Re: (erielack) ELHS ??

["J. Henry Priebe Jr." <root_@_net.bluemoon.net>]

On Thu, 2 Dec 2004, William Shultz wrote:

> 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.

First, if you are not interested in the comings and going of the ELHS, please
use the DELETE key now with my apologies. Since ELHS members don't have a
public forum (yet) this is the only place we have to openly discuss society
business with a large portion of the membership. I have made it plain to all
that I beieve that sweeping dissent under the rug via private email 
perpetuates the policy of secrecy which many members think exists within the
upper echelons of the society. True or not, perception can be just as
important as reality.

I am another fairly well known malcontent when it comes to current ELHS
structure. I firmly believe that the society must change in some major and
very basic ways in order to be a successful organization in the years to come.
I don't wnat to kick anyone off the board or impeach any officers, but I very
much want the membership to have elected representation in the administrative
and managerial realm of the society. Too many of us really want to be more
than just magazine subscribers.

Far too many folks have voted with their feet when those same folks should
have been out there encouraging other like minded enthusiasts to JOIN and
participate in the ELHS! 

The culture of our beloved ELHS needs to change. Every member should be an
ELHS evangelist, not just a magazine subscriber. Members should be involved in
society doings and feel that they are integral cogs in the shared machinery of
our common interest, not unpaid employees serving at the pleasure of a 
plutocracy. The board seems to take pride announcing that 25 out of the 1150
or so members have done some sort of work for the ELHS in the past year. I
believe that statistic is more of an indictment of the society's inability to 
convince the membership at large that working for the common good and
improvement of the ELHS is something which is important to us all.

We all want the ELHS to be more useful to everyone. There is no reason it
shouldn't be a vital and progressive organization, as successful as any other 
RR historical society. We should have lofty goals and we should all be willing
to work hard to attain those goals. Why isn't that happening now and what is
it that is not currently being done to make it happen?

I heartily encourage members and non-members alike to share their thoughts and
ideas with the rest of us. Desiring improvement is not a bad thing, no matter
what anyone says, and much good may come of it.

Henry

J. Henry Priebe Jr.    Blue Moon Internet Corp Network Administrator
www.bluemoon.net       Internet Access & Web Hosting
www.railfan.net        Railfan Network Services

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