[TheForge] Re: ABANA

Fri Jun 21 10:44:00 2002

Sounds like it's the right time to just start a new organization which
is "of the members, by the members and for the members. It certainly
sounds like this group has the talent and desire for such.

----- Original Message -----
From: "George Dixon" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 9:22 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: ABANA

> "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
>
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