Changes to the Forum

[PaulT]

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grahamb wrote:

dasadrew wrote:

Dave, that is much appreciated. I think the fact that it has not happened is indicative of the situation we have.

TBH, not only the availablity of the minutes is the topic, but also the decision making process and who is involved. As far as I understood up to now, the AGM is open to all members and I assume that there are votes of some sort?

I'm still lost on what these monthly minutes are. What group is it who meets and then marches in the other direction of the AGM and furthermore keeps it secret (at least to people who don't personally attend local meetings in a UK group)?

The AGM sentiment in December was:
- membership numbers are dropping naturally as there are less and less cars anyway
- funds are falling due to massive drop in interest rates
- magazine is eating away at funds to the tune of tens of thousands £
- the way ahead is to save and cut back and look at merger with another club
- the Forum is a good portal to the club as it reaches also non-members

The ominous March "Monthly Meeting" sentiment was apparently:
- put a tax on everyone posting on the previously free Forum

I am really not "anti SOC". I love the Stag and anyone seeing my restoration thread would underline that. £37 won't break my bank balance. I would really like to meet up with other Stag owners some time. I just don't see why an open Forum which costs basically zilch to run should be taxed to fund the published SOC membership advantages which, as an Overseas member for £37 per annum I see as being:

Dasadrew, I agree with what you are saying. However, there is a big difference between thinking, posting on a forum, getting the idea to the volunteers who run the club, getting agreement from all concerned and then actually doing.



That is speaking as someone who gave it a go. This all came to a head a year ago. It takes that long to change the registration process. I wouldnt like to put a time on more fundamental stuff implied within these posts with the current mode of operation.

At the time I did the pitch to the committee, I had a few conversations with a couple of the members and I was encouraged to join.That wasnt of interest -I have helped the club/forum in a couple of ways for a couple of years, so thats my lot.

Given how outspoken you are, I would suggest that you make contact with Rodger (the Chairman - whitestagman on here) and ask to represent the overseas membership at a couple of the meetings and impart your valid and broader points on to the committee.

They meet in a business hotel and will be able to put a conference phone in the room and you can dial in. So location should not be an issue.

What do you think?

Watch out Dasadrew - looks like you are about to be recruited by MI5

Your suggestion is excellent, and I really hope that you are able to represent oversees members.

Now who is going to represent the UK members?

[dasadrew]

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Yeah, you remember those Tom & Jerry cartoons where one of the characters gets duped and his head turns into a donkey's head?

Eee-aww; eee-aww,

Drew

[PaulT]

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Clause 47 of the SOC forum rules states that you are not allowed to use the word Donkey.

You are about to be moderated off the forum.:shock:

[peter f]

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eee-aww eee-aww eee-aww't to know better!!

[Ian Durrant]

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I have so far stayed out of this discussion. I have done so for a very good reason. I really can't decide what is best for the club and by extension for stag owners.

SOCTFL is absolutely necessary to fight to keep our cars on the road. it needs funds and the club is the only way I can see for this happen.

The internet threatens all clubs that rely on a membership fee simply because most of the features are widely free.

I would hope that most people would agree the above two points are fact. (I know you will let me know if you disagree )

This puts the club in a dilemma. It has to survive for the good work of SOCTFL to continue and expand. without soctfl the cars will dwindle in number. One day all car clubs will be more virtual than now.

Somehow the SOC needs to survive the transition. Right now that could be by keeping its assets close to its chest (and its paid up members) or it could be by throwing things open on the internet side in the hope it will gain members. Frankly I know I don't know enough about the dynamics of this to decide even though the internet and computing is my profession of 25 years and its slightly annoys me that others seem to think they do understand it (AFAICS usually based on the sample opinion of one, themselves!)

Lets get some perspective here, this is a club, like all clubs its flawed in some or even many areas, but without it we will be poorer, or at least those of us for whom the car is a passion rather than a passing fancy will be!

I would love to have the time to get involved, understand the club better and its finances, understand the dynamics and motivation of the members and maybe add my experience of IT and the internet to the mix. Frankly right now I don't have the time and so until I do, I am happy to let those that run the club make the decisions.