[NSRCA-discussion] Executive Board voting

Jon Lowe jonlowe at aol.com
Wed Dec 12 06:33:00 AKST 2012


John,
I have never intentionally attacked anyone, either on this forum or on the discussions over on RCU.  I've asked questions, seeking answers.  I tend to be direct in my emails and they may appear to be harsh, probably comes from my background dealing with the military.  I have not accused anyone of having an agenda, nor do I think anyone on the board does.  If you or anyone else thinks that is what I've implied or am implying, I'm sorry.

I think after seeing what you said here, seeing the complete NSRCA survey results, and several private emails and phone calls, that there is a general apathy in NSRCA which seems to have its roots in people questioning the relevancy of the organization.  If NSRCA is not relevant and doesn't provide added value to the membership, we can turn the sequences back over to the AMA and disband.  I'd like to see NSRCA viewed as returning far more in value to the membership than the few dollars they invest each year.  A question we all need to constantly ask ourselves is "If someone asks me why I should join the NSRCA, what do I tell them?"

The K-Factor is a recurring theme in the survey and people I have talked to in terms of value to the members.  I would like to congratulate Scott McHarg and the rest of the K-Factor crew on the December issue of the K-Factor.  I everyone reading this hasn't looked at it, it has a lot of how-to in it.  Good job!

I didn't mean to imply that the AMA competition board should not have been much more transparent during the rules proposal process.  They should have been, and that communication is one thing I'd work on to improve if elected.  I am an advocate of follow-up, follow-up, follow-up.  And if we are going to ask others to be transparent to us, then we need to walk the talk.

Again, sorry if I offended anyone.  I was asking questions that I didn't see anyone else asking, and I wanted to know the answers.  I hope the membership will see this continuing discussion as constructive, and offer their thoughts.

Jon


-----Original Message-----
From: John Gayer <jgghome at comcast.net>
To: General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Tue, Dec 11, 2012 11:16 pm
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Executive Board voting


                  
[quote]ORIGINAL: jonlowe
      Transparency. I think the spilled milk has been discussed enough,      from the AMA      rules change proposal process by the board, to the bylaws, to the      aborted      officer election.
      [/quote]
      
      
      I certainly agree that there were processes that could have been      improved      relative to the bylaw changes and officer election. However to      call them      aborted and imply in various other posts that the board has a      hidden      agenda is over the top. Clearly the board could have and should      have done a better job on the      elections and, for that matter, the treasurer's audit but there      was no intent      to hoodwink or put one over on the membership. We are nothing but      a bunch of      volunteers with a love of pattern. When the call went out two      years ago, noone      else stood up and said "I want to run for office". Various      coercions were      applied to get Ed Alt to run for President and Scott McHarg to run      for      Secretary.I will admit to calling Derek and asking if they had      found a      Treasurer in mid-December. When he said yes, I thanked him and was      about to      hang up when he said "you". Later that year Ed Alt resigned due to      the press of work and Jim Quinn who was then VP reluctantly      assumed the reins of president. Good      choice or not, there was noone else champing at the bit to take      the job and the      board gratefully accepted Jim as president. I didn't see anyone      jumping up and      down to get on the board at that time or, for that matter, now.      Kind of wonder      where all the current contrarians were then. Jon, I guess you were      still      recovering from your retirement so that excuses you but there are      plenty of      others making derogatory comments about the actions of the current      board. Where      are you when we need help? Apparently looking the other way.  Right now John Bruml has been      trying to get      out of being the Advertising Manager almost as long as I’ve been      on the board. Where      are those clamoring to help out? Apparently using their energies      to bash those who      did throw their hat in.
      
      
    
LOWE>>Oh, and        about the        Contest Board.  Their process is well documented by the AMA and        follows a        strict time table.  We all had the opportunity to provide inputs        and cross        proposals after the initial vote.  We also had the opportunity        to talk to        the CB members, and I did talk to a couple of them.  The CB        members are        mostly active members of the pattern community, are well known,        and are charted        by the AMA, not the NSRCA, to look at rules proposals to benefit        all AMA        participants, not just NSRCA members. Problems with the NSRCA        proposals        were hashed out here, and the submitters had the opportunity to        fix issues        during the cross proposal process.  How much follow-up contact        did        the NSRCA board initiate with the CB during the process?  Were        any cross        proposals submitted?<<LOWE
    
 
    
Jon, this seems to        have provided        the impetus for your presidential campaign. I can only say that        the NSRCA Rules        committee operated openly, if with a late start, and solicited        input from the        membership on RCU and this list(and outside the membership as        well), ran a        survey, modified proposals to meet objections and finally        submitted proposals        to the contest board. More open you cannot get. I find it        fascinating that to        you, the NSRCA board must be open and direct with its        membership(as it should) but        when dealing with the contest board we are expected to dig, pry        and canvas the        board members in an effort to find out how our proposals are        doing and what        objections might have been raised. Why is the same openness not        required in both        cases in your mind?? While it is clear in the published process        that cross-proposals could        be submitted within a window, we had no way of knowing which or        what part of        our proposals were causing difficulty. There was no contact        initiated by the        contest board. Adding insult to injury, there was no “report        out” published,        listing the pro and con votes by district and any  discussed        objections. As I have said        before, I have no more idea what it takes to get a proposal        passed through the        CB then I did a year ago before the NSRCA rules committee        formed. How do you        explain the dichotomy between your views of the contest board        and the NSRCA        board?
    
 
    
Relative to the Nats,        it is clear        to everyone on the board that the Nats are in the control of the        AMA which has        been true ever since NPAC went away. We, the board, present a        candidate to the        AMA, who has always been accepted. After that we lose any        control. Although        since I’ve been on the board, there have been various problems        at the Nats which        many blame on the NSRCA not the AMA. Arch has been good about        keeping us in the        loop but he makes it clear who he reports to.  He and previous EDs and the        AMA staff have        been great about providing logistic support for the banquet, ice        cream social,        etc. However there is no question about the ED having two        bosses, AMA is it. The        NSRCA is responsible for using the funds collected by the AMA on        our behalf to        purchase the necessary scoring equipment and paying the        volunteer staff what we        can. This is never enough to even cover their expenses at the        Nats much less        travel. 
    
 
    
John Gayer
    
NSRCA Treasurer
                          
 
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