AAW Proxy Vote

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While I know little about the AAW, before I would sign a proxy vote, I would like to hear both sides of the argument.

In Mr Ellsworth's letter, I was particularly taken by the statement that there have been four successive Administrators and each one, in turn, has been fired by the board.

Has anyone considered that the ED may need better treasurers? These financial issues involve $180,000+ and the board didn't notice it? Did the treasurer make this report, or the ED?

Is there a website for the "Lacer supporters"?

This whole matter MAY be considered political and I want to be CLEAR that I personally have no position, just an interest in fairness to BOTH sides in this matter.
 
I thought the same thing, where is the treasurer? Does the ED handle all of the day to day running of the group?

Sounds like a big mess.

ed4copies said:
While I know little about the AAW, before I would sign a proxy vote, I would like to hear both sides of the argument.

In Mr Ellsworth's letter, I was particularly taken by the statement that there have been four successive Administrators and each one, in turn, has been fired by the board.

Has anyone considered that the ED may need better treasurers? These financial issues involve $180,000+ and the board didn't notice it? Did the treasurer make this report, or the ED?

Is there a website for the "Lacer supporters"?

This whole matter MAY be considered political and I want to be CLEAR that I personally have no position, just an interest in fairness to BOTH sides in this matter.
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Turns out the $180,000 may be the value of donated pieces to the permanent collection and has nothing to do with cash flow. This whole thing is a political mess of egos and I hope doesn't get much discussion here. Many other wood hobby related boards have banned talking much about it. Argue all you want on the AAW board.
 
It is interesting that a 5% proxy allegedly allows dissenters the ability to resend the by-laws and rewrite them to their choosing and to replace the current board with people of their choosing. If true one would have to question the current board and previous board's oversight in allowing such a clause to exist in the by-laws.
 
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louisbry said:
It is interesting that a 5% proxy allegedly allows dissenters the ability to resend the by-laws and rewrite them to their choosing and to replace the current board with people of their choosing. If true one would have to question the current board and previous board's oversight in allowing such a clause to exist in the by-laws.
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actually, it just means that if they get 5% of the members to agree, they can hold a meeting to vote on things. It doesn't mean that they will win the votes if the other 95% show up, just that they can demand a meeting be held.

Now if they demand a meeting and the other 95% don't show up, the AAW has bigger problems.
 
IF they demand a meeting and hundreds show up, but the website has convinced thousands to send in proxies supporting the board, the meeting is meaningless.

This appears to be what the board hopes to achieve, by making the proxy ballot available on THEIR website.

No matter WHO is right, it looks like a nice big meeting would help "clear the air". And, if all sides are heard, they MIGHT even find a compromise SOLUTION!!!!!

(May I suggest more HELP for the ED, based on what is shown?? ---four for four of the last four fired!!!:eek::eek::eek:)
 
I could be wrong, but I would wager the by-laws don't allow for 5% of the membership to make that big of a decision. It all depends on the by-laws though.

The other thing that strikes me, is they say the auditor identified deficiencies in the internal controls. Well, auditors always find deficiencies because no company is absolutely perfect. But they don't list what those deficiencies are. In a small org, like I assume they are, if you have the person writing the checks also signing them, that's a major deficiency for an auditor, but if the management team of the org is only one person, what can you do?

Now I have no dog in this fight either, I'm not a member or know any of the parties to my knowledge, but I'd want more info than has been provided if I were involved.
 
Does this mean if I can collect 5% of registered voters, I can vote out and overthrown our current administration in Washington??:eek: :biggrin: Better yet, they all should go.:mad:

Okay, so sounds like some real big issues at the AAW, I would have to side with the board and thier meeting.

This must be pretty big, as I got emails & letters from about everybody today :)
 
I agree 100% with what Bruce just posted. Go over there and join in (http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/index.php) but let's don't bring it over here.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

BRobbins629 said:
Turns out the $180,000 may be the value of donated pieces to the permanent collection and has nothing to do with cash flow. This whole thing is a political mess of egos and I hope doesn't get much discussion here. Many other wood hobby related boards have banned talking much about it. Argue all you want on the AAW board.
Click to expand...
 
Wow... I have no ties to AAW (other than having considered becoming a member). However, I have served on a board and talk about 'drama'. I'm not completely sure all thats going on with AAW (I've read just a little), but it definitely seems a little out of round. (pun intended). The proxy vote that they are asking for will give full power for ANY topic brought up. And not only is the web site awfully one sided, it also seems to strike fear. I just read some of the bylaws as well as some of the complaints against the board. Yes, both sides can get proxy votes, but I still read that to remove a board member requires majority of the board. I see nowhere that the by-laws allows membership to vote to remove the board.

All I can say is YIKES! Makes me glad that I get most of my turning info from IAP!
 
Okay, I found the by-law.

Section 5.07 Removal of Directors. Any Director may be
removed for cause by majority vote of the Directors then in office
at a Regular Board Meeting or at a Special Board Meeting called
for that purpose.
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Now I'm no attorney, but what I'm reading right here, says only the BOD can remove a director, not a group of members.

Section 14.01 Amendments. These Bylaws may be altered or
amended by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. However, if
a majority of the Board determines that addition, revision or repeal
of a fundamental principle of these Bylaws is required, then that
act must be confirmed by a majority of the members of the
Association then casting ballots.
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And this says only the BOD can make changes to the by-laws.

So according to the by-laws, the fears are unfounded. But what do I know.
 
I have been a member of the AAW for many years but come December I will NOT be renewing my membership. I don't know what's going on but
I will not contribute one more cent of my money to it.
 
I think that what you see posted over on the AAW forum is really only the tip of the iceberg. The whole thing makes me very sad.

And I agree with Bruce and Don. We can not solve their problems here.
 
Ugh! After 40 days of reading endless posts on the AAW website about this mess I was so glad that I could go to my trust IAP site to escape it...no longer..we are infected!!!!!!!:mad:
 
Weird, I have a been a member for about a year and I have not received one email about this. I knew they were having problems but only because someone posted something about it here. I guess they don't send out emails to members?
 
greggas said:
Ugh! After 40 days of reading endless posts on the AAW website about this mess I was so glad that I could go to my trust IAP site to escape it...no longer..we are infected!!!!!!!:mad:
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Yes we are, so is another forum (PTP) I frequent. Soon it will not be safe to visit any forum even remotely wood turning oriented, especially the North American ones:mad:

It would be nice if that squabble could be confined to where it belongs, on the AAW forum, and it would be even nicer if they could raise the standard of debate.
 
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They seem to have them selves a dilema over in the AAW, hard to say how it will turn out, one thing for sure is from what I have read there are hard feelings in both camps....division is not good for any organization.
 
There is nothing forcing anyone to open this thread. The title is pretty darn clear and if you don't care to read about AAW's problems, then why open the thread to gripe about having to read about AAW's problems? This will not be deleted since none of the TOS or AUP have been violated.

Curtis
IAP Moderator
 
MesquiteMan said:
There is nothing forcing anyone to open this thread. The title is pretty darn clear and if you don't care to read about AAW's problems, then why open the thread to gripe about having to read about AAW's problems? This will not be deleted since none of the TOS or AUP have been violated.

Curtis
IAP Moderator
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Curtis, haven't seen anyone (including myself) ask for this thread to be deleted.

I merely voiced my opinion, as are the disgruntled AAW members, so please extend the same courtesy to me that you are extending to them.

Isn't America supposed to be the land of the free?
 
Fred,

Curtis' comments are usually prompted by his email, not the posts. So, he is probably NOT addressing your post.

I'm sure he will say so, soon, but just thought I would try to put your mind at ease!!
 
I do belong to the AAW only because the wood turning club I belong to says I have too. So I have been getting all kinds of emails and such. I hate politics even though I was the president of a model airplane club for 2 years.

So I really don't care but it seems to be a stupid mess.

.
 
Bruce, how do I get any of these emails? I had to contact them last year three times just to get my membership info sent to me. I am signed up under their forum. I just like keeping informed even if it is a mess.
 
This issue makes me a bit glad that I've dragged my feet in considering IAP affiliation with the AAW! See, procrastination is not all bad! I do wish all parties the best in resolving their differences.
 
BigShed said:
Curtis, haven't seen anyone (including myself) ask for this thread to be deleted.

I merely voiced my opinion, as are the disgruntled AAW members, so please extend the same courtesy to me that you are extending to them.

Isn't America supposed to be the land of the free?
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BigShed, no discourtesy was meant or directed towards you. My message was more in response to an e-mail that I received regarding this thread.
 
rjwolfe3 said:
Bruce, how do I get any of these emails? I had to contact them last year three times just to get my membership info sent to me. I am signed up under their forum. I just like keeping informed even if it is a mess.
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I get emails via the wood club I belong to. The way I understand it is that to do anything at the meeting like do a or participate in a demo you must be a member of the AAW. I believe that is for insurance purposes they must provide the club insurance. I really didn't like this when I jioned the club because you have to pay club dues and AAW dues.

Same thing with the model airplane club. Tobe a member of a model airplane club you must be a member of the AMA that is an origination like the AAW that provides clubs with insurance and a bi-monthly magazine kind of like the AAW.

I missed the last meeting when this all first broke. I will be at the next meeting next Wednesday. And don't you know we have member that attends meeting and is a sitting member of the board of the AAW. So would guess there will be just a little discussion on the topic.

Only other time I needed to be show I was a member of the AAW was when there was a wood symposium in Tampa. And I volunteered to help run a lathe and make pens with the public for CSUSA. It was required to have AAW membership.

So there are a LOT-LOT of organizations connected to the AAW. I am sure they will prevail and get though this.

I am starting to sound like I show interest when I want nothing to do with the politics of a club. I gave that up when I gave up being president of the model airplane club.

.
 
The whole thing is really a shame. We have heard from two sides of the story, but no one will ever know the third side - the truth.

I gave up following the saga after the first week. It is pretty scary that only 5% of the membership can 'overthrow' the elected member representatives. What happens if there are more (or several) individual 5% groups? That would be an interesting event...

Anyway, I am glad that the IAP is a separate entity; and thank you Jeff for your procrastination.

I just hope things work out and we can all get on with the hobby we all enjoy. I have many, many, more years to enjoy turning.

I wonder if anyone has considered taking an ADR route (alternative dispute resolution)?

Ah, never mind, let's go make a pen, or many.....
 
A big surprise in the whole mess yesterday. The AAW forum administrator announced that as of tomorrow, he's banned any new posting re the this ongoing mess. I think the existing threads will be remain locked, but nothing new. My bet, they'll move to some public forum, and carry on there without moderation.
 
islandturner said:
A big surprise in the whole mess yesterday. The AAW forum administrator announced that as of tomorrow, he's banned any new posting re the this ongoing mess. I think the existing threads will be remain locked, but nothing new. My bet, they'll move to some public forum, and carry on there without moderation.
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Actually - in some ways, I'm surprised there was as much public threads on there in the first place. Really makes me glad we have such a nice place here. The few 'tiffs' that happen are peanuts compared to there.

Thanks for keeping us sane, Jeff!! (oh, wait - we're turners.. theres no room for sanity:party:)
 
Just observation . . .

I do not see where the original post asked for any opinions. Isn't that the root of the issue causing the problems at the AAW???? From the way it reads, the OP was simply alerting and possible AAW member who does not frequenty the AAW site of purposed actions that concerns them. Nothing more.

If one has something to say about the issue at the AAW then why not make it over there instead of here? Makes more sense, well, as long as what is said is constructive. Otherwise, isn't one just making the issue their own?

There are always those who . . .

. . . choose to be a part to make things right no matter the cost.
. . . choose to be a part but do care to make things right unless it makes them look good profits them.
. . . and those who do not choose to be a part but are more than willing to stand afar off and throw rocks.




Some AAW affiliate clubs do require all members to also be a member of the AAW. Not all clubs do, as ours doesn't. And non-AAW members can and do participate in doing demos. The AAW has two different classifications for these clubs. At the moment I do not recall what they are called. Insurancve does come into play.
 
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