Your AMCA Board

[bikerdds]

Steve, your comments echo exactly what the problem is. They have done it for 50+ years and felt there was no need [or cared] to do any different. In this day and age, it doesn't make it right! Just like the comments from Lou McCann when he witnessed someone saying "hell no, it will never happen" about input even from chapter presidents [much less rank and file club members], I would not hedge my bets on this for the future. It is a matter of time before this issue comes to the forefront and members demand the right for direct representation. That attitude of it will never change is as unprofessional as it gets, which I hope you can help change. Opening the board is also how new ideas are infused much quicker. I'm sure in all your years in the oil business you never saw a large company operate without a budget which was made public and audited as well. To for the first time ever have a budget is just mind blowing.

[Pete Gagan]

Hi Rob:
Indeed it is at Ted's. The Doerings, Ted and Jerry are both members of our foundation board. They have generously become our major patrons. We now have much more space than we had at Hershey, thanks to them. Also, we are now able to function without being a further financial burden on the club, but of great benifit to the AMCA membership.
Pete

[rwm]

now i see why the rule change in judging race bikes.ted will be repoping them faster then they ran

[Steve Slocombe]

Thanks for the nice words.

Now on to BACKGROUND. I said elsewhere I'm a member of four old bike clubs but the AMCA is the one I feel passionate about. The others are as follows. The VMCC is the largest old bike club, with over 16,000 members, about 90% from the UK. It has 80+ Chapters covering the whole country, and club activities essentially every day. It is run by a full time paid Chief Executive out of a brick building in the middle of the country, with seven full time employees. At current exchange rates their dues are $41. They have a 25 year vintage definition, a monthly magazine, a fine physical library, most of the build records of UK manufactured bikes, about 100 marque specialists, and about 20 people attending Board meetings. Board members are elected by the membership, at some cost in mailing and overheads. The President serves a one-year term, plus one as President-elect and one as Past President. A Chairman runs the Board meetings. It's an excellent club, but doesn't quite cut it if you're into American bikes. I note that the UK has about eight times the old-bike club member density of the USA, or else that the AMCA should have 80,000 members. The VMCC was almost split by a Board level dispute about 10 years ago, but recovered well.

The Harley-Davidson Riders Club of Great Britain has about 3500 members who do not wear chaps and who ride somewhat older bikes than HOG members. Dues are about $38. They enjoy drinking beer and telling lies while listening to loud music. The membership took a hit a few years back when the Board decided you had to own a Harley and send in your bike title to prove it. Their bi-monthly magazine had some long running feuds played out in the letters column until the Board stepped in.

The Old Timers Club in Den Haag, Netherlands, has about 150 members, and their claim to fame is a great annual rally of pre-1966 American bikes on the second weekend of August. We camp out, drink beer, swap stories and listen to bands. Great fellowship! They seem to rotate their President each year, and I have no idea how the Club is managed. Dues are about $47 and a monthly magazine is produced.

Have you got the impression yet that us cranky old bike riders have trouble pulling together in clubs, and that the AMCA dues are a bargain? For completeness the AMCA has 10,000 members, no full time employees, and is run by an 11 member Board (down from 15) with no fixed premises. We have 54 Chapters which do not cover the country. Directors are elected by the Board for three year terms, with the officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer) elected likewise for one year terms. We have a fine quarterly magazine and a growing virtual library. AMCA judging, while a minority interest, is a key technical strength of the club. We use a 35 year old definition of 'antique'. The Club is 95% US members and domestic dues are $30. About one third of the membership belongs to Chapters, and about one third of the membership are registered on this bulletin board. So we still have many members happy to enjoy the magazine and let us get on with it. So where should we go from here?

[AFJ]

Thanks for the nice words.

Now on to BACKGROUND. I said elsewhere I'm a member of four old bike clubs but the AMCA is the one I feel passionate about. The others are as follows. The VMCC is the largest old bike club, with over 16,000 members, about 90% from the UK. It has 80+ Chapters covering the whole country, and club activities essentially every day. It is run by a full time paid Chief Executive out of a brick building in the middle of the country, with seven full time employees. At current exchange rates their dues are $41. They have a 25 year vintage definition, a monthly magazine, a fine physical library, most of the build records of UK manufactured bikes, about 100 marque specialists, and about 20 people attending Board meetings. Board members are elected by the membership, at some cost in mailing and overheads. The President serves a one-year term, plus one as President-elect and one as Past President. A Chairman runs the Board meetings. It's an excellent club, but doesn't quite cut it if you're into American bikes. I note that the UK has about eight times the old-bike club member density of the USA, or else that the AMCA should have 80,000 members. The VMCC was almost split by a Board level dispute about 10 years ago, but recovered well.

The Harley-Davidson Riders Club of Great Britain has about 3500 members who do not wear chaps and who ride somewhat older bikes than HOG members. Dues are about $38. They enjoy drinking beer and telling lies while listening to loud music. The membership took a hit a few years back when the Board decided you had to own a Harley and send in your bike title to prove it. Their bi-monthly magazine had some long running feuds played out in the letters column until the Board stepped in.

The Old Timers Club in Den Haag, Netherlands, has about 150 members, and their claim to fame is a great annual rally of pre-1966 American bikes on the second weekend of August. We camp out, drink beer, swap stories and listen to bands. Great fellowship! They seem to rotate their President each year, and I have no idea how the Club is managed. Dues are about $47 and a monthly magazine is produced.

Have you got the impression yet that us cranky old bike riders have trouble pulling together in clubs, and that the AMCA dues are a bargain? For completeness the AMCA has 10,000 members, no full time employees, and is run by an 11 member Board (down from 15) with no fixed premises. We have 54 Chapters which do not cover the country. Directors are elected by the Board for three year terms, with the officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer) elected likewise for one year terms. We have a fine quarterly magazine and a growing virtual library. AMCA judging, while a minority interest, is a key technical strength of the club. We use a 35 year old definition of 'antique'. The Club is 95% US members and domestic dues are $30. About one third of the membership belongs to Chapters, and about one third of the membership are registered on this bulletin board. So we still have many members happy to enjoy the magazine and let us get on with it. So where should we go from here?

Some clarification of how the VMCC (Vintage Motor Cycle Club of Great Britain) operates in relation to its members should be made as Mr. Slocombe did not mention some important points.

The VMCC holds an annual general meeting in April each year (this year it is Sunday, April 11th) which all members are welcome to attend, speak to matters raised and vote. The March, 2010 issue of the monthly VMCC magazine prints a 12 page Agenda for the meeting, which includes proposed resolutions, a report on attendance at the six management committee meetings by the 22 people who form the committee, CEO's report, Chairman's report, Financial controller's report on the accounts, Director's report, Auditor's report,and the VMCC Balance sheet, income and expenditure account sheet, other activities account sheet, fixed assets schedule and other financial statement notes giving the amounts of salaries paid, costs of operating the archives, libraries, various events and such. It gives a pretty good outline of the VMCC's financial state, as far as I can tell.

Members of the VMCC also vote on their regional and area representatives, and on resolutions which affect the articles of incorporation if they have been passed by the Annual meeting. This vote is by secret postal ballot, counted by an independent non-VMCC organization.

Membership fees for pensioners are at a reduced rate from regular membership fees.

The 16,117 members (as of March 2010) can be members of 75 different territorial sections in Britain if they wish. These sections usually hold monthly meetings but also hold sections or intersection runs. The VMCC also holds rallies and runs. The january 2010 VMCC calendar listed 421 VMCC runs, rallies, trials, training days and such active riding events from Jan. 1 to June 30th, 2010 - not including the monthly social meetings.

There are also 5 special non-territorial sections, Road Racing, Cyclemotor, Flat Tank, Grass-track and Speedway and Touring. who hold events for their particular sorts of motorcycles.

The VMCC has a Marque Specialists group of volunteers who have offered to help owners of various makes and models of old motorcycles with technical advice and help. Currently help can be provided on 143 makes of British motorcycles, 6 makes of American motorcycles and 56 makes of other European, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and other motorcycles. The VMCC also provides a transfer (decal) service for a large number of motorcycle makes.

The VMCC has a large register of historic registration and serial number data of member's motorcycles.

Some years ago the VMCC extended an invitation to old bike clubs in other parts of the world to "affiliate" with the VMCC. Currently, 53 clubs in about 29 countries are affiliated. This affiliation, as I understand it allows members of those affiliated clubs, through those clubs, to have access to their extensive library research services and the Marque Specialist services on the same basis as VMCC members.

Anyone interested in the VMCC as an example of how an antique/vintage motorcycle club can operate in a democratic and member-service proactive fashion can see further information on the VMCC web site at http://www.vmcc.net

AFJ
AMCA #674

[Steve Slocombe]

Thanks AFJ, and don't forget the VMCC Sprint section which allows me to blast across old British runways on my Harley '34VDR and 50WR race bikes. I'm a member of their Men of Kent section/chapter, and when you join the VMCC they advise the nearest chapter president so he can write you a personal letter inviting you to join. The membership system also tracks you when you move house so you can switch section/chapter. There are surely lessons the AMCA can learn here.

The VMCC is set up as a UK company limited by guarantee, which means all members have to guarantee £1 (say $1.50) in the event of the club winding up. It probably also means all members have to receive all those reports and accounts mentioned. I'm sure our thrifty US members will see that such democracy has a cost.

I'm not a member of the VJMC in the USA, but I understand that their Directors are voted in by their Board and Regional Representatives, about 80 in all, which would map against the AMCA allowing the Board and Chapter Presidents to vote in the Directors. Certainly the list of AMCA Chapter officers which Del Schumacher, our Director of Chapters, produces shows the couple of hundred Club activists that I see at meets, Road Runs, judging sessions and so on, and which provides essentially all the candidates for National Office. If you want to influence the AMCA, then I'd recommend you seek Chapter office as well as posting on this forum and writing to the magazine. If there is not a Chapter in your area then create one! It takes only eight founder members and some paperwork, and Del has produced a useful guide showing how to do it.

[jmanjeff]

The VMCC is set up as a UK company limited by guarantee, which means all members have to guarantee £1 (say $1.50) in the event of the club winding up. It probably also means all members have to receive all those reports and accounts mentioned. I'm sure our thrifty US members will see that such democracy has a cost.

There is no cost but the time it takes to scan it and post it in thread that is setup just for that

[AFJ]

Thanks AFJ, and don't forget the VMCC Sprint section which allows me to blast across old British runways on my Harley '34VDR and 50WR race bikes. I'm a member of their Men of Kent section/chapter, and when you join the VMCC they advise the nearest chapter president so he can write you a personal letter inviting you to join. The membership system also tracks you when you move house so you can switch section/chapter. There are surely lessons the AMCA can learn here.

The VMCC is set up as a UK company limited by guarantee, which means all members have to guarantee £1 (say $1.50) in the event of the club winding up. It probably also means all members have to receive all those reports and accounts mentioned. I'm sure our thrifty US members will see that such democracy has a cost.

I'm not a member of the VJMC in the USA, but I understand that their Directors are voted in by their Board and Regional Representatives, about 80 in all, which would map against the AMCA allowing the Board and Chapter Presidents to vote in the Directors. Certainly the list of AMCA Chapter officers which Del Schumacher, our Director of Chapters, produces shows the couple of hundred Club activists that I see at meets, Road Runs, judging sessions and so on, and which provides essentially all the candidates for National Office. If you want to influence the AMCA, then I'd recommend you seek Chapter office as well as posting on this forum and writing to the magazine. If there is not a Chapter in your area then create one! It takes only eight founder members and some paperwork, and Del has produced a useful guide showing how to do it.

TO: Steve Slocombe, the AMCA Board and AMCA members,

The idea that it would cost money to send AMCA financial reports and other information to its members, which they would not wish to pay for is a non-starter in the argument. The quarterly magazine could (and briefly at one time did) include a financial summary. Expanded minutes and an AMCA news-to-members section could also easily be included - perhaps by dropping some of the "filler" currently being included. A members-only section of the AMCA website can easily contain meeting minutes, financial reports, and other news-to-members, information to sections and such.

I don't know anything much about the VJMC, but if they do have regional representative voting it is slightly more democratic than the AMCA seems to be at the moment. Which is an issue that has come to the forefront through the lack of communication over the judging changing/revision issues.

You state, "If you want to influence the AMCA, then I'd recommend you seek Chapter office as well as posting on this forum and writing to the magazine. If there is not a Chapter in your area then create one! It takes only eight founder members and some paperwork, and Del has produced a useful guide showing how to do it."

You seem to indicate then, that, in your view, it is only Chapter officials who can provide candidates for the AMCA National Board. The above statement seems to me to suggest that unless one is active in the operation of an AMCA chapter, that comments on this forum or letters to the magazine from ordinary members are ignored by the AMCA Board.

While I have been a continuous member of the AMCA for 33 years, I have never sought any elected or appointed position with the AMCA or a Chapter of it because I have always strongly believed that only citizens of the USA, in good standing, of a national club - The Antique Motorcycle Club of America - chartered in the USA, should hold office in the AMCA. And I am not a citizen of the United States, nor am I resident in the USA.

I am Canadian and a citizen of Canada, resident in the province of Ontario.

I have attended a number of AMCA events in the USA over the years, and always found myself to be a well-thought of and considered guest at these Meets and Road Runs. Interestingly, during these visits, a number of AMCA officials, including 2 previous National Presidents, one founding member and several national Board and Museum Board members have asked my opinion on various AMCA matters. As a guest in the USA, I have always tried to be diplomatic and helpful in regard to antique and vintage motorcycling matters, of both the club and museum aspects, since the world-wide vintage motorcycle movement is a small, specialized one and we need to help one another where we can.

You may ask why I have not formed a local AMCA Chapter in Ontario, Canada? Simply because a Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group was formed in the 1960s and it was the obvious club for a Canadian to join in 1970. Then it was a local unorganized group of 40 or so individuals in Toronto, Ontario. Today there is a membership of over 1800 and 29 individual sections across Canada. My organizational and voluntary vintage motorcycling talents were for 35 years given (in many different jobs and responsible positions) to developing and improving the national vintage motorcycling club in my own country. And I still am involved as a volunteer with CVMG-founded (and self-supporting) Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Museum which has operated successfully for 15 years. Perhaps this heavy volunteer involvement in Canadian vintage motorcycling matters encouraged those AMCA officials to ask "how things were done up in Canada". All I can say is that my thoughts and advice were always given in a hopeful and positive manner, simply telling what had worked - and what had not worked - for the CVMG, the AMCA situation might be different, and require different solutions.

However, may I suggest that close - and detailed - communication with all members of a club is essential. And it has to be two-way communication. The executive of a vintage motorcycling club, particularly the President, have to have their finger on the pulse of the club and their ear tuned to the groundswell of opinion on each and every issue. In small clubs this can be done by personal contact, in larger clubs a network of formal and informal opinion gathering has to be used. In any club there should be a process of nomination and election of officials of the club by the membership as a whole, since the member of an organization, be it antique motorcycle club or country, is the highest rank in that organization, and deserves all rights and privileges.

While I am a Canadian, I agree with American Benjamin Franklin who considered the rank of citizen as the highest rank in the US - to which I would equate that of member in the AMCA. Any officials are, as Ben concluded, servants of the membership.

As a long-time AMCA member I am quite happy to hear from any AMCA member or AMCA official, at any level, who might wish to discuss the various issues and potential solutions facing the AMCA and the AMCA Foundation at this time, with an eye to moving towards amenable solutions.

Al Johnson (AFJ)
AMCA #674
Address, phone # and email address are in the AMCA Rosters.

[stevekleincustom]

Bottomline during Challenging Times

Have you got the impression yet that us cranky old bike riders have trouble pulling together in clubs, and that the AMCA dues are a bargain? For completeness the AMCA has 10,000 members, no full time employees, and is run by an 11 member Board (down from 15) with no fixed premises. We have 54 Chapters which do not cover the country. Directors are elected by the Board for three year terms, with the officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer) elected likewise for one year terms. We have a fine quarterly magazine and a growing virtual library. AMCA judging, while a minority interest, is a key technical strength of the club. We use a 35 year old definition of 'antique'. The Club is 95% US members and domestic dues are $30.



Thank You Steve....Very good summation above. The rest of us are members also. This is our club also. There are many who appreciate the time it takes to try to run an all volunteer organization that is so large. Our growth and these current issues are just signs that this club has a much greater value than it is credited for ...and of a bigger better AMCA in years to come.

I'll issue a challenge here to all members.....Let's raise our dues voluntarily so we can hire some staff, get our own office facility and get these officers some help to continue getting the job done. I can't take my wife out for supper once and spend less than 30 bucks....unless I am cheap on the tip for the great service I already got?

Steve Klein
AMCA Member 12176
Cherokee Chapter
Georgetown TX

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Al, thanks for your helpful reply, and note that the AMCA has previously had a Canadian, Pete Gagan, as President. The nature of the old bike environment seems to mean we join multiple clubs, so you are member of a Canadian club as well as the AMCA, and nearly all our European AMCA members will also be members of their National old bike clubs.

Dear Steve, thanks for the suggestion, but you know the inertia in our Club means those ideas will take a long time to get implemented.

That brings me on to COMMUNICATIONS, or lack of them as many of you seem to be saying. The AMCA Board recognised a couple of years ago that we needed to do a better job, and there are several mechanisms in place you may be unaware of. Of course we have the letters pages in our magazine, and we've seen some pretty strong views expressed there over time.

Then there is this Website, where there is more shooting from the hip and use of handles instead of names. We're planning to upgrade this whole site this year, and make it easier to remove spammers, but remember the whole world and not just members listens in, even if they cannot post comments.

Then we have the Board minutes published in the magazine, and next time you'll see the mass of operational detail covered by your 11 volunteers in a nine hour meeting at Eustis.

In an effort to provide more timely information, for the last year President Rocky Halter sends out a one or two page summary note a few days after the Board meeting to Chapter Presidents and Newsletter Editors. I include this in my monthly-ish Email newsletter to my Chapter members, nearly all of whom are on Email. We now demand all Directors have Email addresses, and all our Chapter Presidents except a couple are also on Email. In the last two or three years we've seen most Chapter Newsletters move from printed to Emailed, thus saving money and providing a simultaneous and timely report to members.

We have also allocated a named Board member to each Chapter, usually the nearest. In my case I Email my four Chapter Presidents a month before each Board meeting, and tell them what I think the main topics will be and ask if they want to raise questions or have items we can learn from.

At the annual Presidents' meeting in Davenport, Chapter Officers get together for a couple of hours to get fresh info from the National and ask questions and exchange best practice.

That's not bad, but concentrated of course on the more active one-third of our membership that belong to Chapters, and the one-third registered on this forum. As I've said before, that probably leaves several thousand people just enjoying old bikes, receiving their magazine, paying their dues, and not participating in Chapter or Internet activities.

Your Board will commission another membership survey this year, and last time we did it there was a very high response rate and numerous lessons learned. This is the chance for every member to have their say, so please respond and look for the summary of feedback in the magazine. If you have ideas for even better communication, please suggest them here or in replying to the membership survey.

[sveger]

Club organization

Have been a member of AMCA since 2005 and I`m following this AMCA forum on a daily basis.
As Steve I joined AMCA mostly as my main focus with my hobby is on older US made motorcycles.
I have been a member of the NVMC http://www.nvmc.no/ (Norwegian Vintage Motorcycle Club) for almost 30 years as well as I am a member of the HDOCN http://www.h-docn.no/ (Harley Davidson Owners Club Norway) and several smaller brand related clubs.
To compare with AMCA I chose to use the two first mentioned clubs, NVMC and HDOCN.
NVMC established in 1974 have 3500 + members (our population is 4,6 mill!!!), we have one guy fully employed as secretary running “the office” and our archives as well as we have a board selected by those members attending the annual board meeting (or volunteering to it) free to all to join. Annual board meeting report as well as the club`s financial report is published in our magazine issued every second month in full colour`s on glossy paper. The content of our magazine is depending on input from the clubs members to the magazine editor being a part of the board.
Our club is as AMCA divided in regional branches where some of are running their own meets & rallies. Each year there is one main event partly run by the club in cooperation with one regional chapter volunteering to the job. This makes the event to take place in various parts of the country allowing more of the members to attend. Our main swap meets are part of vintage car swap meets located in various parts of our country. There is enough meets to keep you busy trough most of the year.

HDOCN established in 1986 have 2200 members, a selected board of volunteers, a members office run by a volunteer, a really nice magazine in full colours on glossy paper with 5 annual issues, regional branches with their own vice presidents and regional rallies.
The HDOCN magazine have for years been run by the same volunteering Editor who write some of the material based on loads of travelling as well as some is written by the members of the club.
The club have a library free for all members to use as well as they have regional meets and one main event each year.

Unfortunately none of the above clubs have a working web forum as AMCA`s tough NVMC have their own page with Facebook intended to take care of discussions etc.

Both club boards are involved in important lobbying towards our government and both clubs have close relations with insurance companies offering specialized insurance at very reasonable prices for their members.

Obviously neither of those clubs or their magazines get any better than what the input of their members makes them to.

Having last year attended my first AMCA meet at Davenport I must say I`m very impressed with the meet and those organising the event. I did also attend the banquet getting a presentation of the board and heard what they had to say, very interesting indeed.
As with AMCA the members voices have been raised quite high in NVMC at some occasions when the board have taken “unpopular” decisions like some years back buying out on of our oldest surviving motorcycles to prevent it from leaving the country. This bike now belongs to the club.

A friend of mine once said every club needs someone with the guts of getting un-popular to get any better, which I think is true.

Sverre
AMcN
http://AmericanMotorcyclesNorway.blogspot.com

[longhorn]

I strongly disagree with fellow Cherokee Chapter member Steve Klein , that club dues should be raised and staff hired.This club was built on volunteerism,not paid managers and who knows what else or who else the progressives would like to spend the member's dues and fees on.The club needs fiscal moderates or consevatives running this club.and those who believe in openess.

When the club increases its membership,it just has to print more cheap paper membership cards and more of its great magazine. The club's local chapters put on the road runs and swap meets. The chapters do a great job of organizing these meets and don't need the club's board or commitees getting in their way. I go to 3-5 national meets a year and other than the judging everything is run by the local chapter hosting the event, it is all done with volunteers and I have never been to a bad meet or run.

Just thought I would add my 2 cents worth.Hope to see all you at our chapters national road in the Texas Hill Country put on by local chapter volunteers.

Ken Kaustian
membership # 2065
newsletter editor and board member cherokee chapter

[stevekleincustom]

Differing Viewpoints and Church Economics?

I strongly disagree with fellow Cherokee Chapter member Steve Klein , that club dues should be raised and staff hired.This club was built on volunteerism,not paid managers and who knows what else or who else the progressives would like to spend the member's dues and fees on.The club needs fiscal moderates or consevatives running this club.and those who believe in openess.

When the club increases its membership,it just has to print more cheap paper membership cards and more of its great magazine. The club's local chapters put on the road runs and swap meets. The chapters do a great job of organizing these meets and don't need the club's board or commitees getting in their way. I go to 3-5 national meets a year and other than the judging everything is run by the local chapter hosting the event, it is all done with volunteers and I have never been to a bad meet or run.

Just thought I would add my 2 cents worth.Hope to see all you at our chapters national road in the Texas Hill Country put on by local chapter volunteers.

Ken Kaustian
membership # 2065
newsletter editor and board member cherokee chapter

Good evening Ken;

I knew when I suggested such It would get a swift response That's what makes our AMCA such a great club...differing viewpoints with one overall common interest.

Keep in mind that per Board Member Slocombe's recent communication in the preceeding pages our main source of revenue is membership dues and our largest expenditure is the magazine. We all agree that we all get a great magazine and I would submit we have a great website and Forum...all for a mere $30 US annual. I also would submit that all organizations whether public or private, conservative or liberal, have spent significant amount of time in more than one attempt to cut expenses to deal with annual deficits. Steve stated that we had a deficit in 08, 09 and our expectation and inpending annual budget for 10 is in the same direction...negative territory. I call this "Church Economics". It takes so much to pay for the bare necessities and after all cuts can be made the only way to balance the ledger is what comes in the collection basket on Sunday regardless of how well the serman was received by the members.

I find it quite satisfactory that we get all that we get for what we pay as compared to other organizations that I am a member of that I recieve far less value and far less quality communication and access to other members. The difference is a strong membership who participates in The Forum, supports our events and the tireless efforts of National and Chapter directors who do a ton of work out of their own pocket. My hat is off to all of them.

See you in Kerrville TX at The AMCA National Road Run in two weeks Ken...Can I borrow $25?

Steve Klein
AMCA Member 12176
Cherokee Chapter
Georgetown TX

[longhorn]

Steve,I will loan you $25.00,but you must pay me $10.00 interest for a 10 day loan.See ya at Kerrville.


Ken Kalustian
# 2065
Cherokee Chapter

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Steve and Ken, I shall also see you at Kerrville, and looking forward to it.

Are we ready to talk about Board SECRECY and CONSPIRACY yet? I've heard stories about the bad old days when there were two or three regional power blocs who voted in unison, but I haven't seen it in the four or five years I've been on the Board. My previous experience is with company boards, where everyone shares the same technical backgrounds and long time company experience, meetings are decided solely on technical and economic criteria, and the danger is of 'group think' where unlikely events are overlooked. No such chance with the AMCA Board - there are 11 volunteers from all over the country, with totally different backgrounds and experience, and always fresh opinions to be put forward. As I've said elsewhere on this forum, it's going to be hard work to arrange a conspiracy among such a diverse group of people.

CONFIDENTIALITY however is something different. In 2007 the AMCA Steering Committee was formed and I'm a member. We're thinking about the future of the Club, and Emailing various off-the-wall ideas to each other. Many of these are labelled confidential because the membership at large might misunderstand the purpose of this thinking. For instance, in 2007 in an effort to 'push the envelope' I Emailed the Steering Committee with the idea that we should define antique the same way eBay does - five years old (and collectible as two years old and broken). I couldn't get anyone to budge from our 35 year definition, and that is how it stayed. There may be a big potential for a Club covering from the manufacturer's warranty running out to 35 years old, but it will not be the AMCA.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST is also worth mentioning here. There is a written Board Policy, and we have to declare any commercial interest and refrain from comment on any financial deal where we have a direct interest. Board members are not shy of asking about potential conflicts in any agenda item. As an example, I was asked to attend the October 2008 annual meeting of FIVA, a Brussels-based lobbying group for historic vehicles, because I live nearest. My expenses then had to be approved by the Board, as this was not a planned expenditure. The minutes show the expenses were approved unanimously with one abstention, and that of course was me.

On OPENNESS, in the Board minutes you will see the word 'discussion', but there is no current intention to replay who said what. Likewise in a Board vote of say 10-2, the minutes do not name those on either side of the vote. The BMW Club broadcasts its Board meetings on the Internet, but my guess is we'll be waiting a while for that in the AMCA. My general advice is to join or form a Chapter, seek office, ask questions, understand how the Club works, and communicate clearly your plans for change. The Board is still open to questions from those who don't fully understand what is going on, and suggestions for improvements to help make our good club a great one.