Conference vmszoo::rc

765.0. "Club politics" by WRASSE::FRIEDRICHS (Planned Insanity) Wed Nov 16 1988 10:26

    Hi All,
    
    We have had some interesting things going on with the clubs in the
    Southern NH area over the last year or so.  This note is not asking
    any question, nor making any definitive statement, it is simply
    placed here to inform others of the goings on around here.
    
    Let me first give you some background...
    
    Almost 2 years ago, the Southern NH R/C Club (SNHRCC) lost its field.
    This was a strong club with about 100 members and about $8000 in
    the treasury.  The hunt for new fields started.  Many fields were
    looked at and then passed over either because the field was not
    big enough to fly pattern ships in, or it was not considered a "long
    term field".  They finally did get permission to use part of an
    small airport, 3 evenings a week and not on weekends or holidays.
    
    During this time, many of the sport flyers were getting very impatient,
    couldn't get the leaders of the club to at least open a temporary
    field and so they formed a new AMA chartered club, the Flying Eagles.
    In its first year, this new club has found 3 fields, has about 35
    members, and almost $1000.  The new fields range from tight to fairly
    wide open.  We certainly don't have any long term leases on the
    fields, but for the time they seem to be stable.
    
    At the last Flying Eagles meeting, we discussed how we should position
    ourselves in regards to the SNHRCC.  We decided that we would not
    do anything directly with them; we would just be 2 clubs in the
    same geographical area.  It was clearly left open to individuals
    as to whether or not they wanted to be members of the other club
    or not.
    
    Well, apparently, the SNHRCC club is very concerned about the new
    club.  What follows is a letter sent out by the Newsletter editor
    of the SNHRCC club.  He is also a member of the Flying Eagles. 
    I was not at the recent meeting, so I can not attest to the validity
    of the statements..
    
    {Reproduced without permission}
    
    SNHRCC Member:
    
    Divorce...The word itself generates strong feelings from its
    participants.  That fact is very evident by recent events within
    the SNHRCC.  There is now and has been for some time a dividing
    of the SNHRCC's most precious assets, the people who make up its
    membership.
    
    Most of you are aware of the fact that another AMA chartered club
    was formed locally by a few of the members from the SNHRCC, that
    club being the Flying Eagles, with its membership steadily growing.
    
    I have made no secret of the fact that I am also a member of the
    Flying Eagles and intent to do whatever I can to contribute to its
    growth and well being, just as I have attempted to do with the SNHRCC.
    
    Until recently, I have not felt obligated to state my reasons for
    joining another club.  However, my reasons are twofold.  First,
    while I personally reap more satisfaction from the building side
    of the hobby I also enjoy flying, and having a flying site available
    for only 3 days per week and no weekends did not provide me with
    an adequate opportunity to pursue that aspect of the hobby.  Secondly,
    and of equal importance to me, I have developed friendships with
    many members of both clubs and would like to maintain those
    relationships.
    
    Recent comments from SNHRCC members, intended or not, have been
    taken personally by me and I have found them totally out of line
    and unacceptable.  For instance, a statement at the last club meeting
    suggested that those SNHRCC members who also belong to the Flying
    Eagles should be expelled or at the very least, blacklisted.  That
    statment prompted me to make an early exit from the meeting.  Believe
    me, I don't NEED the SNHRCC and my life would be a lot less complicated
    if I weren't spending a considerable amount of my time as editor
    of the (newsletter) and I resent the implications from that statement.
    Also, I have heard no such suggestions concerning those SNHRCC members
    who belong to CAGS, Barnstormers, 495th, ect.
    
    Secondly, I was approached by more than one SNHRCC member questioning
    my integrity by having placed my own name for nomination to the
    position of club treasurer.  It was suggested that since I was a
    member of the "other" club that my motive was to "get my hands"
    on the SNHRCC treasury for use in the Flying Eagles.
    
    To that allegation I would respond that (1) that's a lot of Bull----!!!
    and (2) there are rather stiff penalties for embezzlement.  My motives
    were/are quite simple...  I feel that I can better serve the needs
    of the club, with respect to the office of treasurer, than what
    is currently being done.  No, I do not profess to be more of a
    financial wizard than the current treasurer and I don't believe
    that is what we need.  What we do need is someone who will be more
    readily available to fulfill the needs of the club and currently,
    my job enables me to attend more of the club meetings then does
    the current treasurers job.
    
    It has also been suggested that there be a merger of the two clubs
    and to that I would respond by saying...no way!!!  The SNHRCC has
    its own goals and interests just as the Flying Eagles has its own
    goals and interests.  I personally, would like to see some "friendly"
    competition between the two clubs in the future, possibly in the
    form of fun-flys ect.
    
    I would like to call upon the membership of both clubs to "bury
    the hatchet" and direct that energy now being expended on accusations
    and innuendo to the more worthwhile and enjoyable pursuits of the
    hobby.
    
    To the members of the SNHRCC, all our energy should be directed
    toward obtaining a flying site.  Negotiations *are* underway for
    obtaining a *long term* site which will fill the needs and interests
    of *all* the members and given the enthusiasm of the landowner and
    the state of our treasury, a paved runway is a very real prospect.
    
    For those of you who have never flown from a paved surface...taxiing
    out on a paved taxiway, turning onto the runway and taking off (just
    like the big boys) with no mud and grass to clean off your aircraft
    is a real delight.
    
    (name deleted)
    
    Oh yes, as this is my nickel you don't need to be concerned that
    I am "dipping" into the treasury.
    
    End of letter...
    
    Comments??
    

    I haven't donated 2� to you guys for a little while, so I might
    as well make the donation now, since you asked.

    Politics is politics. It's unfortunate that virtually any
    organization with more than 1 member faces politics of some
    sort, but that's the way it is. You've got to try to reason or
    arm twist the guys who get carried away with bad-mouthing and
    bad feelings. Whatever you do, you have to try very hard not to
    let them destroy the club (drive them out if you must, they'll
    shut down the club if you don't).

    As long as people are willing to be reasonable, which includes
    understanding that not everybody will agree on everything, you
    can have a healthy group. For example, a couple years ago the
    club I belonged to (Central Mass R/C Modelers - CMRCM) had some
    construction going on in the road down to the flying field, with
    the result that it was inaccessable for a period of several
    months. Since I like to fly, I decided to join another club as a
    "back-up", and joined the Charles River Radio Controlers (CRRC).

    This year, the table was turned, and CRRC lost their field. Many
    of their active (flying) members swarmed to CMRCM to join up to
    have a place to fly. The result of this was that CMRCM decided to
    put a temporary cap on membership. They did NOT attempt to
    black-ball CRRC members, or give them a hard time. As a matter of
    fact, most of the CRRC folks who wanted to join already had. A lot
    of folks were already members of both clubs - in a time when
    flying sites are not necessarily guaranteed forever, it only makes
    sense to belong to a couple clubs. 

    On the other hand, CMRCM also has a small problem of gossip and
    bad-mouthing, which I suppose is inevitable. There are a number
    of us DEC-ies (and a couple who are not from DEC) who have gotten
    into the habit of flying at CMRCM at lunchtime. It's rare to see
    anybody else there at that time, and we've sort of formed an
    informal group of "flying buddies" and really enjoy it. This group
    is called the "high tech a**h**es" by a few of the old-timer
    club members, for reasons I don't understand, and they have even
    started some untrue rumors about us (like, we leave the place a
    mess, which is completely absurd - we're very careful to police
    the area when we leave). But, those guys aren't doing us any real
    harm, so we just ignore them (and I for one don't patronize the
    hobby shop owned by the main loud-mouths).

    Everybody has different reasons for belonging to a club. Some
    folks like the social aspects of it. Some are novices who want to
    hang around "experts" and learn the craft, and some are the
    experts who want to help others (or just show off). Others like to
    be in charge of things and run the club. Others (like me) just
    want a place to fly: I pay my dues, don't bother me about meetings
    (which happen to be held at a time that conflicts with another
    monthly commitment I have) - I've been to 2 CMRCM meetings, 0
    CRRC meetings, and 0 DECRCM meetings! 

    Enough, this has turned out to be a 5� donation!

    Dave Hughes