Anyone know that there was an election?

[SPatterson]

Yes, there was an board election Tuesday night. It is a real shame to see that no one other than board members were there. What can we do to increase interest? According to our Bylaws, we could not have an election because there had to be at least 33 people this year for the votes to count. There were 11 people there. I for one am wondering what would happen if no one showed up to run the solos or the time trials or the club race. Just wondering

[chuck schultz]

Maybe the lack of interest means that everyone is satisfied with the job being done by the current board.

I'd like to see a copy of the current by-laws. I don't recall a requirement for a certain percentage of the membership to vote.

Personally, I couldn't make it because that was our travel day back from the ARRC (we took a couple extra days off to relax . . .)

[Cholewa]

this is OT, why'd my post get deleted?

[SPatterson]

this is OT, why'd my post get deleted?

Don't know. I look forward to all input.
Steve

[aufoxy]

I wanted to come, but I live in Auburn and I go to Vet School, so getting up to Birmingham on a Tuesday night is a problem. I wonder if anyone else has the same problem? If the elections were on a Friday or Saturday night of an autocross weekend I would be in town, and maybe that would boost attendance because people may be more likely to know about it and able to come, but I'm not sure. Just throwing out ideas. If there is another attempt at the election and I'm in town I do want to come!

[zukitek]

Hi ALSCCA member,


Tuesday night ,the 11th day of November,the ALSCCA did in fact have an election in which no one showed up besides most of the candidates.This is the only election since I have been involved with the club that absentee (via email) voting was allowed and no one even bothered to utilize that feature .I was thoroughly disappointed .I guess I am RE due to default but Im pretty unsettled about the lack of interest folks have and I want to do something about it .now that I have probably got ya aggravated ,humor me and read on .


According to the bylaws we needed 20% of the membership to be there to have a quorum .I would guess that we haven't had that in years .I ,as well as the rest of the BoD ,would like to know from the membership at large, what we ( the leadership of the club)can do to make this a tighter nit group .I have been sending announces most of this year and last year before the meetings letting everyone know they were happening and open to all members alike .I get the usual responses from the usual folks .I dont want that !I want to know what you guys and gals want and what will get a lasting and positive response .

In short ,we are kinda bored seeing just us there .Alot of meetings ..we...or maybe its just me .....just say why are we meeting here tonight .Theres no benchracing ,theres no comraderie.....not that us BoD members dont enjoy meeting to catch up with each others goings on but I for one would like to see more interest from members who just want to hang out .The internet has totally become more than what it was meant to do and has taken the place of something that was not broken.

I was not around back when meetings were more attended but some that were tell me that once upon a time ...the meetings were standing room only.What changed ?The monthly meetings are open to all and for the life of me ,I cant figure out why like minded people cant make it to such a function where there is food and beer and car talk all in the same room.

Over 250 post cards went out several weeks ago to every member on the ALSCCA mailing list and the folks that showed up were not even the entire candidate list on that card .Some folks had commitments ,some had conflicts ,some had life get in the way, but I think most just didn't consider it a priority.

I apologize for this criticism but just because things arent easy to hear doesn't mean they don't need to be said .I am absolutely not looking for excuses on why folks didnt make it ...frankly its not important .What is important to me is what can be done to bring this regions membership closer together so that things are more social than just folks sitting in their underwear looking at a computer screen.Sorry for the visual but you get the picture Im sure .

BTW...R.L. Michell voted in his underwear ...honest ..he dropped trow right there in the meeting room and voted in his underwear !!!


Sincerely,

Ricky Ragan,

Regional Executive,
BoD member,
lame duck solo chair,
SCCA ,Alabama region

[zukitek]

I am not replying to any posts since there havent been any new posts in this thread but i have had some informative emails which I have shared with your BoD members .Keep all of the replys coming .Criticism,praise,suggestions ...whatever.You know if you have been around me for any period of time ,I am a plain, unpolished guy with no hidden agendas,I am at times brutally honest ,and I expect no less from anyone else.

A couple of consensus' are showing themselves .

1)Some feel that the BoD is doing a fine job and they need no micromanagement.We are flattered.We wanna see your ugly mugs there .We want you to be involved and engaged.The meetings are open and there are no secrets.This is a membership driven club and we not only need your opinions and input ,but we also want it .We also need your help!

2)Some feel that the monthly meetings are closed to the membership and are exclusively for the BoD and the club officers.If this was true ...I would have never become involved in the first place .I became involved with the ALSCCA in 2005 when a customer...a member...told me that there was a such thing as this whole ALSCCA .I was curious .I drove out to BRC and watched .I was further interested as I watched Sam Collier Jr drive a volvo wagon like a lunatic at a test and tune solo.I saw a post saying ALSCCA had a meeting and I attended.Here I am .

Let me clear this up .The meetings that the ALSCCA conducts on the second Tuesday of every month are open to all ALSCCA members.This may have been differant in the past but it isnt the case now .It is a large burden as a BoD member if he or she has no indication or input from the members that he or she represents that he or she is making the right decisions .It is also discouraging to the point of driving that person completely out of the club altogether when they get the impression that no one cares.There are examples .I wont point them out .Theres no need .

I want to encourage everyone to suggest ways that this club can meet in a social way .It could be a cruise in ,it could be a dyno day,it could be a kegger at oak mountain ,it could be a caravan to another regions event ,it could be a group road trip to the tail of the dragon ,it could be just a sunday morning breakfast ,it could be a dutch event where we organize and go out to the kart track to run at the arrive and drive ,it could be a high school football game ...who knows .Im thinking we need to have one of these functions quarterly if not more .

Anybody interested in that kind of stuff?

What say ye?I appreciate each and every response.

Drive well,

Ricky-

[TouringBubble]

I like the idea of more informal gatherings. That would get people more comfortable with the rest of the club and the idea of meeting together. It would also help the different groups (solo, TT, etc.) get to know one another.

Karting, put put, bowling ... all good, social things. The idea that Sean has put up is a good one too.

[87RX7RACER]

Ricky,

Not that I am making an excuse, but I didn't even know that there was a meeting on Tuesday. I don't even think that I am on the mailing list. I try my best to look around on the forums to see what is coming up as far as events go, but I guess I just overlooked it.

I for one would love to go to the meetings and get more involved with the club. Even though I live in Tuscaloosa, I would like to contribute in some way and maybe even with some more knowledge of how things go, I wouldn't mind getting some guys I know here more involved with the club as well....i.e. SOLO, DE events, etc...

Perhaps sending an e-mail to all of the club members would be more feasible? Just for important stuff, like elections and such?

-Vincent.

[chuck schultz]

I believe all members in good standing were sent postcards announcing the election.

For email notices, look at the bottom of this page - http://www.alscca.org/ - and you should find the following -

Join the Alabama Region Email Announce List

» To get up to the minute information about the Alabama Region SCCA, just send an e-mail to: announce-subscribe@alscca.org.

» To remove yourself from the announcement list, send and email to:
announce-unsubscribe@alscca.org

This service is a broadcast medium - only the list administrator can send messages to the group, so you will not be bombarded with messages from other group members.

[VroomGrrl]

Maybe it's because I joined SCCA so recently, but I did not hear anything about the meeting. I didn't get a postcard but given my newness, nothing unusual there. I've been subbed to the email list for maybe a month, though, and have never received a list email, other than the monthly reminder that I'm subscribed. Has the list had any other activity I'm missing, I wonder?

While we're at it, can yall spread the details for the December meeting so as many of us can plan to be there as possible?

[zukitek]

Kathy ,since you have just recently joined ,you were probably not on the mailing list that national sends to the membership chairman monthly.The same probably applies to you Vincent.

The only announces that have gone out via email in the last month are 1)the email I sent out about the elections,and 2)the one I sent out letting everyone know about the invitation to Sean Yoders house on this coming Saturday.

You havent missed any I will be sending out one for the December meeting probably on my birthday...the 1st of December..hint hint.Does anyone have a spare 911 for gifting??


RR

[dr_phatcity]

Umm

I have heard some vague rumors about BOD meetings, but huh?

When are they? Where are they? Who's allowed to attend?

I'm looking at my membership card and just checked online --- I'm an active member but, I've never received an invite to a meeting. Email or Forum post might be an alternative method.

I'm sure a section with BOD minutes or topics of discussion for the BOD would be well received. Recent discussions on the PDX forum and other issues in Solo have been long standing questions of other members and would be ideal to discuss with club leadership.

I'm sorry I didn't make it to election night, I would have come. In addition to improved notification, I would agree with previous statements that having the meeting 1) someplace social and 2) sometime near a solo would be ideal (I'm not going to suggest Hooters after the autocross, but I certainly thought it).

Just my 2c.

-Jamie

[JohnW8]

I flat out forgot about it until about 8:30 that evening. I looked at the list of candidates when I got the card but it didn't look like there any new faces running for a position. I personally, and I probably shouldn't bring this up here, have been to several meeting where the course of the evening was discussing everything in the world to do with Barbers. Barbers, Barbers, Barbers... I got bored. Solo was a side note, TT was a side note, Rallycross was a side note. I thought what a great drinking game this would be.... a shot for every time you hear "Barber". One could've been hammered quickly. I'm not complaining about the board or their business, but, there is more to club activity than Barbers Motorsport Park. You wanted to know why there isn't more club participation in board business, I bet most club members wouldn't know one of the board members if they were standing right next to them.

While I'm on the subject, how many Auto-Crossers, Time-Trialers and Rally-Crossers took time out of their lives to help out at the Barbers event? Several. Now, how many road racers and board members have helped out with TT, PDX, Rallycross or even come and have fun at an autocross? Three? Four? Do board members or road racers have a problem with helping cover a corner at a TT or PDX? The way I see it, we all should support each others interests. It seems to be a naive point of view. Ricky, if you want folks to participate in a fun social activity, why not an Autocross. Try to get the board to participate and be a part of OUR side of the club like we try to be part of THEIR side of the club and maybe we'll all meet on common ground. Like say, at the Altadena Country Club every 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Please understand I'm doped up on cold medication.

[Jedi1]

John,

Lots of valid points even with the cold medicine. It's always been odd to me that the folks that get their start road racing or even at a PDX never seem to come out to a Solo or TT. Ask any driver development coach worth their salt in North America what they think about Solo2 and the answer will be pretty much be the same from all of them. Solo is absolutely one of the best places to develop car control and mental focus. It's been proven time and time again. If people need names for reference points, Peter Cunningham this years Speed Touring Champ and owner of RealTime Racing is a former Solo National Champ. Randy Pobst ( do I really need to list this guys resume?) Former Solo Nat Champ. The list goes on and on. I have had the pleasure of speaking with Pobst at length regarding his involvement in Solo and he basically told me in his opinion Great Solo drivers almost always can be made into Great road racers, but it does not work the other way around, mainly because Solo teaches you the nuances of car control in a very matter of fact way and road racing allows the driver some mistakes that can be made up for at the next corner. Several pro drivers and driver coaches have echoed this exact sentiment to me over the last decade or more.

I didn't type that to upset anyone. Honestly I hope this may have the exact opposite effect. I really would like to see more excitement over our Solo program. The people that have dedicated their time to run this program since I have been in Alabama do an amazing job. The courses are PHENOMINAL! Coming from a region with a few postage stamp size lots, I truly am in awe of the lot that we have here. The level of competition is also ridiculous down here. We have drivers from 3 or 4 regions that run here on a regular basis and enough drivers capable of Podium runs during tour stops or the Championships that are willing to take the time to help out anyone that asks a question. The solo program is AMAZING. Bring the road racecars out and scuff some tires at the very least. I also hear from allot of road race only folks that the setup is completely different for the two types of racing. Yep they are. Quit complaining and come learn how to get all the car has to offer at a solo and I guarantee you will get more out of it at your next track event.

My two cents. Probably worth a total of .0000001 cents but there it is anyway.

Sean