My letter to QCUSA...

[AUDIDUDI@delphi.com]

The following is a copy of a letter I recently sent to Scott Thiss of QCUSA
expressing my thoughts about the club's nominating and election procedures.
In retrospect, it's not quite as well written as I remember (it was written
at work while I ate my lunch) but it accurately conveys my thoughts on this
and other related matters.

I apologize in advance to those quattro-list subscribers who don't belong to
QCUSA and have no interest in the club's affairs.  Unfortunately, posting to
this forum is the only way I have to reach those subscribers who are and I'd
like to encourage them to write a letter expressing *their* thoughts (pro or
con) to the QCUSA leadership.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

August 2, 1996



Mr. Scott Thiss
President
Quattro Club USA
7700 Quattro Drive
Chanhassen, Minnesota  55317

Dear Mr. Thiss:

Although I have only recently become a member of the Quattro Club USA, I've
been watching it from the sidelines for several years now and have developed
a "feel" for how it operates.  Unfortunately, the more exposure to it I
have, the more disappointed by it I become.

My most recent disappointment is with the election procedures that were
outlined in the Summer 1996 issue of Quattro Quarterly.  In my opinion, the
net effect of this unnecessarily complex (and dare I suggest undemocratic?)
procedure is to discriminate against members who aren't part of the club's
"Minnesota" clique and who may not fully embrace the philosophy of the
present Board.  By requiring prospective candidates to be screened by a
nominating committee then approved by the Board before allowing them to run
for office, the Board has effectively closed the election to any member who
wants to see the club run differently.  While the names of the candidates
for this year's election are not yet known, the nominating process that has
been established virtually guarantees their outlook and attitudes will not
only be familiar but more of the same.

When I briefly discussed my concerns about this with Susan Anderson during a
telephone conversation last week about another matter, she told me the
Board was concerned not only with maintaining stability but also making sure
the election could be held this year, something the other approaches they
considered would have made difficult.  I find this rather puzzling and the
only reason I can surmise for such haste is the possibility that failure to
hold an election this year will jeopardize either the club's not-for-profit
status or its corporate charter.

If this is the case -- and it's certainly a valid reason for concern -- then
why hasn't the membership been so informed?  And if it's not, then why is
holding an election during 1996 (instead of, say, early 1997) so important
as to justify the Board's unilateral decision to revise the club's election
procedures instead of first running the proposed changes by the membership
for comment?  


Page Two
August 2, 1996

In fact, why hasn't the membership in general been kept better informed
about the club's affairs, be they legal, financial or procedural?  By and
large, it seems to me that the Board has been operating without any form of
oversight for going on two years now.  Otherwise, how could it be that the
Bylaws were never ratified?!  That a financial statement for the fiscal
year 1994 has never been published in the Quattro Quarterly or otherwise
made available to members (despite the fact the club transacted enough
business to generate a "profit" sufficient to incur a $20,000-plus tax
liability)?  That the financial statement published for the fiscal year 1995
contains only the barest minimum of information and nowhere near enough to
determine whether the club is operating on a sound financial basis
according to established financial guidelines?

For that matter, why aren't the dates/times/location and agenda for each
Board meeting publicized in advance so that interested members might attend?
And how was it that the club's election procedures were so hastily (and in
view of the Board's failure to ratify the club's Bylaws, perhaps even
improperly) restructured in such a way as to prevent "outsiders" from
running for office and discourage the club's members from mounting any
serious challenge to the status quo?  Based on this, it wouldn't be hard to
conclude the Board believes its actions are above reproach and its conduct
shouldn't be subject to scrutiny, something I very much hope isn't true.

While I found Ms. Anderson to be very friendly and pleasant during our
conversation last week, as I listened to her answer my questions, I couldn't
help but wonder: "Is this club really being run as casually and/or sloppily
as it seems?  If so, why?  And if not, then why doesn't somebody on the
inside realize just how bad the situation looks to those of us on the
outside and do something to correct it?"  After all, QCUSA is *not* a local
car club where the members all know and trust each other, the rules are
unwritten and business is conducted by a simple show of hands; it's a
not-for-profit corporation that has an international membership of at least
1,000 Audi enthusiasts and gross receipts in excess of $200,000 per year!

Still, recognizing that the Board is comprised of unpaid volunteers (or so I
assume!), I can accept some imperfection from its members regarding certain
procedural and protocol matters.  Having myself been a member of the BMW
CCA for over a decade and involved with its local Roadrunner chapter, I also
know that in order for a club to function smoothly, decisions sometimes have
to be made quickly and the details sorted out later, when time permits.  In
talking with Susan, I got the sense that getting things done, whatever they
may be, has been more important to the Board than keeping score or making
sure that all of the "i"s are dotted and "t"s are crossed.

If this is true, then it's time to 'fess up, explain to the members what
happened and how, and take the steps necessary to prevent it from ever
happening again.  And if it isn't true, then it's time to put an end to all
of the rumors and whispers, open the club's books and records (and
elections!) to the members for a thorough examination and prove that
everything has been -- and continues to be -- handled in an above-board
manner consistent with the responsibilities accorded to your office.


Page Three
August 2, 1996

As it now stands, I personally know of four members who don't intend to
renew their membership when it expires and two prospective members who
decided not to join because of their negative perceptions about the club
and how it's run.  If the same ratios hold true for even a tenth of our
fellow club members, then QCUSA's ability to survive into the future, let
alone prosper, is highly doubtful.

By this point, you're probably tempted to dismiss me as just another "crank"
who revels in pointing out problems but can't be bothered to actually help
solve them.  In this instance, I assure you that is not the case: One way or
another, I WILL follow up my words with action.  I would like to think it's
possible to work with the Board (perhaps even as a Director myself) but I'm
equally prepared to work against it, if necessary.  A strong, independent
and well-run club is to the benefit Audi enthusiasts everywhere and I don't
know of any reason why the members of QCUSA should settle for anything less.

I appreciate your having taken the time to read this far and if you or any
Board member would like to discuss any of the matters I've addressed above,
please feel free to give me a call at home during the evenings.  I can also
be reached via e-mail at AudiDudi@delphi.com.

Sincerely,




Jeffrey Goggin
Member No. 2072