Matt, I understand your point but don't agree. You've had some success at competition BBQ that is well earned. You've been able to reap some of the benefits from the organization. Some of the things that you may appreciate about KCBS have been made possible by the work of others that felt contributing to the organization was worthwhile. If nobody gave a flip, where would that organization be?
Beyond that, paying members have every right to voice their opinion and/or bitch. It's no different than owning stock in a company. When KCBS accepted my payment for my membership I went from being a customer to an investor.
I firmly believe in the statement "If you don't vote then you have no right to bitch". I pay my dues because I think that KCBS, as a whole, is a very good thing. I also think that KCBS is not now (and probably never will be) the perfect organization. We, the dues paying members, have the right to elect representitives who will run KCBS in the best and most ethical way possible. And if they don't do so --- we have the right to replace them.
Well said Thom,I agree,and I also agree with Ray that there is a problem even above the BOD as well.The "good ol boy" way of doing things behind closed doors should be stopped and when a few people can persuade most of the BOD into doing things, thats not good as well,and need to be stopped.People just say we are all just bitching and if we don't like it then quite,well PAID members have the right to question the BOD and the ENTIRE organization.I guess it would be the same if someone bitched about our goverment,and it's polocies,would everyone just say"too bad,just leave the country if you don't like it" foolish attitude to have about things.Listen in to a BOD meeting sometime and see if it doesn't more resemble Romper Room than any real organization.
Not to disagreee with that if you pay dues and you have a right to question the BoD, but if you don't, doesn't the BoD still have a responsibility to you? It is not like investing in a company, because of the tax exempt status that exists there is a resposnibility to all taxpayers.
Now for those that want to complain, have you even done the most basic of homework?
Did you know that the total revenues for 2009 ($960,994) were up almost 50% over 2008 ($645,151) or that the net assets of KCBS increased by 30% during 2009(from $200,843 to $262,230)?
For reference, total revenues for 2004 were $342,261. So in 5 years, KCBS has almost tripled in size with resepct to revenues. I think that most would agree that is impressive growth, so the BoD must be doing at least something right.
In simple terms, KCBS is growing, either because of or in spite of its BoD.
As it grows it needs to think, act, and operate more like a for profit business while at the same time maintinaing and fulfilling its tax exempt purpose, at least until such time it decides to abandon that status. (The big question is who has teh best qualifications to do this.)
As a result of that, each individual dues paying member has less significance in the revenue stream, and there are other growing sources of revenue that must be maintained and nurtured and will have the BoD's ear, and teh BoD needs to be one that can be trusted to do that for the mutual benefit of all.
Now I've lost track of where I was going with this :doh: other than the right to complain isn't limited to dues paying voting members, and if you are a member and are going to complain, then at least deal in facts.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a dues paying voting member.
(FYI: Financial data presented above was taken directly from KCBS' 990 forms filed with the IRS.)
Both of your ideas involve giving up or quitting. I'd prefer to have board members just like George and Guy and a couple of others mentioned... ones with some experience that will work together to solve the problems and right the ship. Sounds like a lot better plan than stupid boycotts or walking.
