RVC Thoughts
Spring, 2009
Let me begin by giving a heartfelt Great Lakes and
Ohio Valley
welcome to our next RVC, Betsy Mark.
Betsy is a member of
the Southeast Michigan group
and begins her term on July 1st.
Please give Betsy
all the support and encouragement you’ve
given me
over the last three years. Being your RVC is a memory
I will fondly look back on in the years to come and I
genuinely
thank each of you for this opportunity.
There is a little RVC business which I must state before
I move
on to the AMC Meeting highlights. The Local
Group Annual
Financial Report is due to the National
Office by April 30th.
If any of you local group treasurers
need assistance with this,
please do not hesitate to
contact the National Office. Please
be considerate
and make the deadline because National needs
the
information to prepare their financial reports.
The AMC meeting in Indianapolis was very positive.
While the
agenda was sparse and with the exception
of voting on the
budget no item was particularly critical,
it was nonetheless
one of the more productive meetings. A strategic planning
lesson was incorporated into the
meeting and this gives hope
for the conduct of future
meetings. While the best method
of accomplishing this
strategic facet is still up for grabs – a
hired outside
contractor versus internal resources – it is a topic
needing continuing emphasis to optimize the
effectiveness
of your board of directors.
Let me quickly review and comment where necessary
on the
agenda items. As I’ve said all along in my columns,
my
comments are my opinions based on my perspective.
1. A Strategic Plan was approved. After years of operating
without any formal game plan, this is a great step forward.
Please keep in mind that this is a dynamic document and
will change in goals and wording as the situation warrants.
2. The budget was approved. As Mensa goes, it was a very
good budget – maybe even excellent. I was the lone vote
against it because I firmly believe we need a zero growth
budget on the expenditure side. It came close, but didn’t
make it. Maybe in future years one will be produced.
3. Housekeeping motions were passed pertaining to the
model bylaws and awards committee. Ideally these would
have been placed in the consent agenda.
4. A motion to grant local groups the authority to temporarily
bar troublesome members from local activities was postponed
until the July meeting. There was no dissent about the merits
of this motion, just the wording. It wasn’t specific as to why a
member could be barred. Hopefully this will be rewritten well
enough to add to the consent agenda. The idea behind it is solid
and enjoys general support. We all have probably experienced
or seen others victimized by epic boors who degrade the Mensa
experience. This motion was intended to address the problem
at the lowest possible level – the local group.
As I stated earlier, not an earth-shattering agenda. Believe me
when I say that better days are ahead for Mensa governance.
More thought will be given to the future and the focus shifted
towards far-reaching goals. How quickly this happens depends
on the personalities serving on the AMC. It will happen though.
Once again, thank you all for making our Mensa community what
it is.
Dave Swanka
|
American Mensa - Region 3