Jean,
Very well said and unfortunately all that has happened was to draft a set of
by-laws without getting the input into what we want. Now we're left with
just voting for or against them. The fundamental questions remain
unanswered and as Billie as said so well, they've put the cart before the
horse. I'm afraid that those who are in the cart are going to turn around
and realize that the horse is no longer with them.
Nate
Nathan Zipfel
Pa Roots Webmaster
http://www.pa-roots.com/
Armstrong County USGenWeb Project Co-Coordinator
http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong
Jefferson County USGenWeb Project Co-Coordinator
http://www.pa-roots.com/jefferson
Westmoreland County USGenWeb Project Co-Coordinator
http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland
-----Original Message-----
From: Webmaster [mailto:webmaster@chartiers.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 1998 2:33 AM
To: PAGEN-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: RE: By laws
All lot of the comments I have read on this list regarding the
proposed by-laws have a common theme. The guys in the
trenches, the CCs, feel that some structure is being imposed
on them that they are pretty uncomfortable with. They feel
unrepresented, alienated, and confused about the purpose
of what these "by-laws" are intended to accomplish.
Nate correctly pointed out early on in this discussion that there are
several serious holes and flaws in the by-laws. Those deficiencies
are at the heart of the matter regarding people's feelings toward the
"organization".
1. What is the definition of a "member"?
2. What rights and privileges does a member have?
This is different from what they are expected to do;
this is, "what can we expect from the organization?"
We are volunteers and rely on support of many kinds.
I don't see us getting any support at all from the national body
except a link on the main map to the Penna. map, and from
there to our sites. Also, there is the archives area which
is good. At any rate, what is USGenWeb doing for its
volunteers?
3. What is the grievance process?
4. What is the redress process?
Please sell us CC's on the fact that that process is fair and equitable.
That is, once one is established.
If the people on the national front are dismayed about the
reaction they are seeing on this list, I'm sure it's not because
we're all a bunch of troublemakers or ingrates. It's because y'all
have fallen down on the job of selling your ideas and getting buy-in
from CCs.
I'd like answers to the above four questions. I'm sorry, but I'm really
tired of hearing what the CCs responsibilities are. What is USGenWeb
going to do for us, its potential membership, the feet on the street, to
help
us do a better job of representing USGenWeb on our pages and
working within the imposed guidelines?
The USGenWeb national organization should start by convincing
us, the CCs, that it really does exist for a reason, and that it's not just
a matter of a group of folks playing at politics, etc. I'm sorry, but
that's how I view how things are at the national level. I was hoping that
over the last year things would change as that group of people
starting sorting things out, but to my view, there has been little tangible
progress. This recent debacle confirms it. Again, this is just one person's
opinion. If I'm wrong, convince me otherwise.
Jean Suplick Matuson