Meetings in the future

[Gomer]

In the future (not talking about the upcoming August meet) I'd like to see some structure and progress with club meetings rather than just social gatherings. Are there any sort of topics you guys would be interested in?

Not this meeting (obviously), but possibly in the next couple of months, I wouldn't mind doing a fragging meeting (how to frag etc). I do have wet/dry diamond band saw. It's something I could probably even host at my place should people want to make the drive/carpool.

 

[Ntvper]

sweet...count me in ill make the drive, but structure we need to discuss and implement soon

like officers, a set meeting time, rotation place schedule if necessary or deemed appropriate, yearly fees if applicable

 

[sgallant04]

i totally disagree. structure just for the sake of it seems pointless. If we define an objective or agenda for our club then perhaps then perhaps some structure to work towards that objective ok. But I've seen way to many attempts at clubs fail because they become nothing more then meet, minutes, accounting, and voting.

nothing quite kills joy like boring bureaucracy for the sake of it.

 

[Gomer]

I'm just asking for meetings to have purpose and structure beyond it being a pure social gathering. We should learn things at meetings, not just shoot the **** (so to speak).

Not asking for club structure, just meeting structure

 

[Ntvper]

i disagree shawn i totally understand on the bureaucracy of it but nothing fails like a club without structure that has no purpose, hence why we havent met in forever. lol. totally wanting same as tony more structured meetings and learning beyond just a social gathering

 

[sgallant04]

then I would suggest as an early step, fairly steep dues. Make those interested in having more then just social gathering put some skin in the game. As club perks like meetings space, club events, loaner / speciality equipment lockers, group discounted buys all cost $.

 

[Gomer]

Steep dues without an obvious return is a surefire way to isolate ourselves. You don't want any sort of dues until you are a structured club with a treasurer tracking membership and in/out flows...and if you are there, then you want a pres/VP etc and then you are back into the situation you were vehemently against.

I'm fine with growth, but explosive growth in all directions spells doom. We have a handful of people who are continually active, but not many. We want to build on that circle and slowly add in things. It's why I suggested we themed meetings to start.

 

[r0nH]

A learning objective or info sharing event, is the easiest way to get more people involved in a meeting. i agree with both arguments. the need for a structured meeting is a strong way to get more people but too much is the easiest way to run them off. you need general meet and bs sessions but also larger structured events that happen occasionally to attract the new and apprehensive to the social setting of the hobby.

i would love to be involved as much as i can but i consider myself still a beginner to the hobby after over 20 years out.

 

[Ntvper]

Steep dues without an obvious return is a surefire way to isolate ourselves. You don't want any sort of dues until you are a structured club with a treasurer tracking membership and in/out flows...and if you are there, then you want a pres/VP etc and then you are back into the situation you were vehemently against.

I'm fine with growth, but explosive growth in all directions spells doom. We have a handful of people who are continually active, but not many. We want to build on that circle and slowly add in things. It's why I suggested we themed meetings to start.

here here i second that, the structure of the club im thinking of is more the officers. like who can say when and where the club meets (the official ones lol). yearly dues to cover expenses like drinks n snacks if or when a club member holds a meeting. nothing too rich or extravagant. i wouldnt worry too much about treasurer for the flows of cash i think we could bundle that up with the pres or so till we grow and have a standard meeting times and such. I personally would start with the structure of a standard meeting time like every third saturday or sunday a month and go from there. nothing too fancy or fast to begin with but a standard monthly meeting is the first step....i believe required to get this club off its behind and up on its feet for its first steps...so to speak.

thats the only structure i was thinking of.