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RE: [RC] response to Diane re BoD - Jim HollandAs Angie puts it ***IF*** I were to run for the Board and were elected, I wouldn't care a rats patootie about what the Board thinks is "appropriate" to share with the membership. I would represent my constituents, NOT the BoD. That's not their decision to make. In fact, it may be illegal to do that in private. I'm a firm believer in "sunshine". For example: The SERA newsletter would get a short "From the Director" article from me each month on important issues being considered by the board as well as other information on trails, classes, grants, etc. that I feel are appropriate. Want to know what's going on? Simply join SERA. Any SE member, upon request, would be placed on a distribution list and get the article above and other "updates" from me at times that I feel are appropriate. Included in BOTH of the above would be a list of all issues voted on by the board, HOW I voted, WHY I voted that way, and soliciting confidential feedback from the members in the SE, both positive and negative. We already have an online "opinion survey" function on the SERA website. That could easily be used to poll our membership on important issues. Like our Senators and Congressmen, perhaps too many of our Board members have been there so long they have forgotten that they were elected to reflect the wishes of their constituents, not their own private agendas. Perhaps term limits are something AERC should consider. Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic Richard T. "Jim" Holland Three Creeks Farm 175 Hells Hollow Drive Blue Ridge, Ga 30513 (706) 258-2830 www.threecreeksarabians.com Callsign KI4BEN Diane wrote>>>Angie, is this true? BoD members are not allowed to ask their constituents their opinions on pending issues? Where the heck did THAT come from???? Not exactly. Here's what I see. If you're on one of the "lists" of the AERC management, you get private posts about ideas they're tossing around. You are expected to keep those confidential. The problem is, I don't see any point when they become "unconfidential" before they become "official policy". If you don't hear about what has happened until after it's happened and comment, you can expect the obligatory, "YOU run for the board", followed by a list of the hardships board members face. It happens EVERY time. The thing is, if I *did* run for the board, I don't know how I could do any better because of the above problems. The board members have to follow their own instincts after talking it over just with the other board members...some of who have agendas of their own, form alliances, and can make a person feel very unsure of their position on a matter. The thing is, they can't say, "Well I asked my constituents about this and they overwhelmingly disapproved". They can only go on what they think their constituents would say *if* they'd warned them the issue was coming up, and 3 or 4 other board members coming down hard on them can make them pretty unsure of their position. Laura is a director at large. So she represents me too. I voted for her. If she had had a chance to write a post warning us that they were considering upping fees and listed the reasons they were having to raise them I would happily have sent her a private e-mail simply letting her know whether I was for or against it. Then, as a representative she'd have had my response and hopefully lots of others to consider before casting her vote. However, I can't help but think she'd have been in the dog house if she'd put that post out before the fact. How am I supposed to sit down here and guess what might come up, then contact them? I believe the board should possibly post the agenda, warn us what they're going to debate and give us a chance to let our representative know how we feel about it. They're not mind readers. If I were a board member and made a decision that someone complained about, it would be very reassuring to me to be able to say, "This is what my constituents asked me to do". Angie =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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