Harvard Sportsmen's Club Annual Election and Meeting.

[Honky]

Feb. 16, 2012 (today). You can show up, vote and leave anytime between 4 pm and 8 pm. The meeting starts at 7 pm if you want to suffer through it. Free supper will be served from 5:30 pm--7 pm or until the food runs out. Brother Clarence has asked me to ask you to vote for the following candidates: Dan Hurley--President
Peter Tierney--V.P.
Carl Adams--Board of Director
Denis McAuliffe--Secretary
Jeff Bradbury--Treasurer
Vote for these progressive people and the good things you see at HSC will continue.
Honky.

 

[terraformer]

I will be down there.

 

[mike01824]

I have no affiliation to HSC or anyone running, but Debra Grumbach (PennyPincher) is also running.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...nning-for-BOD-at-HSC-please-come-out-and-vote

 

[Dirtypacman]

I will be there and voting of course.
Honky and any other HSC members I will be dishing out some food so say hello and introduce yourself.

Max

 

[terraformer]

So how did the vote go tonight?

 

[BigDaddyAl]

All of the incumbents won. Carl Adams received 4 more votes (I think) than Deb Grumbach for the director seat. It was something like 88 to 84 votes.

 

[FrugalFannie]

All of the incumbents won. Carl Adams received 4 more votes (I think) than Deb Grumbach for the director seat. It was something like 88 to 84 votes.

98 to 94. I just missed it. Thanks for everyone's support. I really appreciate it.

 

[Rider]

It was good to see some NES folks there last night, and to talk shop.

Keep up the effort Deb. That seemed like a tough crowd.

 

[TBalls]

It was good to see some NES folks there last night, and to talk shop.

Keep up the effort Deb. That seemed like a tough crowd.

She was robbed!

Definitely a tough crowd, probably more interested in keeping things status quo than actually improving or [shudder] changing the club. If you're up for running again next year I'm sure we'll get you in there.

 

[Dirtypacman]

It was a great night of food and friends. Good to see a few of you folks yesterday.
Deb you did very well for a first time candidate for the position. I agree if your up for the challenge again next year I think the outcome could be very different.

 

[terraformer]

She was robbed!

Definitely a tough crowd, probably more interested in keeping things status quo than actually improving or [shudder] changing the club. If you're up for running again next year I'm sure we'll get you in there.

The clubs been running pretty well the last few years...

 

[Rider]

The clubs been running pretty well the last few years...

I'm a newer member, I like the club a lot, and don't see any specific problems that I am concerned about. It seemed clear that many, if not the vast majority, of the people there last night were long time members of the club. The facts that less than 200 of 1470 members voted(if I got the numbers right), that the club is running well, and that most of the people there last night were 'core' members, would lead you to expect the incumbents to win. The folks who come out once every couple of months to shoot probably don't care about much beyond the club being there and open, and their range being available, whereas the people who come to the meetings are the ones for whom the club is a much bigger part of their daily lives.

So I don't have a problem with the outcome. I think it's good that people want to help, and that there are so many people who want to be involved. What last night tells me is that the core group is happy with how the club is run, and anyone who wants to get on the board will have to either convince people that a change is warranted, or build a cadre of people who share your agenda then get them to vote, then deliver on that change in a way that is viewed as positive by the core voting members.

Or you can follow the MA Democrat model, get yourself positioned well, and the minute someone dies of old age, you run for their post. (it helps if you are related and have the same name.) ;p

 

[terraformer]

I'm a newer member, I like the club a lot, and don't see any specific problems that I am concerned about. It seemed clear that many, if not the vast majority, of the people there last night were long time members of the club. The facts that less than 200 of 1470 members voted(if I got the numbers right), that the club is running well, and that most of the people there last night were 'core' members, would lead you to expect the incumbents to win. The folks who come out once every couple of months to shoot probably don't care about much beyond the club being there and open, and their range being available, whereas the people who come to the meetings are the ones for whom the club is a much bigger part of their daily lives.

So I don't have a problem with the outcome. I think it's good that people want to help, and that there are so many people who want to be involved. What last night tells me is that the core group is happy with how the club is run, and anyone who wants to get on the board will have to either convince people that a change is warranted, or build a cadre of people who share your agenda then get them to vote, then deliver on that change in a way that is viewed as positive by the core voting members.

Or you can follow the MA Democrat model, get yourself positioned well, and the minute someone dies of old age, you run for their post. (it helps if you are related and have the same name.) ;p

Just so you know I haven't been to Harvard to shoot in over 6 months (I am a tad busy these days) and still came out to vote. I concede that I am not normal or typical in that respect and probably pay more attention to the politics there than people who shoot every weekend, but I figured I should point that out.

 

[Night_solstice]

One issue I did have, and no one could seem to explain why it was done that way, but when the speaking started at 7:00, it felt...useless. The candidates were speaking to a room of people, many of whom had been there for a while, and as such, already voted, and thus, rendered the speeches, and the ability to ask questions a moot point.

I think I would have made more sense if the candidates had spoken at a prior month's meeting, and thus given people a chance to find out more about them and pose questions PRIOR to voting, having it other way is kind of like a candidates greeting me as I exit the voting booth after voting blind, introducing what they stand for and thanking me for voting. (Yeah, 1 big problem with this, is that not everyone goes to the monthly meetings, so they probably wouldn't have heard the intros and speeches if held last month).

I know that intro letters were posted on the FB page, but a number of people I talked to said that they either didn't use FB and didn't see the posts, or were new/not regular meeting goers, and didn't know who the people were who were running nor the people who were running for re-election.

 

[terraformer]

One issue I did have, and no one could seem to explain why it was done that way, but when the speaking started at 7:00, it felt...useless. The candidates were speaking to a room of people, many of whom had been there for a while, and as such, already voted, and thus, rendered the speeches, and the ability to ask questions a moot point.

I think I would have made more sense if the candidates had spoken at a prior month's meeting, and thus given people a chance to find out more about them and pose questions PRIOR to voting, having it other way is kind of like a candidates greeting me as I exit the voting booth after voting blind, introducing what they stand for and thanking me for voting. (Yeah, 1 big problem with this, is that not everyone goes to the monthly meetings, so they probably wouldn't have heard the intros and speeches if held last month).

I know that intro letters were posted on the FB page, but a number of people I talked to said that they either didn't use FB and didn't see the posts, or were new/not regular meeting goers, and didn't know who the people were who were running nor the people who were running for re-election.

It's a throw back to when the club was small enough that we could all comfortably sit in the same room and had to wait to hear everyone speak before voting. As recently as 2008 we all fit in there (2009 we were busting out of the door and I missed 2011 but I heard that is what prompted this year's policy changes). Plus, there will be members who want that before they vote. Now at least the drive by voters can vote early (but not often) and those who want the personal touch can see the speeches and vote after them.

 

[FrugalFannie]

Up until this year you had to wait to cast your ballot until after the speeches and questions. Meaning that your vote didn't even make it into the box if you didn't stay. This year the board decided that in order to allow more people to vote they would open the voting at 4 and allow people to cast their ballots and leave. I agree that it did feel as if the speeches were a bit of a waste as the majority of people had already cast their ballots. I would be surprised if there were a dozen people still holding ballots that had not been filled out at the time the speeches started. This did allow more people to vote and prevented overcrowding. You should have seen it last year! And I even had people tell me that they have shown up in the past only to leave before voting because the speeches took too long and they needed to get to work. I think it is important that as many people are able to partake in the process as possible. Since I have not been a member for a very long time (just 3 years as opposed to some who have been there 20+) I know less members. This system did actually hurt me as I had a number of people tell me and others that if they had listened to the speeches first they would have voted for me. Such is life. I guess I know what I need to do if I want to run again next year and win. As I stated last night, I wasn't looking to fix something that I perceive as broken because I know we have the best club around. I want to help make sure that we continue to be the best club around. This year I will be able to do that by working on more committees and maybe I will run again next year for a position. I am encouraged that for my first attempt I came so close to winning. I know Carl will do the best job he is able to. He is a dedicated member and wants the best for our club. The fact that I lost to someone who spends so much time and has so many years at the club is nothing to hang my head about. Next month is the appointment of committees and authorization of expenses. It's usually a really long night. See you there!


Debra

 

[BigDaddyAl]

I would be surprised if there were a dozen people still holding ballots that had not been filled out at the time the speeches started. This did allow more people to vote and prevented overcrowding.

I was one of those who kept my ballot until after the speeches. I have been a member of HSC less than a year, and I hadn't had personal contact with many of those running. I relied on information I gleaned from attending a few BOD meetings throughout the year, information the candidates wrote and that was posted on Facebook, the posts those running have made here on NES and on the HSC Forum, as well as the speeches. The speeches heavily influenced my decision about who to vote for, so I'm glad that I had the opportunity to hear each candidate speak. I think that having the option to vote and run, or to stay and hear the speeches was a good move.

 

[FrugalFannie]

I was one of those who kept my ballot until after the speeches. I have been a member of HSC less than a year, and I hadn't had personal contact with many of those running. I relied on information I gleaned from attending a few BOD meetings throughout the year, information the candidates wrote and that was posted on Facebook, the posts those running have made here on NES and on the HSC Forum, as well as the speeches. The speeches heavily influenced my decision about who to vote for, so I'm glad that I had the opportunity to hear each candidate speak. I think that having the option to vote and run, or to stay and hear the speeches was a good move.

Al I wish you had introduced yourself. I remember you were one of the first to shoot me a PM when my husband lost his job last summer. Or did we meet and I didn't make the connection? Next time you are around make sure you let me know who you are so I can thank you for your outreach last summer.