SSA INVESTIGATION

LET US START RIGHT HERE AND NOW!

I do pledge my former dues amount ($65) for a newly formed Soaring
Association. We have had constitutional conventions in this country
before and can do it again. The only requirement is for the current
group--ALL of them down to whoever cleans the office in NM--need to go.

Our former SSA was driven off the cliff over many, many years. Most of
the directors and volunteers names have not changed since I took my
first glider flight in 1979. Those that got us here are not the ones to
make it better.

Disgusted,

Terry Claussen
FAA Designated Flight Instructor Examiner Glider
Former SSAI# 922214

Terry wrote:
LET US START RIGHT HERE AND NOW!


Our former SSA was driven off the cliff over many, many years. Most of
the directors and volunteers names have not changed since I took my
first glider flight in 1979. Those that got us here are not the ones to
make it better.

Disgusted,

Terry Claussen
FAA Designated Flight Instructor Examiner Glider
Former SSAI# 922214

Hey Terry,

First, let me say that the current situation makes me sick. It makes
me sick because a) the events are in and of themselves disgusting and
because b) the SSA Board members who I know are hard-working,
dedicated, and innovative. Before you fire back, let's look at the
facts in your statement: "Most of the directors and volunteers (sic)
names have not changed since I took my first glider flight in 1979. "

I've been a member since 1984. I can hardly find one name on the
current list of directors who goes back that far. So, giving you a
little poetic license, let's go back 10 years. From the 1996 Board
Meeting in Kansas City, I did a little look-see at the list of 20
Regional Directors then vs. now. Wanna guess how many are the same?
Hint: It's less than 10. Need a second hint: It's less than 5.
Third hint: it's an even number. That's right, exactly 4 of the
Regional Directors have a tenure going back even 10 years. So, 80% of
the Board is new within that period. At least a third of the Board
goes back less than 5 years from what I was able to figure.

A couple of other interesting observations:

- In recent elections, a significant percentage of Directors ran
unopposed. So, our members must not be very disatisfied with the
Board, otherwise they would have stepped up and run for office
themselves, right?
- There is currently at least 1 position vacant. Surprising given the
glamor and wealth associated with the position.
- There are 6 slots which expire 12/31/2006.
- At no time do I see anyone named Terry Claussen running for
Director. Nor for that matter, does that name appear under any of the
numerous volunteer positions. Interestingly, neither do the names of
a lot of the usual, vocal critics of the SSA.

Okay, so that last one is a little bit of a low blow. But either
you've been a non-participant in the electoral affairs of the
organization or you just haven't been paying much attention to the
outcome.

Why does this matter? Well, it seems to me that we all owe it to the
Board to sort this out before we launch a lynch mob. I would imagine
that there are a few specific individuals who have some serious
'splainin to do. It's obvious from the second update that the Board
is moving to rapidly hone in on the details. How about we ask the
court of public opinion to recess for a little while to see what comes
next. It's obviously not the same old Board...

Regards,
Erik Mann
LS8-18 (P3)

Erik,
Thank you for your post. It is a welcome change from the "they're
all crooks" theme that seems so prevalent on this discussion group.

Horst
L33

Eric

Amen to what you said. I could not agree with you more, especially about
some of the board members that we both know. They do not seserve the link
mob!!!

Brian
"Papa3" wrote in message
oups.com...

Terry wrote:
LET US START RIGHT HERE AND NOW!


Our former SSA was driven off the cliff over many, many years. Most of
the directors and volunteers names have not changed since I took my
first glider flight in 1979. Those that got us here are not the ones to
make it better.

Disgusted,

Terry Claussen
FAA Designated Flight Instructor Examiner Glider
Former SSAI# 922214

Hey Terry,

First, let me say that the current situation makes me sick. It makes
me sick because a) the events are in and of themselves disgusting and
because b) the SSA Board members who I know are hard-working,
dedicated, and innovative. Before you fire back, let's look at the
facts in your statement: "Most of the directors and volunteers (sic)
names have not changed since I took my first glider flight in 1979. "

I've been a member since 1984. I can hardly find one name on the
current list of directors who goes back that far. So, giving you a
little poetic license, let's go back 10 years. From the 1996 Board
Meeting in Kansas City, I did a little look-see at the list of 20
Regional Directors then vs. now. Wanna guess how many are the same?
Hint: It's less than 10. Need a second hint: It's less than 5.
Third hint: it's an even number. That's right, exactly 4 of the
Regional Directors have a tenure going back even 10 years. So, 80% of
the Board is new within that period. At least a third of the Board
goes back less than 5 years from what I was able to figure.

A couple of other interesting observations:

- In recent elections, a significant percentage of Directors ran
unopposed. So, our members must not be very disatisfied with the
Board, otherwise they would have stepped up and run for office
themselves, right?
- There is currently at least 1 position vacant. Surprising given the
glamor and wealth associated with the position.
- There are 6 slots which expire 12/31/2006.
- At no time do I see anyone named Terry Claussen running for
Director. Nor for that matter, does that name appear under any of the
numerous volunteer positions. Interestingly, neither do the names of
a lot of the usual, vocal critics of the SSA.

Okay, so that last one is a little bit of a low blow. But either
you've been a non-participant in the electoral affairs of the
organization or you just haven't been paying much attention to the
outcome.

Why does this matter? Well, it seems to me that we all owe it to the
Board to sort this out before we launch a lynch mob. I would imagine
that there are a few specific individuals who have some serious
'splainin to do. It's obvious from the second update that the Board
is moving to rapidly hone in on the details. How about we ask the
court of public opinion to recess for a little while to see what comes
next. It's obviously not the same old Board...

Regards,
Erik Mann
LS8-18 (P3)

You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65. How much time
and effort are you willing to devote to this? What if there was a
"constitutional convention" and nobody came?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Terry wrote:
LET US START RIGHT HERE AND NOW!

I do pledge my former dues amount ($65) for a newly formed Soaring
Association. We have had constitutional conventions in this country
before and can do it again. The only requirement is for the current
group--ALL of them down to whoever cleans the office in NM--need to go.

Our former SSA was driven off the cliff over many, many years. Most of
the directors and volunteers names have not changed since I took my
first glider flight in 1979. Those that got us here are not the ones to
make it better.

Disgusted,

Terry Claussen
FAA Designated Flight Instructor Examiner Glider
Former SSAI# 922214

Doug Haluza wrote:
You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65.

Doug, how much skin are YOU putting in?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Maybe you need a little reality Doug, This minority of hard working
volunteers admitedly ignored the bylaws of the SSA for several
years.What part of reality am I missing here?
Frank

Frank wrote:
Doug Haluza wrote:
You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65.

Doug, how much skin are YOU putting in?

I have done hundreds of hours of volunteer work. And you?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Maybe you need a little reality Doug, This minority of hard working
volunteers admitedly ignored the bylaws of the SSA for several
years.What part of reality am I missing here?

Then why didn't you say so sooner?

I feel the need to rise to the defense of the SSA board of directors and the
very small group of volunteers that work for the us, the SSA membership.

First, let me say that I accept the explanation of the SSA board. They have
stood up and taken responsibility for their oversight. I'm sure they are
working overtime to get to the bottom of this mess. I expect they are very,
very depressed that it could have happened on their watch.

Remember, these volunteers are dispersed around a very large country and,
for the most part, have full time careers and families. The problem, I
suspect, is less with these individuals than with the system that has them
spread thin yet charged with huge responsibilities of managing the affairs
of an organization with small group of paid employees in a very remote town.

Lets look at the weaknesses of the organizational structure before pointing
fingers at the fellow member/volunteers that serve us.

Further, I don't like the idea of a "broomcloset" SSA. No one would take us
seriously. In this world we need an organization to represent us that is
taken seriously. Lets get past this and build a far better organization to
serve us through the century. I'm sure it can be done.

Bill Daniels


"Doug Haluza" wrote in message
oups.com...

Frank wrote:
Doug Haluza wrote:
You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65.

Doug, how much skin are YOU putting in?

I have done hundreds of hours of volunteer work. And you?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Maybe you need a little reality Doug, This minority of hard working
volunteers admitedly ignored the bylaws of the SSA for several
years.What part of reality am I missing here?

Then why didn't you say so sooner?

Being an unpaid volunteer on any board like the SSA is a huge and thankless
personal commitment. Management of an organization like the SSA has two
parts: The soaring part, which is why everyone is interested in helping
out, and the back office part which is a necessary distraction that no one
is particularly interested in.

When you have an organization of this size, the back office is a real
problem. The group is too large to run with volunteers, but barely big
enough where professional management is efficient and affordable.

That is the advantage of becoming affiliated with a larger organization,
whether it is the EAA, AOPA or someone else. It provides an opportunity to
leverage the existing professional back office infrastructure of that
organization, so that the SSA volunteers can focus on what they love:
soaring.

Mike Schumann

"Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote in message
...
I feel the need to rise to the defense of the SSA board of directors and
the very small group of volunteers that work for the us, the SSA
membership.

First, let me say that I accept the explanation of the SSA board. They
have stood up and taken responsibility for their oversight. I'm sure they
are working overtime to get to the bottom of this mess. I expect they are
very, very depressed that it could have happened on their watch.

Remember, these volunteers are dispersed around a very large country and,
for the most part, have full time careers and families. The problem, I
suspect, is less with these individuals than with the system that has them
spread thin yet charged with huge responsibilities of managing the affairs
of an organization with small group of paid employees in a very remote
town.

Lets look at the weaknesses of the organizational structure before
pointing fingers at the fellow member/volunteers that serve us.

Further, I don't like the idea of a "broomcloset" SSA. No one would take
us seriously. In this world we need an organization to represent us that
is taken seriously. Lets get past this and build a far better
organization to serve us through the century. I'm sure it can be done.

Bill Daniels


"Doug Haluza" wrote in message
oups.com...

Frank wrote:
Doug Haluza wrote:
You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65.

Doug, how much skin are YOU putting in?

I have done hundreds of hours of volunteer work. And you?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Maybe you need a little reality Doug, This minority of hard working
volunteers admitedly ignored the bylaws of the SSA for several
years.What part of reality am I missing here?

Then why didn't you say so sooner?

Mike Schumann wrote:
When you have an organization of this size, the back office is a real
problem. The group is too large to run with volunteers, but barely big
enough where professional management is efficient and affordable.

That is the advantage of becoming affiliated with a larger organization,
whether it is the EAA, AOPA or someone else. It provides an opportunity to
leverage the existing professional back office infrastructure of that
organization, so that the SSA volunteers can focus on what they love:
soaring.

It may be that what the SSA needs is professional management, but I
would submit that the mangaement not be under the EAA or AOPA umbrella
(umbrellas don't protect you in ill winds). I'd bet most people have
never heard of an association management company (AMC). The AMC model
of association management may be just what an association of SSA's size
and type of governance needs. You have economies of scale on your side
with an AMC. For more info on AMCs: www.iaamc.org.