[TheForge] Questions regarding group leadership
Jeffrey Polaski
jeff.polaski at rgs.uci.edu
Fri Dec 22 12:41:50 EST 2006
>In fact, CBA is becoming such a high class group, that they
>aren't apt to put up with the likes of me much longer...pf
Same here -- I figure I should get more involved while I still can!
Jeff Polaski
-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Peter Fels And
Phoebe Palmer
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 11:24 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Questions regarding group leadership
We've been fortunate at the CBA to have and to have had a couple
of excellent finance officers of late.
Lowell is doing it now and so far as i can see ,he does
everything well. An admirable smith to say the least.
But it was Jim Joyce who took our somewhat-neglected-but-honest
finances (that were geared to a small, informal bunch of perhaps,
overly colorful,individuals_)... and rebuilt it ,quite
professionally, with necessary modern concerns accounted for and
clear, efficient methodologies established. We owe him a lot..too.
In fact, CBA is becoming such a high class group, that they
aren't apt to put up with the likes of me much longer...pf
Lynne Mork wrote:
>
> Jeff; 12-21-06
>
> I have been a member of two different blacksmithing groups, but
not
> the CBA. One group (A) was run in a very efficient, timely
and
> informative way. The other group (B) was run in an
extremely
> disorganized manner.
>
> I believe it makes a big difference to the membership if
the
> organization is disorganized even if it is a non-profit
(hobby)
> group. If a person is not qualified, or willing to fill the
position
> with integrity, they should not accept it. It affects peoples
lives.
>
> I believe a mans word should mean something.
>
>
> At times, different officers of the (B) board of would
conduct
> meetings, take membership dues, address changes, and other things
that
> would affect an individual member when the treasurer or secretary
was
> not present.
>
> When I retired and moved, I gave the officiating officer my
new
> address. But each time I received the news letter
containing
> information about when and where the next meeting was, the
meeting
> date had already passed. The mail would go to the old address,
back
> to the post office, and then finally to me, to-late. I have to
travel
> at least 130 to 180 miles one-way to attend meetings. The
meetings
> were held every 2 months. I lived alone looked forward
with
> anticipation to go to the meetings and interfacing with some of my
old
> friends.
>
> I made calls to several different officers on the board and
was
> assured by each one of them that my address change would be
corrected.
> This went on for over two years, really!
>
> Even when I paid my annual dues, I would enquire to see if they
had
> corrected my address. But guess what? Finely a friend of mine
became
> an officer in the disorganization. He found out that every member
of
> the board had their own membership list, that they never took the
time
> to cross check or updated their membership lists.
>
> Also, they could not satisfactorily account for the finances of
the
> organization. They would not account for other questionable
practices
> that a few of the officers was involved in when guest
demonstrators
> came to town. Through evasion and intimidation it was swept under
the
> rug.
>
> The same group (B) also did not uniformly enforce safety
practices.
> The same people micro-manage the organization to this very day.
Sad,
> sad, sad. It makes you wonder how they are able to keep their
own
> business running.
>
>
> Organization (A) is run just the opposite, and is a pleasure to be
a
> part of.
>
> Bottom line, I dont want anything to do with the former officers,
nor
> could I ever trust them as individuals. To take two years to get
my
> address correct so I could get the flyer in time to attend a
meeting
> was disgusting.
>
> Lesson: Use just one updated master membership list for
current
> information!
>
>
> I know am ragging on this, but it really ^%#$*@ me off. Something
that
> should be fun was not. Only due to having a few friends in
the
> organization, I have remaine.
>
> Good Luck!
> ______________________________________________________________
>
> From: "Jeffrey Polaski" <jeff.polaski at rgs.uci.edu>
> Reply-To: Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [TheForge] Questions regarding group leadership
> Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:20:13 -0800
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> >I've decided that I'll be running to be a board member in
our
> states
> >local blacksmithing organization, the California
Blacksmiths
> Association
> >(CBA). It's a good group of people, and I think I have some
skills
> that
> >can really help out.
> >
> >I'm curious, though, about what sort of things people expect
and
> need
> >from their local blacksmithing organizations. I think
following
> the
> >purpose statement* from the charter is the most important
thing.
> After
> >all, that's why the group was founded. Personally, I think the
CBA
> has
> >been run very well. Sometimes they may be a bit disorganized but
I
> think
> >that would be true of any non-profit "hobby" group. (The web
site
> needs
> >work -- but that is in the process of getting fixed).
> >
> >The main thing for me is I've only had experience with the CBA,
so
> I
> >could easily be missing a lot. That's why I wanted to
ask
> others: what
> >do you expect from your groups leadership? Do you want them
to
> just put
> >on a few meet-ups every year, publish a newsletter, and
otherwise
> stay
> >out of the way? Or do people want more public outreach, or
more
> support
> >for people who are doing blacksmithing as a business, or
people
> trying
> >to get a job at a shop?
> >
> >I'm not talking specifically about the CBA, but does anyone
have
> any
> >suggestions? What do they expect from their board members?
Has
> anyone
> >done something that is especially worthwhile, but that might
not
> be
> >obvious? Any tips for stuff to be avoided?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >*CBA purpose statement: "The Association is organized solely for
> >educational purposes, accomplish by the encouragement of training
> >programs and conferences for higher standards of craftsmanship;
> >disseminating information on sources of equipment, literature and
> >material; and bringing the art of the smith to the public
through
> craft
> >fairs and publications."
> >
> >
> >Jeff Polaski
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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> >
> >
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