Governance of ACMOC - 2018 Committee Composition. "Sum Ting Wong"!!

Thankyou Hudson for continuing to draw attention to the real time financial issues facing our Club, I do appreciate the hard work of our Directors and their task is usually thankless, however we have discussed this issue of toys potentially destroying the Club on many occasions haven't we and it was only the good fortune of losing all our old unsaleable toys a few years back in a shed fire and the resultant insurance payout that bought us a few more years grace, and it now sounds like we are basically broke once again.

I've said on many occasions that the ACMOC Club seems to me to be run more like a $10,000,000 turnover company than a $100,000 company, with Directors and staff flying not just across the U.S.A. to meetings or rallies, but flying internationally too with 2 International Directors based here in Australia expected to attend Board meetings in the U.S. that might only last a few hours, and that cost to the Club is ridiculous, flights, motels, meals, possibly car hire too, I do know current and previous Australian Directors have paid some significant travel expenses out of their own pockets on these trips, to the tune of hundreds and even thousands of dollars over the term of their Directorship.

Boards exist for one reason only, and that is "To protect the shareholders from the actions of the Management Team", so with ACMOC now seemingly heading for bankruptcy one more time, and just a few years since we narrowly averted disaster, I think we need to have a good hard look at the skill set of the folks in the back ground who are making these decisions on our behalf whether they be current or former Directors, our "Management Team", because the toy sales concept is obviously well passed it's use by date and our constant requests for actual reproduction parts for our old Cats hasn't gained any real traction has it, nor has our much discussed Technical Library.

I'm trying save over 20 old Cat wrecks here in Australia and I need quality reproduction parts at fair prices to have any hope of making headway, and I need a Club that is honest and upfront with Financial Members like me, I'm on the record here on the Bulletin Board suggesting price increases for membership years ago when I discovered the Club was losing money on international memberships, so I'm not scared of bad news if it is delivered in a timely fashion, with room to move and modify behaviour and management practices to turn the ship around, but I am scared of bad news delivered too late, when the Club is actually bankrupt or when trading while insolvent, and I am terrified of well meaning folks with no skills in marketing making $100,000-$150,000 decisions on new toys when I actually need 20 new oil pressure gauges and 5 Ensign BeV carburetors.

I look forward to hearing what ideas the BOD is working on, and it sounds like decisions need to be made sooner rather than later, this Bulletin Board has a lot of very smart and passionate folks using it daily who can bounce ideas around in a timely fashion, to be honest the idea of the Club incurring extra expense mailing me a Dear John letter in a few months time sadly doesn't inspire me with confidence, this conversation needed to happen a year ago, maybe even 2 years ago.
Sincerely
Mike

I think everyone is well aware that a new source(s) of income is needed for the club to maintain and or grow.

Instead of pointing out what is wrong, may be a different approach is when these areas of concern are highlighted a possible solution (even if short term) is also suggested.

Grandpa always said "Its easy to find a problem but can be very difficult to find a solution"

[quote="chriscokid"]I think everyone is well aware that a new source(s) of income is needed for the club to maintain and or grow.

Instead of pointing out what is wrong, may be a different approach is when these areas of concern are highlighted a possible solution (even if short term) is also suggested.

Grandpa always said "Its easy to find a problem but can be very difficult to find a solution"[/quote]

Well said. M

I think everyone is well aware that a new source(s) of income is needed for the club to maintain and or grow.

Instead of pointing out what is wrong, may be a different approach is when these areas of concern are highlighted a possible solution (even if short term) is also suggested.

Grandpa always said "Its easy to find a problem but can be very difficult to find a solution"

OK, how about a BB membership only and skip the lofty mission statement and magazine approach. Make the BB view only until a payed membership is established. So far haven't been able to get a response as to what the cost is to support the BB. Maybe if things get desperate enough there will be some creativity.

Sounds reasonable. Magazine is nice but I could certainly do without it. BB is why I became a member and it is well worth the cost in my opinion.

[quote="chriscokid"]I think everyone is well aware that a new source(s) of income is needed for the club to maintain and or grow.

Instead of pointing out what is wrong, may be a different approach is when these areas of concern are highlighted a possible solution (even if short term) is also suggested.

Grandpa always said "Its easy to find a problem but can be very difficult to find a solution"[/quote]

Hello Erik

Nice to see you following this post. You have posted this quote in the past, and as a member of the Website and Magazine committee you have had the opportunity over the past period to act on the words. Given the circumstances there are proactive steps that could have been taken some months ago, by the Website and Magazine committee. Just off the top of my head:

1. Look to change the Magazine back to 4 times a year in an orderly and cost effective manner.
2. Ensure that the contract for the production of the Magazine was prudent and had flexibility to allow 1. above to occur if it was ever necessary
3. Offer a discounted Subscription for a PDF version of the Magazine which is emailed out.
4. Follow up on the bulk mailing of International magazines to International Members
5. Look to generate advertising revenue from the Website.

Were none of these initiatives followed up because the Board did not have timely, clear and accurate financial information??? Will we see a mixture of the above initiates being announced in coming weeks by the Board now that the financial position is apparent even to the financially blind and deaf??

I can make these comments because I wrote to the President in June 2018 in a four page letter outlining concerns on the financial position that I was able to analyse from the Magazine. He spoke to my letter at the Peoria meeting, where the matters I raised I understand were "poo hoo-ed" but since proven accurate. Andy has confirmed in his post two days ago that he never acknowledged or replied to my letter. I gave the President two opportunities to respond to me and work on solutions off line - which were not taken. The time for this has passed, but obviously there was no need felt to explore my concerns, or explore the solutions I may have had. Help has to be wanted!!

This situation is not about needing more revenue sources as you suggest in your post - but that would help. This is about a Board of Directors not knowing the true financial position of the club, nor exercising prudent governance, nor implementing appropriate business strategies to changing circumstances. evidence the D4 order placed in June 2018. Lets see what the 2017 & 2018 Minutes show when they are posted on the member only section. But a Governance question is my haven't they being posted monthly on the way thru...…..

Experience has shown me many times that people that get a business or an organisation INTO the "brown stuff" are not the people to get it OUT of the "brown stuff". I agree with your Grandpa - finding solutions is harder than problems. SO one immediate solution could be to clear the Board of people that have allowed this situation to develop and go unanswered.

Hudson

[quote="chriscokid"]I think everyone is well aware that a new source(s) of income is needed for the club to maintain and or grow.

Instead of pointing out what is wrong, may be a different approach is when these areas of concern are highlighted a possible solution (even if short term) is also suggested.

Grandpa always said "Its easy to find a problem but can be very difficult to find a solution"[/quote]

Hello Erik

Nice to see you following this post. You have posted this quote in the past, and as a member of the Website and Magazine committee you have had the opportunity over the past period to act on the words. Given the circumstances there are proactive steps that could have been taken some months ago, by the Website and Magazine committee. Just off the top of my head:

1. Look to change the Magazine back to 4 times a year in an orderly and cost effective manner.
2. Ensure that the contract for the production of the Magazine was prudent and had flexibility to allow 1. above to occur if it was ever necessary
3. Offer a discounted Subscription for a PDF version of the Magazine which is emailed out.
4. Follow up on the bulk mailing of International magazines to International Members
5. Look to generate advertising revenue from the Website.

Were none of these initiatives followed up because the Board did not have timely, clear and accurate financial information??? Will we see a mixture of the above initiates being announced in coming weeks by the Board now that the financial position is apparent even to the financially blind and deaf??

I can make these comments because I wrote to the President in June 2018 in a four page letter outlining concerns on the financial position that I was able to analyse from the Magazine. He spoke to my letter at the Peoria meeting, where the matters I raised I understand were "poo hoo-ed" but since proven accurate. Andy has confirmed in his post two days ago that he never acknowledged or replied to my letter. I gave the President two opportunities to respond to me and work on solutions off line - which were not taken. The time for this has passed, but obviously there was no need felt to explore my concerns, or explore the solutions I may have had. Help has to be wanted!!

This situation is not about needing more revenue sources as you suggest in your post - but that would help. This is about a Board of Directors not knowing the true financial position of the club, nor exercising prudent governance, nor implementing appropriate business strategies to changing circumstances. evidence the D4 order placed in June 2018. Lets see what the 2017 & 2018 Minutes show when they are posted on the member only section. But a Governance question is my haven't they being posted monthly on the way thru...…..

Experience has shown me many times that people that get a business or an organisation INTO the "brown stuff" are not the people to get it OUT of the "brown stuff". I agree with your Grandpa - finding solutions is harder than problems. SO one immediate solution could be to clear the Board of people that have allowed this situation to develop and go unanswered.

Hudson

Hudson all those areas have been discussed in great detail