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From: TA Los Angeles
Date: 17 Feb 1999
Time: 12:07:42
It seems to me one of the problems with the Society is its closed nature. The voting process promotes the society being run by a select group: 1) people who live near Red Wing, and 2) people who can afford the time and money of going to Red Wing to vote in the annual elections. Why doesn't the society have voting by mail -- at least for some positions, so that the entire membership can participate?
Without real reform of the bylaws, we will continue to have a select few run the organization -- peole who can use the dues of thousands.
But, Byron, what really is going here with the RedTips site is that it is a threat to the Society -- a potential loss of members outside the Midwest.
Here is what I mean: I live in California and get into Red Wing. My primary sources of info were the Reiss and Dollen books. So I had to get the Society newsletter to keep abrese of prices and trneds in Red Wing.
However, not there is ebay and WingTips.
If someone can't attend the convention because of money or lack of vacation time to travel, now they can access lots of information on the Web, marginalizing the Society's importance.
It would be interesting to know how many Society members never go to the convention and live far far from MN. The Society is in danger of lossing these memebers because of the Web and because the Newsletter isn't very good in keeping people on top of trends.
This would be a lot of money lost to the Society's leaders.
In relaity, expending voting rights to people who can't attend the convention would be a proactive way for the Society to keep members and make people outside of the Midwest feel a part of the organization and community.
BTW, I love the West Coast rep's response about hiding behind initials when the Society's threatening letter fosters such a climate. I find it interesting that whenever someone "complaints" about the Society on WingTips it is deemed inappropriate by Society insiders. That is a tactic to brush aside the underlying problems of the Society.
Byron -- keep up the good works on opening up the Society.
PS - I'm interested in other peoples thoughts about whther all this would make a good story for the Pioneer Press or Mpls. Strib -- I wonder what kinds of money we are talking about here ....