Re: (erielack) ELHS ??

["Daniel Fargo" <dfargo5133_@_tbscc.com>]

Hi,

    Maybe they should call themselves The ERIE LACKAWANNA HISTORICAL PUBLISHING CO. And not sell memberships but rather subscriptions to there products and refer to there buyers as customers and not members.

    From what you said I wonder what happens to the revenue generated by there "SALES" if they are answerable to no one.

SO AS TO NOT TURN THIS LIST INTO SOMETHING IT IS NOT MENT FOR I AM CLOSING THIS THREAD WITH THIS FINEL POST.
 
Thanks
Dan

- ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: William Shultz 
  To: Daniel Fargo 
  Cc: Erie Lackawanna Mail List 
  Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 5:12 PM
  Subject: Re: (erielack) ELHS ??


  Dan,

  I guess that depends on who you ask. I have heard the exact same 
  complaint for other people, almost verbatim and not from back 14+ years 
  ago. They felt like they are being subjected to an elitist, superior 
  attitude rather than having their inquiry answered in a polite, 
  congenial manner. It is a subjective issue.

  If you are serious about re-joining, do so being fully aware that you 
  are in effect just a subscriber to a magazine and have absolutely no 
  rights of any sort in the governance of the ELHS. In other words, your 
  vote doesn't count because you don't have one. Many people don't realize 
  or understand this prior to joining.

  It is an autocratic Board of Directors that is in fact, answerable to no 
  one but itself. Some believe that very circumstance breeds an elitist 
  attitude. I tend to think it is more a matter of insensitivity due to 
  the insular nature of being a "self-sustaining" Board. As a member you 
  have only one way to vote and that is with your feet. It's too bad too 
  since there are people that would contribute more of their time and 
  effort except that they feel they would be serving the Board and not the 
  membership, but I suspect most members don't care as long as they 
  receive their subscription, even though it now arrives by pack mule.

  Take these comments and opinions in context, I am a well known 
  malcontent and troublemaker that believes in the fundamentals of 
  democracy and feels the Society is on the verge of serious decline, 
  facing a future of withering and dieing on the vine if some major 
  changes aren't made soon. What in my opinion is most seriously lacking 
  is "Leadership". Currently it seems all the initiative go in one 
  direction, from the bottom up. It is unfortunate because I have a great 
  deal of respect for most of the Board members on a personal level, but I 
  don't believe they see how ineffective they have become. Even more sad, 
  I don't think the majority of the membership cares as long as they 
  receive their publication kind of on time.

  There is a anecdote that was related to me not too long ago with respect 
  to nonprofit organizations, if you (in a leadership position) don't 
  accomplish what you want in 10 years, it's probably time to take a break 
  and let someone else try. Inevitably you end up being complacent and 
  your ideas stale. The majority of the ELHS Board has been there for at 
  least 10 years. With all due respect, an injection of new, creative 
  thinking is probably long overdue.

  I feel confident that you will hear a considered rebuttal to my thoughts 
  and opinions from at least one or two Board members that are list 
  members. I believe that is actually a good thing because it is about the 
  only time we have any open discussion of the concerns of members. 
  Unfortunately, through no one's fault, that didn't happen at the annual 
  convention this past September. Then again, there wouldn't have even 
  been that time set aside if some of us "agitators" hadn't been agitating.

  Regards,

  Will Shultz


  Daniel Fargo wrote:

  >Hi group,
  >
  >    Have a question maybe a little off topic, has the ERIE LACKAWANNA HISTORICAL SOCIETY changed there attitude from back in the early 1980's I had joined the Society and then mailed them with a question. My granddad worked for the Erie Railroad and we have his old "Erie" switch key it is the small key and I was looking for an Erie lock that it would fit and did they know anybody I could contact for more information. I received a very nasty letter in response to my inquiry that they were all volunteers and not to bother them with questions that they were not there to answer questions. So when they sent there membership renewal notice I responded in a like wise manner.
  >
  >    I hope they have changed there way of doing business and I might even rejoin.
  >
  >Thanks
  >
  >Dan
  >
  >  
  >



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