[urq] Re: ACNA

[QSHIPQ at aol.com]

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I've read this thread with great interest over the last couple days.  Jon, I
suggest to you that I'm dealing with "appearances of impropriety" right now
with the Club over an event that was cancelled with a chargeback that is not
expressed prior to, and further I opin that "appearances of impropriety" come
from the very two accountant types (a.t.) on your board you reference.
Regardless of "volunteerism" being a truism, it's no excuse for not actively promoting
specific strategies and documentation with regard to defining "impropriety" to
specifically avoid the "appearance of".   In this specific case, the
"appearance of impropriety" comes to light as the food costs for an event toppping 40%
of Total costs.  Not to mention further "appearances of impropriety" as a few
of us members, looking for a breakdown of the tab we're being told to pay,
haven't been able to get one to date.  The "a.o.i" gets worse in fact, the 2
a.t. can't seem to get the tab to net zero... Yet, full 4 months after the event.
 I privately (along with a few others involved) ascribed this just before
this q-thread started as "appearances of impropriety" (I was accused of much
worse, I expressed to both that was never my intention or purpose).

I'll further state it's my opinion that it's not at all the a.t. fault.  I
spoke with Craig directly regarding part of my proposed solution to the problem
(adding a Force Majeur clause to every application - i.e. the max holdback
charges are x as you sign up for an event).  Craig shared with me that when he
presented this to the Board, he was, "rebuffed" (the conversation was a bit more
descriptive, rebuffed is good:). As you are a member of this Board, I
question some of your "claims" of addressing the "appearance of impropriety" when a
simple solution proposed by a longstanding and ACTIVE member of your club (me),
reasonably endorsed by your President, was summarily shot down.

The problem you guys are dealing with are not new in this respect, (to avoid
any litigation attempts, it's my OPINION that) these "appearances of
impropriety" are old school to the Club and these Lists.  I KNOW you can search this
very qlist and see this same thread many times over the last 8 years I've been
on them.

Jon, I'd be happy to discuss ANY of this in detail with you to help propose
better and SMARTER ways of dealing with these issues (I don't want to be
accused "again" of "sitting in judgement", I've always proposed problems with
solutions).  As a professionally trained Salesman and Sales Manager, excuses of why
we can't do things better falls on deaf ears.  I hold hope for a Club, but a
lot more are just saying the hell with it all.  Expanding membership means you
will have to work harder with more issues, with the same or more volunteer
commitment.  The definition of working Smarter, not Harder.

A quick paruse of bmwcca.org, and you can find several indications of what
many of us are looking for from OUR Club.  Jon, without a password, I can tell
you what Badger Club has in their cking acount in October 2002, I can tell you
how much of that is liquid and what's in a CD.  I can tell you how much they
cleared at Blackhawk Farms for instance, I can tell you how much their trackl
insurance bill went up by that month.  On a Board Level, I can tell you that it
cost this board member xxx dollars in travel and expense to get to any given
board meeting.  I can tell you exactly and clearly the Rules Of Conduct with
regard to expenses and travel, right down to "sharing a double room when
possible".

Sound impressive?  It's not.  It's old stuff I had to practice and enforce at
my Sales Manager job for 12 years, and it's pretty standard issue for any
TQM/ISO driven company many of us work for.  So, I'm gonna argue the point that
the battles this Club takes on may be won regarding these petty uprisings on
these quattro lists, and an occasional Club member stirring up the mud.  The WAR
you will find overwhelming is, without  publically accessed formalized
documented procedures from accident reports to Reasonable Expense guildlines, you
will not win the war on the "percieved improprieties" that appear to be quite
alive and well in my Club, in my opinion.

Just BTDT.

Thanks for taking the time to offer some communication on these matters.
That's a start, and this Club sure can be smarter>better and NOW.  I opinion, an
ALL volunteer club NEEDS to catch up quickly.  That requires you work SMARTER,
not HARDER.  We all work hard enough.  You don't have to print this in the
newsletter, in fact I'd rather you didn't.  I'd also be quite happy to take this
offline or you can lob me a call.  I wouldn't want to propogate or launder a
clear case of "appearance if impropriety" to these lists.  None of us need
that.

Thanks

Scott Justusson