Privatizing this club

[H.crispa]

Point of order!

Mirriam Webster:
Main Entry: pri·vat·ize
Pronunciation: \ˈprî-və-ˌtîz\
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1948
: to make private; especially : to change (as a business or industry) from public to private control or ownership
â€" pri·vat·i·za·tion \ˌprî-və-tə-ˈzâ-shən\ noun

This club is not now, nor has it ever been run by the government. Therefore "privatization" is a non-issue. It has always been a private sector entity. C'mon folks, if the government ran this thing it would cost three times more, take four times longer to accomplish a goal, and the results would be 1/16 as good. Is that what you want?

It already is "privatized". You guys are asking for more government for God's sake! If you will recall, this thing was started as a grass roots reef geek organization. Then people started whining about wanting a governing body. Ron protested as strongly as anyone could. Many of us wanted it to remain organic, free, unstructured as possible, etc.

The "counsel" was formed against the wishes of most of the folks involved with the foundation of the club. It was done to appease and it seems to be working about as well as appeasement has historically. Now we all seem to be careening toward elections, positions of power, governance and all the trappings that go with it. Why can't we all just be happy to abolish this notion and go back to the way things were in the beginning? We share and agree to adhere to some basic ethical principles.

No counsel, no elections, no fluff. Just hard core reefing. Is that too much to ask?

 

[package]

H.crispa - I thought you fell off the planet.

A private direction allows for another advantage - voting of new officers, President and change at particular intervals as opposed to the current system self appointed for life.

Although I doubt anyone has the dedication that Ron has, - but it would be a vote. I think it would be a good thing although I (who also do not agree with Ron a bunch) would also vote for Ron for President because of his dedication and the fact that he cares enough to do it. There is a lot to be said /respected for his time and commitment.

 

[phljess]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11942270#post11942270 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carb850
I imagine that is exactly why some people show up. Is that really a problem? Seems like the swaps could be setup for this very purpose. Then have the demo's and discussions separate for those that are interested.

YES it is a real problem!!!

No, this is not what the club was founded for. Yes it is part of the club but not why we have the club. First you should know how to keep something alive before you go about buying everything you can just because you have the money to do so. The philosophy of buy it now learn how to keep it later is what makes most people say " I had a reef tank a few years ago but you cant keep any of that stuff alive for long so I got rid of it".

It is a fundamental component of the club to educate people so they do not go home and kill everything they buy. I mean you are keeping animals that may be extinct in a few years, you play a role that may keep some of these animals from going extinct.
It kills me that the same people who think the demos and discussions are boring are the ones who only show up for one or two meets. Maybe its better off, I am glad they quit the hobby or go else where. I want to help those who are willing to learn.

I think we should go back to having the discussions at the beginning of the meets. So people are forced to get some education before they can buy.

 

[carb850]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11942640#post11942640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phljess
So people are forced to get some education before they can buy.

That sounds very counterproductive to growing a membership base.

 

[crabfan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11942570#post11942570 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by package
H.crispa - I thought you fell off the planet.

Well what about me Lloyd? :eek1: :lol: :eek1:

 

[phljess]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11942736#post11942736 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carb850
That sounds very counterproductive to growing a membership base.

I am really not sorry if I offend some because if this offends them then they do not understand why the club was created in the first place and may need to trek to CORA or the Tennessee swaps.

I could care less. If we do not grow very fast that is fine as long as the people we pick up on the way are not destroying every frag and trying to destroy the club itself. I would much rather be in a club of a few that actually plan on staying in the hobby. than numerous people who are just passing through. Most of these people who only want to buy frags and do not want to learn, most of these people are drifters and some trouble makers.

 

[firefish2020]

Guys I will say this one more time , first thanks for all the votes of confidence but I am only "President" because no one else could prove to me that they were capable of taking charge of this group and not destroying something we started from scratch, something that started from nothing more than an idea, something that is valuable in many ways.

Trust me on this, I am not going to be nor do I wish to be President for life, I have many other interests.

I said this once before here and I have said it several times in public since. "I will step down when I feel confident that this group can stand on it's own two feet." Let it go now and it will crash and burn making the last 4 years a monumental waste of all our effort, it will end the free knowledge and teaching we have set forth. It wont affect many of you here but it will effect those who come after you, those who are still getting the same bad advice and buying wild caught coral without any clue to the alternatives of our local source.

I have also said this before and it has been taken negatively, it should not be, if you can do it better please do so we would welcome a Sister club, I personally would love to go to a swap where I had nothing to do but pay a small fee and look around, no worries, attacks, threats, drama, just good old reef keeping fun.

Change and a new direction are coming within the next 48 hours. Some of you may not like change, change is scary it challenges people, it makes some thrive and other give up. However we feel this change is needed. A president must make hard choices sometimes unpopular choices, those choices are not personal nor are they driven by anything more than the well being of the group he/she is in charge over. Unfortunately there is no alternative and this my charge. <b>I might add, I believe for the most part the vast majority will be very happy about these changes and rewards.</b>


OH BTW Glad to see you again Crabfan hope the animals are well.

 

[carb850]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11937701#post11937701 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carb850
Seems like the South Charleston Rec center is always having a knife and gem show. Maybe I'm just not interested in Knives and gems, but it seems like an Aquarium show/swap could draw as much people.

Not that it really matters, but I thought I would share a little piece of info. It is the rock and gem show and appearantly it is a much bigger event that I thought. A friend checked the website and it claims they get 1000-2000 people during the event. I would have guessed 10-20% of that max.

 

[spinnerbayt]

I haven't been with the group long and I don't always jump right in but I have been to 4 meets and have done 2 demo's. I don't have alot to offer as of yet but I have to start somewhere. I come to learn and share. Picking up a cheap frag is just a bonus. I have no idea what is best for the club but I will try and offer myself to the club for what ever it needs. I wouldn't be where I'm at after only 1 year if it wasn't for this site and a key group of guys/gals from the club. Thanks Guys!

 

[LowCel]

Right now we're lucky that our meeting place is free. We currently generate enough revenue to support our website and before that it was financed by LowCel. Thanks as always to Roger and Bruce.

Shhhh, don't tell anyone but as of right now the website is still financed by LowCel. Once it comes time for renewal the club will be taking over the expense though.

 

[firefish2020]

I go to the Rock & Gem show every year. There is no way it can be compared to this situation though. Spaces are rented, ordinary hobbyists are not sellers, limited education does take place but it is all 100% commercial. ie. not what we were founded on.

I have also been to several frag swaps (real ones) run by real clubs and have talked to many members from other clubs. These swaps are also 100% commercial. They may have a guest speaker but everyone is there for pretty much one thing. After hearing about there problems, most of which were financial arguments and splits based on various ideologies all of which were counter productive to there founding mission statements, I decided what direction we should push for and why. I ran ideas by our council and they helped hammer out the details just as they are helping me right now.

I would like to point this out to the newbies to this forum. I may not agree with everyone about everything but I respect a vast majority and consider even those I have had problems in the past as my "reef buddies". Case in point Phil just gets on my nerves to no extent at times and we clash a lot but we play off of each other and in the end we always find the answers we are looking for, in short he is still a good friend and a valuable asset to this group.

Don't take all this as negative guys good things are around the corner for you all shortly, we are working very hard on this new direction and are still on track :thumbsup:

 

[rnhrtfan]

Most of what Ron has pointed out here is the very reason I am not in favor of dues....carb pointed out in an earlier post he is a member of a club that collects dues and sells t-shirts for profit...has around $15K in the bank and uses it for shelter rentals, drinks and snacks for their rides...that's cool but who is in charge or the $15K????? and if you have $15K why the hell do you have to pay for T-shirts??? I pay home owners association dues that are to be for snow clearing, street repairs and such... the streets have pot holes and are never cleared in the winter but we got a real nice sign put up last year that we didn't need..... Point is when these things are put into place the spending of those funds are basically left up to the ones in charge with little input from the end users which may or may not agree with the descision and ultimately ends up causing friction between everyone (half my neighbors don't speak to one another) that are all here for the same reason....BECAUSE WE LOVE THIS HOBBY!!!

I don't get to many of the meetings for family reasons and wouldn't be interested in paying a fee to only attend once in a while....and would that limit access to the forum as well?? this place has been a wealth of information for me in my short time in the hobby I feel more comfortable drawing from the knowledge of locals than I do from those elsewhere around the world, and would hate to loose access to that....I just can't figure out why we should take money that could be used to purchase a frag, a colony or even a fish (the very things we're here to propogate and protect the natural reefs) and use it to pay a membership fee that or may not get used to buy that rare piece.....Did that make any sense to anyone?????

 

[coralreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11942794#post11942794 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crabfan
Well what about me Lloyd? :eek1: :lol: :eek1:

Well HELLO Dwight :wave: I was starting to think the opossum ate you

1. If dues help the club, go for it. I think we all could part with a little beer money for the cause.(My God what am I saying?!)

*gasp* not the beer money :lol:

 

[crabfan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11942966#post11942966 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by firefish2020
OH BTW Glad to see you again Crabfan hope the animals are well.

We had great success last season. All the babies in 2007 survived and thrived!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11948612#post11948612 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralreefer
Well HELLO Dwight :wave: I was starting to think the opossum ate you

Not yet....just a couple of friendly nibbles! :lol:

 

[Kung]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11939959#post11939959 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phljess
I do not understand why so many people write here on the board but never show at the meets.

I never come because they are ALWAYS on a Sunday, and I have a standing sunday committment. I don't complain because it seems like it works for everyone, so I just don't go. I don't pay dues, so I don't really mind. I would love to go, but . . . you have to make choices, ya know?