Could Be Worse - SSA

5-BG wrote:
For the sake of this discussion, I will acknowledge your basic premis that the board is acting in WHAT THEY perceive to be our best interests..... (Long criticism of the board follows).

From the september 7 update on www.ssa.org: "the Executive Committee is
actively pursuing several SSA members with financial experience, but
who have never been part of Society leadership, to oversee all of its
activities as we attempt to bring these problems to the best resolution
possible, and protect the Society in the future. " It sounds like you
are an ideal candidate to volunteer for this effort. I'm sure it will
take no more than a few hundred hours of your time, plus fun-filled
trips to Hobbs and other meetings. Email Diane Nixon or your regional
director and volunteer.

If you think the board is a bunch of nincompoops, here's another
suggestion from the SSA website: "SSA Regional Directors, Call for
Nominations. This is the offical call for nominations for the upcoming
election of your SSA Directors representing Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10,
11 and 12." Step up and do it right. It's likely that there will be
many more opportunities to serve on the board in the near future, given
how fun it is for the current occupants. r.a.s. critics ought to be
prime targets...I mean candidates.. to stand for election. Too bad
your email is anonymous so we can't nominate you right away.

Let's not forget this board is a group of dedicated volunteers, elected
by us, the members. It's not some secret society. If you think they are
not doing a good job, there is only one answer: volunteer to help them,
or to serve and do it better yourself.

John Cochrane BB

Thank you John for your, on the point , comments.
Those that have all the answers better be on the board or volunteering
right now so they can point fingers with authority.
If you are not holding any of these jobs them please do run for a
board position and volunteer for one of the committees. I think Tom
Knauff indicated that it will only cost you about $3,000 plus many
hours of your time to do this volunteer work. Yes, the BD did make
some mistakes in judgement and put their trust in hired staff and tried
to manage from a distance, but they did this with good intentions. The
Endowment fund has been borrowed from before and handles these loans
like any other investment. If SSA members do not continue to renew and
new members join then this is a threat to the repayment of these loans.
We need the SSA for a number of reasons and now is the time for those
who have skills important to MANAGING this organization to step up and
offer your time and skills. Yes, I have done so through my Director.

Tom
Idaho
BB wrote:
5-BG wrote:
For the sake of this discussion, I will acknowledge your basic premis that the board is acting in WHAT THEY perceive to be our best interests..... (Long criticism of the board follows).

From the september 7 update on www.ssa.org: "the Executive Committee is
actively pursuing several SSA members with financial experience, but
who have never been part of Society leadership, to oversee all of its
activities as we attempt to bring these problems to the best resolution
possible, and protect the Society in the future. " It sounds like you
are an ideal candidate to volunteer for this effort. I'm sure it will
take no more than a few hundred hours of your time, plus fun-filled
trips to Hobbs and other meetings. Email Diane Nixon or your regional
director and volunteer.

If you think the board is a bunch of nincompoops, here's another
suggestion from the SSA website: "SSA Regional Directors, Call for
Nominations. This is the offical call for nominations for the upcoming
election of your SSA Directors representing Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10,
11 and 12." Step up and do it right. It's likely that there will be
many more opportunities to serve on the board in the near future, given
how fun it is for the current occupants. r.a.s. critics ought to be
prime targets...I mean candidates.. to stand for election. Too bad
your email is anonymous so we can't nominate you right away.

Let's not forget this board is a group of dedicated volunteers, elected
by us, the members. It's not some secret society. If you think they are
not doing a good job, there is only one answer: volunteer to help them,
or to serve and do it better yourself.

John Cochrane BB

Hear, hear John. Personally I think you folks are doing an exemplary
job in some pretty ugly circumstances. Speaking for myself - thank you
all.

For those others on r.a.s. (are you listening/reading 5-BG?) endless
speculation on something you know nothing about is pointless and
counterproductive. Questions as to why the ED is still there and the
CFO is not, whether the accounting firms insurance should pay or who
should hang are all based on your speculation and not on any facts
whatsoever. The boards decisions to date have been based on what they
knew then or know now. Facts, not supposition. If they have not yet
chosen (or for that matter, never choose) to share those facts with you
or the general membership, that is their decision to make - not yours.
It's what we elected them for and also what they can be replaced for if
the membership eventually decides that the decisions that were made
were inappropriate.

In the mean time as was pointed out, nominations for Regional Director
are open. Step up or shut up pal - the sniping isn't needed at a time
like this.

John - to you and the rest of the excom again, my thanks.

Jay

If you think the board is a bunch of nincompoops, here's another
suggestion from the SSA website: "SSA Regional Directors, Call for
Nominations. This is the offical call for nominations for the upcoming
election of your SSA Directors representing Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10,
11 and 12." Step up and do it right. It's likely that there will be
many more opportunities to serve on the board in the near future, given
how fun it is for the current occupants. r.a.s. critics ought to be
prime targets...I mean candidates.. to stand for election. Too bad
your email is anonymous so we can't nominate you right away.

John,
For your info the nomination window closed a few months ago.I think
that if members knew the SSA was short of help there would be alot more
volunteers (Myself included).

Let's not forget this board is a group of dedicated volunteers, elected
by us, the members. It's not some secret society.

This one made me laugh because of all the name calling that took place
on RAS a week ago because some member made the letter public.Almost
made it seem like it was a secret society.What I cant understand is why
all the name calling came from the people who support the current
management.
Also, is the ED not a paid position?



John Cochrane BB

5-BG wrote:
......snip
2. Are they also working to save themselves from potential personal
liability while seking to represent the ssa?

I should bloody well hope so! Given that they did their work for
NOTHING, I HOPE they're working to ensure they don't get hit for any
liability. If they have some time left over to work for the SSA at the
same time, it would be more than you deserve!

You seem to think that the Board members would be doing something wrong
if they didn't let themselves be exposed not only to abuse and
denigration from people like you but should also expose themselves and
their families to penury and bankruptcy.

Bull**** (Your term). They should ensure that they come out of this
free from any financial liability beyond that shared by all SSA members.

GC

it appears as if the board made a decision to somehow "borrow" money out
of special funds to cover the immediate cash requirement. My question
becomes which fund did they borrow from and under what terms? Further, i
wonder if they actually had the right to divert such funds.. either under
te bylaws of the ssa and/or under the endowment terms?

The Foundation is a separate organization with a separate Board. The SSA had
to ask the Foundation if it could borrow some funds. The Foundation board
decides what funds can be loaned and what funds need to stay committed to
other purposes.

Pat Russell wrote:

The SSA leadership is not trying to be nice.

No one said they WERE trying to be nice.Please dont take others posts
out of context.

They have your interests at heart.

You dont know this for sure.It would be prudent to wait until an
investigation is complete before making such a statement.

If they had "shared more information on what was going on" earlier, it
probably would have made the problem worse.

Pat, if they had shared the fact that audits were NOT being conducted 3
years ago (Right after the last incedent), this probably would not have
happened.Think about what you are saying.More information is better,
not worse.



Each week, after working on the real problem, and at a time when I'm
sure they'd like to take a small break, the Executive Committee
composes and publishes a remarkably complete and carefully worded
update for the membership. They aren't doing it to be nice; they are
doing it to keep you informed. They think you deserve it. I'm not so
sure.

What do we deserve Pat?To send 65 bucks, not to mention contest fees
and bussiness dues into some black hole where we get unaudited results
every year?


Quit your sniping.

-Pat