We are always looking for volunteers to step up and join this group of Dedicated Directors. For the year of 2008 the Directors have been running short staffed.
We have 5 directors that give us enough to qualify as a quorum and continue. If someone misses a meeting we have to table a vote to all are available.
Election of Officers was set up in the By-laws to be voted on by the Directors. The officer election was on the agenda posted in the Administration Board at the beginning of the month.
We tabled it until we finished some other high priority work. Past history of this election was usually after Ridgway.
A year ago the Guild suffered a set back and when everything was done we had to choices:
Close down the Guild
Band together and slowly rebuild
All Officers continued to stay in their positions and took on multiple jobs to keep things flowing smoothly. It worked wonderful.
The member list at the end of 2008 was only down a little. The UCCG made some bold moves to help promote the Art form by purchasing the CarvingPost. We have renewals coming in on schedule. Ridgway is our membership drive and were looking for some more Energetic individuals to join the Director Team.
Lack of Elections is all due to the lack of volunteers.
On a personal note:
I have been on the board for 4 years the last 3 as President. Many times I have had to wear multi hats and take on added jobs. It is the difference of just folding or holding on in hopes more will feel the excitement and join in. (This is the same with the rest of the Directors as well) A perfect situation, heck no, but we can only work with the tools we have on hand.
When the day come that we can have a full house of Directors, after 4 years I'll be more than glad to hand over the Torch. But until that day I'll do what ever I can to keep this wonderful organization moving forward.
I have had the Honor to work along side Jen, Ed, Steve, De, this year and cherish their dedication.
I hope this will shed some light on the Election subject.
Have a nice day,
Jerry
Jerry Schieffer
President UCCG
262-363-2250
gschieffer@wi.rr.com
Dont be afearful of pointy sticks, keep showing up, have the grace to remain silent sometimes, and most of all put aside your bias in order to work together with a group of professional's who may, or may not like each other!
The bottem line in these debates can always be traced to money,anything more then $1.00 will cause some to grow fangs and claws!
It baffels me at times at the hostility that can be demenstrated by some if things dont go the way they want,and I harken back to the dim past of the guild where nonsense and battles have raged before and I can only ass-u-me it will again.
My thought is this,why destroy something on the way out, if a person/carver is to part ways for whatever reason have the dignity to withdraw and hope that it will continue to work for the greater good.
So since the elections were the reasoning behind this last outburst by a less then satisfied member,who amongst you would vollenter for a position in this guild?
The few can deter the many with what appears to be negitive drivel, if we can not fill out the positions with vollenters how can we have elections?
So to compare any officers or board members to chavez or castro is unfair and somewhat inflamitory, I ask myself why?
Kinda like a fart, first one to point it out is usely the one that released it {chuckle} and they kinda like it, a sentiment not shared with everyone else in the phone booth.
ok whos the next board member? besides the courage filled tone...................
