Should FVRC move Forward

[daddavis1]

Personally I have said I would like to see the club move forward and I would back this club with money and time.

What I forsee as a full blown club looks like a cooperative: where larger group purchases can be handled and backed by the club and not just live stock but materials as well. On top of this eventually speakers, workshops, field trips and equipment purchase for club use. People would develope specialities they would employ to the bennifit of the club or hobby. Eventually there may be something propietary we as a club hold the licence to. A paying member would have greater access to these things.

However, I also believe anyone agreeing to pay also agrees to move foreward and commit to forgive whatever wrong doing may have occured to them in the past. This remains a standing committment to move forward.

Like RC I do believe we need a moderator to prevent people from lashing out without consideration for the effects of thier actions. Thats right another level of censorship. Thats if we stay here at RC. Personally I would like to.

Sunfish brought up a good point that before we go ahead and make different levels of membership like they have here on RC we need to poll the Group for concensus which will demonstrate just that there should be different levels of membership.

I believe the name is locked up and the new structure would require permission from the originator whomever that is in order to stay with this name. Is it you Spike? If we get consensus can we continue with the name. Otherwise I'll be forced to use Fox Valley Reef Club Paying Member or FVRCPM

 

[fishcrzycouple]

I know that we are still newer memebers, but i would really like to be involved more now that things in life have calmed down more. There are positives and negatives both ways with becoming an actual club, but i believe that things would need be extremely organized to proceed. I would like to help out if that is the consensus of the group.

-H- of H & C

 

[jandlms]

May I suggest that the final poll choice be changed to "No, I believe things should stay as they are". I find the "Forget......." choice inaccurate and a little offensive.

 

[daddavis1]

I could edit it to. I like no commitment.

 

[Hella]

From a person that has been around since the start and around the first time this was brought up and shot down, I have to say no again. There is no real good reason to become a "paid member club". If a "core" of people want that, then by all means start your own club get your own site and forums, or your own sub forum here on RC. Getting people to pay for what is to be had for free is a hard sell. There's no real benefit to having a a Prez a VP or any other of that whohockey.

We are a small club with im going to guess less the 50 people active at any one time and with the way people float in and out lots are going to find it a waste and find or start there own free club.

That's my 2 cents.

Rob

 

[Hella]

Oh yeah, and "FORGET it I hate change!"

 

[daddavis1]

Hella, thats the purpose of this little exercise.

 

[jlinzmaier]

Re: Should FVRC move Forward

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14629725#post14629725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by daddavis1
Personally I have said I would like to see the club move forward and I would back this club with money and time.

What I forsee as a full blown club looks like a cooperative: where larger group purchases can be handled and backed by the club and not just live stock but materials as well. On top of this eventually speakers, workshops, field trips and equipment purchase for club use. People would develope specialities they would employ to the bennifit of the club or hobby. Eventually there may be something propietary we as a club hold the licence to. A paying member would have greater access to these things.

However, I also believe anyone agreeing to pay also agrees to move foreward and commit to forgive whatever wrong doing may have occured to them in the past. This remains a standing committment to move forward.

Like RC I do believe we need a moderator to prevent people from lashing out without consideration for the effects of thier actions. Thats right another level of censorship. Thats if we stay here at RC. Personally I would like to.

Sunfish brought up a good point that before we go ahead and make different levels of membership like they have here on RC we need to poll the Group for concensus which will demonstrate just that there should be different levels of membership.

I believe the name is locked up and the new structure would require permission from the originator whomever that is in order to stay with this name. Is it you Spike? If we get consensus can we continue with the name. Otherwise I'll be forced to use Fox Valley Reef Club Paying Member or FVRCPM

I have a few questions before I vote. I've never been a part of a formal club therefore I'm not entirely sure of what I'm voting for.

I know you listed several ways in which a formal club would would benefit us, but the majority of what you said we already do - without formality.
1) Speakers
2) field trips
3) minor workshops
4) group buys
5) people offer guidance and leadership in specialties (tank drilling, SPS keeping, refugiums, zeovit, coral propagation, etc)

What you listed that we don't already do is:
1) purchase equipment for the entire group to utilize.

I think there are other benefits to being a formal group such as allowing easier creation of a FVRC frag swap, having an easier means to manage money (either spent or accrued by the club), fewer limitations with using the name on products or materials, etc..


Now to my questions:
They may not really be questions I want specifically answered but I think they are questions that people should ask themselves and investigate further before voting (and a decision is made).

1) If the club is formalized how will it affect me and my involvement in the club?
2) How will it specifically affect the club - cost, membership #'s, get-together arrangements, personal time requirements?
3) Are there changes that can be made to the club without adding fees and/or formal organization.

All I ask is that before anyone votes, that they thoroughlly investigate what they're voting for and understand what changes it will or will not bring. I'm entirely undecided at this point. I'm glad to have some friends to chat with and get together with a few times a year to discuss reefing. I enjoy showing my progress as a reefkeeper and asking for and/or offering guidance.

Dan.
I know you mentioned this will be a fresh start to put aside old grudges and disagreements, but I don't think that's the case. I'd like for you to explain further what you mean by that. I think if the club is formal, or informal, people will still choose to or choose not to hold grudges. That's a persons personality and mentality. IMO has nothing to do with being a formal club or not.

I highly suggest we "as a group" get suggestions, ideas, and input from others who either are or were in a formal club.

I have no problem with paying a bit of money and donating some of my personal time. I enjoy being with fellow reefers and my wife often gets tired of me talking about my tank! I would simply like for it to be clarified exactly what changes we are asking (voting) for and how it will affect the already established club.

Just my $0.02

Jeremy

 

[jandlms]

Editing it to "I like no committment" is just as offensive. How about editing it to something that doesn't show your personal bias towards formalizing the club. Keep it neutral.

 

[Fishcrazy06]

I would like to see the choice of "Undecided"

Eric

 

[jandlms]

As another aside, I thought jLinzmaier quit the club last night.

"If that's how people are going to be in this club and nobody is going to stand up for what is right then I want no part of it. I'm out!!!! I can find a place to discuss reefing with people who have better morals"
Not to be too picayune but should you be voting or posting in this poll. Or are you back in?

 

[Aquabucket]

Re: Should FVRC move Forward

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14629725#post14629725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by daddavis1
I believe the name is locked up and the new structure would require permission from the originator whomever that is in order to stay with this name. Is it you Spike? If we get consensus can we continue with the name. Otherwise I'll be forced to use Fox Valley Reef Club Paying Member or FVRCPM

I have no problem with the name still being used if the club goes formal with dues and such. Just because I got the wheels in motion with this club does not mean I have any control over what direction it takes. That can only be decided by a majority of the club members.

 

[sunfish11]

jandlms,

He actually posted a new apology thread and wanted to come back. It is a locked thread below.

Lisa

 

[cubsare1]

I agree with get advice from other clubs on what they experienced, both the good and the bad. We would also need to see all the rules and such so we know what we would be voting on. My idea of a club may be way different from someone elses. I think this is way to vague to be putting to a vote.

 

[Aquabucket]

I guess one major step in going forward would be to get a web site up and running and we had a poll with regard to that before. Maybe people may feel different now. The biggest positive I see with a website is we won't have to adhere to the commercial policies that are found here. I could see it as more for a frag trading and selling venue rather than an active forum though. I think it would be tough to get the kind of activity we get by being associated with RC.

 

[ZOKU]

From a newer member on the outside looking in... I think I really see two separate issues.

Everyone keeps talking about moving forward and putting the past in the past... I agree with that methodology. However, I don't think that necessarily means the club as a whole needs to become "real" or "official" with an enormous sense of structure.

If things happened in the past that involved a lot of crappy politics and drama... fine. Build your own bridge and move on. If you can accept the change, cool. If in your heart, you don't feel as though you can move on or you feel as though there is still going to be politics between members, that is your opinion and right and well... that's fine, too.

I'm voting "NO"... simply because I've already gotten a lot out of this discussion board. I've gotten a lot of good advice. I've been able to share with all of you my pico thread and my photos. I've met a few really cool guys thus far and purchased some awesome frags. And I'll certainly try and participate in meetings as often as I can... why would I possibly need to pay "dues", have stricter guidelines enforced and see a bunch of structured political fancy titles like Mr. Reef President, Mr. Vice-President, etc, etc.

 

[NewMelee]

I have been part of a few "formal" clubs in the offroad community between trial riding and racing. From what I've seen of this club so far, I'm not sure it would work. Or at least I don't see an advantage.

For one, I can't see any "club" equipment that is feesable since most of what is needed in this hobby requires that you have it on hand at any specific moment. That being said we may be able to do "better" buys as an entity. Again I have not researched this and do not know.

Another thought is that EVERY club I have been a part of has had "personnel" issues. Period. That is human nature, to understate it, everyone has different opinions and perspectives. Not good , not bad, just a fact. That goes from who's on the "board" and who's in the "peanut gallery".

Again not trying to ruffle feathers just trying to share my experience with different clubs.

What I would like to see, and possibly even help if wanted, is that a set of bylaws be drafted. An idea of fees. Some sort of plan/mission statement of what we are trying to accomplish and what the goals of the club would be. And lastly I think you would need to sit down and actually make a list of what changes you expect to see from becoming a "dues club" along with what are going to be the advantages and disadvantages.

I had been a short time member of FVRC, but have had alot of experiences in other clubs. Both good and bad. So this is just my $.02 for what it is worth. I would consider myself on the fence about this.

 

[customcolor]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14631804#post14631804 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aquabucket
I guess one major step in going forward would be to get a web site up and running and we had a poll with regard to that before. Maybe people may feel different now. The biggest positive I see with a website is we won't have to adhere to the commercial policies that are found here. I could see it as more for a frag trading and selling venue rather than an active forum though. I think it would be tough to get the kind of activity we get by being associated with RC.

well if some of us went to lfs and posted some simple adds saying there is an online forum for local people to come and ask and be a part of a comunity that have the love for salt water, we could get some new people and word of mouth of a simple name of a dot com. i hate saying to people that im in a club on line but have to explain how to get to the threads...

my thoughts about fees....after reading the pdf file that lisa posted in the other tread...i would think fees would be very small....like $5 a year....yeah a hole year! i was also thinking of another perk for paying would be talking to a lfs and see if we had fvrc membership cards that may be we could get a discount if we show the card...they would have an expo date of one year after made.....

just some ideas and some thoughts....i sit and think about things alittle more since what happened in the last 48 hours.....wow i havent seen this much typing from people in a long time....its nice to see that we finaly have something to type about that is CLUB related and not just about our tanks or selling stuff...

and the meetings we have now.....well they are realy not meetings in my eye...except for lisa's last year with rod.. we as a group never sit and talk about one thing.....it just seems to me like a reef party.....dont get me wrong, they are fun....but latly we havent ben doing much as in like the first one i went to at freds.....every one chiped in and brought some foods and made frozen fish food...granted it stunk(glad i wasnt fred that day ) but it was fun to watch everyone as a group doing something together...

this hole ordeal (that i started by accident ) is realy bringing people out and talking together again.....

 

[Bri Guy]

I havn't read all the posts lately about whats all going on, but recently I noticed a good reason to have a more formal club.

When Lisa posted that we were going to DFS again, and people that never post are on the list, and real club members were on the waiting list. Moments like that make me wish we had a club with real club members, instead of RC lurkers.

my $.02

 

[customcolor]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14632685#post14632685 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bri Guy
I havn't read all the posts lately about whats all going on, but recently I noticed a good reason to have a more formal club.

When Lisa posted that we were going to DFS again, and people that never post are on the list, and real club members were on the waiting list. Moments like that make me wish we had a club with real club members, instead of RC lurkers.

my $.02

i saw that too....i still dont see some of them posting yet....not even to say "yep im still going!"