petition to hold open elections for the AMCA board

[jmanjeff]

I have started an online petition to hold open elections for the AMCA board, for members that do not have a local chapter or can not make it to any of the meets. Please pass it along to other members

Petition is here

People sign it with your AMCA number and name , If there is no members number with the name it well not count

[Robert Luland]

You go Jeff! Bob L

[Edd]

Everyone interested in open and fair elections in the AMCA should forward this information to your friends

[fillibuster]

Everyone interested in open and fair elections in the AMCA should forward this information to your friends

I've always felt that chapters should be up to speed on national business, and this would be national business if even a little unofficial. But I want to be honest with you, only a few of us give a dam. Most of my friends would rather have the national board take care of the dirty work, the host chapters do all the heavy lifting for the swap meets and runs, and we'll just show up for the fun! cuz, see, we're allergic to organizational work!

That said, I personally hope that you get enough early response to prove that grass-roots involvement is viable. But we have to remember that a revolution isn't the end of the work, it is the beginning of responsibility, and follow-through. A simple poll of interest in elections is merely an indicator that we wish to have a voice. We can further develop that intention with a means that is workable, say, through chapter delegates for chapter members, and through an at-large delegate for otherwise at-large members. That way our elections would be much more condensed and manageable at a meet like say, Davenport, IFFFFFF, .. i'm not too busy having fun and looking for parts. ..... and just wishing things were just all okay without me. maybe they are.

[micmac]

I don't have a Chapter within a 100 miles from me. I have often thought about joining one. I am trying to make it toi the Denton meet to try and hook up with some of the people involved as I am leaving for Branson, Mo. on Friday. Hopefully it is like Davenport where members can attend Thursday.

[Chris Haynes]

In the past decade there have been a few new chapters formed. I am sure there are room for a few more. You folks in areas where there are none should get together.

[silentgreyfello]

I support this!!!! I actually think I voted twice because I forgot to enter my membership #.

[Edd]

I signed and did not pay. I think you sign and then are asked to pay.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/e...ard/signatures

[jmanjeff]

I signed and did not pay. I think you sign and then are asked to pay.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/e...ard/signatures

You do not have to pay after you sign. You do not have to click next just close the window or go some where else on the web

[RichO]

Richard Ostrander AMCA #47

Be careful what you wish for, it might come true and all that goes with it. Of 10,000 members if this petition doesn't carry at least half the memberships names it's a mute point. I feel the dozen or so malcontents that live on this forum and somehow haven't been there when we only had membership below 2,000 members and followed the clubs growth through all it's morphings and evolutions can really make a judgement call on this issue. There are logistical, practical, and legal issues that make this a lot harder proposition than it would appear on the surface. From one who has been on the board, worked on the road runs (was on the first one), helped start a National meet, has been a Chapter editor, secretary, and more there's more to this issue than meets the eye. That's my two cents and it came hard. P.S. If you think I haven't earned my say keep this in mind. While on the board I ask for and got the job of sending out of the only membership survey we ever had. It was my job to also package the findings and present them to the board. The findings weren't to the boards liking and I was canned the next meeting. Also I wouldn't go along with the status quo. The good old boy system that was in place then isn't there now. Before you seek an alternate system make sure you have a far better one to replace it. If you don't help a chapter, don't go to meets, don't go on road runs, don't help for the better good, then do you really have a say?

[jmanjeff]

Richard Ostrander

Where do you get off saying

If you don't help a chapter, my locale chapter is a 5 hour drive one-way and i have helped when i can

Don't go to meets, don't go on road runs, for me to go to a meet is a 14 hour drive one-way and the time off work

don't help for the better good, then do you really have a say? I pay my dues and so do many others that don't belong to a chapter or go to meet, so yes we do have a say

[Chris Haynes]

If you don't help a chapter, don't go to meets, don't go on road runs, don't help for the better good, then do you really have a say?

RichO,
There are a lot of people who either don't live near a meet, can't afford to go to one, can't afford a Road Run, and are not members of a local chapter. Are they to be excluded in your view? Is this a club simply for the well off or retired person who has lots of extra time?
In this country every citizen has the right to vote. Shouldn't all members of this club have the same right?

[RichO]

I wasn't getting personal. Malcontent to me means not content. No, not everyone can be near a chapter but many pay dues to support one and it's activities and is informed by it's newsletter, mechanical or electronical. That's still support and involvement. Many just pay their dues and get their magazine and just treat it as a subscription. It's more an organization than a club. No not everyone can go to national meets or national road runs. I am retired (after 45 years of hard labor) but I have never been rich. It took and takes saving every extra penny and odd jobs and more to get to road runs and distance meets (and all my vacation time) becauset I don't want to leave anything on the table when it's time to leave this earth. I live it as I go. Until just a couple of years ago there was only one bike in the garage too. Now there's a backup but it's not 35 years old. That survey ( I believe it was 2001 or 2002) asked for elections by the membership and transparent dealing by the board. I was a strong supporter of it's finding and was handed my head on a platter. It would take a book to tell you how far we've come as a club. Alot of blood has been spilt on the way. For those that are informed or want to be the foundation, museums, and other spending of the accumulated club monies have been a good thing. The advancement of the clubs founding ideals have always benefited and been at the forefront. Lawyers for good or bad are what they are and have been since merry ole England and Henry the 8th. There's no way around them in this time and age. Is it the money that bother's you? Where do those road runs, meets, magazines, and other items come from. It's nonprofit. Would you just have the National pay our dues, give us a free t-shirt or cap until it's gone? What then? Oh, you want a say in what they do with it. Why didn't you say that then. You don't agree with them. You think someone else would. How do you know that. How many feel like you? It will be interesting to find out. Oh, and don't pull that capitol red letter s--t on me. I don't know if you've earned the right. P.S. From time to time the club or board if you will has tried different things. Some have worked some haven't. if you don't do anything you never know. Things and people are imperfect. They can change the club guide lines to make election of officers membership driven but does that open a new can of worms? Polilitical, regional, financial, informational issues might be worse. There is more to it that meets the eye.

[fabercycle]

Jeff,

I understand, and am sympathetic to your frustration with current club politics.

And I see from your high amca number that you are fairly new to all this....so maybe you have a different view that me, or others, which is ok.

I've been a member of the club for 20 plus years, and am happy with the fact that for my 35.00 dues, I get 4 magazines a year, and can participate in vending, & buying parts at the meets, and have been able to network with 10,000 of the finest "like minded" individuals that can be found. I HAVE NO OTHER EXPECTATIONS, OR FEELINGS OF ENTITLEMENT.

This club is formed as a corporation, and is not much unlike a "company"

In a company with employees, there is no "say" as to what happens in management, if you don't like what happens at the top, they tell you to piss off, or your fired, that's just how stuff works. Companies are very similar to our situation. Corporations do not operate like a republic or a democracy in a government.

I personally know or have had good dealings with alot of the people having problems in this club....and I like them all, and hope everything can be worked out. In the mean time, I'm not signing petitions (which Rich_O is right on the money, it will do nothing), I'm not getting involved in other peoples buisness, and I'm not taking sides to an issue that I know nothing about firsthand other than hearsay or emotional opinions that have been expressed.

I suggest that any person wanting to change the way things are, should get themselves involved in the club, work your way up, and sieze your opportunity to help run things.

Lifes' a bitch, then you die, (and other people get all your bikes)

ps, keep in mind, I understand your position, just think you are going about it the wrong way.

[RichO]

Oh, Chris. as far as this country and citizens voting. Ever since I could I have and it's still always been a mess an always will be. They don't listen to you or me. It's lawyers and money. I rest my case.