For those of you who are AMYA members (or are considering joining) just a reminder the AMYA elections of Board members and some Regional Directors will be coming up this fall. For the first time in quite a while, there are challengers to some of the positions up for election, so be sure and read/review and make a selection of your candidates who will lead AMYA for the next two years.
As an AMYA member, you have the voting ability to set direction and course of AMYA and your vote is needed. Please don’t pass over the ballot when it appears in Model Yachting magazine. I have heard rumors that of 3,000 members, voting turnout is often around 11% - which means a minority of members actually set the direction of the association.
Please exercise your right to vote.
Are we able to endorse candidates on this website or should we refrain from political postings?
No answer - so I would say go ahead and we’ll let Chad remove any that get too personal.
WindPower site http://www.rcsailtalk.com/ is promoting a semi-official AMYA forum support and things are getting kind of childish ( to say the least) with a regional director dropped from AMYA for being LESS than 30 days late with membership renewal and charges of vindictive actions by current administration, complaints about the (potential) new administration’s (possible) directions , etc.
All the makings of a great soap opera - but at the expense of AMYA’s reputation in general, and some people’s “people skills” in particular.
I was trying to stay neutral until election, but have been swayed a great deal by the latest fiasco and know where my vote now lies.
If you are an AMYA member, I strongly urge you to become involved, learn the candidates “platform” and vote. This election WILL have the ability to change the face of AMYA management!
As with the Windpower site, I would suggest/request if you are going to post here, you include your “real name” and AMYA number - since there will be some heated response, I’m sure.
For non-members - while we can’t block your posts, please consider this is an AMYA member election and at least feel free to post suggestions of where you would like to see AMYA go in the future - and also, include your full name should there be questions or if someone later wants to get in touch for clarification of your post.
Dick Lemke
AMYA 11530
I’m going to interpret the silence exactly the opposite. No one seems to want to read political postings. I’m not going to be the one starting it here.
That’s fine - and your choice.
Windpower is obviously alive and posts there are often difficult to determine if valid, or if posted to generate any kind of response.
Certainly anyone can post their feelings and post who they wish to support. I’m not sure if it will sway anyone (but heck, Hollywood actors seem to do it all the time) as most people feel they already know who they will support.
If truly interested in the future of AMYA however, members really need to read all of the Windpower posts since both sides actually make some valid points - and both side seem to skip the difficult questions.
I am suggesting members exercise their rights to vote as member - and educate themselves over the topics and issues that have become real hot buttons.
:rolleyes: 
Yep, voting and taking an active part is the way to go.
Dick, do you know if Maxson or Buzek have a history of posts anywhere? I have a pretty good feel for the West ticket via their posts on the EC12 site (http://www.ec12.org/)but I’m lacking comparative material for the incumbents. I thought I had made my choice but current events have me reevaluating. Posts from before the “big blowup” would be nice.
I have never seen a post by Chuck Buzek, although a recent post seems to suggest Mr. Buzek “leans” toward getting his way at all costs and manipulates some people - or tries.
Peter - before he went AWOL - corresponded with me a lot by email. He may have posted once or twice when prompted, but I can’t recall too many posts. During our initial correspondence I had suggested that AMYA offer an electronic version of Model Yachting - figuring if kids can pay to watch movies, surely some of us might pay to get our information faster with an AMYA web presence. I also (believe) I am the sole person on the Model Yachting publication staff that openly supports having a website for “current” news - not 6-8 month old stuff. Currently that is not a popular view, and criticism of public posts with my opinions arrive daily - even though as an AMYA member I feel entitled to ask questions, seek minutes of meetings, agenda topics, and voting results. Not so with the current administration.
I don’t want to bring too much stuff here to this Board, but have made my personal views known on Windpower. Here and on other forums I just want to promote the AMYA - regardless of it’s current issues and problems.
Dick
The ballot issue of MY is now in the mail and I would urge members to vote for the folks they feel will do the best job for them. The ballot is on the back of the address page which is normally thrown away so BE CAREFUL not to toss the address page (single page inside the plastic bag with the magazine). This is the only ballot you will get. Be sure to read it carefully and fill it out correctly and of course get it back in the mail!
Your vote could mean the difference so don’t waste the opportunity!