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Board Elections

The results get published in the Winter journal each year. They are listed in the President's letter for that issue. I will be posting the president's letter to the homepage when the winter issue gets shipped.
 
computer age

Jeff,

It would seem to me that if the results are known now, then it is time for the AAW to recognize that computers exist and are often used for communication with large groups. This is 2005 and this is supposedly the official website of the AAW. It's time to use the site in a mature manner, unless of course it is just intended for self-aggrandizement and chit-chat about turning. The mushroom style of management is long out-dated in the information age. You must have sensed the irritation in the thread about the location of the 2006 Symposium.

To publicize the results now would do a lot to dispel the occasional whimper that there is an "in crowd" and then there are the rest of us. I don't hold to that theory, but the timely dissemination of information that belongs to all of AAW, not just a few, would do a lot to eliminate it.

I am in no way asking for private information about personnel decisions that I strongly believe should remain private, but I do feel that election results that are known and uncontested should be released immediately. Of course, if the AAW doesn't want its members to care, then they have chosen the correct approach. 🙄
 
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The Winter 2005 journal info will be posted within a few days. The new board members will not actually be on the board until January. And there will be information in the president's letter which was not known when the election results were final. Can we all wait for the info? Yes we probably can. I'm glad that people are highly interested in the AAW and its progress.

I am all for using the website as a method of communication and delivering content as early as it is known. We have tried to ramp up the amount of material which goes to the website as a means of improving communication with the membership.

Yes, I noticed that folks were frustrated in the thread about the 2006 symposium. In the end, a few folks got some info 2 whole weeks before it was scheduled to go on the website. What about the other 50 questions which people have about the 2006 symposium? The 2006 symposium webpage will get built out probably next week. It is a lot more effective use of my time to build out a webpage than bleed out tidbits of info on the forum. In general I post stuff to the website as soon as it is known.

If we use the 2005 Symposium webpage as an example, I built it out about this time last year. Then whenever new info became available I posted it as an update to that page within 1-3 days. Also I posted which items got updated on that page as a running status. That's about as good as it gets - even when you have paid employees.

As I mentioned in some previous postings, we are currently working on revamping the website to become more dynamic. Originally I hoped that work would be done by December. The new forecast is that it will probably be complete in February. Part of the update will include a secure online Resource Directory to accompany the paper version. I am hoping we can extend the usage of that online directory. I want AAW members to have a more interactive online sense of community with the website. The online directory and some of the associated software should help get us there.

I do not feel the forum is a good place to disseminate info. The homepage serves that purpose. Typically whenever I post news on the homepage I also mention it in the forum in case people didn't hit the homepage that day.
 
Thank you

Thanks, Jeff.

I have no way of knowing when a publication is to be released. It is implicit from your comments that there are some unresolved issues. Fine. When those issues are resolved, it is time to post the election results on the homepage. That makes them available to 90% of the membership simultaneously. As you have seen, Journal delivery can be spread over a two or three week period.

I agree that the forum is not the correct place to announce election results - I think that the homepage is the correct place.

My perception of the Journal is that it is a resource for turning articles and it serves as a back-up to the homepage for those who are not online. Maybe I'm ahead of my time. 🙂 Is there concern that the members won't read the Journal?

You made indirect reference to impatience. Remember that a large portion of the membership of AAW are retired old geezers (me included) for whom the bugaboos of life are details and their only sport is optimizing. Watch them at symposiums -- they arrive a half hour early to get a "best seat". They arrive first at church suppers so that they are served first. They register first so that they minimize their walking time to the symposium. If there was a button issued to the first 100 who register, they would proudly wear it. They fear being forgotten or overlooked, their security is knowing that they are included and that they have left nothing to chance, all details are covered. 🙂
 
Ed Your claim that 90 percent of the AAW can be reached by computer may be close because most members do have a computer. However most of our club members who are AAW members do not look at this Forum or the home page. I know, I asked. Only a few do and then only occasionally. I think the magazine is still the best place to get the info out although I certainly wouldn't mind seeing it here since I am one of the few who do spend way too much time here.
 
Computer use

John,

If it were stated on the ballots that the results would be posted on the homepage on some specific date, then those interested would check the homepage on that day. There is no reason to check the homepage if we always depend on the Journal. The basic issue here is mindset, and that is what I am trying to thump on. 😀 Just because "we always did it this way ..." doesn't mean that we always should do it that way. Maybe if some "hot items" were dealt with on the homepage, with suitable announcements here to look there, then more people would start to take this seriously.
 
Ed,

The AAW by-laws state:

E. Results will be announced in the December Journal.
F. Induction of newly elected Directors will be January 2.


The Journal constitutes the official record and I think there are significant reasons to time the announcement closely to the taking of office.

I agree with jeff, the forum is not the place to publish official information.

The forum is a great place to spread rumors and the results of the election are not closely held. I know that several local clubs have published results and offerd congratulations so the word is out.

Happy turning,
Al
 
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take a big breathe ED:

My comment is get a life. Realize that most of the effort in this web site and the AAW is donated. People have day jobs that pay the bills. I don't think it matters much when the election results are announced as long as the election was conducted in accordance with the bylaws of the club. New board members will need time to gear up to the task that awaits them. I am involved in a local club an know howmuch behind the seens time being on the board requires. I know one thing it would require less if more people would participate. I don't think the AAW is the best thing since sliced bread but I also realize that this is not a profit club and the board can't be in it for any profitable returns for themselves. Thanks Jeff and the AAW board.
 
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