<VV> BoD job explained. Bruce's response

[henry kaczmarek]

Folks

Bruce saith:

> This is interesting. I can't remember a director ever contacting our club 
> or coming to a meeting or event, although I remember asking a director to 
> come to one of our meetings and talk to us before. We have had a director 
> at an event, but just as a participant, not as a director. That is, there 
> was never any communication or discussion about CORSA business that I 
> recall.

I have had musings of the same kind from time to time.

I guess it is how one looks at the job.

If you are a believer in representative democracy,  then your take might be 
that a director is like a congressman in that they are your representative 
at the power table of the club. And in so doing responsible to you for their 
actions.  If they do not act as you wish them to, you can voice your 
disapproval with your vote.  If you have a beef or gripe about the club or 
how it is run, you can voice same to your director(s).

My personal take is the BoD doesn't look at themselves or their job that 
way, nor likely has the BoD ever looked at themselves that way. How the 
board governs the club is IMO more like passing  measures by consensus of 
board members.  Input from the membership  before issues are voted upon 
aren't discouraged, but not exactly requested.    There are no referendums 
on how the BoD spends the clubs funds.

Now the below is stuck in my craw, I am over it, but this illustrates my 
point well.

 I wonder how many members would have voted for a multi thousand dollar 
expenditure for the "CORSA Kiosk",  the purpose of which was to bring in new 
members in droves when erected at various events, shipped to such places and 
shipping paid for by local chapters.  I have heard it was has been used at 
the Fan Belt Toss, but other than at the National Conventions (where 
everyone is usually already a member) I have never seen this thing at any 
event. One of the reasons is that to make it durable, it is so heavy that 
shipping it is cost prohibitive.

As it turns out, this was a pet project of a former director, who has not 
been a board member for several years now.  This same director refused tooth 
and nail to approve funding for the Corvair Basics manual, (at the time 
approximately 1500.00)
 personally citing to me on the phone "his fiduciary duty to CORSA".  At the 
time I had no idea the white elephant (IMO) kiosk was his personal idea.

At the end of the day, VirtualVairs is the best recruiting tool that the 
club has ever had, and that is why the club now pays for server maintanence 
and upgrades that we, as V V  members used to send in money to Bryan to 
cover his expenses, when he requested it.  New owners and interested folks 
who come to V V and end up being CORSA members helps pay for our forum.

 Also, The Corvair Basics Manual ( written, edited, and produced by V V 
members exclusively) went into the black in around 6 months after it was 
printed,  CORSA got their money back, and the profits will be used for 
printing of other CORSA related books in the future.

 I once tried to get the director who pushed for  buying the kiosk but long 
refused to vote funding for the CBM to talk to me in person about his stand 
on the issue, but when I approached him he took off like a rabbit. All I 
wanted to ask him was to supply a list of the new members that the CORSA 
kiosk had produced, and what percentage of these new members dues paid for 
this thing.  That was almost 5 years ago, and I still don't think he wants 
to talk about it. Will CORSA ever recoup the money spent on this thing?? 
Damn unlikely.

As far as a director coming to a meeting and discussing CORSA politics with 
your chapter members,  If I was one, I don't think I'd want to do it....Too 
much pressure. As I illustrated above, sometimes a director doesn't even 
want to explain his OWN votes to someone in person. I sure wouldn't want to 
have to answer for everyone else.

 Besides,  not all CORSA Chapter members are CORSA members. And UNTIL THEY 
ARE, AS THEY SHOULD BE,  that alone is a good enough reason not to do it.

Regards
Hank
Not a Director
But a Proud Co-Founder of the Corvair Basics Manual


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