GIRS Members-Please read

[Pygmey]

Fair enough... I think personally that a large board change is really going to be good for the club. Also the small group should help guarentee that a few people can really work out the details which is essentially what we had to do last time.

The trustees were voted upon last time and essentially made the group rather large.

I am looking forward to the new year and I hope everyone will help spread the word so that way from one edge of the state to the other there will be members which would make a larger group more reasonable.

 

[glaspie69]

I'd just like to thank Eric for his support, if anyone knows how hard it was with 8 people it's him......means alot to have your support....Jason

 

[Atticus]

Short version of my long post lost by RC...

Trustees play an important role in every board. The problem we had last year was a weak EXECUTIVE BOARD not weak trustees. There was no leadership, thus no direction.

The proper structure of a board is an Executive Committee (President, VP, Secretary, and Treasurer) that plan the events for the year. The trustees are responsible for representing their areas and would be in charge of the event committees for any events held in their areas.

In a real organization the trustees would also out number the board and have a voting right at board meetings, there by actually representing their area.

By removing the trustee position you have no link between the areas and the board. You actually lose communication not increase it. You also alienate yourself from the membership. Why would the areas want to build their own committees and not just become their own clubs????

Trustees are supposed to help share the burden of the club. If the last 3 years of fighting has taught us one thing it is that you can't do it on your own and people will get burnt out if they try....


Work smarter not harder and enjoy the fruit of your labor.

Shoulder the burder on your own and your soul will be crushed...

 

[bgreenlee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8680776#post8680776 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by glaspie69
Time for me to say a few things.....

First off we down sized the BOD because of the lack of participation we had last year, it's easy to stand up and volunteer for the spot but it seems to be much harder to stand up when things need to get done. We struggled last year trying to communicate with 8 members, usually only receiving responses from 3 to 4. This is the reason for dropping the trustees


Secondly the location of the BOD has nothing to do with the clubs events for the year, it never has. The events are planned with much more than making us happy and accommodating our schedules. Some speakers need certain locations and so do certain events, it's not as easy as it looks to find locations that are cost effective, easy to find, and can hold all the members.

Thirdly, no offense but if there was a huge concern about the governing powers in the club why was nothing said when elections were going on? The trustees hold no real power on the BOD other than input and votes. They don't decide anything on speakers or *** auctions. If you feel that the club would be more stable with representatives in your area volunteer for the commitee

Lack of participation of the trustees was unfortunate, I think there are more personal issues then have been openly discussed on this forum though that have caused that. I do agree that there are people out there that are better able to do the job of trustee.

As for locations and times, as long as when something is being planned it is posted on the forums for input and discussion I am cool with it.

On your third point, I do not have a problem at all with the current board. I didn't offer up my name for a role for the sole fact that I do not have the free time, or at least time within 1000miles of home, to do the role justice. Hopefully in a few years I will be able to take on such a role within the club.

However, I do not like the fact that the board made the decision to cut out the trustees instead of it being voted on by the membership. It would be like the senate voting to abolish the house of representative because they are hard to get along with. If everyone feels that all of the outlying areas will be adequately represented with just the board of directors, then so be it. But it should be a cumulative decision and not the decision of the BOD's.

 

[Atticus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8680901#post8680901 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bgreenlee
However, I do not like the fact that the board made the decision to cut out the trustees instead of it being voted on by the membership. It would be like the senate voting to abolish the house of representative because they are hard to get along with. If everyone feels that all of the outlying areas will be adequately represented with just the board of directors, then so be it. But it should be a cumulative decision and not the decision of the BOD's.

This is true and by-laws cannot be changed without a majority vote from the membership.

 

[Atticus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8680901#post8680901 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bgreenlee
Lack of participation of the trustees was unfortunate, I think there are more personal issues then have been openly discussed on this forum though that have caused that. I do agree that there are people out there that are better able to do the job of trustee.

As I posted above, it is hard to participate in a club without direction or leadership...

I personally was excited to see the names for the new executives and did not run because I believed they had a good direction behind them. If I would have seen this action comming I would have ran....

The proper thing to do as a board right now is plan the future, not tear things apart with a knee jerk idea... Work on events not club structure. Hell, we have not had a meeting in months. Get the priorities in order plan meeting and lets roll.... Worry about the structure details after the major work is done.

 

[waverz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8680943#post8680943 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Atticus
As I posted above, it is hard to participate in a club without direction or leadership...

I personally was excited to see the names for the new executives and did not run because I believed they had a good direction behind them. If I would have seen this action comming I would have ran....

The proper thing to do as a board right now is plan the future, not tear things apart with a knee jerk idea... Work on events not club structure. Hell, we have not had a meeting in months. Get the priorities in order plan meeting and lets roll.... Worry about the structure details after the major work is done.

Thats what im talkin' about...lets do something.

 

[glaspie69]

Ok so it seems that everyone feels we need trustees.......whos volunteering for the role???????

 

[Atticus]

Trustees will just be the person responsible for their area and the "go to" guy/gal responsible for coordinating and communicating the club and the local areas.

I nominate Covey for Davenport. I hope he accepts because I do not know anyone with a bigger love for the hobby and club in this area.

 

[bgreenlee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8681066#post8681066 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Atticus
Trustees will just be the person responsible for their area and the "go to" guy/gal responsible for coordinating and communicating the club and the local areas.

I nominate Covey for Davenport. I hope he accepts because I do not know anyone with a bigger love for the hobby and club in this area.

If it is decided to keep the trustee's I will second the Covey nomination. He certainly does a lot for our local group here in the planning of tours, cook outs, etc and would be an ideal choice to have represent our local interests.

Covey if you decide to beat someone up for nominating you I just want you to know this was all Travis's idea.

 

[Atticus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8681112#post8681112 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bgreenlee
Covey if you decide to beat someone up for nominating you I just want you to know this was all Travis's idea.

Hmmm.... I think someone else may have suggested that idea to me, but I think it is a good enough idea that I would still stand behind it in the face of a beat down.

 

[glaspie69]

No offense but the BOD has the right to elect or not elect the trustees, it's not written anywhere they HAVE to be there......the stupidest thing about this whole disscussion is the simple fact that the commitees would do the EXACT same thing as a trustee minus the vote. Every year we go through this same crap of complaining about something, most of the time it's the people who talk the talk but when it's time to walk the walk there always too busy. The current BOD is planning things for the upcomming year, the last BOD tried planning things for a whole year and got very little done because no one was doing anything, this is what we are trying to change. It doesn't help us that everytime we try and change something to see if it works better 15 people bash it until they get there way. I'm sorry but I personally stand by the decision made by the current BOD that we do not need the trustees......commitees can be formed to do the same thing, if this doesn't please the masses sorry

 

[Atticus]

Who will coordinate these committees??? Explain that and I will change my vote.

 

[got2lb]

I think the way the BOD is doing things appears to be in the right direction.

This past year was kind of a flop. How many meetings did we actually have? 4? The local trustees were supposed to be having local meetings in between the "big" meetings but I don't recall seeing to many of those meetings. The only area that actually made an attempt at this was in the W-loo area. And there was one get together in the QC when they did their Maxi-mod party.

The last actual BIG club meeting was scheduled in Evansdale, how many of you came? I believe there were only 2 people outside of the W-loo area that came. Bullet, and Ryansholl. Why is that? Too far to drive? I drove 45 minutes for a meeting that was "local" to me, I drive 3 hours to go to a meeting in Des Moines, and I drive 2 hours to Coralville.

At least with the BOD scheduling the meetings we'll have some, be it a local get together or whatever!

If you guys want to start seeing things in your areas maybe you should step up and make it happen!

With that being said, you guys know I'm more than willing to help out with whatever needs to be done to help the club get going back in the right direction.

Matt

 

[Covey]

First off this seem to be getting needlessly harsh.

I personally would like to thank the outgoing BOD and trustees for their service. It's not like any of you got paid for it.

Anyway if you need Trustees I'll do it. If you want to go with the suggested structure thats fine too.

I all reality the direction of the club is determined here in the RC forum so it is all very open.

If suggestions are being pitched. As suggested earlier I would just like some more meetings. We really haven't had anything big since July. Our neighbors to the east CIMA blew up, split in half, and the club turned into a open civil war and they still managed a meeting a month.

Also in would be nice to try to growing club in the western half of the state. I don't know if we have any members west of WDM. Ya it's unlikely that most of us on the east side would drive all the way over there for local events but missing out on half the state is a shame. They can participate in the forum. It would make the big events that much cooler when the did happen.

The house could use some improvements but it doesn't need to be burnt down to start it.

Thank you,
Clayton

 

[glaspie69]

What your not getting is this isn't a VOTE.....the BOD has elected that there will be not trustees this year......no vote, sorry if you don't like it, the by-laws state that trustees MAY be voted in by the BOD not members, this law was broken last year. If you would like to have Covey be your commitee leader then have him VOLUNTEER not be nominated. Noinations are what caused us to have three people out of 8 running this club last year.

 

[Coralfreak]

You know what, this is getting blown way out of proportion.

The idea is simple:

We need volunteers from the four main cities, you know which they are.

We have one and I thank you Matt, for seeing this for what it is, a chance to get more involved with the club.

If we get several from one city, we will appoint(or they can choose) a chairperson. The chairperson becomes the go-between for the committee.

The Board of Directors is leading the committees, Jason and I, are by default "members of all committees" its part of the job.

Lets not make this out to be more than it what it is. This is a reef club, it is not the US Congress.

Allen

 

[Atticus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8681541#post8681541 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by glaspie69
What your not getting is this isn't a VOTE.....the BOD has elected that there will be not trustees this year......no vote, sorry if you don't like it, the by-laws state that trustees MAY be voted in by the BOD not members, this law was broken last year. If you would like to have Covey be your commitee leader then have him VOLUNTEER not be nominated. Noinations are what caused us to have three people out of 8 running this club last year.

This is not the way I expect a board member to act and I think it is a disgrace...

You constantly talk about how this last year was crap and it was because of the trustees. If I remember correctly you were a trustee and you flopped with the rest of us. Like Covey said a flop is a flop. Learn and move on do not destroy something that works. The structure did not fail WE DID!!!!

As for this not a vote crap, every member in here has a solid vote, they can do so by not renewing their membership. Did I get my money's worth last year??? HELL NO!!!! Nobody did. As a leader for this club you need to have your finger on the pulse of the membership and LISTEN, not react and judge like you are so willing to do. Billy brought up something that I also see as a flaw, we are not alone in this. The BOD needs to take a step back and re-evaluate, not power trip.

If you want to move forward listen to your membership. If you want another crappy year continue on your path and have fun touring your own tank....

 

[Atticus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8681610#post8681610 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Coralfreak
This is a reef club, it is not the US Congress.

Allen

Lets also remember that this is not a dictatorship either...

 

[bgreenlee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8681541#post8681541 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by glaspie69
What your not getting is this isn't a VOTE.....the BOD has elected that there will be not trustees this year......no vote, sorry if you don't like it, the by-laws state that trustees MAY be voted in by the BOD not members, this law was broken last year. If you would like to have Covey be your commitee leader then have him VOLUNTEER not be nominated. Noinations are what caused us to have three people out of 8 running this club last year.

This is the exact problem I was trying to point out when I made my first post. Four people running the entire group is not that healthy, especially when tempers start to flare, as they are with the last few posts in this thread.

People's inability to be level headed and debate an issue is what led to GIRS having such a stellar year in 2006. If the BOD has taken the stance of "to hell with the members opinions" I am sure we will have yet another rewarding year.

Thanks for the comment on this discussion being stupid. Allen brought out the idea and asked for questioins, I had a question and now I am stupid for it?

And by the way, does someone have a copy of the by-laws they could share?