[K3CAL] Proposed Constitution and By-laws

Wed Jun 6 07:07:35 EDT 2012

Brian & others…from Dennis

Dennis

    Some good points, nice to see the concern for having things right. I have added thoughts of my own to your comments below. 

First let me thank Jim K3UGA, Shawn N3AE, Ron WA4PRR, Bill N3XMZ and John KB3SXC for their work. Nice job guys I have some points that need clarification and correction and I am sure other members do as well.  I will bring my notes on it to Thursday’s meeting. In the mean time I am off in search of the finest cookies available in Calvert County.

Comments follow

73 

Brian 

KB3WFV

 Comments on Dennis' email below

“……..There is no such thing as the CARA RACES Officer for Calvert County.  There is a R.A.C.E.S Officer of Calvert County appointed by the County…….”

(KB3WFV) I would agree that there is no such thing as a CARA RACES Officer …. 

Isn’t the R.A.C.E.S Officer approved not "appointed" by the County” ? 

***The County appoints the RE.A.C.E.S. Officer.

Didn’t the CARA nominate the current R.A.C.E.S. Officer who needed the “approval” of the County after the last R.A.C.E.S. Officer resigned?  

***CARA may have nominated the RO but that is not necessary.  There could be more than one club in the County that may want input who the RO is going to be.  The County uses our advice but is not bound by any suggested person we would like to be RO.

If the R.A.C.E.S. Officer is indeed “appointed” by the County, 

By what office or department?   **EM

By what standards or process

**I doubt if there is a standard or process.  Probably they want someone they can work with.

Where does the County choose it’s appointments from ? 

**They could ask the club but they may want some other licensed Amateur Radio operator.  Maybe someone that works in the EM’s office.

Important facts to know if final approval and disapproval of CARA equipment is to be given to “One” individual

 “…….Since CARA is the steward of equipment on County property and CARA benefits by having use of the building for radio equipment and tower, the R.A.C.E.S Officer should have final APPROVAL over any actions, agreements and etc. CARA enters into………….”  

(KB3WFV) Consider this …. R.A.C.E.S. Officer has the final approval and disapproval on matters relating to R.A.C.E.S. equipment IE: equipment in the EOC. 

“....CARA is on(e) County Property for one reason and that reason is R.A.C.E.S………”

(KB3WFV) Right CARA is on County Property. In exchange for the use of County Property to support CARA equipment and use for CARA meetings and functions, CARA purchases, installs, maintains and repairs equipment     (at CARA’s expense) that R.A.C.E.S  can use for emergency communications when activated by the County in the event of an emergency. 

If the R.A.C.E.S. Officer is to have the final say on what happens with CARA equipment then the County needs to purchase the equipment from CARA and absorb all cost related to its repair and maintenance, Expect this equipment to be poorly maintained much like the R.A.C.E.S equipment currently at the EOC.

**This is way it is.  I agree the County should have total ownership of all property but they do not.  But we are still on their property with the unwritten expectation the hams will provide EmComm if the County asks.  We benefit otherwise being on a 300-ft tower and use of their room, electricity and etc.

CARA can operate and maintain equipment of back up communication for Calvert  County R.A.C.E.S. Officers far cheaper and move quicker on repairs such as fire board interference and coax replacement (when not interfered with)  than the County can or ever will. It is a pretty sweet deal for the County in exchange for just a few square feet of space. CARA benefits from the use of space. The County and R.A.C.E.S. benefit from the use of back-up emergency communications equipment. 

The ONLY time that a R.A.C.E.S. Officer has final say on the use of CARA equipment is

when R.A.C.E.S. is activated by the government in times of an emergency. Period!  

**CARA must be in total alignment with State Emergency Plans since we are on Government Property.

R.A.C.E.S. may have input (not final say) to ensure the function of the CARA equipment can allow R.A.C.E.S. to support the needs of the County in emergency communication. If CARA becomes unable to support emergency communications for the County it would ultimately threaten CARA's use of County property. IE:CARA no longer maintains a working repeater so CARA no longer gets the use of County property.

**Basically YES – if CARA decided to go away I am quite sure the County now would be happy.  Currently it is a weird relationship.  If we went away then the County would tell the State there is no one interested in R.A.C.E.S. and wash their hands.  However, as long as we exist then the County needs to show interest in us – not that they actually need to anything.  Quite sure they like to make a few thousand dollars for the space our antennas take on the MHCC Tower but as long as there is a R.A.C.E.S. group they cannot make changes without a fire storm of complaints.

CARA can and should do what it wants with CARA equipment. Links can be added, features used or turned on. So long as when R.A.C.E.S is activated the equipment can configure in such a way that allows R.A.C.E.S  to meet the County’s emergency communication needs in the event of an emergency.

Giving ONE individual “Final” approval or disapproval over CARA actions is a HUGE mistake. CARA’s actions are decided by it’s members and ONLY it’s members …… that’s the right way to run an association.

I hear what you are saying and agree 98%.  But in reality, CARA is on Government Property because of R.A.C.E.S. which makes this an odd relationship. 

 If one wants a club to have 100% powers then starts a new organization that is NOT on Government Property.  Issue Solved!

See ya Thursday Dennis 

-- Brian

--- On Tue, 6/5/12, Dennis N3QHC <n3qhc at verizon.net> wrote:

From: Dennis N3QHC <n3qhc at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [K3CAL] Proposed Constitution and By-laws
To: "'Calvert Amateur Radio Association - K3CAL'" <k3cal at mailman.qth.net>
Date: Tuesday, June 5, 2012, 7:24 PM

Bob and others > see attached file for comments...Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: k3cal-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:k3cal-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Bob Sheskin
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2012 9:21 AM
To: k3cal at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [K3CAL] Proposed Constitution and By-laws

Thanks to the hard work of the Constitution and By-law committee we have
fresh new documents which are attached to this email. These documents are
proposed and not yet ratified until voted in. These are being sent out for
you to review so you can discuss any issues you may have at the next
meeting, this Thursday. These are private association documents and are not
intended for public disclosure at this time. Please do not share these
documents or any part of them with any other people.  
We all owe the committee a great big THANK YOU as they have spent many hours
working on these and getting them ready so quickly. Thank you to Jim K3UGA,
Shawn N3AE, Ron WA4PRR, Bill N3XMZ and John KB3SXC for giving their time to
the advancement of the association.

73,
Bob N3PPH

-----Inline Attachment Follows-----

______________________________________________________________
K3CAL mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/k3cal
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:K3CAL at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

From: k3cal-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:k3cal-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of KB3WFV
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2012 4:10 AM
To: Calvert Amateur Radio Association - K3CAL
Subject: Re: [K3CAL] Proposed Constitution and By-laws

Dennis

    Some good points, nice to see the concern for having things right. I have added thoughts of my own to your comments below. 