Rob Boudrie Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 The next USPSA Board Meeting will be held March 3-4 in Dallas (though we haven't booked the specific hotel yet). USPSA members are welcome to observe the meeting, subject to available space. Anyone wishing to do this needs to submit their request to Dave Thomas at USPSA HQ 30 or more days in advance of the meeting. So - is someone on this list willing to watch the board in action and deliver a first hand report? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBunin Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Given the content that will be discussed, I would think that as many Section Coordinators as possible should attend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Given the content that will be discussed,I would think that as many Section Coordinators as possible should attend. Are you willing to chip in for your SC's airfare/accomodations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Stevens Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 What is going to be discussed? I haven't received an agenda yet. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Wonder Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Are you willing to chip in for your SC's airfare/accomodations? USPSA should pay the expenses if an SC wishes to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhunter Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Are you willing to chip in for your SC's airfare/accomodations? USPSA should pay the expenses if an SC wishes to go. That sounds reasonable to me, their airfare and hotel should be paid for!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 The next USPSA Board Meeting will be held March 3-4 in Dallas (though we haven't booked the specific hotel yet).USPSA members are welcome to observe the meeting, subject to available space. Anyone wishing to do this needs to submit their request to Dave Thomas at USPSA HQ 30 or more days in advance of the meeting. So - is someone on this list willing to watch the board in action and deliver a first hand report? If SCs do not normally participate in a BOD meeting, they and regular members are invited to observe, not participate in the meeting. If so, there are teleconference tools available that could allow anyone to listen in at a lesser expense than airtravel. There are also tools like NetMeeting and such that would allow internet sharing of presentations and also a way to share the audio. It sounds like we need a BOD podcast. Perhaps Burkett or someone could supply a service? Just a thought, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhunter Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Great Idea ChuckS for internet director/president!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckbradley Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Then you are willing to pay for it? Hopefully it was a joke. If not read on, if it was go to the next post. Because USPSA is us, its not them and us. We are them. If USPSA pays then we pay. There are say 50 SC's? Or close to it. thats about 600.00 per SC which equates to about $30,000.00. Where will WE get those extra funds? Last I saw USPSA isnt flush with money. Of course we can do a membership dues or mission count increase if thats what the membership wants. I dont mean to be confrontational but its something that i always did when i was Mayor of our littel town and citizens would come to meetings and expect the city to pay for things. I explained that the city is them and it wasnt an us against them thing going on. If they wanted to pay for it then it was ok. I remember one case where a whole street of people wanted a new sidewalk installed. I said ok, we can do a loan and assess the property on that street where they can pay it off over time. When they realized they had to pay for it they all of a sudden changed their minds and didnt want it anymore. Sorry for the rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBunin Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 The next USPSA Board Meeting will be held March 3-4 in Dallas (though we haven't booked the specific hotel yet). USPSA members are welcome to observe the meeting, subject to available space. Anyone wishing to do this needs to submit their request to Dave Thomas at USPSA HQ 30 or more days in advance of the meeting. So - is someone on this list willing to watch the board in action and deliver a first hand report? If SCs do not normally participate in a BOD meeting, they and regular members are invited to observe, not participate in the meeting. If so, there are teleconference tools available that could allow anyone to listen in at a lesser expense than airtravel. There are also tools like NetMeeting and such that would allow internet sharing of presentations and also a way to share the audio. It sounds like we need a BOD podcast. Perhaps Burkett or someone could supply a service? Just a thought, Chuck Brilliant. If my teenage girls can do it, we sure as heck ought to be able to. I'll chip in for the $50 webcam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Wonder Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Because USPSA is us, its not them and us. We are them. If USPSA pays then we pay. There are say 50 SC's? Or close to it. thats about 600.00 per SC which equates to about $30,000.00. Where will WE get those extra funds? Last I saw USPSA isnt flush with money. Of course we can do a membership dues or mission count increase if thats what the membership wants. The USPSA membership has to pay for the professional shooters to attend world matches, why not the SC's trips to at least one board meeting a year? In today's web savy world, USPSA could purchase 1-3 web cameras ($50-$150 each) and have a webcast of the meeting. Very simple and inexpensive to accomplish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 What about polling all of the Area Directors, Officers and those intending to run for a position to find thier position on various changes? The results can then be posted here for review by the membership prior to the elections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckbradley Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Because USPSA is us, its not them and us. We are them. If USPSA pays then we pay. There are say 50 SC's? Or close to it. thats about 600.00 per SC which equates to about $30,000.00. Where will WE get those extra funds? Last I saw USPSA isnt flush with money. Of course we can do a membership dues or mission count increase if thats what the membership wants. The USPSA membership has to pay for the professional shooters to attend world matches, why not the SC's trips to at least one board meeting a year? In today's web savy world, USPSA could purchase 1-3 web cameras ($50-$150 each) and have a webcast of the meeting. Very simple and inexpensive to accomplish. A web cast may be an option. I personally dont see the point since they can only observe and have no input. We already have elected directors representing us. I do like the idea it is open for observation , that fact implies integrity. It is obvious you are an IDPA shooter who has some misconceptions about what USPSA is. The membership does not have to pay for a world shoot team to represent this country at the World Shoot which occurs every 3 years. Thats one match every 3 years. Not all the shooters on the team are professional. In fact I would argue that very few are actually professional. I may be wrong but I believe its only partial support at that. The membership can choose to change that policy if they wish. Just like they can choose to send all the SC's to a BOD meeting. I merely wanted to point out that the organization is us the shooters and what they pay for we ultimately are the ones who decide and pay for it. That is unlike the organization you belong to. You know, the other shooting game. The members of that organization have no say in any matter except to belong or not. I noticed your signature says IDPA - No excuses, No gaming, No rehearsing. Shoot now or go to the back of the line! I take this as a comparison and slam toward USPSA by saying IDPA isnt this, implying USPSA is. I take offense to this and would like to debate it but Brian has made it clear he doesnt want it done on his forum so I will refrain from going any further. I dont have a problem with IDPA shooters, in fact thought we were past this. I do have a problem with those that take this position as you have. I also wonder why you would concern yourself with a thread about the USPSA BOD meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulW Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Hold your ears folks....it's showtime! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 (edited) Are you willing to chip in for your SC's airfare/accomodations? USPSA should pay the expenses if an SC wishes to go. Why? To what end? Why SC's and not , say Match Directors or just regular members? Since the SC's can only observe and report, you might as well send me. Edited January 17, 2007 by GeorgeInNePa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Goloski Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Opening the BOD meetings up to the general membership is something that many members have been asking for for a very long time. I, for one, am glad it has come to pass. If you feel that you want to watch your AD/BOD in action, pony up the airfare and go. At least now, no one is stopping you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 +1, Pete... Depending on the weather between now and then, I'm planning on going up, at least for Saturday (if we have bad weather for our club match on the first weekend of Feb, I'll have to stay here in Austin, as the BOD meeting overlaps our club match...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Wonder Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 (edited) Chuck: I was a paying USPSA member for a lot of years. Over the course of those years I didn't agree with the direction the organization was taking and decided to leave. One of the issues I had was that elected officials were not listening to the membership. (Not unlike IDPA in your opinion except we have a dictatorship in IDPA that we've come to love). My posts concerning the BOD meetings were not intended to "bash" USPSA, but merely some suggestions on providing a more open communication dialog between the BOD and members. The webcast concept is very simplistic and inexpensive to provide. In regards to your comment below: The membership does not have to pay for a world shoot team to represent this country at the World Shoot which occurs every 3 years. Are we to understand that all of the shooters on the U.S. Gold Team pay for all of their own expenses to attend the World Shoot? If so, I admit I was wrong in implying that USPSA did pay for their expenses. To be honest, should the rules ever become a stable commodity, the BOD meetings freely open to members via webcast or by attending without having to provide formal notice, and the "Super-Squads" at the Nationals eliminated, I'll be back! I wish USPSA and all it's members much success! Edited January 17, 2007 by Singlestack Wonder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckbradley Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Chuck: I was a paying USPSA member for a lot of years. Over the course of those years I didn't agree with the direction the organization was taking and decided to leave. One of the issues I had was that elected officials were not listening to the membership. (Not unlike IDPA in your opinion except we have a dictatorship in IDPA that we've come to love).My posts concerning the BOD meetings were not intended to "bash" USPSA, but merely some suggestions on providing a more open communication dialog between the BOD and members. The webcast concept is very simplistic and inexpensive to provide. In regards to your comment below: The membership does not have to pay for a world shoot team to represent this country at the World Shoot which occurs every 3 years. Are we to understand that all of the shooters on the U.S. Gold Team pay for all of their own expenses to attend the World Shoot? If so, I admit I was wrong in implying that USPSA did pay for their expenses. To be honest, should the rules ever become a stable commodity, the BOD meetings freely open to members via webcast or by attending without having to provide formal notice, and the "Super-Squads" at the Nationals eliminated, I'll be back! I wish USPSA and all it's members much success! So i wasnt mistaken when i detected animosity toward USPSA. I disagree that USPSA officials have not listened. I believe they have listened to the majority, they just may not have listened to you specifically. Not to say they listen to what i say either. I understand that some things will go my way and some will not. There is open dialog now. We have many BOD members here on this forum who openly discuss issues, problems and solutions. One area we may not have that is at the top. Hopefully that will change next year. Hopefully we will have a leader who is more concerned with the promotion of the organization instead of himself. I dont know if you are in th mainstream since we have had an influx of new members from IDPA because they dont love the dictatorship. AS I said a web cast may be a solution but the fact the meeting is open is the biggest obstacle we have overcome recently. There are still some issues that need to be dealt with in private as with any organization. As far as the World Shoot support. They do help support individuals go to the World Shoot to represent this country. It is one match every 3 years, not the open ended "world matches" as you claimed. My claim hinged on one key word, Have, They dont HAVE to pay it. They can choose to elect officials who believe this should be stopped and end it. They have not done so. We must conclude this is something the membership as a whole wants to continue, not that they are forced to continue it. Same with sending the SC's. They can do it if they want to. I agree rule changes are a nuisance but its something we have to deal with, so do you in IDPA. How many IDPA shooters were denied the use of their "legal last year" equipment this year? Same thing except USPSA is very sensitive to changes that outlaw existing membership equipment, not to say it never happens. The meetings are open, the need for formal notification is not unreasonable. Its a logistacle thing, number of seats,s etc. Now Super Squads at the national is something the membership also wants to see. it makes watching the best easier, all in one place at the same time. I believe there should be a ironclad method for determining who is on it. Top 16 at last years nationals are on and nobody else. No friends put on for status, etc. Strictly earned. Dont make it then tough regardless of who you are. If somebody doesnt come from the year before then go to the next spot and down the line. Oh and i am not quitting because its not going to be done the way i think it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Wonder Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Chuck: I was a paying USPSA member for a lot of years. Over the course of those years I didn't agree with the direction the organization was taking and decided to leave. One of the issues I had was that elected officials were not listening to the membership. (Not unlike IDPA in your opinion except we have a dictatorship in IDPA that we've come to love). My posts concerning the BOD meetings were not intended to "bash" USPSA, but merely some suggestions on providing a more open communication dialog between the BOD and members. The webcast concept is very simplistic and inexpensive to provide. In regards to your comment below: The membership does not have to pay for a world shoot team to represent this country at the World Shoot which occurs every 3 years. Are we to understand that all of the shooters on the U.S. Gold Team pay for all of their own expenses to attend the World Shoot? If so, I admit I was wrong in implying that USPSA did pay for their expenses. To be honest, should the rules ever become a stable commodity, the BOD meetings freely open to members via webcast or by attending without having to provide formal notice, and the "Super-Squads" at the Nationals eliminated, I'll be back! I wish USPSA and all it's members much success! So i wasnt mistaken when i detected animosity toward USPSA. I disagree that USPSA officials have not listened. I believe they have listened to the majority, they just may not have listened to you specifically. Not to say they listen to what i say either. I understand that some things will go my way and some will not. There is open dialog now. We have many BOD members here on this forum who openly discuss issues, problems and solutions. One area we may not have that is at the top. Hopefully that will change next year. Hopefully we will have a leader who is more concerned with the promotion of the organization instead of himself. I dont know if you are in th mainstream since we have had an influx of new members from IDPA because they dont love the dictatorship. AS I said a web cast may be a solution but the fact the meeting is open is the biggest obstacle we have overcome recently. There are still some issues that need to be dealt with in private as with any organization. As far as the World Shoot support. They do help support individuals go to the World Shoot to represent this country. It is one match every 3 years, not the open ended "world matches" as you claimed. My claim hinged on one key word, Have, They dont HAVE to pay it. They can choose to elect officials who believe this should be stopped and end it. They have not done so. We must conclude this is something the membership as a whole wants to continue, not that they are forced to continue it. Same with sending the SC's. They can do it if they want to. I agree rule changes are a nuisance but its something we have to deal with, so do you in IDPA. How many IDPA shooters were denied the use of their "legal last year" equipment this year? Same thing except USPSA is very sensitive to changes that outlaw existing membership equipment, not to say it never happens. The meetings are open, the need for formal notification is not unreasonable. Its a logistacle thing, number of seats,s etc. Now Super Squads at the national is something the membership also wants to see. it makes watching the best easier, all in one place at the same time. I believe there should be a ironclad method for determining who is on it. Top 16 at last years nationals are on and nobody else. No friends put on for status, etc. Strictly earned. Dont make it then tough regardless of who you are. If somebody doesnt come from the year before then go to the next spot and down the line. Oh and i am not quitting because its not going to be done the way i think it should be. Sensitive to changes??? The outlawing of the Vanek trigger was hardly sensitive to many who had purchased it and shot it for some time. In IDPA, hardly any equipment was outlawed with the rule changes. And for the equipment that was, it made perfect logic to make sure the direction of the organization stayed on track. Having no experience in our sport makes it easy for one to make comments based on misperseptions and rumors stated in web forums. It's good that you have that much enthusiasm in regards to USPSA and wish you and your business much success. Every sport needs staunch supporters including IDPA, Bullseye, Pins, Steel, SASS, etc. Sorry for the thread drift..............let's get back to discussing the BOD meeting...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckbradley Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 (edited) Sensitive to changes??? The outlawing of the Vanek trigger was hardly sensitive to many who had purchased it and shot it for some time. In IDPA, hardly any equipment was outlawed with the rule changes. And for the equipment that was, it made perfect logic to make sure the direction of the organization stayed on track. Having no experience in our sport makes it easy for one to make comments based on misperseptions and rumors stated in web forums. It's good that you have that much enthusiasm in regards to USPSA and wish you and your business much success. Every sport needs staunch supporters including IDPA, Bullseye, Pins, Steel, SASS, etc. Sorry for the thread drift..............let's get back to discussing the BOD meeting...... I agree each sport needs supporters but that support shouldnt be propagated by putting another sport down. Your original post implied the membership was being fleeced by supporting the professional shooter. That couldnt be farther from the truth with the exception of maybe one individual. It wasnt a constructive post but one to slam USPSA. That animosity is evident. As far as you implying that I have no knowledge and only hear rumors from the net I have to tell you that I received many calls from IDPA shooters who told me they were switching to USPSA because of the new rules that made their equipment illegal. Some were very upset, probably not unlike you are with USPSA. Maybe it was a needed shift aligning shooters with organizations that more suit their likes and dislikes. There is room for both to exist lets just try to stay away from slams against the other. You might start by changing your signature because IDPA is a game just like IPSC. Gaming is to me the competitor pushing envelope of the rules to gain an advantage, both sports have that. Edited January 18, 2007 by chuckbradley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBunin Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Can we get back to the issue of how we can make sure that the meeting is webcast? And done with enough bandwidth/connections to allow all interested members to observe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck D Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 (edited) I'd be more that willing to "pony up" the "long green" to fly to Dallas and attend a meeting if I wouldn't be required to leave the room when the BOD goes into executive session. Kinda like going to a "town meeting" and having to leave the room while the town council addresses the issues the town residents are most concerned about. "Last I saw USPSA isnt flush with money." They're not broke either..... Edited January 18, 2007 by Chuck D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 (edited) Can we get back to the issue of how we can make sure that the meeting is webcast? And done with enough bandwidth/connections to allow all interested members to observe? Unless you want to keep the option of an airstrike open we really do not need it to be real-time. We just need to make sure that it gets recorded and uploaded to a reasonable server. The USPSA forums come to mind. In fact, if we want to limit access to USPSA members, that is probably the only option. Edited January 18, 2007 by ChuckS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBunin Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Almighty, Almighty, this is PBR StreetGang..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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