Could Be Worse - SSA

5-BG wrote:
For the sake of this discussion, I will acknowledge your basic premis that the board is acting in WHAT THEY perceive to be our best interests..... (Long criticism of the board follows).

From the september 7 update on www.ssa.org: "the Executive Committee is
actively pursuing several SSA members with financial experience, but
who have never been part of Society leadership, to oversee all of its
activities as we attempt to bring these problems to the best resolution
possible, and protect the Society in the future. " It sounds like you
are an ideal candidate to volunteer for this effort. I'm sure it will
take no more than a few hundred hours of your time, plus fun-filled
trips to Hobbs and other meetings. Email Diane Nixon or your regional
director and volunteer.

If you think the board is a bunch of nincompoops, here's another
suggestion from the SSA website: "SSA Regional Directors, Call for
Nominations. This is the offical call for nominations for the upcoming
election of your SSA Directors representing Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10,
11 and 12." Step up and do it right. It's likely that there will be
many more opportunities to serve on the board in the near future, given
how fun it is for the current occupants. r.a.s. critics ought to be
prime targets...I mean candidates.. to stand for election. Too bad
your email is anonymous so we can't nominate you right away.

Let's not forget this board is a group of dedicated volunteers, elected
by us, the members. It's not some secret society. If you think they are
not doing a good job, there is only one answer: volunteer to help them,
or to serve and do it better yourself.

John Cochrane BB

Thank you John for your, on the point , comments.
Those that have all the answers better be on the board or volunteering
right now so they can point fingers with authority.
If you are not holding any of these jobs them please do run for a
board position and volunteer for one of the committees. I think Tom
Knauff indicated that it will only cost you about $3,000 plus many
hours of your time to do this volunteer work. Yes, the BD did make
some mistakes in judgement and put their trust in hired staff and tried
to manage from a distance, but they did this with good intentions. The
Endowment fund has been borrowed from before and handles these loans
like any other investment. If SSA members do not continue to renew and
new members join then this is a threat to the repayment of these loans.
We need the SSA for a number of reasons and now is the time for those
who have skills important to MANAGING this organization to step up and
offer your time and skills. Yes, I have done so through my Director.

Tom
Idaho
BB wrote:
5-BG wrote:
For the sake of this discussion, I will acknowledge your basic premis that the board is acting in WHAT THEY perceive to be our best interests..... (Long criticism of the board follows).

From the september 7 update on www.ssa.org: "the Executive Committee is
actively pursuing several SSA members with financial experience, but
who have never been part of Society leadership, to oversee all of its
activities as we attempt to bring these problems to the best resolution
possible, and protect the Society in the future. " It sounds like you
are an ideal candidate to volunteer for this effort. I'm sure it will
take no more than a few hundred hours of your time, plus fun-filled
trips to Hobbs and other meetings. Email Diane Nixon or your regional
director and volunteer.

If you think the board is a bunch of nincompoops, here's another
suggestion from the SSA website: "SSA Regional Directors, Call for
Nominations. This is the offical call for nominations for the upcoming
election of your SSA Directors representing Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10,
11 and 12." Step up and do it right. It's likely that there will be
many more opportunities to serve on the board in the near future, given
how fun it is for the current occupants. r.a.s. critics ought to be
prime targets...I mean candidates.. to stand for election. Too bad
your email is anonymous so we can't nominate you right away.

Let's not forget this board is a group of dedicated volunteers, elected
by us, the members. It's not some secret society. If you think they are
not doing a good job, there is only one answer: volunteer to help them,
or to serve and do it better yourself.

John Cochrane BB

Hear, hear John. Personally I think you folks are doing an exemplary
job in some pretty ugly circumstances. Speaking for myself - thank you
all.

For those others on r.a.s. (are you listening/reading 5-BG?) endless
speculation on something you know nothing about is pointless and
counterproductive. Questions as to why the ED is still there and the
CFO is not, whether the accounting firms insurance should pay or who
should hang are all based on your speculation and not on any facts
whatsoever. The boards decisions to date have been based on what they
knew then or know now. Facts, not supposition. If they have not yet
chosen (or for that matter, never choose) to share those facts with you
or the general membership, that is their decision to make - not yours.
It's what we elected them for and also what they can be replaced for if
the membership eventually decides that the decisions that were made
were inappropriate.

In the mean time as was pointed out, nominations for Regional Director
are open. Step up or shut up pal - the sniping isn't needed at a time
like this.

John - to you and the rest of the excom again, my thanks.

Jay

Jay wrote:
Hear, hear John. Personally I think you folks are doing an exemplary
job in some pretty ugly circumstances. Speaking for myself - thank you
all.

For those others on r.a.s. (are you listening/reading 5-BG?) endless
speculation on something you know nothing about is pointless and
counterproductive. Questions as to why the ED is still there and the
CFO is not, whether the accounting firms insurance should pay or who
should hang are all based on your speculation and not on any facts
whatsoever. The boards decisions to date have been based on what they
knew then or know now. Facts, not supposition. If they have not yet
chosen (or for that matter, never choose) to share those facts with you
or the general membership, that is their decision to make - not yours.
It's what we elected them for and also what they can be replaced for if
the membership eventually decides that the decisions that were made
were inappropriate.


O.K, this is for Jay and Vaughn. I enjoy this sport as much as the next
pilot but you have to understand that we now have 2 pretty serious
financial screw ups in the last few years.Some of the people at SSA
have been involved in BOTH of these occurances.I kinda would like to
know how my dues $$$ is being spent.Why even have bylaws? If the Board
can get SSA out of this mess, whats to keep it from happening again?I
think that the best thing for the sport is a strong national
organization were this sort of thing doesnt happen repeatedly.
A

"Jay" wrote in message
oups.com...

Hear, hear John. Personally I think you folks are doing an exemplary
job in some pretty ugly circumstances. Speaking for myself - thank you
all.

For those others on r.a.s. (are you listening/reading 5-BG?) endless
speculation on something you know nothing about is pointless and
counterproductive. Questions as to why the ED is still there and the
CFO is not, whether the accounting firms insurance should pay or who
should hang are all based on your speculation and not on any facts
whatsoever.


Quote from the SSA's 9/7/2006 information release:
"In this case, the ED was aware of the failure to file for much of the time
he was employed by the SSA (approximately three years). He neither secured
their filing, nor notified the Board of Directors (including the Treasurer)
of the delinquency until July 31, 2006."

So, based on this fact, not "specualtion", why is the ED still employed by
the SSA?

For the record, I do sincerely appreciate the efforts of the SSA directors
to keep the membership informed. The seem to have taken the lessons from
the last scandal (the former ED's credit card abuses and the efforts of some
directors to cover up them up) to heart.

If you think the board is a bunch of nincompoops, here's another
suggestion from the SSA website: "SSA Regional Directors, Call for
Nominations. This is the offical call for nominations for the upcoming
election of your SSA Directors representing Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10,
11 and 12." Step up and do it right. It's likely that there will be
many more opportunities to serve on the board in the near future, given
how fun it is for the current occupants. r.a.s. critics ought to be
prime targets...I mean candidates.. to stand for election. Too bad
your email is anonymous so we can't nominate you right away.

John,
For your info the nomination window closed a few months ago.I think
that if members knew the SSA was short of help there would be alot more
volunteers (Myself included).

Let's not forget this board is a group of dedicated volunteers, elected
by us, the members. It's not some secret society.

This one made me laugh because of all the name calling that took place
on RAS a week ago because some member made the letter public.Almost
made it seem like it was a secret society.What I cant understand is why
all the name calling came from the people who support the current
management.
Also, is the ED not a paid position?



John Cochrane BB