[TheForge] Re: ABANA

[George Dixon]

"For heaven's sake, it's only
black smithing, a hobby for most of us.  Why has it become laden with
such acrimony?"

Excellent question.......
Blacksmithing is both a wonderful hobby and a cool profession...it is 
surely both to me.  But an abana conference or an abana publications bid 
is neither...it is business.  Business, such as running a non-profit 
corporation is subject to rules of ethics, disclosure and civil law.  
The 2002 conference took in just over $40,000 at its auction and perhaps 
$200,000.00 in fees from members.   The abana Board awards contracts (3) 
in the 5 figure range....from our collective $45 dues.  So questions are 
legitimate; refusals to answer, falsehoods and structural impediments 
set forth by the Board are not.  What do they fear from open discourse 
and open review concerning their use of our money?

Blacksmithing has not become laden with acrimony.
The politics of the current board of abana, their use or abuse of their 
elected offices and how they treat certain members is laden with 
acrimony.   Too many use the board of abana for reasons that are a 
disservice to their office and constituents.  Too few act to restrain 
their unethical fellow Board members.

The group which currently holds sway in abana runs a 501(c)(3) 
corporation of which many here are share-holder/members.  They have a 
responsibility to run the organization in an honest and ethical manner.  
(Hence, last minute changes of the legally mandated membership meeting 
date at the recent conference is not above skepticism).   They have a 
commensurate responsibility to the membership to tell the truth about 
issues regarding the business operations that our dues and fees 
underwrite.  To date they have refused to.....why?

As this Board goes on, they find more issues and questions that they are 
unable or unwilling to give simple, honest responses to.  That is 
smoke....for which there may or may not be a fire.

ABANA Treasurer  Hightower's refusal to answer specific questions, and 
his current dismissal before the facts, bodes ill for those who want it 
to be coal smoke instead of the current equivalent of a Board meeting 
tape being burned (Nov 14, 1998 - Board meeting at the Metals Museum - 
by a still-sitting Board member).   There is no accountability within 
our Board regarding the actions of Board members.  But some feel members 
should accept the pronouncements from a discredited Board member, tug on 
our collective forelock and ignore the smoke.......?

Since all of this rightly falls on the desk of the President of ABANA, 
Doug Learn, perhaps our august President can do what our Treasurer fails 
to.  Clear the air.

George Dixon