Ron,
You posted a long reply to my 9-13 posting, but didn't answer my main question. I have asked this question several times, and you just keep saying "It is there". Well, it's not. Please try again, because this is my main issue through this entire thread.


The original Bylaws stated:
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All club officers are to be elected by the members of the Club in good standing by means such as the Board shall devise. The election method will be determined as to best accommodate the members. Members of the Board will serve two-year terms. Each year, during the Annual Convention, they will vote and agree that one of them will be the club President.
-----

This is not what is in the current Bylaws posted on the IAOC web page at:
amphicar.com/bylaws.htm


Please note that this original wording defined that the President is in fact one of the elected Board members. This, too, has been removed.


Please answer one simple question:
Why has the wording that the club officers (ie..Board) are to be elected by the members of the Club been removed?

Thank you,
Marc.


        

Marc,

The original bylaws:

All club officers are to be elected by the members of the Club in good standing by means such as the Board shall devise. The election method will be determined as to best accommodate the members. Members of the Board will serve two-year terms. Each year, during the Annual Convention, they will vote and agree that one of them will be the club President.

In the past, including previous to the current board, many times the majority of the club officers had been nominated and voted on by the board. Willing members answered a call in the newsletter if a position needed filled. I'm told that typically only one member would come forth so the board voted and accepted that member, hence he or she was not officially elected by the members as stated. If you don't have several coming forth it is hard to hold an election.

The current board decided that since the method above was sometimes being utilized we decided to modify to the current:


The board may nominate and call for a vote to elect officers, OR IAOC members in good standing through the board can nominate and elect club officers through due process. If new officers are not nominated, then the board of elections would need to distribute mailers to all members in good standing for nominations. Then another mailer must be sent to all for a final vote on each board member. All board members will serve a two-year term, including the President. The President my elect to add the position of Vice President if he/she feels necessary based on the workload.


At the same time we added the language regarding the VP to hopefully prevent things from getting skipped over, missed, etc if a lot was going on, plus if the President needs to go away for a few weeks and can't receive email. This will allow incoming email, etc to be answered in a timely manner. We thought that this was in the best interest of IAOC.


Below is what I personally sent to the previous President on 4/30/07, however it went unanswered:

With Celina quickly approaching and a few board members departing should someone be organizing and be in charge of a board of elections? Nominating and voting process? Number of people leaving the board and positions needing filled? Ask for those interested in the board via W&W newsletter as there are only a couple of issues (maybe 1?) left prior to Celina?


Again we will review and discuss you thoughts. There is nothing malicious going on behind the scenes.


Ron Green


        

Ron,
My records show that you joined the club in 2002, so I don't think you're qualified to tell me the way things were done in the past. The process you indicate NEVER happened prior to 2005. And don't bother telling me that I'm incorrect as you have done in so many posts, because I was President until 12/31/2004 and I think I would know. I cannot speak to what process happened from 2005 til present.
In my opinion, the Bylaws should never have been changed to the current wording. It is basically the new Board changing it to the process being followed, rather than following the process defined in the Bylaws.

Marc.


        

As I stated numerous times we will discuss your concerns and thoughts. We have a few board members that have been here from day one, are on the current board, have been following this conversation and have a different viewpoint.

As you stated from 2005 to present the process appears to have changed, and that would include previous administrations, and not just the current board.

For those of you who many be wondering what your board is currently working on: creating a welcome letter for new members, updating the website, getting the vin and plate registries updated, scanning the newsletters for the website members area, the annual gift, a totally new format for the W&W, we just received our postal bulk mailing permit which will save mass mailing $, organizing the club library and getting it all in one location, scan and place some of the library material onto the website, plus we will discuss Marc's concerns, etc.

From all of the positive comments via email and phone calls directed to the current board it appears that the majority are pleased with the direction IAOC is headed since this past March. For those of you in doubt we can only ask that you give us some time. We have all been working many hours and extremely hard.

Ron Green


        

Just to clarify. I had a lot of feedback from past and present board members on the original thread. Some felt it should stay, others felt I should delete it. In the end it was my decision to do so just as I have subsequently decided that I will not delete future threads. Strong opinions were expressed but it was not Ron's, Marc's, or anyone's decision other than my own.

I do think the current club is doing some good things. At the same time, I view an organization's charter to be very much like the Constitution. If any changes are going to be made to a charter, it should not solely be at the discretion of any single set of board members. There need to be checks and balances and 110% transparency to all constituents when such changes are even proposed, let alone adopted. Otherwise, what is to prevent board members from declaring themselves leaders for life, that they have right of the first night with all women at Celina, etc.?


        

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. We now have leadership, we now have an active board, We now have a timely newsletter. Any more booger flinging we will have nothing. Let the HEALING begin. My goals for this Club. To be able to happily hang out in parking lots, bars and cars. Its that simple. Later Dave the Wave


        

In unrelated news, I am throwing my hat in the ring fro an IAOC board position.




        

Well I finally check this and find this situation dear to my heart also as an original founding member with Marc ,I completely agree that the original language and concept was that the by laws were not to be changed except by a vote of the membership even if it meant an additional mailing. And as far as removing a board member I think there should be some Future language about the circumstances that you can impeach a board member or President or other officer. This club was originally founded on the principal of all of us not taking things to seriously and basically co ordinating the Celina event thus the main reason we started the member gift so that we wouldn't have any money at the end of the year as we felt with money comes problems. There is no reason we can't have a separate mailing to the membership about nominations for board positions maybe this is something the New board membership position could handle. I would like to see the board being more open to suggestions and getting other opinions and taking them seriously instead of this is what we want and thats it. Some of the decisions that I seen and heard at Celina was completely out of line in my opinion It seems that as the board changes and everyone wants to add there stamp on the club and this is fine but there needs to be guidelines and a structure to keep some continuity in the club. but as far as I am concerned John Bevins needs to be back on the board and has as much right there as the rest until his peers remove him.

Just my thoughts

Doug Parsons


        

Doug:

Regarding your feeling that John Bevins should be back on the IAOC Board. He was removed, as you defined, by unanimous action of his "peers" (that is, the entire rest of the Board). If you can't accept that the Board can take actions like this in the name of the entire membership, then the only alternative is true democracy where EVERY item and issue must be voted upon by the entire 350-some IAOC members. I can guarantee you that this would rapidly bring all activity to a halt, as we would devolve into a debating society drowning in procedure.

John's removal was taken because the Board felt that the cumulative weight of so many issues (the Website not being updated with news, VIN submissions, member's Amphi photos; the transmission sale issue; the claim that John felt he was due some unspecified "perks" for his voluntary time and efforts; the impression that Rocky Mountain Amphicar was too closely linked to the official IAOC website; John's unwillingness to copy Board members with emails coming into the club website; the difficulty in discussing and resolving all of the above with John).

I had never had the experience of being in a position where I needed to make a decision as we had to do with John. However, as personally difficult as it was, I only regret that we didn't do it at Celina.

You call to have John back as an IAOC Board member. Although I decline from speaking for any other current Board member, recent experiences force me to state that I would never be able to serve on any Board that included John in any position. Life is too short to invite that level of trouble. If the future sees me no longer serving as a Board member, I promise to make my departure orderly and to ensure that I properly transfer IAOC materials and assets in my possession to my successor.


        

__________________
Ed Price
El Cajon, CA USA
61 Rust Guppy

Oh no! This is going from bad to worse AGAIN.
Could everyone stop with the names and accusations
please? Take that mess off-line for Darwins' sake, make
a phone call, private email, or write a letter, but at least
be constructive about it.

Let's let the club go forward and heal its wounds now.
I'm sure the current IAOC board will rally and do the
right thing regarding the election process in the future.
Heck, I readily admit I didn't hold proper elections either
during my 2 years at the helm - my bad , but the club
still met the vast majority of the member's expectations.

Remember at the end of the day nobody is perfect and each
board member is a volunteer - give 'em all a break (past & present)
and your support.


        

__________________
Be Well, Swim Safe.

Amphipoda
'64 Turquoise
San Diego, CA