slaughterj
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2001
- Posts
- 5,266
- Reaction score
- 0
As with any other car club or any other club organized around peoples' common interests, it is my understanding that a club should be operated for the members and by the members. When I encounter difficulties with simple matters, for instance requesting a copy of the financials which the VCA By-Laws and state laws require to be provided upon request, I find myself frustrated with the VCA. These sorts of difficulties do not lend themselves to a perception or reality that the organization is operated for the members.
But then when I look to the By-Laws to see what is necessary to obtain a position in the organization that would enable positive change, I see that the organization is also not operated by the members. Instead, there is a byzantine labyrinth of requirements to be followed in order for a member to ever possibly achieve a national office, which is a system whose complexity is more akin to a political system of cronyism and nepotism than a simple system that should be in place for something so mundane as a car club.
With the recent events regarding the release of financial information, I decided to look into what would be required to enable me to become Treasurer and thereby be able to resolve such matters. Here's what I found:
1. In order to become a National Officer such as Treasurer, one must be elected by the National Board (i.e., not a vote among the "common" members of the club), and only those who are Directors at Large or Zone Directors may be elected into a National Officer position (i.e., no "common" member can be so elected). See VCA By-Laws, Article V, Section 9.
2. In order to become a Director at Large, one must be elected by zone members (though the By-Laws position description does not properly state that), and only those who are past or present Regional Officers may be elected as a Director at Large (i.e., no "common" members of the club). See VCA By-Laws, Article V, Section 7; Article VII, Section 6. In order to become a Zone Director, one must be elected by Regional Officers (i.e., not the "common" members of the zone), and it only those who are past or present Regional Officers can become Zone Directors (i.e., not the "common" members of the zone). See VCA By-Laws, Article V, Section 8; Article VII, Section 4.
3. Therefore, one must be elected as a Regional Officer, then be elected as a Director at Large or Zone Director, before becoming eligible to be a National Officer, and each stage of Director elections (though not Director at Large) and National Officer elections are controlled by a very small portion of the club's membership.
The unnecessarily complex officer system seems to contribute to both an inability to get reasonably rapid changes in leadership such that issues that arise may be adequately addressed, as well as the fact that it seems to separate the board members from the general club members to such an extent that there is not an evident concern that members' issues need to be properly addressed.
As a result, I would like to see several things. I would like to see the organization's structure reworked such that the organization's members have both the ability to directly vote on those to be elected to National Officer positions, as well as to be able to be voted into those positions. Failing that (and given the lack of responsiveness of the organization's leadership to fundamental issues such as readily rendering available the financials, I fully expect this to be disregarded as well), I would like to see those on the National Board who are not in favor of such changes to be replaced by others who are. Given the nature of organization's structure, I expect this will take some time, as it will either require those who are currently or previously Regional Officers to step up, or for others to first become Regional Officers.
I'm not sure of the extent of interest by others to effect such changes, but I'd be interested in seeing who else is in favor (or in opposition, with reasons stated). I myself intend to inquire as to a Regional Officer position for my Region, and hope others do the same, because I would like to see the club truly be operated by and for its members.
But then when I look to the By-Laws to see what is necessary to obtain a position in the organization that would enable positive change, I see that the organization is also not operated by the members. Instead, there is a byzantine labyrinth of requirements to be followed in order for a member to ever possibly achieve a national office, which is a system whose complexity is more akin to a political system of cronyism and nepotism than a simple system that should be in place for something so mundane as a car club.
With the recent events regarding the release of financial information, I decided to look into what would be required to enable me to become Treasurer and thereby be able to resolve such matters. Here's what I found:
1. In order to become a National Officer such as Treasurer, one must be elected by the National Board (i.e., not a vote among the "common" members of the club), and only those who are Directors at Large or Zone Directors may be elected into a National Officer position (i.e., no "common" member can be so elected). See VCA By-Laws, Article V, Section 9.
2. In order to become a Director at Large, one must be elected by zone members (though the By-Laws position description does not properly state that), and only those who are past or present Regional Officers may be elected as a Director at Large (i.e., no "common" members of the club). See VCA By-Laws, Article V, Section 7; Article VII, Section 6. In order to become a Zone Director, one must be elected by Regional Officers (i.e., not the "common" members of the zone), and it only those who are past or present Regional Officers can become Zone Directors (i.e., not the "common" members of the zone). See VCA By-Laws, Article V, Section 8; Article VII, Section 4.
3. Therefore, one must be elected as a Regional Officer, then be elected as a Director at Large or Zone Director, before becoming eligible to be a National Officer, and each stage of Director elections (though not Director at Large) and National Officer elections are controlled by a very small portion of the club's membership.
The unnecessarily complex officer system seems to contribute to both an inability to get reasonably rapid changes in leadership such that issues that arise may be adequately addressed, as well as the fact that it seems to separate the board members from the general club members to such an extent that there is not an evident concern that members' issues need to be properly addressed.
As a result, I would like to see several things. I would like to see the organization's structure reworked such that the organization's members have both the ability to directly vote on those to be elected to National Officer positions, as well as to be able to be voted into those positions. Failing that (and given the lack of responsiveness of the organization's leadership to fundamental issues such as readily rendering available the financials, I fully expect this to be disregarded as well), I would like to see those on the National Board who are not in favor of such changes to be replaced by others who are. Given the nature of organization's structure, I expect this will take some time, as it will either require those who are currently or previously Regional Officers to step up, or for others to first become Regional Officers.
I'm not sure of the extent of interest by others to effect such changes, but I'd be interested in seeing who else is in favor (or in opposition, with reasons stated). I myself intend to inquire as to a Regional Officer position for my Region, and hope others do the same, because I would like to see the club truly be operated by and for its members.
