MA clubs BOD minutes

[Massman]

I am curious to find out how many clubs post their BOD minutes so that members who cannot attend the physical meeting can stay on top of what is going on at their club. I know of several that post meeting minutes on their websites, or have them posted at the club itself.
Thanks

 

[M1911]

We have a membership meeting each month. We keep minutes for the membership meeting and send them out via e-mail to our members.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I know that Braintree R&P and Mansfield F&G both attempt to provide that info to members.

BR&P reads the BOD minutes at each members meeting and they did post them in a 3-ring binder in the new clubhouse . . . but not sure if that is done anymore.

MF&G also did put them in a 3-ring binder at the clubhouse and I haven't been to a members meeting in so long that I forget if they read them or not. On rare occasion I used to receive them via Email, but that was very sporadic and I don't recall getting them in many months now.

My first club used to read them at members meetings too, but since I left them in 1998, I have no knowledge of current practices.

Another club (which I will not identify) kept their BOD minutes secret, refusing to tell the members at the member meetings. I recall a past president of that club complaining bitterly about that practice, to no avail.

I'd recommend only being a member of a club that operates "openly" so that all members are aware of what's happening (if they bother to attend meetings or read communications), rule changes, etc. Some BOD info on disciplinary actions should justifiably be kept confidential (executive session) but regular BOD business should be shared with the membership.

 

[edin508]

They are posted every month. Either the snail mail or e-mail out to everyone in the club.

 

[bob68]

i guess most members of my club just dont care what is going on there as out of 300 plus memberships we usually get the same 20 or so members at each months meetings and just about all of them are officers. its the same with work parties and events its always the same people who work them. it seems most just want to shoot or fish or ride their atvs and dont care about anything else.

 

[M1911]

i guess most members of my club just dont care what is going on there as out of 300 plus memberships we usually get the same 20 or so members at each months meetings and just about all of them are officers. its the same with work parties and events its always the same people who work them.

I think that is the same at every club, unfortunately.

 

[edin508]

i guess most members of my club just dont care what is going on there as out of 300 plus memberships we usually get the same 20 or so members at each months meetings and just about all of them are officers. its the same with work parties and events its always the same people who work them. it seems most just want to shoot or fish or ride their atvs and dont care about anything else.

It's the same everywhere.
I spent the past 2 days in the woods around our club picking up trash. If you carry that D&D cup into the woods carry it out too!! We let the boyscouts use our property over the weekend for their Klondike derby again, I again filled a trash bag full of shit that they left behind. That hole in the tree is not the trash can !!!!

 

[amb]

I think that is the same at every club, unfortunately.

Some clubs go out of their way to try to include people in the running of it. Some are the other way around, have closed meetings, secret minutes, etc.

Do it in the open, welcome people who want to get involved, and in 20 years there will still be a club.

 

[M1911]

Do it in the open, welcome people who want to get involved, and in 20 years there will still be a club.

We do it in the open. We welcome people who want to get involved. We've been around since ~1930. But we still have the same 10-15 people show up and do most of the work.

 

[MARINE96]

E-mail and snail mail for the paid membership. The minutes from the previous month are quickly gone over at the next meeting.

 

[Stef]

I am curious to find out how many clubs post their BOD minutes so that members who cannot attend the physical meeting can stay on top of what is going on at their club. I know of several that post meeting minutes on their websites, or have them posted at the club itself.

Thinking about making MRA's minutes available? I'd vote in favor of that.

 

[T Dog]

It's the same everywhere.
I spent the past 2 days in the woods around our club picking up trash. If you carry that D&D cup into the woods carry it out too!! We let the boyscouts use our property over the weekend for their Klondike derby again, I again filled a trash bag full of shit that they left behind. That hole in the tree is not the trash can !!!!

It's the same with most clubs and organizations that I belong and have belonged to. A few show up and put the time in and then the arm chair quarterbacks/generals/directors/etc. chime in about how it coulda, woulda and shoulda been done better.

I can see what Massman seems to be trying by publishing the minutes on the web but I think what he'll end up with is limited to no additional level of participation at the meetings from those who already get the minutes, 'cause their they bothered to actually show up, then the minutes get "published" on the internet and a number of people who couldn't or wouldn't take the time to show up or look someone in the eye can pick apart each comment and comma and bitch 'till next month's minutes come out and the whole melodrama starts up again. In the end what you'll get is less and less recorded in the minutes and ultimatly less on record than the current system.

Another situation where when all is said and done much more is said than done. I wish I could just say I was being cynical but I've seen this all too often.

Besides from what I've seen on this forum in the past based on some of the exchanges between Massman and a few members and ex-members about policies hasn't the MRA already been through enough public floggings without any good coming from it?

 

[M1911]

Amen, T Dog.

 

[Tim94gt]

The Ashland Fish and Game sends it out in Emails. I'm in the joining process at Southboro Rod and Gun, I'm not sure what they do about the minutes but the member turnout at the meeting I attended was suprisingly large. I was amazed that so many people were there and I'm glad that I am joining an active club rather than just a range.

 

[MisterHappy]

One trick we have at Southborough Rod & Gun Club to boost attendance: we have a dinner at 6:00, before our meeting begins at 7:30. This makes it easier to attend the meeting, as you don't have to go home, get fed, and become sedentary!

This allows a bit of socializing before the "serious" business begins....

Members in good standing can attend the BoD meetings.

 

[bob68]

We do it in the open. We welcome people who want to get involved. We've been around since ~1930. But we still have the same 10-15 people show up and do most of the work.

same at my club. the meeting is open to all members. its always the same people at the meetings.

 

[Massman]

While I understand, and agree with some of what T Dog has said, I would have to say that my question was posed as a simple way to keep the membership of club informed. If a club is afraid that people will be armchair quarterbacks, that fear is unfounded. Yes it could, and more than likely will happen. However, if members are talking about what is going on at a club that they belong to, the point is that they are talking. We live in the 21st century, so "talking" does not just mean FTF. Email, private chat, forums ect. are now a way of life. Tradition has its place, but progress is necessaary for the long term survival of an organization.
It looks like clubs in the MA area have a variety of ways to publish their minutes to reach more of their membership. Thank you all for the input!

 

[T Dog]

While I understand, and agree with some of what T Dog has said, I would have to say that my question was posed as a simple way to keep the membership of club informed. If a club is afraid that people will be armchair quarterbacks, that fear is unfounded. Yes it could, and more than likely will happen. However, if members are talking about what is going on at a club that they belong to, the point is that they are talking. We live in the 21st century, so "talking" does not just mean FTF. Email, private chat, forums ect. are now a way of life. Tradition has its place, but progress is necessaary for the long term survival of an organization.
It looks like clubs in the MA area have a variety of ways to publish their minutes to reach more of their membership. Thank you all for the input!

I understood your last post and parts of this one but I have to admit that I don't understand how you strung these two sentences together:

"If a club is afraid that people will be armchair quarterbacks, that fear is unfounded. Yes it could, and more than likely will happen."

That said, I think that no one from any of the clubs claimed tradition as a reason to do or not do something with the minutes. I do think that a number of people from various clubs cited the need for other members to actually show up and do something. While I assume that "Massman" is among the minority that shows up, I think that his proposal will end up creating more of an issue for those who do the most and show up for meetings, clean up days, etc. - they get to do all of the hard work while most of the others use the place like a gym and a few malcontents will sit back and whine.

As someone who tries to do his part, and that includes saying "thanks", I just want to say thanks to all the members who help out and run all of the clubs in Massachusetts. It's not the easiest environment to be a shooter and it still amazes me how many of "our own" like nothing more than to tear down what others build 'cause they'd do better (if they actually showed upo, rolled up their sleeves, pitched in and helped out.)

Sorry if it turned into a mini-rant. Please take the thanks to all who'd rather be on the range but help keep our clubs open as the most important part of my reply.

 

[Massman]

Definitley will be an interesting debate for the BOD meeting in March. My question was posed as a way to get input from members of other organizations in MA, not as a proposal. Information only.
I fail to see the logic behind the feeling that by posting a clubs minutes for the general membership, that this will by any means diminish the contributions of members who "do their part". All members are shareholders, and therefore deserve to be kept informed, regardless if they only pay their dues or pick up a shovel and "roll up their sleeves".
T Dog, I will keep further comments on this subject in reserve for the BOD meeting. I will see you there.
Thank you again to everyone who posted their input in this matter and answered my inquiry directly!

 

[Massman]

any other clubs that publish or make their BOD/member meeting minutes available to their membership?

 

[amb]

any other clubs that publish or make their BOD/member meeting minutes available to their membership?

The Outdoor Message is full of them. (Available to the public, too.)

 

[Len-2A Training]

The Outdoor Message is full of them. (Available to the public, too.)

I'm not aware of any club that publishes their BOD minutes in The Outdoor Message.

Additionally it is well known that our enemies read The Outdoor Message and thus, most clubs "sanitize" the minutes that do get published there.

 

[PMD]

I think posting the Board meetings would be benificial to all members.
For one the membership would have a much better understanding of how the club is run and to what direction the club is heading.

Posting the minutes could easily be done via an e-blast (which MRA already does with announcements) or at the MRA Forums.

I for one have attended many BOD meetings in the past and as of late do not have the available time to make the meetings.
Keeping up to date with the happenings of the club would great.