IMPBA Concerns

[Jeff Schindler]

Nevermind my post above, I read "latest Results as of December" and it says "latest vote results December" which I assume includes votes up to the voting deadline of Feb 3. Hope so at least.

 

[Mark Bullard]

Part of the problem is you could not vote if your were not a current member. In January you had to be a 2013 paid member.

Well this means that we should never vote on anything after December or before October and have 50% of the members to change a rulle. And Joe is right about District 5 not be able to vote for our District Director. But must say that I did help get the one in there we have now and he is doing a great job. And he should stay in there for a long time so long as we do not have the same things that have happen in the past.

With late year voting and 50% voting rule a Director will be able to rally his members in his district a little better. This way we will not have rules passed that are only move in by less than 100 members and it should get rid of these crazy rules that get passed.

 

[Mark Bullard]

Nobody has commented on why we have had no Board of Directors minutes published since 2010. That is inexcusable. How is the membership to be informed that way?

You know your right on that too. I have not see any minutes myself. The first time I learn about these crazy bad rules is after they have aready been put into a trial period. And when this happens the rule get passed into the book by the low voter turn out the follow year.

 

[gooycheese]

I have no control over minutes.

I dont agree with needing 50% of the members to pass changes. I am rounding the current membership to 1000, how many of these members are racing? Yes the none racers votes count also, but some of these people have never raced .... they are just members so they can run there boats at there local ponds which require a membership. A spring nats or tunnel championship or even a hobart have about 100 racers, these racers are primarily from the area of the race but not all of them. Based on that i would guess we as an organization have about 500 active racers, maybe more maybe less. Ya cant force people to vote, and incentives are not the answer....

Regarding this rule, I Voted NO. My reasoning behind my no vote was: There is NO racing anymore, a F Mono shoots a roostertail atleast 50' or say 12 boat lengths (if the boat is 4' long). Now this F Mono goes to pass a boat at 50' or 12 boat lengths and gets his roostertail on the boat he passes, the boat being passed will slow and move out of the roostertail..... Hence the boat that just made the passing move should get a lap penalty, he impeded progress and forced the boat being passed to change lanes or chance getting washed out.

At the 2008 internats the rule was no lane changes from 6-1 at the start.... they didnt want a mad dash of diving boats into 1 at the start.

just my opinions,

Paul

 

[gooycheese]

The 2012 regatta meeting minutes are in the june 2012 roostertail.

I know the minutes have been addressed at the meetings and I assume this is being worked on so there is a normal/standard publishing procedure.

 

[Joe Warren]

Nobody has commented on why we have had no Board of Directors minutes published since 2010. That is inexcusable. How is the membership to be informed that way?

 

[bzubee]

Contact your directors and let them know your concern and get you an answer. Joe as far know elections in D5 there were no other canidates that got their nominations in according to the rulebook. So it's either no representation or appointment of someone that "Stepped up and volunteered". Kind of hard to have an election with one canidate isn't it?

 

[Bob Nauss]

As already posted, you really can not force someone to vote. And if a rule was passed that required 50% of the memberships to vote on a proposal in order for it to be accepted there would never be another passed proposal.

The simple fact is people have to be willing to participate. And the people who participate are the ones who vote.

If people want a change in how thing are done they need to stop complaining on IW and Jim's and take that energy and put it into following thru he change process. Write up the proposal, get the required number of paid members to sign off on it, and submit it.

Here is no shortage of people willing to say they don't like something. But there is a shortage of is people willing to put in the effort to bring about positive change.

 

[Marty Davis]

In no way did I want to start something that turned into basking of the IMPBA Board of Directors. Just some constructive criticism to hopefully help get things turned around. PLEASE let's keep this discussion on a higher level. I hope that this thread was not what made Tom mad. This forum has become the only place for discussion of issues.

 

[Joe Warren]

Contact your directors and let them know your concern and get you an answer. Joe as far know elections in D5 there were no other canidates that got their nominations in according to the rulebook. So it's either no representation or appointment of someone that "Stepped up and volunteered". Kind of hard to have an election with one canidate isn't it?

Bill maybe it is as easy as removing the High Security of the site. So members can move around?? Mark & I were on the phone the other day & neither of us could break the codes to access the web page???? Soooo we called John Equi. John resolved our problem that day...... But we still never got onto the site. p.s. we were just trying to resign a 2013 membership card........ I talk to others every day that say..... Whats up with the Web site???????? Hard to vote if you cannot access the site.

 

[Marty Davis]

Hopefully, this can be a place for constructive solutions. Is it possible to do something like this: You become a member and all votes come out at the same time each year. People are REQUIRED to vote at that time. If they don't, they become on probation and if they don't vote the next time, they are not accepted for membership the next year. IMPBA should be an organization that is not mandatory, it should be a privilege to belong and not a right. IMPBA should be only a tight structure of the way that things should be handled in regard to racing rules, insurance, local representation (District Directors) to be close by for problems. They should not be "all things" to the racing community, just the structure to keep things organized. THOUGHTS..... Not sure why I can't type messages without underline or paragraph breaks????

 

[Don Ferrette]

Hopefully, this can be a place for constructive solutions. Is it possible to do something like this: You become a member and all votes come out at the same time each year. People are REQUIRED to vote at that time. If they don't, they become on probation and if they don't vote the next time, they are not accepted for membership the next year. IMPBA should be an organization that is not mandatory, it should be a privilege to belong and not a right. IMPBA should be only a tight structure of the way that things should be handled in regard to racing rules, insurance, local representation (District Directors) to be close by for problems. They should not be "all things" to the racing community, just the structure to keep things organized. THOUGHTS..... Not sure why I can't type messages without underline or paragraph breaks????

Required to vote? Oh yeah that'll do WONDERS for increasing membership. This is a HOBBY and a vast majority just want to play with their TOYS. I do find it real interesting how we only see threads like this when a rule comes along that someone doesn't like. It is what it is and people will do what they want and voting has NEVER EVER been a strong thing no matter if it's playing with toy boats or electing a local official.

 

[Al Hobbs]

It is difficult to care for an orgnization, get involved, devote your efforts, and then see how few of the other members even take the time to vote for various measures. I once asked some NAMBA members why they did not vote, time after time. Their response was that they just expected other members to do the right thing.

I don't remember many times when more than 25% of the membership took the time to vote. We did everything we could think of to encourage members to vote. We mailed out ballots. Members could mail in the ballots, fax the ballots, or vote on line. Still, the number of members actually voting did not improve noticeably.

Finally, I just accepted that was the way it was going to be. What it really does is point out the necessity of finding good people to fill important positions. Encourage hard-working, honest members to take on the various duties. Then stand with them, don't stab them.

Al Hobbs

 

[bzubee]

One change that could help is for the "District Power Vote" to only take effect if the district has a certain percentage say 15% of votes returned of senior members. This would al least make sure a district with a large membership population actually earns the acessed power vote. As of right now there are only 4 districts that qualify for the power vote. Remember the power vote was implemented so the large membership in Flordia and Texas would have beeter representation at voting time. So much for that idea.

 

[tnrcboatracer]

I tought that I voted NO to this rule, but from the tally, there was only 1ea NO vote in D5, and in the other thread, Doc said that he voted NO. I know I was having difficulty doing the online vote, and I'm a Paid Life member. I guess my vote didn't make it.

 

[Mark Bullard]

Hopefully, this can be a place for constructive solutions. Is it possible to do something like this: You become a member and all votes come out at the same time each year. People are REQUIRED to vote at that time. If they don't, they become on probation and if they don't vote the next time, they are not accepted for membership the next year. IMPBA should be an organization that is not mandatory, it should be a privilege to belong and not a right. IMPBA should be only a tight structure of the way that things should be handled in regard to racing rules, insurance, local representation (District Directors) to be close by for problems. They should not be "all things" to the racing community, just the structure to keep things organized. THOUGHTS..... Not sure why I can't type messages without underline or paragraph breaks????

Required to vote? Oh yeah that'll do WONDERS for increasing membership. This is a HOBBY and a vast majority just want to play with their TOYS. I do find it real interesting how we only see threads like this when a rule comes along that someone doesn't like. It is what it is and people will do what they want and voting has NEVER EVER been a strong thing no matter if it's playing with toy boats or electing a local official.

I think that Marty is not to far off on the subject. Let set up the votes for directors, rules, and changes to be included with their membership renewal forms. This always start about October of each year and would be only for present members that renew before December 31 of each year. Of course new members would not be alowed to vote for that year but would be able to vote the end of the year when they renew their membership. Now if you do not renew before December 31 you will not be allowed to vote that year. And that would be automatic because the member would not be a member until he renews is membership and if is after the December 31 cutoff date that member has missed the window of voting. This would do two things by increasing the membership drive before December 31 and spark the members to take the time to vote at that time also. Now they do not have to vote if they don't want to. But if the sofware for the membership renewal is done right they will have to check some kind of box to get their membership to enter the system. And these boxes can be Yes, No, or Abstian to leave the membership renewal process form. If someone has trouble with the website all they to do is contact their District Director or the IMPBA office.

Voting can also be done by contacting their Director by phone or E-mail so long it is before December 31.

Bill Zuber made a statement about the "District Power Vote" to only take effect if the district has a certain percentage say 15% of votes returned of senior members. This would al least make sure a district with a large membership population actually earns the acessed power vote. As of right now there are only 4 districts that qualify for the power vote. Remember the power vote was implemented so the large membership in Flordia and Texas would have beeter representation at voting time.

But I am not sure we need this "District Power Vote" rule anymore. I think that it should be dropped and that we go just by members vote and Board vote.

 

[Randy Rapedius]

Simple solution ...

Have the District Directors send out an e-mail to all IMPBA members (in good standing) in his/her district showing them what rules are up for a vote and ask for a reply.

Unless it is made EASY we will never have a good turn out.

A few years ago, I along with a few other concerned District 1 members, gave a little push to others asking them to exercise their right to vote for a Director. I think the turn out was over 40% which is unheard of in IMPBA.

Make it easy and you will get the numbers.

 

[Buckshot]

Simple solution ...

Have the District Directors send out an e-mail to all IMPBA members (in good standing) in his/her district showing them what rules are up for a vote and ask for a reply.

My thought exactly!!

But then again you have to have a DD that's involved and motivated.........

 

[Marty Davis]

Simple solution ...

Have the District Directors send out an e-mail to all IMPBA members (in good standing) in his/her district showing them what rules are up for a vote and ask for a reply.

Unless it is made EASY we will never have a good turn out.

A few years ago, I along with a few other concerned District 1 members, gave a little push to others asking them to exercise their right to vote for a Director. I think the turn out was over 40% which is unheard of in IMPBA.

Make it easy and you will get the numbers.

I think that Randy might be onto something here.... ALL District Directors should have a continuing updated email list of the current members in his district. He/She can keep the district informed easily with only a 5 minute email occasionally. Voting is something that is SUPER IMPORTANT and a solution must be found. As for making it mandatory to vote not helping add members. I believe that it is MORE IMPORTANT to serve the existing membership than to build new membership - that's just me.

 

[Tim Kish]

Simple solution ...

Have the District Directors send out an e-mail to all IMPBA members (in good standing) in his/her district showing them what rules are up for a vote and ask for a reply.

Unless it is made EASY we will never have a good turn out.

A few years ago, I along with a few other concerned District 1 members, gave a little push to others asking them to exercise their right to vote for a Director. I think the turn out was over 40% which is unheard of in IMPBA.

Make it easy and you will get the numbers.

I agree 100%

I also think that these rules get lost and can be confusing the way they are presented in the Rooster tale.

Email with reply is simple and that's what people like , simple .