need change at the top

[rwm]

can we vote red fred the new prez.it's 4 weeks since eustis and not a peep from the club president on any of this judging issue.nothing if this was kerry obama bush bush or clinton they would say his leadership sucks. well quess what this guys(rocky) leadership sucks. he maybe a nice guy,like stop and help you with a flat or buy you luch when your down and out but run a club no.yet here is fred telling us all he can ROCKy STEP DOWN.dont leave the club i'm sure you enjoy antique bikes .please stay and have fun .just don't stay at the top.i forgot you don't read this just like you don't inform us.

[exeric]

While I believe there should be an election for AMCA president; I don't think removing Rocky would be a good idea. Rocky is a stong willed individual and has done more good for the club than you may know about. Off hand, I don't know of anyone that would do a better job at this time.

[RichO]

Rob

This is so much B.S. I can't even respond. You make me tired. Richard L. Ostrander AKA Dr. Sprocket AMCA # 47 ( Have known Rocky and Fred for more years than I care to count)

[exeric]

This is so much B.S. I can't even respond. You make me tired. Richard L. Ostrander AKA Dr. Sprocket AMCA # 47 ( Have known Rocky and Fred for more years than I care to count)

If you're going to respond to a controversial post then be a man and say how you feel. This issue never even crossed my mind until I saw this post this morning. However, I do have an opinion and I've expressed it. I don't think that is B.S.

[Slojo]

Rocky is a good person and nothing wrong with having good people in his position. That said I am sure he has important buisness decisions that eclipse posting a statment right now.
Joe

[20scout]

The president is not the only one who should be replaced as it is a group effort that got us into this mess! I feel Rocky should step down but then I don't believe RedFred is the right person for the job ether. In my opinion we have lost our club and have little or no say in any matter any more and won't untill change has been made at the top. It seems that democracy is no longer as important as it once was, and no I don't have all the answers but I would like to have my club back!


Tim Alsleben A.K.A. "TR'
AMCA #6565

[Slojo]

The problems manifested themselves not with motorcycle enthusiast like Rocky but with the recent introduction of lawyers into club politics just as congress and all governing bodies . The French had the right idea. Sorry bar cards out there you have allowed this by not policing yourselves over the centuries. Your life's industry/production is grief and profit for all those you violate. Profit in it self is good until you look at the wake of destruction in the process of enriching you and your organization. Yes I am bitter with the corruption in our legal system I have been severly violated by clearly corrupt lawyers and their kind.
Joe

[redfred84]

Lawyers & the Club

Wow, Step away form the computer, and look what happens. First of all, thanks for the thoughts, but there is NO way I should be, or want to be the AMCA Prez. Running the club is running a business. Rocky is a very accomplished Biz man, and true Antique Motorcyclist on top of this. He is genuine, and old fashioned. He tells it like it is. This ruffles feathers for some. He has done well to steer the Club for a more secure future, as he is always thinking of the "Big Picture".
The Museum was actually initiated by then Prez Pete Gagan, and VP Scott Hall. Pete had been trying for a bricks & mortar location for many years. Our initial arrangement with the AACA car club was great for us. Then came the lawyers. The same lawyers that brought us the Foundation. Apparently this is all necessary for our Non-Profit Tax status, otherwise, each and every Chapter will have to pay Income tax on your treasuries! The same goes for the National. All stuff over my head (which there is a lot), but managed by the Treasurer, then Dennis Craig, and now Raymond Dhue. Dennis is now Prez of the Foundation, and Ray serves on both Boards. Changing times, laws, and growing pains of an awesome Club I'm afraid.
As a result, we now have an excellent magazine (at least in my opinion), more Road Runs & events, more chapters, and the basis for securing the future of our lifestyles.
Rocky will be stepping down as Prez, and from the Board when his term is up this year. He has recently endured some lifechanging events this past year, but has always kept the Good of the Club as his priority.
Time for a ride, RF.

[c.o.]

Well said Joe....

I don't know that a change at the top would solve anything at this point. Our wonderful club has gotten rather large and with that comes larger amounts of money and folks like lawyers are brought in to help (hinder) the operation. I know that Rocky's showings on this board have been less than positive but I've also heard plenty of good about him on other fronts. It could just possibly be that he's not an internet fella. There's plenty of folks in this club that are in that camp. A call for revolt at this point could sway the club in an even more turbulent direction. It could always be worse. I would caution those that wish to be careful what they wish for.

[c.o.]

As always Fred thanks for weighing in......

[RichO]

Eric smith

You do not know me good enough if any to question my manhood. I did make a statement. I just chose not to emblish it. This board as you call it is really suppose to be a forum about the history, preservation, and usage of the world's two and three wheeled machines. What we get alot of the time is political B.S. about stuff that doesn't even relate to any of the forementioned items, well enough being about the club.. I remember back when there were under 2,000 members and only a couple of swap meets and no road runs. Now it's a business and reflects the changes in the world at large. Over 10,000 members, many more swap meets, many road runs, and all the organization that entails. I remember when we had a surpluse of some $750K in the bank. Some said we should front our own museum. Do you know what a small yet modern museum structure with proper security, climate controls, yearly maintance would cost. Way more than $750K. That's why it was prudent to piggyback with a museum that was up and running. We didn't lose anything on the AMA deal and it was a killer display. The AACA was a good deal also and that display was great too. Our club is about EDUCATION and PRESERVATION. It's about getting folks interested now so when we are gone, like those before us, this history will still endure. That's what the Foundation does and the regular board runs the meets, road runs, and the magazine. It's run like a business because it is. It's not like your local chapter. Your yearly dues bring you a fine magazine, insurance for great swap meets and road runs. you need more? The foundation does great things like educating the public with grants and programs like Mackey's 45 project and museum displays. You want more? You don't get more unless you help put on a swap meet, become editor of your chapter's newsletter, help put on a road run, make awards, make the t-shirt for your chapter's events, write articles for the magazine, and more. Sell extra parts, save your nickels and dimes, schedule all your vacation time, (just cause your just a working stiff) so you can travel across the country to ride on road runs with other members over country you've never seen and to meets you've never been to for parts and companionship. You want more? We should be thankful for ALL we have as members. Is that enough Eric?

[Slojo]

Dr.Sproket
You nailed it, we do have a great club I for one enjoy many of the events and tire of the politics. I hope you are not an attorney.
Joe

[exeric]

Membership in the AMCA costs U.S. citizens $30 a year. the tangible benefits of that are 4 magazines, 1 free ad per issue, free pre-registered judging, and a free trophy if your bike scores. The intangible benefits of AMCA membership are a numerous and priceless. Lifetime friendships with people who share a common interest, technical help from many sources, swap meets around the country, road runs, banquets, and the benefits go on and on.

I love the AMCA and I think it is the best organization in the world. It has it's problems but our membership is getting more for it's $30 perannum than any organization I can think of.

In the future Rich; read what I write before you jump my ass.

[RichO]

Eric

Under title on my posts I always put to who I address it. You'll find if you read my first comment (short as it was) the B.S. was to Rob. You ask for me to man up and give my feelings and I responded in kind. I didn't jump your ass as you so delicately put it, because if I had it would have been a thing to remember but I'm to old for that any more thank goodness (but there was a time). No Joe I'm as about as far from a Lawyer as one could be. My creed as always been, live and let live or to each is own and it has served me well. Let us all enjoy as many miles of road as we have left to ride and as much time with friends and family as we can get. Almost time to plant my tomatos, but I digress.

[Lonnie]

Everything that Dr. Srpocket and Eric say is 100% correct and is something we all too often forget. The magazine does not produce itself, the meets do not happen as if by magic and the common tie that binds us all together, even in this forum and in this particular thread, is the AMCA.

That being said, after many, many years of running a distribution center I can surely state that the easiest way to avoid controversy in an organization is communication as part of the decision-making process so that everyone feels that at least their concerns are heard. There is a saying that "you can please all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time and some people you will never be able to please". The key is to work with the knowledge that you can please the majority of the folks if you educate them on what you are trying to accomplish. This has worked, for me at least, so that when I have had to lay people off their job for lack of work, by communicating to them exactly what we were doing and why, I have NEVER had someone be mad at me, upset at loosing their job, yes, but not angry with me....because I was 100% honest and forthright with them all the time.

While Fred had done a great job of explaining things after the fact, the fact that there had been no forewarning of things to come, in regard to both the AMCA/AMCA Foundation split and the Judging changes, breeds mistrust when all of us must see that there is no real gain for anyone on the board in any of those courses of action. Without the communication PRIOR to action, however, many feel that there is an ulterior motive (or else why keep it a secret?) when most of us can clearly see that there is no hidden agenda. After all, I don't see anyone getting rich by being on the board. If anything, I would nominate Fred to be the board member to constantly remind the other members of the need for communication before the fact. It's sorta like an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure.

For those who have not met or talked with Rocky (and I have only occassionally), my impression is that he is one of those guys who, if you do not want to hear the answer, you had better not ask the question. In other words, he seems to say what he means and means what he says. And you can't get any more honest than that.

Again, as Dr. Sprocket suggests, if you want to be involved, get involved. Join a local chapter or volunteer to help at a National Meet, a National Road Run or even a local event. You will never understand the tremendous work it takes to put on an event unless you pitch in and help.

Lastly, in regard to Slojo's comments regarding lawyers, I am reminded of a picture my former boss, now retired, had in his office. It showed a cow, being pulled at the head by one person and being pulled by the tail in the other direction by another person. There, milking the cow, was a man in a suit. Yup, that man would be a lawyer.