(erielack) Response to "ELHS Dues Increase and a New ELHS Board Member"

[Timothy Costello <tgcostello2_@_cox.net>]

>Hi Henry and erielack readers:
>
>This is an ELHS related post.  If it's not of interest to the reader,  my 
>apologies.
>
>There are some serious errors in The Diamond that will be corrected in 
>future issues.
>
>Dues is $30.00.  The Board has never discussed raising the dues to $35.00, 
>and is not likely to do so in the next few years.
>
>The Board conducted a highly visible campaign to identify and or recruit a 
>new Membership Chair.  We posted notes in The Extra Board seeking 
>candidates for the job after Bob Rose offered his resignation from that 
>post early in 2004.  After interviewing the volunteers/candidates, Bruce 
>Field was offered the position in the fourth quarter of 2004 and has now 
>assumed one of the most time consuming tasks in the ELHS.  My thanks to 
>Bruce for stepping up to the plate and taking this job.
>
>Bob Rose did not resign from his seat on the Board of Directors, and 
>continues to serve as VP.  Bruce is not on the Board, but serves a role in 
>the organization similar to a Technical Advisor.
>
>The next Board meeting will take place at our Eastern Spring Meeting.  I 
>believe that resignations and appointments will be on the agenda.  I 
>encourage all interested in the management and operations of the ELHS to 
>attend the meeting.  We'll announce the time and location as we get closer 
>to the event and details are firmed up.
>
>In our recent Board teleconference, we recognized the need for a forum to 
>discuss ELHS related matters, as erielack is intended for discussion of 
>the railroad and modeling the railroad.  This sentiment has been raised 
>several times here on the list.  The Board has requested that our 
>webmaster, Will Shultz work to create a capability for such dialog on the 
>website.  Will's working on it and I'm confident that he'll come through 
>with a solution. Will and his team have done a terrific job developing the 
>website.  My thanks to you Henry, for webhosting services and support to Will.
>
>One final note related to Henry's post.  Jay Held's efforts, and 
>contributions to the Society are immense, and are certainly recognized by 
>all of us who do business with the Society.  (BTW, got may calendar 
>yesterday Jay, thanks for the quick turn!).  Let me assure you that when 
>the Board moved to publish The Diamond four times per year it was based 
>upon a conservative review of our revenue stream, and that we have never 
>asked Jay to increase his profit to accommodate our rising costs.
>
>Sincerely yours,
>Tim Costello
>Member, Board of Directors: ELHS
>
>
>
>At 04:38 AM 1/6/2005, J. Henry Priebe Jr. wrote:
>
>>Going through the latest Diamond and Extra Board I saw two things of which
>>ELHS subscribers should take notice.
>>
>>First is a yearly ELHS dues increase to $35.00. Maybe I missed something
>>obvious along the way and I'm the last to hear about it. Was this not
>>announced anywhere else besides being buried in the small type of the 
>>masthead
>>of the latest Extra Board?
>>
>>Second is the appointment of Bruce Field to the ELHS board. This is noted in
>>the masthead of both the Diamond and Extra Board. I hadn't heard any 
>>rumblings
>>about this either. I find that interesting, especially in light of our recent
>>discussions here.
>>
>>Nowhere else in the Diamond or EB did I see mention of these changes, it's
>>almost as if they were meant to be missed by the majority of subscribers.
>>
>>I have to say that I am very disapoointed that Jay Held wasn't given this
>>board position. In my eyes, Jay is the unsung hero of the ELHS and has been
>>the single individual most deserving of a board position for the past several
>>years. Jay has been tirelessly hawking our wares so that the bank account
>>keeps pace with our rising costs. He's the go-to guy for our non-dues 
>>related
>>revenue. He's the epitome of how volunteering for the society and being
>>involved in the day to day operations for an extended period of time will not
>>necessarily lead to lead to admittance into the inner circle. That is exactly
>>why the society NEEDS some democracy and members and not plutocracy and
>>subscribers.
>>
>>That's my two cents. Color me a malcontent I guess. :(
>>
>>Henry

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