Not just UK clubs in trouble is it?

[Mark]

Not only in the Uk is there disputes in MV clubs it seems to happen over the other side of the pond as well, read on

 

Military Vehicle enthusiasts, MVPA Members and MVPA Affiliates:

 

Due to recent actions taken by the MVPA Executive Committee, it is imperative that all members who share a concern for the longevity and well being of the organization familiarize themselves with a recent group of Policies and Procedures implemented by a secret vote of the directors.

Please follow the link below:

http://g503.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=89&sid=2e89c57a385c31f1606e33988dc718f7

The vote on these items was forced thru by the Executive Committee with no open discussion in a public MVPA Members inclusive forum. Three of the current directors stated objection to the secret vote, and implored the Executive Committee to withhold any action until all new Policies and Issues could be adequately discussed at the next MVPA Public Forum, the Winter Board meeting. These objections, on behalf of Membership Rights were ignored by the Executive Committee, and the vote was taken by email balloting. The three Board Members, that had stated objections, refused to vote as they determined this vote to be an unethical, if not illegal, action based on the current MVPA bylaws and Missouri Statutes.

As some of you may be aware, the MVPA Board of Directors has been the subject of much controversy over the past eighteen months. Issues raised by the concerned membership seeking answers to questions concerning the Board's actions have gone unanswered during the last two Summer Board Meetings. Although the meeting at Dayton this past summer was highly contentious, with much energized dialogue, the President has fallen far short of his stated goal of reuniting all members of the organization thru his mediation. The President's approval of the new Policies voted on, in essence change the MVPA Bylaws without the vote of the full membership, contrary to the existing Bylaws and Missouri Statutes.

As the discussions and actions of the Board Members, promoting an agenda that is only known to themselves, are executed in a backroom secretive manner, the membership has no objective source of information as to what is going on. Many changes that affect the future of the organization are made with no discussion or general membership input. Past practices, demonstrated by the Board, are to highlight, sanitize and whitewash the reported minutes of meetings, presenting the view that all Board Members are in lockstep agreement. This fact was made blatantly obvious at the summer Board Meeting in Dayton.

With the new Policies, the Board is now able to manipulate who may be nominated to run for the Board, both geographically and philosophically, thus predetermining the outcome of the elections. This is not a far stretch as the Board in the past has allowed a non-member to run and win a board seat, as well as creating a permanent appointed position for a past board member that lost his re-election bid. As there will be No Recorded Minutes of any of the Meetings, the reports issued to the membership will also be used in a manner to disseminate information which will be useful in promoting their agenda.

 

As the truth needs to reach the membership that wish to be informed, and the Board controls any information put forth in club publications, it is necessary to once again utilize the internet and paid advertising in other publications.

If you want to be a part of ending the secrecy of the MVPA Board, and restoring the Voice of the Membership, we urge you to visit the g503.com message boards for the relevant information. The New Policies, in their entirety, are posted there for your review under the MVPA Discussions Forum. In a nutshell, the new policies prohibit any recording at meetings, allow the Nominating committee to select candidates for board positions based solely on geographic location and a new seven page background check form for potential candidates, force all directors to swear allegiance to the board (no, we're not making this up) and sign a resignation that would be "accepted" should the rest of the board feel that the allegiance has been broken, and a popular motion passed at the summer meeting concerning the Judging Committee Chairman will be rescinded.

As today's MVPA was formed 20 years ago as the result of a battered organization rising from the ashes of controversy created by the actions of self serving officers, we urge you to end the apathy, become informed, join the discussions, share your views with others, contact the Board Members with your concerns and work together to preserve the future of the MVPA. Don't let our organization be blindly led to a repeat of the destructive actions of times past. Our organization is founded on History and Preservation, let's preserve what we have built by learning from the history of our MVPA's turbulent past.

--

JEFF HAIN-MATSON

FRONT LINE MILITARY VEHICLES WEB SITE: http://www.flmv.net/

 

[Great War truck]

The G certainly gives the impression that the MVPA are in a bad way, and do you know what, after reading all the posts i still could not work out why everyone was so upset. My thoughts are that any organisation such as these that can produce so many rules, regulations, by laws etc are doomed to failure.

 

I must say that i can see no relationship between the MVPA's problems and the MVT. The MVT certainly does not keep a $900,000 bank balance and we argue over much more important things "My jeep is older than your Champ - therfore dont park next to it" as opposed to "as soon as me and my buddies gain control of the MVPA think of all the things we can buy on our expenses account".

 

Weird world. It would seem that no one in the MVT wants a position of responsibility while the MVPA members love it.

 

Tim (too)

[sirhc]

As soon as money becomes an issue there are always problems. I don't know why clubs should have so much money anyway. Look at the problems money has had with clubs and shows in this country already!

 

Chris

[Pete Ashby]

As soon as money becomes an issue there are always problems. I don't know why clubs should have so much money anyway. Look at the problems money has had with clubs and shows in this country already!

 

Chris

 

 

I vote with you Chris, sometimes you can have too much of a good thing

 

Pete

[Mark]

As soon as money becomes an issue there are always problems. I don't know why clubs should have so much money anyway. Look at the problems money has had with clubs and shows in this country already!

 

Chris

 

 

Clubs have a "lot" of money to pay for magazines produced for the membership, monthly news letters, running area's and such like, without this money which derives mainly from the subscriptions we pay none of these would be available, THEN watch the members rise up in unison and cry "what are you doing with our money" and thats probably the only time that the members will agree with one another