All, Thanks to Tug's recent posts in another thread, I went back and investigated the original Battlestations! Constitution with regards to officers. Although I had read the rules several years ago, I certainly didn't remember them! It turns out that the original rules for club officers have three main problems: First, the original rules combined the office of secretary and treasurer into one office. NAMBA requires the Secretary and Purser (treasurer) to be distinct offices occupied by two different individuals. Second, the constitution required officers to have one year of combat experience, including participation in a sanctioned meet, within the club prior to nomination. Thus the original constitution has no provision for electing the 1st set of officers, only each set of officers after the 1st. Third, dues were required. There was no provision for not having yearly dues. I think we need a new constitution in order to address these shortcomings. Thoughts? Carl
I was thinking we'd have to write a new constitution, for similar reasons, although you have done more reading and research than I did (I didn't pick up on the secretary/purser separation). If we don't have dues, I'd say we can get by without a purser. Begin that we are a geographically-dispersed club, how are we going to work technical officer stuff? Just count on people asking online, and do measurements or testing at events?
Well, we need to collect fees of some kind, although maybe only for battles. We need $45 for insurance for each battle site per year, money for CO2, etc. So a treasurer/purser would be a good idea. Besides, NAMBA requires one...[] Carl
Hmmm... I guess if we have to, we have to. I was going to pay the location fee for my local pond myself. As far as CO2 goes, is that going to be a club function, or a host function? Reading through the NAMBA rules, we need a Pres, VP, Secretary, and Purser. We also need a designated meeting place, although I guess the President's garage would work for a physical location. Dues to NAMBA can be sent straight to them, or through the club once we have that arranged (whichever way everyone wants to do is fine with me). The club has to pay $10 to join NAMBA I'm volunteering to keep acting as secretary; is anyone interested in the other positions?
Would an online forum fill the meeting place requirement? I highly doubt that NAMBA envisioned a club scattered across the USA when they wrote that rule!
The meeting place requirement needs a physical address. NAMBA needs to know where your club is in so they can assign it to the right district. As long as we have a physical place to meet, members could either drive there for the meeting, connect via chat over the computer, or we could even setup a conference call. I'm guessing most of us would rather do the chat. The meeting place should be static from year to year, though -- changing it to the president's house each year when the president may be in different states is probably not going to amuse NAMBA. BTW, there is NO requirement that we make the meeting place public knowledge to anyone but NAMBA, and NAMBA doesn't post it on their website. They just post the club name and a link to the club website. I'd prefer we don't list any of our street addresses on R/C Naval Combat or Battlestations! web sites... As for officers, I don't think my job and church commitments allow me enough time to be president, but I'd be willing to be the VP. And I'd be OK with using my house as the official meeting place for NAMBA. I'm not planning on moving any time soon. There would probably be a family revolt if I did! [] Carl
I would rather not be a club officer, as my work keeps me away for days at a time, and when I am home, I try to spend time with the family. So I am hoping that there are others that will step up to the plate as club officers. However, if there is a need for me to be an officer, then I could be. Mikey
Mikey, would you be willing to be listed as Treasurer? We shouldn't have all that much money to worry about, but it's important to have one. I know you're busy, but without anyone volunteering I thought I'd ask. I'd do it but I can't be secretary and treasurer both. As a side note, can someone point out the part of the NAMBA rules that prohibits one person from serving multiple roles? I don't see it (I only saw rules that governed the national level officers, but I've only had one cup of coffee this morning) (and that was instant, not the real stuff!)
Tug, Goodness, but you're a night owl! 3am? Go to bed, dude! [] It wasn't in the rules, it was on the form for registering the club. Click on Resources->Forms->Club Registration on the NAMBA home page. Now that you mention it, I could be wrong about them having to be two separate people. I saw the separate blanks on the form and just assumed they had to be different people. My bad! [] BTW, the rules say a registered club must have both the secretary and President as NAMBA members, but the Club Registration form says both the secretary and purser must be NAMBA members...[?] The club registration form also says that at least two NAMBA members are necessary to form a club. So I guess as long as we have two NAMBA members we can divy up the offices. I'm just confused whether the two members have to be secretary and president or secretary and purser. Carl
I'll be Secretary and President if no one steps up for the Pres post... but I'd rather have the money handled by others (got a job and a business accoutn to keep track of already!) If someone else wants to be President, throw your hat into the ring. If no one objects, I'm proposing posts for a year at a time. I'll be secretary as long as you want, but I'd like to see the President rotate through at some rate...
If we absolutely need someone and the club can put up with someone overseas for the next year, I'll volunteer for Tres or something.
I can be an officer if need be. Treasurer might work out better for me, as I could use the extra funds. haha. Seriously. If there is an open post, I will be willing to fill it. Thanks to all for stepping up to the plate. Mikey
So have we got the following? Pres: Tugboat VP: Carl Secretary: Tugboat Treasurer: Mikey Anyone else want to throw their hat in the ring? On a separate thought, I'd recommend we hold off joining NAMBA until January. If I read their rules correctly, you pay for membership for the calendar year, ending in December. So if we pay our $45 in September, we only get 4 months of membership and then we'd have to pay $45 again in January... Carl
