I am reluctant to jump into this fray, but with so much misinformation
moving so fast, I feel I should give it a try. I don't intend to
criticize anyone, but perhaps clear up some misconceptions. If this
topic doesn't interest you, this is a good time to hit delete. I will
be happy to answer honest questions. I won't even respond to flames.
Even though I am a past president of AHCA, I am retired now and do not
speak for the club. There are very capable and earnest people who can
do that, but I am speaking as a member who was there.
For many years, as each delegates meeting has approached, various
officers worked the phones and emails trying to increase particpation
and count noses to see if the delegates would have a quorum for the
upcoming meeting. Sometimes its not an issue, sometimes it is close,
and a lot of cajoling has been done to try to get clubs to send a
delegate. A couple of years ago the officers foresaw the possibility
that a meeting could be held and a quorum not met. With budgets to be
approved, elections to be held, and club business to conduct, this
prospect could have been costly and impacted the representative way that
AHCA is run. The issue was taken to the delegates. There was a
delegates focus group held at a recent fall meeting, at which any
delegate could participate. Various options were discussed, including
how to get the less active clubs to participate. The Vice President of
Club Support at the same time has constantly worked to get the less
active clubs more active and more participative in the meetings.
At the Fall, 2006, meeting, after consideration of various options, the
delegates voted on a change to the way that quorum is determined. It
took two votes, and the second vote took place at Conclave in Vermont.
The delegates selected an approach that is simple, and it was their
choice. The new quorum rules have a hard requirement that notice of any
meeting be published at least 3 months in advance in Healey Marque. So
the scenario of Rudy holding an unannounced meeting in his living room
is simply not possible. Any club, any delegate, any member, knows at
least 3 months in advance when and where the meeting will be held.
Michael Oritt is right that we should do everything we can to get more
clubs to participate. I can tell you that those efforts have been going
on a long time and they continue now and will in the future. Michael is
wrong in suggesting proxies as a solution, as proxies did not count
toward meeting quorum under the old rules, nor do they now.
There is no "back room politics" going on here. The officers and
delegates saw a possible problem, discussed it in the open, put it in
Healey Marque before the first vote, and again before the second vote.
Not to address this issue would have been a failure to do their job.
Maybe you don't like the solution the delegates picked, but they picked
it, and they considered other alternatives in doing so.
There is nothing sinister going on. Delgates meetings will still be
held at Conclave and also the second weekend in November, except
occasionally when US Presidential elections necessitate a one week shift.
I understand why some would take this change the wrong way if they
didn't have all the facts. On reading Ronald Ray's original post, I can
appreciate his concern for the club, but I don't think he had all the
facts. I agree with Reid that the content of that note neither
entertained nor informed. However it has done something very positive.
Now that so many people are interested in the governance of AHCA, I hope
you will get involved. It is very open and representative. None of us
always gets our way, but our voice is heard and the delegates work very
hard to represent their clubs.
John May
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