.

Bill

[BDandTTs]

We purchased our first Airstream in October, 2006 and recently joined the WDCU primarily because of their 1M1V policy even though we are located in Vermont and are much closer to another popular and active unit, NEU. 1Member1Vote should become a backbone principle of WBCCI. Even though we are new members, I would appreciate answers to the following questions.

Is there a formal proposal to establish 1M1V across all units of WBCCI? If not, what would the procedure be?

Are local units actively pursuing establishment of 1M1V within their own unit? How could we help them?

Voting procedures also need to be standardized and accessible within WBCCI. Is there an organized movement to advocate web-based or mail-in voting, not as an option but as a requirement to local units?

We know that many of you are working for these and other worthy goals and we appreciate your efforts.

[BDandTTs]

Thanks for the MetroNY report on 1M1V amendment and bylaw changes. Way to go! It's great to live in a region where we have a number of active, progressive WBCCI units to choose from.

Wish we could have made it to your 75th Anniversary celebration. It was an awesome site!

[BDandTTs]

Of course you're right...just seems that everything out here in the East is so old...including me! See you in 25!

[skyvalley]

Originally Posted by wkerfoot

Maxandgeorgia,

I felt that skyvalley meant that if MALs had the right to vote then WBCCI would have more members, as the absence of that right stopped them from becoming WBCCI members. I, in no way, feel that MALs should not have the right to vote. It is unfortunate that there are so many members who do not have the right to vote.

Bill

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Bill, you are correct. But let me explain further, not being able to vote discouraged MALs from rejoining.

Being a step child is not fun, when we joined the WBCCI as MAL we paid full price and thought we were full fledged members, then later we found out we could not even vote on WBCCI issues because we didn't belong to some other club!

Had it not been for the great 4CU which we were able to join, we would be gone!!! We now drive over a thousand miles to 4CU rallies. Can everyone afford that, time or money wise?

The right to vote could also turn around a number of AS owner non members to MAL, that I have talked to.

Let us change before we vaporize.

Thanks for listening,

John

[thenewkid64]

As I see it the possible candidates for '08 need to get their resumes out with a well written mission statement to all units by Feb 1 08. These candidates will be running as candidates from the floor, without the support of the INC (Nominating committee) This gets all the information out to the units so they can decide BEFORE Bozeman what candidate to vote for.

Then Motions to run said candidates can be made and units can vote. Every unit corresponding secretary is listed in the blue book, and you may even be able to get a list electronically from Jackson Center that can be printed on labels.

The feedback I heard was that if units had had this information in time the floor nominations would have had a chance of passing. As it was the delegates were locked into doing what the units told them to do.

[dpandorf]

Originally Posted by thenewkid64

As I see it the possible candidates for '08 need to get their resumes out with a well written mission statement to all units by Feb 1 08. These candidates will be running as candidates from the floor, without the support of the INC (Nominating committee) This gets all the information out to the units so they can decide BEFORE Bozeman what candidate to vote for.

Then Motions to run said candidates can be made and units can vote. Every unit corresponding secretary is listed in the blue book, and you may even be able to get a list electronically from Jackson Center that can be printed on labels.

The feedback I heard was that if units had had this information in time the floor nominations would have had a chance of passing. As it was the delegates were locked into doing what the units told them to do.

How do the units get the information if its not posted in the BB or the regional leadership decide not to promote someone outside the normal "party" lines?

Sorry I guess I just don't understand. Reading the club bylaws it would appear that the only way to "really" be considered and "publicly" advertised as a candidate you would have to go before the nominating committee. I don't see anything in place to "get the word" out to us minions that are in the trenches if we were to belong to a unit that "does not care" for change.

Tell me if I'm wrong, but a perfect example is on the MOHO vote where if I as a member of the club did not have a unit rep at the meeting, my vote didn't even get counted. And I wouldn't be surprised if some of those units didn't even take a vote.

As I peer through tangled brush that includes briars and poison ivy, I don't see how the club as a whole can improve until the majority of the club units are as proactive as the WDCU, NEU, NYMETRO and 4CU.

Please tell me I'm wrong.

[thenewkid64]

Originally Posted by dpandorf

How do the units get the information if its not posted in the BB or the regional leadership decide not to promote someone outside the normal "party" lines?

It is going to require campaining. Each unit would need to be sent the resume directly, outside of the nominating committee process. If possible some units may have someone that is willing to present the "un-anointed" candidates to their units, Volunteers?

The BB will never support this as it is a club organ, and this is outside the norn. The energy used figting that would be better spent doing things outside the system.

I would be happy to present these members to my unit, if they will get me their information.

One of the things that comes up here over and over again is lack of information. Many units do not have the skills to fully utilize the Internet, so for these first few rounds of changes the best way is snail mail.

In the future the www may be the way it works, but for now it is going to take some good old campaining by the members to make the units aware of the un-anointed candidates.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by 65GT

We already have three candidates that will run from the floor in Bozeman '08. We're looking for two more. We will notify the current nominating committee of our intent to run from the floor -- to give all members a choice of candidates for '08.

But why run from the floor? Why not go through the nominating committee? Seems to me you would have to be heard if you went through the IBT's channels....right? Have a Unit/Region Prez nominate the candidates...if they are brought forth through "the process" then they will be presented to all...seems like a lot less work to me. Not saying you still wouldn't do your own campaigning simultaneously to get the members asking "what about the other guy?"

I am certain the alternate candidates would get more votes than were obtained at Perry if they names & positions were out there beforehand rather than coming from the floor after many delegates were already locked into their votes by their members. As you know, our DenCO Unit delegate was allowed to "vote his concious" and did...he voted 100% for the alternate candidate from the floor, but others could not change their votes. Now of course, depending on the individual delegate, this could have backfired...but I am proud to say, it didn't.

Shari

[dwightdi]

The candidates might do better as a group than just running as individuals. As I had proposed before, they might form a unified front with a definite platform of improvements to the club which would attract votes. They might call themselves the "Progressive Members". Not to say they are democrates but rather would like to see improvements and still maintaining the core values of the club. The Save Wally folks and the VAC organizations would look like the best places to start, as they have demonstrated the ability to organize and operate successfully. They also seem to represent the most basic core values and a the same time are younger than average and are flexible enough to propose and provide activities that might attract younger members to membership than the "Old Boy" nework. There are some people like Bill Schrieder and people in the computer club who have demonstrated they ability to bring the club up to speed on the internet and public relations.

[wkerfoot]

Originally Posted by skyvalley

------------------------
Bill, you are correct. But let me explain further, not being able to vote discouraged MALs from rejoining.

Being a step child is not fun, when we joined the WBCCI as MAL we paid full price and thought we were full fledged members, then later we found out we could not even vote on WBCCI issues because we didn't belong to some other club!

Had it not been for the great 4CU which we were able to join, we would be gone!!! We now drive over a thousand miles to 4CU rallies. Can everyone afford that, time or money wise?

The right to vote could also turn around a number of AS owner non members to MAL, that I have talked to.

Let us change before we vaporize.

Thanks for listening,

John

John,

Not to step on 4CU, I am an associate of that unit, but try El Camino Real, we have a rally at Borrego Springs in October, a lot closer and you might enjoy.

Bill

[dpandorf]

Leo, we need enough candidates then that the roll calls take 3 days to complete. Not just a couple hours. Daaaaays to wear them out!

My wife and I looked at each other the other day when we were reading the bylaws and were trying to understand how the nominating committee worked. Your explanation is what we thought how we read it.

There's no way major changes can be made quickly the way the club constitution is written.