Closed Door WBCCI Meeting?

[rideair]

I would like to suggest a “Closed Door Meeting” to only the “Progressive WBCCI Units” at the next WBCCI International Rally to discuss the future of the club. Much like the IBT has their “private meetings” to discuss the state and future of the club, I think it’s time for the membership of the more progressive units (that are truly the only hope this club has) to meet and discuss how they can help lead the WBCCI out of the forest.

I suggest “only” members of those “progressive” units be allowed to par-take in the meeting. “No” EC, IBT, Regional VP’s or members from other units should be allowed (could be IBT plants). This meeting would not be to discuss “a new club”, but changes that can be brought forth by this group to lobby the IBT to make the needed changes to the club with the understanding, if the changes are not met, that action can/will be taken to remove them from office or the withholding of entire unit dues to the WBCCI.

My guess, many of you at your different unit rallies have already had the discussion of the needed changes around the campfire. This will give you the chance to meet others of like mind from different units and to have this discussion at a much broader/wider level with action plans moving forward.

So, how does one determine “who’s” a progressive unit. I think the list would be easy to some degree, WDCU, NEU, Denver, 4CU, New York Metro, El Camino Real California, and a few others. Or a vote could be taken to “elect” no more than 10 or so units to this meeting. Each of the elected units could send a given amount of people to represent them and their ideas at the meeting. I would also ask that members only come to the meeting if they are truly ready to roll up their sleeves and do the dirty work that will be needed. Don’t show up just to listen, bitch or pile on. Be ready to step-up and take on the work (time) that will be needed to force the changes which are required at this time in our club. We know what the problems are, now we just need to fix them.

I understand there could be many that would love to come and listen, but, like that discussion around the campfire between a few “forward thinking members” it’s not time to open it up to everyone yet.

I can see the headline now in the Blue Beret. “Meeting of progressive Units, Saves the International Rally low numbers with many members showing up for progressive meeting”

It’s time to either “Lead, Follow or Get out of the way”.


Thoughts??

[mdyeargin]

I think such a meeting would be great, but as many can not attend the international, why not have it in several regions as a 'think tank' and allow us still young enough to have to work attend as we only have time to attend those in 300 miles distance of home?

[Buttercup]

Local units can start these meetings now - they don't have to wait to go to International!

Just start a simple discussion at the unit level - is WBCCI worth the expense to the unit and for that expense, is the unit properly serviced by the club!

As an alternative to WBCCI, would forming that unit under these very forums for example give you a better service and value for the cost (free).

And actually, you can even form a Group Discussion right here on these forums for your progressive unit (assuming you do not have your own forums). Doing this will allow you to not have IBT or ECs on your list - just simple unit members. Also, doing this allows you to include members who are in your unit but live outside of your unit area and cannot attend meetings very well.

I know that if my unit holds discussions like this, I certainly will want to participate.

[mistral blue]

Perhaps a modest change to the Constitution will help.
Remove the highlighted language in Section 2 of Article XIV below and insert "spent at the local unit level by the local unit and the local unit members."


ARTICLE XIV
REVENUE AND DUES

Sec. 1 The Board of Trustees shall fix and determine the amount of the Inter­national Club annual membership dues and such dues shall be levied and collected in advance on a calendar year basis.

Sec. 2 The International Club dues of members, except Members at Large, shall be collected through the units of the club, and in the case of a unit in the process of formation, through the provisional unit and all International dues so collected shall be forwarded to International Club Headquarters. The International dues of Members at Large and the established surcharge shall be collected by International Club Head­quarters.

[Ed Emerick]

Originally Posted by rideair

I would like to suggest a “Closed Door Meeting” to only the “Progressive WBCCI Units” at the next WBCCI International Rally to discuss the future of the club.
I suggest “only” members of those “progressive” units be allowed to par-take in the meeting. “


So, how does one determine “who’s” a progressive unit. I think the list would be easy to some degree, WDCU, NEU, Denver, 4CU, New York Metro, El Camino Real California, and a few others.

Thoughts??

So just what is a "Progressive Unit" ? Lets define that a little better than what is in this post.

[rideair]

I see a “progressive unit” as a unit that has a “personality” that has allowed it to grow over the past couple of years by using technology and thinking out of the box when it comes to rallies, events, etc…

If one sits back and looks, the units that are growing are the ones that go “against” the WBCCI IBT, EC norm, with the berets, flag ceremonies, and white shirts/red tie/blue slacks. The units that are growing tend to take a more “laid back” approach to the whole thing. Does this make them “progressive”? I would say compared to the rest of the WBCCI, “YES”.

There are many people that have in the past and will in the future “refuse” to join the WBCCI because of the “stuffy” regimental ways that many of the units in the WBCCI follow. Just go back and do a search of the many threads of the years why many folks do not join, there is a “common thread” pardon the pun. Also, do a search of the threads about the units that “are growing”. You again will find a common thread, these units tend to be, laid back, fun, no regimental way of doing things and many use technology.

Add to this, the need for someone other than “Leo”(do not take this as I agree with everything he does) to stand up as a group and say “Enough with the bad management of our funds, our club, the WBCCI forums, etc…”

If as a member you want the WBCCI around for your children, we had better soon take the bull by the horns and do something. If not, the only ones that will be around to remember the WBCCI will be those for the most part above the age of 50-60yrs, for it is not going to last another 50 years the way it’s currently going.

Does that answer your question?

[mutcth]

I don't mean to be difficult, but wouldn't a progressive club not be having closed door meetings?

I understand the purpose, but still...

Tom

[AirHeadsRus]

Originally Posted by mutcth

I don't mean to be difficult, but wouldn't a progressive club not be having closed door meetings?

I understand the purpose, but still...

Tom

Awe Mutcth, the progressive folks are just trying to help us little people out. Need to keep it a secret, they know what's best for us.

[Ed Emerick]

Originally Posted by rideair

Does that answer your question?

Now I see, thanks for making this clearer for me.

Now the way I see it the WI unit would fit this mold, we are growing, (25 new units this year) not too stuffy, open minded, newsletter by email and snail mail if needed (taking care of our older less techy members) and reduced the dues to those that take it by email ($7.00/yr), informal gatherings, some events structured some not, lots of kids and younger members. New trailer owners getting along with old trailer owners, strong Vintage Club Membership, not a lot of politics, short business meetings, strong attendance at the International

This is how I define progressive..............

[Ed Emerick]

Originally Posted by mutcth

I don't mean to be difficult, but wouldn't a progressive club not be having closed door meetings?

I understand the purpose, but still...

Tom

All should be invited!!!

[mutcth]

Originally Posted by AirHeadsRus

Awe Mutcth, the progressive folks are just trying to help us little people out. Need to keep it a secret, they know what's best for us.

LOL! I actually belong to one (and eventually two) of the progressive groups mentioned above.

While I think that brainstorming to figure out how to address issues with the club on a national level might be beneficial, I would be wary of such a group being blamed for one of the same activities that they are protesting...

Tom

[nick6930]

I have been following the most recent posts the past 2 days and I am still trying to wrap my head around all this. I have read the previous posts over the past several months about many of the issues. I agree with Paul that the more "progressive" units need to unite and come to a consensus of our future. I was going to ask about that in the Leo post from yesterday. However, I have concerns about allowing the time frame to continue to move forward to International. Is there no parameters that afford the Units to have votes of No Confidence? It appears on face value that the mismanagement of funds would be sufficient to justify this. Maybe I am mistaken and it will, and maybe should, take until July to organize this union. It would be very fitting to have revolutionary discussions in July.

However, as a new member and fellow aluminum addict I will take into consideration the ideas of my more knowledgeable members in the parliamentary procedures of this organization. I plan on assisting where I can, if I can, and if afforded the opportunity.

Oh and Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Have safe travels.

[Shacksman]

Good idea paul, but are you really going to the International ??????

[garry]

I have been following the post about WBCCI and decided to not comment but here I am trying to figure this out.

When we bought our AS we were really gung ho wanting to join a club meet and camp with fellow Airstreamers.

So we joined WBCCI and was contacted by clubs from 2 cities one local and one 127 miles away and both clubs claiming to be better than the other.

The problem both clubs only meet during working hours everyone seemed to be much older than us and were planning rallys during the week (WED to Sat) when we could not attend.

We just felt like we really didn't belong and we didn't like the idea of one club knocking down the other. We decided not to renew and never had anyone try to recruit us after the initial contacts including the WBCCI.

I see no help in any of these post for the many folks that would join in a new club but are not in the right (progressive) area so we are shut out of a new opportunity before the first meeting and to start up with Closed Door meetings with who knows what might be a hidden agenda just doesn't sound right.

I don't have a solution so I probably shouldn't post but !!!!!

[nick6930]

I want to the believe (and everyone please correct me if I am off base) that the intention of the "progressive" units meeting is to start a like minded action to save the club, not to start a new club. The decline in the club seems to be in direct correlation to that of the current leadership. The forming of a consensus is simply a starting point to create that change that many feel is required. As individuals we are weak, however as organized units with the same set of goals we could create the corrections necessary to take the club into the future.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by Shacksman

Good idea paul, but are you really going to the International ??????

Doug beat me to it. Paul as much as I would like to help in this discussion, you could not get me to an international if you paid me $.57/mile, feed me pancakes everyday until the real rally began and invited me to ten formal cocktail parties. Not going to happen if hell was to freeze over.

[HowieE]

Paul

I applaud your idea as I think it is long over due.

While I notice some are questioning the word Closed Door Meeting might you consider "Caucus"

a closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usually to select candidates or to decide on policy; also : a group of people united to promote an agreed-upon cause

Caucus seam to politically accepted in this time of political correctness so why not just use it.

Let the IBT have their "Closed Door Meetings" and the distasteful image that goes with them.

[VIKING]

It wouldn't take but a few E-mails or phone calls between the leaders of these "progressive " groups to hammer out something that could be brought to the club leadership as a proposal for improvement of the club. I doubt that you would find that the leaders of these groups would all stand behind a proposal to reform the international leadership. What I hear from most of these groups' members who post here is that the international politics are here to be ignored. Perhaps there is more discord than they let onto, but that is what I see here.
So, if these "progressive " groups are somewhat content with things as they stand, who will lead this meeting and who will attend?
It seems that there is a really severe disconnect between the older retired members (who run things), and who have the time to rally mid-week and go on caravans, etc, and the newer members, young, or young at heart, and tight of funds and time to spend them on, looking for the most bang-for-the-buck. In the long run this will probably be decided on the basis of money, or the lack thereof. The bank account will be empty before long, and things will certainly change then. I don't look at this as failure, just change. There will be a club as long as people want to get together and share what makes them alike: Airstreams!
Would the wdcu or the fcu be any different if there was no national organization?
YES! Because they would have their money to spend on their unit activities. I believe they would be greatly improved just for that reason alone.
That idea raises a question from me to "progressive" unit leaders/ members: Do you get back from the national organization what you put into it? I'm asking you to disregard your units' wonderfulness and brotherhood, great times, etc. Speaking strictly about the return on your investment in the national organization, is it worth it? What do you get back from them?

I'd appreciate some edumacation on that aspect of this issue, as it is often stated that the individual unit makes the investment worthwhile even though a paltry sum is kept for the unit to work with.
I have a really hard time with the whole "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, I am the great wizard of oz", thing.

Watching the trainwreck in slo-mo,
Rich the Viking

[rideair]

Call the meeting what you will, “Closed Door”, “Working Session”, “Group for Change”, etc… I don’t really care. I just think we have a stronger voice as a “group” than as single members. I understand a bunch of people wanting to take part and have no problem with a meeting being open to any and all that want to come, it’s just been my experience that very little ever really gets done out of a very large working group, thus the reason for a smaller “closed door” meeting or “working session”. After a smaller working session, a list of items can then be placed before the larger group for input and thoughts. This would not be a meeting for everyone to get up and restate everything that has already been said in the past. If everyone wants a “free-for-all” that’s fine, but a doubt anything real will come from it. It would be a group of people sitting down and trying to work out a plan to “MAKE” the leadership of this club get off their butts and make the need changes. It’s not a group of people forming a committee to look at the problem and make suggestions that will never be put into place (remember the 20-20 committee).

We the members of the WBCCI need to get control of our leadership one-way shape or form. I hate to say, they are acting very much like the politicians in Washington DC. No matter what we say, think or ask, they are doing what they damn well please.

We can either sit by and play by “their” rules and continue to go nowhere on the subject of change, or step-up to the plate and actively work on forcing the needed change to keep this club alive and well along with setting it up for growth in the future.

I’m just making a suggestion on a possible way of trying to get control back from the lack of leadership in the WBCCI. The leadership “is not” and “will not” make any changes until they are “made” to do so. I have many things that can fill my time on this earth, I just would hate to see a club that has been so good to me and my family (we are only 45yrs, with an 8 yrs daughter) collapse due to the short sightedness and the unwillingness of the few in power to make the needed changes because of their own greed and lack of leadership.

Being a member of the WDCU, I’m already in a GREAT unit that is the future of the WBCCI if it survives. I’d just love to see all the other people that say they would not join the WBCCI because “Bla-Bla-Bla” also have the chance to be part of what I think could be a truly “great club” and not just a “few great units”. But, this club will not be here long if changes are not made soon.

[Goin camping]

Do it by email or website etc. so a larger group can participate.

A majority or a very active minority will be needed to push bylaw changes and deletions. We really have way too many rules.