[OKDXA] Fwd: [CTDXCC] [PVRC] Major Change to ARRL By Laws proposed by Hudson Div. Director N2YBB

[Coy Day]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jim Kinter Jr. via CTDXCC <ctdxcc at kkn.net>
Date: Wed, Dec 27, 2017 at 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: [CTDXCC] [PVRC] Major Change to ARRL By Laws proposed by
Hudson Div. Director N2YBB
To: Ted <tsrwvcomm at aol.com>, Phil Duff <na4m at suddenlink.net>
Cc: CTDXCC <ctdxcc at kkn.net>


Ted,
sometimes the only way to get arrogant people like the ARRL execs to
realize they have pissed us off and went too far is when the renewal CASH
quits flowing in.

If they are not working for me, then I am not paying them. Plain and simple.

The ONLY reason I have kept my membership the last 2 years is because I do
appreciate LoTW and the VE field kit. (I love to run ad hoc VE sessions).
But I now have many other options for online logging, and am a W5YI member.
They have 1 month to straighten up, or my renewal, due in Feb, will
probably not happen, and I will gladly ship back the VE kit (or hand off to
anyone else who may want it), while I order W5YI material, which BTW, their
CSCE is much more artistic than the simple triplicate form from the ARRL)

If there were some adventurous people out there to start up a new national
organization, that promoted clarity, transparency, and modern ways of
playing ham radio (AKA not the same old crap from the 1950's), Im sure the
flock would fly to the new group (along with the dues!). I sure would be
willing to give them a chance!

73 and Happy New year!
Jim
K5KTF

At 03:10 PM 12/27/2017, Ted via CTDXCC wrote:

Hi Phil,

We can't abandon the ARRL, rather, we need to support the organization, and
need to double down to expose what is happening, insist on a transparent,
member-elected leadership, and urge for change in ARRL's current approach
to its board and its members.

Without us being vocal to leadership, and insisting on transparency, and
repelling any "appointed, not elected" board members, ARRL and our hobby
will suffer greatly.

As CQ reported, people have been "disqualified" from running for board
office recently, without suitable explanation or due process.  Those things
happened after Mr. Sumner stepped down.
Venerable N6AA being censured also happened after K1ZZ left office.

There is a powerful cohort of board members that are collecting power,
creating havoc, and now looking to double down on their stranglehold of
ARRL.  Carefully read these items- read the note from tv bob

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/major-change-to-
arrl-by-laws-proposed.593056/

....see all the proposed changes, including the ones that allow the board
to eliminate any member  for "cause". And note the personal for the
appointment, not election, of many board members by the CEO.

This is why the bylaws proposal and the censure to N6AA is so dangerous-
the few board members want more appointments by the CEO/president, and less
elected representatives, and hey want a board that can determine "cause"
for revocation of membership, using their own  definition, as they did for
N6AA's censure.

We should have an outpouring of requests to ARRL leadership, to find out
all those who sought to run for elections, and who were deemed
disqualified, and why they were deemed disqualified, and what evidence they
were given for their disqualification, and what recourse they were offered
to refute the disqualification.

We should have an outpouring of requests for why specifically Dick Norton
was censured, and the motivations and discussions that led to that decision.

Watch and see if Dick N6AA chooses to run again for director. Will a
tyrannical pocket of ARRL revoke his eligibility, and appoint someone the
CEO or president wants instead?

Sure hope not. Now more than ever we need good people in the hobby and at
ARRL who are able to freely communicate, and build and grow the big tent.


73 ted N9NB

Sent from smartphone, please excuse typos

On Dec 27, 2017, at 3:36 PM, Phil Duff <na4m at suddenlink.net> wrote:

Thanks Ted.

The recent N6AA censure had me further questioning my last ARRL membership
renewal.  Now these proposed by-law changes
add even more doubt.

Is it my imagination or coincidence that post K1ZZ’s retirement and
NY2RF’s becoming ARRL CEO that this pot began to boil??


de Phil NA4M



On Dec 27, 2017, at 7:16 PM, Ted via CTDXCC <ctdxcc at kkn.net> wrote:

Dear ARRL officials, and interested parties:

Speaking as an ARRL Life member for over 35 years, and as an active
engineering educator and staunch proponent of amateur radio and of the
ARRL, I urge all of you to vote *AGAINST* the proposed by-laws changes
proffered by the Hudson Division director, N2YBB, and to please support and
distribute this plea to others who have a vote or "say" in the direction of
ARRL.

Even the suggestion of such by-laws changes is damaging to the perceived
mission and charter of the ARRL, and its responsibility to the hundreds of
thousands of its members. Enactment of such changes would be catastrophic
to the the US amateur radio hobby, as such changes would allow a few
appointed ARRL board members, or even a lone hired executive, to act in an
omnipotent manner, both within the broad membership ranks of ARRL, and
externally to business and government interests, without having any
immediate accountability or transparency to the membership at large. The
changes would entitle the board to have powers over the membership and the
board that are both unprecedented and dangerous to the well-being of the
broader amateur community, allowing the board to have wide powers such as
to remove anyone from paid up league membership, at any time, at will. The
changes would also double down on building upon the "iron-fist" mentality
that seems to have pervaded the League in
recent months and years. I note that the proposed by-laws changes would
allow "immediate" action to occur by a few or even one person (with
implicit board approval), well before any elections could occur to change
League policy for the many members.

Based on recent actions taken by the board and the leadership at ARRL, the
proposed by-laws would dangerously empower a group of leaders who sometimes
seem to forget that they represent and have accountability to the very
large tent of amateur radio. The proposed  by-laws changes would further
exacerbate the increasingly volatile situation, where membership is rapidly
becoming increasingly suspicious of the motives and operations of the ARRL
Leadership.

Some specific examples that point to the current and present dangers of
further empowering one or a few existing board members may be readily found
in the recent CQ magazine white paper, that indicates others have reported
fair elections for director spots were not made possible, due to ARRL
action of removing prospective candidates.

Also, the recent censure of Dick Norton, N6AA, who factually represented
ARRL activities to interested members at a hamfest, is evidence of the
board's current desire to muzzle efforts for transparency, and to punish
open communications between ARRL leaders and the membership at large. What
is particularly shocking in this case is that the  board chose to censure
N6AA in the face of  evidence presented to the board by distinguished
amateur operators who were present. This shows a clear desire of the board
to be able to hide its internal operations, and to "send a message" that no
public discussion, let alone dissent, is to be permitted or tolerated by
ARRL leadership about its internal workings, regardless of circumstance.
This removal of transparency, already enacted by the present board, is
precisely why the current bylaws proposal is so dangerous. Such a censure
of a highly regarded board member (the longest serving voluntary executive
of ARRL) indicates a board that is bo
th irreverent to the voluntary nature of the ARRL and the accountability
the League has to its members, and it further shows blatant disrespect for
the inherent contract that the ARRL has with its large membership-- to
serve the membership in an open, fair, and honest manner. The proposed
bylaws changes is a direct assault on open, honest, and fair discussion and
dissension, and would give the board an iron hand to remove any ARRL member
from office and from membership, at any time.

The recent departure of many highly-regarded employees of ARRL, and the
muzzle that has been placed on them,
prohibiting them from voicing any reasons for their departure, and similar
orders now being rumored to be placed within all officer and employee
agreements, also suggests a heavy handed, non-transparent approach to ARRL
management, and in such a climate, it now becomes a legitimate concern to
question the motives and sensibility of leadership. Why would ARRL
leadership be so desirous to avoid transparency,  and wish to so
aggressively muzzle the freedom of speech of elected volunteers and staff
members? These principles backstop the very nature of democracy that is
"American."

Similar heavy-handed activities by the ARRL in the voluntary US traffic
handling operations (NTS), have been noted recently by many, as well.

While disagreements and
management issues are sure to arise in any large organization, a
largely-voluntary organization requires an engaged leadership and and open
dialogue, not a dictatorial climate that would be further perpetuated by
the proposed by-laws changes.

Since the ARRL is the self-appointed lobbyist for the precious US amateur
spectrum, the current climate--further worsened by the by-laws proposal--
now legitimately causes ARRL members to worry about "back room deals" being
done by one or a few ARRL leaders that could give away or usurp the hobby's
use or access to its lifeblood - its valuable use of the electromagnetic
spectrum.

In particular, the League's aggression toward existing HF CW and narrowband
data operations, though it's filing of RM-11708 (and RM-11306 ten years
earlier), and the lack of transparency by the board in its motivations, and
its unwillingness to meet and collaborate with interested ARRL members and
technical experts during the comment periods in 2013-2016, has resulted in
the potentially devastating Notice of Proposed Rule Making Docket 16-239
that is now being considered by the FCC. If enacted in the FCC's
proposed form, automated wideband data (of unlimited HF channel bandwidths)
and encrypted internet transmissions suitable for boaters and use by
terrorists without any identification would be allowed in all HF cw/rtty
band segments. Are other deals in the offing; that need to be kept behind
closed doors, that could provide other commercial interests access to our
spectrum at VHF, UHF, and above?

One may legitimately wonder if there are hidden, monetary motivations for
the League to take certain actions (at the expense of other genuine
membership interests), while it conceals its activities, and now proposes
to further clamp down on transparency and remove accountability to
membership, as proposed in the current by-laws amendment proposal.

The proposed by-laws changes would more easily allow back room dealings and
nefarious operations to occur, without leadership being accountable or
transparent to membership, while giving the board members the  sweeping
powers
to simply cancel the membership of *any* dissenting member of its choosing
(or *members*, including all paid up Life members, or ARRL members who
happen to be elected to the board and choose to not go along with a
particular action).

In the current climate, the proposed by-laws could  allow the board to
revoke the membership of any ARRL member, including board members who are
in the minority, such as N6AA and the two  other board members who voted
against his censure at a recent ARRl board meeting.

The actions of the present board, with regards to the hobby's access to
spectrum, or the proposed ability to revoke anyone' ARRL membership,  could
be extremely swift and damaging, and possibly permanently detrimental to
the amateur radio hobby, before new elections could be held for new board
members or new hires executives who could change a particular course of
direction.

When dealing with spectrum, it's often impossible to  "put the horse back
in the barn", so any loss of spectrum protections would likely be
irrevocable. US Amateurs currently enjoy valuable spectrum rights--
commercial interests in our use of spectrum could be considerable. Under
the current climate, and given the League's aggressive, secretive, and
unengaged stance on spectrum in the recent past, and it's more aggressive
desire to empower the board and censure dissenting board members,
membership has a legitimate right to now be very suspicious of the League
as it attempts to further limit discourse or discussion. The proposed
bylaws changes would further perpetuate the growing suspicion of backroom
dealings, while at the same time emboldening a few leaders, or even one, to
act with impunity and with disregard for the good of the entire membership,
without open discussion or dialogue.

The overwhelming desire of the board to censure N6AA in the face of strong
evidence, and the recent and rapid departure of valued employees, and the
rumored deterioration of morale of employees in Newington, shows that there
may be ill forces already at work.

The by-laws proposal only further erodes trust among the membership,
empowers a tyrannical board that could be empowered further to simply
revoke membership of any ARRL member, board member or otherwise, and it
creates an atmosphere of secrecy in fear of repercussions for dissension or
dialogue.
This by-laws proposal  helps no one but those who want to widen that
disconnect, and lessen the obligation and accountability that leadership
has to membership.

I offer you to consider the recent activities that have occurred, the
perceived damage already done by the actions of the board and executive
management at ARRL, and to consider the further damage that such a proposed
by-laws change would create.

I suggest the proposed changes would unhinge the ARRL from its 100
year-plus charter of being a membership-driven organization, by and for its
members, and for the preservation of the spectrum for our hobby. The
proposed by-laws changes would further erode the ability for the ARRL to
offer and support transparency among its hired, elected, appointed, and
voluntary members, many who volunteer for the good of the hobby and for the
League, and some who are paid a salary by the League to properly represent
the massive membership at large. Thanks

I also would urge you to consider an immediate refreshment and renewal of
the mindset of the managing executives and the board, to consider a new
approach to present leadership.

Please consider offering up with full transparency to the public, to the
extent possible, any legacy contracts, estate planning commitments or
bequeaths to the League that provide revenues or benefit to the League in
any manner, as well as such bequeaths that
contain a conditionality clause that might motivate certain ARRL conduct or
decisions, disclose any conflicts of interest or commitment by any board
members or elected or hired staff member, and provide full disclosure of
any side business arrangements,  any outside business or personal
relationships that any of the ARRL leadership members, president,
executives, officers, or the League itself, has or is contemplating.

To the extent that certain gifts or endowments or bequeaths, business
dealings or agreements have a confidentiality clause, a broad
interpretation should be taken to to enable the public disclosure of  the
existence of such agreements for all the ARRL membership to see, and the
general purpose and intent of such agreements or bequests should be made
transparent, if the specific amounts or terms must be held confidential, so
that all ARRL members, board members, and hired ARRL employees/officials
may disclose and understand potential conflicts of interest and commitment
that might be at work on a daily basis.

Please do the right thing for the future of ARRL and it's membership, and
vote *AGAINST* the by-laws changes proposed by N2YBB in your January
meeting, and please similarly avoid enacting *any* further powers to the
board or the executive leadership of ARRL.

I would urge you to immediately act to ensure that all board members  have
wide autonomy and a specific mandate and approval to communicate widely and
freely with all the membership, and to disclose all possible conflicts of
interests or commitment that could be at work at or inside ARRL and among
its staff and board members. I would also urge leadership to create a
culture inside ARRL that is conducive to recruiting and retaining a highly
motivated and dedicated staff that can serve the large membership of ARRL.

Thank you, to all of you, for your dedicated service to the ARRL and the US
amateur radio community. Thank you also for considering this input. Wishing
you the best of Holiday greetings, and a wonderful 2018.

Very 73,

Ted Rappaport,
N9NB
Life Member ARRL

Sent from smartphone, please excuse typos
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-. .- ….- --
Phil Duff          na4m[at]suddenlink[dot]net
















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