2013 BOD Election---Get Out the Vote

[jscheib]

You will note some messages above on this thread, or the other one, that we do poll the participants of the driving class to se if they prefer separtae or parking with the 400 pt judged cars. They are the indiv iduals most effected and they are easy to track, identify at the site. Simply a short question with a yes or no response and maybe a comments section and an identifying number so there is only one vote each. Turn them in on the show field and make the announcement Saturday night, if this hub-bub (sp) continues.

John

[Guest BJM]

What would likely happen if everyone on the BoD had a leaning toward Modified Buicks? The club would then take a leaning that way regardless of whether or not that was the will of the membership. From that perspective, having some balance on the BoD is important (and I feel it is important having someone like Keith on the BoD as an advocate of BDE and Buicks Our Way - both significant portions of the BCA).

Derek, the BoD should receive input from the membership and reflect in their voting accordingly, NOT bring predispositions to the voting. That is why I like John Schieb's idea. This in fact insulates the BoD from negative feedback, because the BoD can say their voting was based on membership input. Also, this can be a year by year deal. That's the nature of the "best practices" approach to management.

[JohnD1956]

Nothing will ever insulate the BOD from negative criticism. The logistics of getting information to the membershi is already time consuming. The process of getting information out of the membership is onerous, at best, and near impossible, as evidenced by the membership apathy in not voting. No matter what decision is made the only guaranteed outcome is someone is gonna dislike the decision.

We elect the BOD to discuss, compromise, and formulate the best decision under time constraints and the circumstances. Failure to do so could reek havoc on Club operations. Not all decisions will appease all members, and that should be the expectation. As long as the Club meets it's obligations we all owe the BOD a vote of gratitude for taking and completing a thankless job.

[MrEarl]

Nothing will ever insulate the BOD from negative criticism. The logistics of getting information to the membershi is already time consuming. The process of getting information out of the membership is onerous, at best, and near impossible, as evidenced by the membership apathy in not voting. No matter what decision is made the only guaranteed outcome is someone is gonna dislike the decision.

We elect the BOD to discuss, compromise, and formulate the best decision under time constraints and the circumstances. Failure to do so could reek havoc on Club operations. Not all decisions will appease all members, and that should be the expectation. As long as the Club meets it's obligations we all owe the BOD a vote of gratitude for taking and completing a thankless job.

and your name isn't in the hat why?

[JohnD1956]

and your name isn't in the hat why?

Because I discovered I dislike doing what I think others want ..

[NTX5467]

Respectfully, JohnD, Chapter Directors regularly got TWO documents regarding each BOD meeting. One was the Minutes of the meeting just past and another one was the Agenda for the upcoming BOD meeting. Then-Office Manager Val Ingram did that on her typewritter, with USPS postage. BOD meetings were quarterly, so we were looking at 60 days notice of what was going to be discussed at the upcoming BOD meeting. That gave the Chapter Directors enough lead time to discuss the past BOD meeting and the upcoming BOD meeting with their membership and have input to the BOD about 30 days prior to the meeting. All using the "best practices" of the USPS to get the information to the BOD's designated receiver-of-input.

An graphic example of member input was at the first BOD meeting our North Texas Chapter hosted in Arlington, TX. Roberta was the BOD Pres at that time. In the discussion of the activities of the then-magazine editor, she held up two piles of letters (each one about 3" thick) . . . one pile was about what a good job the then-editor was doing and the other pile was about what a poor job he was doing (with specific examples!). Other than the BOD members and our chapter members, there were about 100 OTHER BCA members there, too. The member input sections of the meeting became quite vocal, too! We did receive some comic relief when the fire alarms went off, from something which happened in another part of the building.

At that meeting, there was also a long-distance telephone line to allow a California member, who was ill at the time, to listen and participate in the discussions during one segment of the meeting.

When our chapter hosted another BOD meeting in Decatur, TX, when Jeffery Brashares was BOD President, there were about 75 BCA members there, excluding the BOD and our chapter members. There were some matters under consideration where member input was apparently needed . . . input from other than just BOD members.

All it took was a bit of advance planning in getting things done, in what might be termed "The Analog Era". Of course, when the Minutes were sent out was dependent upon when the Secretary finalized the transcription of the meeting into printed form. Still, though, Chapter Directors knew what was going to be discussed at the next meeting, at least what was on the agenda, in general, other than "normal business items".

One particular "normal business item" at the Decatur meeting was a complaint filed as one person's car was claimed to have paint which had too much metallic content in it, yet did not receive any deductions for "non-stock paint" color. The BOD heard comments from those at the meet regarding this subject, plus other members who had knowledge of paint items. When the appeal was voted on, I felt the BOD had enough knowledge to make an informed decision, from what I saw. If that same appeal was being made and the discussion was via email, I don't know that I'd have that same level of confidence in the decision. Obviously, there would be fewer people to enter into any conversation on the matter, via email.

I know there can be various orientations in what standards the membership might hold the BCA BOD to. On one side of the continuum, is the "We elect them to run things . . . and the "We elect them to run things, with oversight of the members . . .", with the (hopefully) result being somewhere in the middle of things. An analogy might be sending a son or daughter off to college. We trust them to go to class and "learn something", trusting them to stay out of trouble, etc. But not worrying about what was going on until that "Academic Suspension" notice might appear in the mail box. And then, when NO explanation for that happening is offered, well, you see what results. [unfortunately, that happened to two work associates' sons . . . one during the fall semester and the other one at the end of the spring semester just finished]

Somewhere near the center of that continuum, where the BOD is trusted to work together for the benefit of the BCA in normal day-to-day issues, but also putting major decisions before the ENTIRE membership (via the Chapter Directors) for input prior to making decisions on a particular date in the future (which was the next quarter's BOD meeting, at that time). It's reasonably easy to track the voting records of our elected local, regional, state, and federal respresentatives . . . online, even. Knowing which BOD members voted a particular way on certain decisions might be good to know, too, EVEN if such disclosures aren't mandatory. It's also possible to see who contributed to their campaigns, too!

Respectfully,

Willis Bell 20811

[buick5563]

Because I discovered I dislike doing what I think others want ..

Then don't. You are too smart for that.

I'd vote for YOUR thoughts.

[Thriller]

Derek, the BoD should receive input from the membership and reflect in their voting accordingly, NOT bring predispositions to the voting. That is why I like John Schieb's idea. This in fact insulates the BoD from negative feedback, because the BoD can say their voting was based on membership input. Also, this can be a year by year deal. That's the nature of the "best practices" approach to management.

To a degree...as others suggest, and I noted, the logistics of getting information back and forth may be challenging to getting a timely decision made. Of course, the subsequent post about how things ran with typewriters and the post office almost seems better in some respects, assuming chapter directors then took it to their membership and made the membership opinions known.

Without getting too political, U.S. presidential elections are pretty close to a 50/50 split...when the incumbent gets in, it has been his way or the highway. Right or wrong, that is what happens. We see it at more local levels too. Generally speaking, elections are about sending a representative to represent views of the electorate. Whether they do or not seems to now be a matter for subsequent elections.

So, another rhetorical question. What would happen if a BOD member didn't get feedback on an issue? Are they supposed to abstain, or were they elected to vote based on what they believe to be in the best interests of the club?

[Thriller]

Because I discovered I dislike doing what I think others want ..

How long have you been married?

[jscheib]

This thread has ben viewed over 800 times. As many of us have viewed it many times, I am quite sure that it has over 500 people that have read all, or part. This might well be as many people that have actually voted for the BOD. So, in that regarding, I think the communication has been somwhat succesful. I understand the discussion as to the old way of quarterly BOD meetings, but that still only attracted people somewhat local to where the meeting was held (with all due respect Texas is a big state). I attending one at Hershey, where the non=Board members attendence was only about 10, as I recall. I think there are tools that can be used to poll members only, on this or another format, if you want opinions, or just ask for them privately, as opposed to some guessing. I think this thread has been fairly calm, but thanks goodness it is sprinkled with some humor, as are many. Let''s hope, whomever gets elected can develop a better means of communication with the membership of the BCA. But also remember, there are a lot of Buick owners reading this that are not, but may be considering, membership. Let's not scare them off, please.

John

[Guest BJM]

Derek,

You and others do have me thinking. I agree that it is unlikely that BoD members receive enough membership communications to help them form voting strategies when issues arise. But, it would be nice to get input from a current or past BoD member to see if they do receive input from the general membership.

Then it occurred to me how most business organizations run. When I was with Wells Fargo, it was implied that I should go to my direct supervisor with concerns/suggestions/comments. But if I really wanted to I could contact higher ups. Discouraged, but an option.

That is one reason I suggested in my BoD bio in the Bugle that regions / chapters should have a scheduled formal meeting at the National as they are the backbone of the BCA. It can be assumed that membership from Chapters would communicate issues to the Regional Directors and thus this meeting would yield general membership concerns.

Ultimately I have heard from many members that the BUGLE is their primary reason for being in the BCA and receiving communication about the club. Therefore, President's Messages and other commentary - it would seem - are important conduits for business information reaching the membership.

[JohnD1956]

How long have you been married?

Long enought to know I don't mind doing what she wants at all. :cool:

[NTX5467]

When the quarterly BOD meetings were hosted by BCA chapters, who asked to do that, it was a step forward from what (as I understand) were quarterly BOD meetings in California, held around (again, as I understand) a BCA member's kitchen table. As the meetings moved around, it gave BCA members (and other interested individuals) a chance to see "Our BOD In Action". As we knew the major-issue agenda in advance, members who felt strongly about the particular item could show their intensity in their position by just attending the meeting . . . as MANY did together that year. This was their way of making their presence known to the BOD. Otherwise, written communications had time to be made and delivered via USPS. All of this seemed to work well back then, but it did seem to run its course as more BCA members got to lay an eyeball on the BOD they'd elected.

As to the issue Thriller mentioned, regarding "no input" or "solicited input" . . . I suspect our collective BOD has a great deal of knowledge of what they're making decisions on . . . sometimes more, sometimes less. I would certainly hope that if they had an upcoming decision to make and the particular BOD member didn't have what they felt (in their head, or "knowledge base") they needed to make an informed decision, that they'd do their OWN research into the situation or subject so that THEY knew more about what their ultimate decision would need to be. Thereby broadening their own knowledge level in the process. PLUS being able to justify their decision to whomever might ask!

For those of us "out in the field", we might question some particular decisions, BUT if we also might know some of the background behind the reason that decision was reached (by a vote of the BOD members), THEN we might have a better idea of why things happened as they did. Getting those questions answered, however "painful" it might be to accurately answer them, can lead to greater degrees of trust in those whom were elected to serve the BCA as Board of Director members. But you can also say the same thing about your own workplace or even businesses you might patronize. Obviously, there are some questions which can only receive "private" answers s there are others which could be put on a billboard. Key thing is that the answers are presented, or available, if desired. I've observed that such openness in justification, professionally-presented, can go a long way toward building raport and trust between customers and service providers.

As for "the old way" of doing things . . . there ARE some of those prior "ways" which still are superior to what we now do. IF you're in the automotive repair industry and have watched the various construction changes in automobiles over the last 50 years, it's quite obvious that (as some of the newer ways have some compelling reasons to do things as they now might be) there are some parts on cars which we now have issues with that we NEVER had issues with in prior times. Window regulators, for example. Those old scissors-style regulators never really wore out, much less had issues during the vehicle's first 5 years. A motor ever now and then, but not much else. There are other examples. Who would have thought we'd go from hydraulic energy absorbers behind metal bumpers to molded styrofoam behind plastic bumper fascias? On the other hand, a child getting a birthday car in the mail from an older relative (usually with some money in it!) is just not the same as having money "wired" into the child's bank account. Seeing those smiling postal employees delivering these items, knowing they were making somebody's day better for what they were doing is . . . as the commercial says . . . "Priceless".

Everybody have a great week and also remind other BCA members TO VOTE!

Willis Bell 20811

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Long enought to know I don't mind doing what she wants at all. :cool:

Well said!!

Ben

[MrEarl]

How long have you been married?

Long enought to know I don't mind doing what she wants at all. :cool:

Don't you really mean "Long enough to know it doesn't matter if I mind doing it or not, I just do it, I'm gonna have to do it anyway, plus it's more peaceful that way"

Reet and I did discuss the candidates and she did agree with two of mine....but wanted to know is Jake going to buy the Roadmaster or not. he he he

[Guest BJM]

Reet and I did discuss the candidates and she did agree with two of mine....but wanted to know is Jake going to buy the Roadmaster or not. he he he

I knew it! All the candidates are good, win or lose. BCA will be in good shape.