Just wondering aloud

[Captain Eddie]

I missed Richmond because of my health. Where does the president of a Chapter find out about the chapter meeting, discussions, board meeting minutes, etc?
I have over 50 AAW members in our group. What can I tell them about the AAW?

BTW, last time I attended was in Louisville and the chapter meeting lasted only 20 minutes because they failed to book the room.

Some days we're the bug, other days we're the windshield.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Ed,

Scroll down and click on the forum "jump button", select the Chapter Forum, and repost your question on that board. I think you're more likely to get the straight skinny from others in your position. No?

mm

 

[Steve Worcester]

Personally, I would like to see if meeting notes were taken and posted....

 

[waltben]

I attended the 'open board meeting' that wasn't in the program rotation grid, and didn't have many other general membership or chapter president folks there. Most of the board didn't show up at first as they didn't see it on the grid either. At least there was a room reserved! Anyway, there were a few key tidbits of information that came out:

• There's to be a part of the Member's Only portion of this website that has basic turning project and tips articles. It'll be with all the back issues of the journal. This was to several comments (mine included) about AAW direction being away from general members interests.

• The AAW insurance insures AAW members demonstrating or doing things at meetings & events, and the club itself, but not non-AAW members who cause damage/injury to others. A comment was also made that there's too much concern about flying wood and not enough about basic safety - rickety chairs, things to trip over, etc. Both need equal attention.

• A board member (none of them introduced themselves or had signs indicating who was who) brought up the fact that what goes into the journal is what is sent to them. If we want more articles and projects on basic turning, someone's got to write and submit them.

I've probably forgotten something else. Hope this helps.

Walt Bennett
President, Mid-Maryland Woodturners

 

[Captain Eddie]

Thanks Walt, but I'd expect that and a little more from the folks wanting me to support their "cause".

Pardon me, but I still have a little bitterness from the symposium being held in Richmond and calling it the "southeast". But that horse is dead and buried.

I just think that we could see meeting minutes. After all, they are dictating policy which impacts the entire organization. I'll probably never make a board meeting, but I do expect to learn from them.

 

[Angelo]

North East

Cap'n,

You cannot be more offended than the members who are in the NorthEast when "their" symposium was Louisville.

I will clean up my notes of the Open Board Meeting and have them posted in the members only area. I will impress upon Chapters Chair Larry Geneder that it is important that he do the same for the Chapters Meeting.

Angelo

 

[Charlie Knighton]

2011

any truth to the rumor that the mdiwest symposium will be in Horsepaster, Va.
??????????? 😀😀

 

[hockenbery]

As a point of interest their are no documented regional areas for symposium locations. See page 41 of the resource directory

2. Symposia sites. The Board shall schedule National Symposia in a pattern that traverses the geographic United States from year to year, such that AAW members in different regions of the country will have an opportunity to attend this event at least once every five years without having to travel a great distance. The Board shall endeavor to schedule symposia sites at least three years in advance.

That said. 1,000 + of our members reside in Florida. its been more than five years

-Al

 

[Joe Greiner]

As a point of interest their are no documented regional areas for symposium locations. See page 41 of the resource directory

2. Symposia sites. The Board shall schedule National Symposia in a pattern that traverses the geographic United States from year to year, such that AAW members in different regions of the country will have an opportunity to attend this event at least once every five years without having to travel a great distance. The Board shall endeavor to schedule symposia sites at least three years in advance.

That said. 1,000 + of our members reside in Florida. its been more than five years

-Al

Unfortunately, "a great distance" isn't defined. With the quality of air travel diminishing, and cost of all travel increasing, it's even more undefined. Don't hold your breath, Al. Any "corner" location would be a great distance for most of the other members.

Joe

 

[Captain Eddie]

Thanks Al, Now, that being said, I think I hear about 1,000, that's one-thousand, voices in Florida asking why the symposium, to be held in the Southeast, was in Richmond VA. Please don't give me the line about it cost too much. Hotel rooms in Richmond were, on the average, 18% above Houston, 12% above Atlanta and 22% above New Orleans for the week. (According to Expedia.com 6/22/08)
Now, if you couple that with the thousands of voices in Texas, hundreds in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, WOW, they're not speaking, they're shouting.
And this decision was made by the board in meetings where they don't readily publish the minutes. Now you can see why the questions are being asked.
If they can make the policy, they can change the policy.

Can I have a ditto please?

 

[hockenbery]

Symposi 2012 and 2013

The jpeg map and attached adobe file (more resolution) is a map relating sympsoium sites and Membership.
Symposia sites are shown by blue circles are 600 mile distances from Portland 2007, Richmond 2008, Albuqueque 2009, Hartford 2010, and St Paul 2011.

Membership location are the red dots: small dots 1-3 members, medium dots 4-6 members and, large dots 7 or more members.
For US members the dots are where the census department says the zip code is.
For Canadian and Mexican members the dots are where Google thinks their city is located.

Two obvious regions need to be served: southern California and the Florida/Gulf coast region. The Board is in general agreement to locate the 2012 and 2013 sites to serve these areas. We'll begin a search in both regions for the two years place such as Reno, Memphis, Mobile....

For 2008 we had bids from Atlanta and Richmond. If it had been close we would have picked Atlanta.

happy turning,
Al

 

[Charlie Knighton]

revisit

the richmond colisium convention buildings fit very well with the size of our symposium, with the additional hotels being built and the area being upgrraged would Richmond be considered if the price was right in the next ten years???

the map with the membership shown is very interesting

 

[Jake Debski]

I missed Richmond because of my health. Where does the president of a Chapter find out about the chapter meeting, discussions, board meeting minutes, etc?
I have over 50 AAW members in our group. What can I tell them about the AAW?

BTW, last time I attended was in Louisville and the chapter meeting lasted only 20 minutes because they failed to book the room.

Some days we're the bug, other days we're the windshield.

Captain, the Chapter meeting was, IMHO, an example of how well the Board, listens to and respects what the Chapter representatives have to say. A Board member presented the group with a plan, which was floated with all good intentions, to push the Chapters toward 100% AAW membership. After listening to very strong, well reasoned opposition, the idea was dropped. The consensus in the room was, the idea was simply not workable, and the plan was "never to see the light of day." Speaking only for myself, I left that room with a lot more respect for the actions of the Board members trying to act in our behalf.