I'm not a chapter leader, have no attachment to the decision, and learned about this when everyone else did. We all pay dues and we are all affected, which is why we are all invited to offer recommendations.
What is it you want, Joe? You said you started monitoring this discussion ten days ago and, as far as I could tell, your questions have been answered.
I had some questions too, and they were answered in these conversations. While I am not entirely pleased with some of the answers, it is clear that the issues are being carefully considered and the chapter leaders are trying to act in the best interest of the whole association. If the discussion had started two months ago instead of two weeks ago, I can't see how anything would be different.
Perhaps not the majority, but certainly some members do not monitor this forum, attend chapter events, read the newsletters, or communicate with other members. Wouldn't the same would be true if the discussion dragged on for months?
What action do you think should be taken, Joe?
Jim, no one has answered how members 300, 400, 500 or more miles away are going to be supported by their chapter - can you answer that! I'm in the same town where our chapter is located and I didn't get any information about the boundary reorganization. I have spoken to a couple of friends, yes Jim I do have friends in the framing industry, in other in anther chapter that didn't know anything about the boundary reorganization until I mentioned it to them - will they comment, I have no idea.
Maybe if all the members were involved 4 months ago or 6 months ago or whenever the discussion started other good ideas could have been given to the chapter leaders to pass along for consideration. Again, if the members don't know something this important is happening they can't pass along ideas. Jim, each paying member has a right to know before hand what is happening within an association where their dues are being used to help make changes to that association that could affect that association and their membership in the future. Don't even think about telling me I'm wrong about that.
And finally, nobody has given a good reason those large boundary changes. Those members out in the far reaches of some of the proposed boundaries that don't now have meetings and many of the benefits from the PPFA that you and I have will still not have them when the boundaries are changed. They aren't going to drive those 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 hundred miles to go to a annual chapter meeting. Yes, Billings Montana from Minneapolis is 800 plus miles. No, I will not drive or fly to Billings for a annual chapter meeting. If their benefits are not going to change with the reorganization then why change it? No, I'm not sold on it yet because nobody has explained how this is going to make a difference - all I can see at this time is more difficulty and confusion for the local leaders and all the members that are involved.
Yes, I believe some changes are necessary to better assist the chapters that are not that active. What changes should be made I don't know, I don't belong to one of those chapters. Maybe the reorganization is the answer, I can't say it is or isn't but I can say that if we get the information out to all members maybe some other alternate ideas can be put on the table. Maybe all the members will be happy with the reorganization, I can't answer that either. All I'm saying is that the members cannot be kept in the dark when something that is this important is being decided on and we should have heard about longer than 10 days ago.
Jim, as far as to what actions I think should be taken - that's easy - notify all paying members about the proposal. Let them know why this proposal is being considered, what the benefits will be, who it will benefit most, and when it will take place. Ask for alternate ideas or ideas that may make this reorganization proposal work better and give them a time period to respond. All member should be notified by one of the following ways, email, snail mail, or phone and if they wish to respond should be told to respond by the same means. If that is done nobody should take issue with the changes that may or may not be made because all members were made aware and had the opportunity to make recommendations. Another benefit is for the leaders to see what type of feelings members are going to have about the changes. Like someone said before, every member could be happy about the change or it could be nobody is happy with the changes or it could be nobody really cares. At least give the members a chance.
By the way, I have never seen a committee that had all the answers but I have seen many committees that thought they did.
