[Date Prev][Date Next] [Chronological] [Thread] [Top]

RE: (erielack) ELHS Board

List,

I am amazed at how some people seem to think so negatively of the BOD's
decision making process.  There is no personal gain for them by placing the
archive in one location over another.  They are not profiting from it.  In
fact, all they have probably gained are headaches.  No one is expected to
agree with them on 100% of the issues 100% of the time.  I doubt that
happens among themselves.  But please have a little gratitude for the work
that they do for the society.  They are doing this after they work a full
time job.  After family or other personal events.  Making long distance
calls on their own dime.  Traveling, faxing, emailing, whatever... It's all
volunteer work, there is no pay check.  Just the satisfaction of believing
they did something right or acted on something they are passionate about.
It is the right of every member to express their dissatisfaction with the
board or how things are going.  I am doing the opposite right now, although
I am expressing satisfaction.  Some of you have jumped on others for
expressing the same thing as trying to gain favor with the board.  To you I
say this - I try to please my family and friends, do right by them.  That's
about it.  I am not trying to get the secret ELHS ring or anything of the
sort.  I could be wrong on this, but I believe a majority of the board lives
outside the state of Ohio.  Don't you think that locating the archive in
Ohio somewhere means that one of those choices was the best choice?  I am
just amazed at the emails supporting Steamtown simply because it is in
Lackawanna territory or some other vague and unfounded reason.  It's as if
people believe the BOD is out to get them or sabotage their interests.
Don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to Steamtown.  Nor am I in favor of it.
I don't know enough about it to say that the archive shouldn't be there,
though it seems a lot of members know enough about Akron U, Youngstown State
and Cleveland State to say that the archive should not be in any of those
institutions.  However, unlike some members, I believe the board will act
accordingly and make an informed choice.  It will be impossible to please
100% of the membership and I think the selection criteria put forth tries to
eliminate as much dissatisfaction as possible.

I see a lot of people bringing up the society's form of governance (again)
directly and indirectly, subtly and quite pointedly or sarcastically, in
these emails about the archive and the board.  Am I the only one that
recalls the ELHS member survey?  It almost seems like a case of poor
sportsmanship for those that were in the minority when a majority of people
responded that they were satisfied with the form and performance of the ELHS
board.  I also see that a number of people are dumbfounded that the board
will not address things on this message board or they are not satisfied with
what has been in the Extra Board or the message posted a couple nights ago.
It's pretty simple to me - this is not an ELHS board.  It's sponsored by the
ELH&TS.  Says so right at the bottom of every email.  And from what I
understand, the ELH&TS has their own message board wherein they discuss
things and most likely conduct their business.  I am not a member and if I
am wrong on this, someone please correct me.  I also do not see the ELDCPS
group discussing their business on here.  Why?  Because it is their
business.  This is an open forum for anyone, members of all three EL related
societies or not, sponsored by the ELH&TS and affiliated with no one group
in particular.  The Extra Board reaches all members of the ELHS, this list
does not.  I ask again, is that not good enough?  Should there be a
phone/fax/email tree set up so that after every discussion and decision the
board makes, it can be disseminated throughout the membership?  And a call
was put out for volunteers to moderate the Yahoo ELHS announcement list to
make a more tenable place to discuss ELHS news, issues and ELHS specific
information.  Maybe some of those that are upset can volunteer their time to
moderate that list.

I suppose I will share my experience with the archive - I have stated my
opinion to several board members on my experiences with one of the potential
sites and with the present home of the archive.  In doing so, I did not
claim that my experiences alone are or should be the reason why the archive
should be housed in one place over another.  These experiences were solely
mine and I simply passed that on.  The board members I wrote to replied in
kind, stating their thanks for my opinion and that was that.  What else
should I have expected?  Complete and total agreement?

Steve






	The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
	Sponsored by the ELH&TS
	http://www.elhts.org
	To Unsubscribe: http://lists.elhts.org/erielackunsub.html

------------------------------