ON-LINE EXCOM MEETING SET FOR SATURDAY, MAY 24TH

The California Council of Chapters (CAL-MOAA) will conduct its upcoming Executive Committee (EXCOM) meeting on-line with a May 24th date of record. This is the first time a virtual approach to the conduct of the Council’s business will be tried.

Any chapter president who would like to be included in the meeting, both for active participation or simply observation, should contact the Council’s president and make both interests and needs known. Simply send an e-mail to warren@cal-moaa.org.

Two options were suggested early-on. First, an EXCOM meeting could be scheduled for the afternoon of April 12th in Fresno following a morning California State Commanders Veterans Council (CSCVC) meeting. The second would be to try the on-line approach.

An on-line meeting seems feasible and realistic in terms of achievement. In part, avoiding an in-person gathering would save significant amounts of travel and time and avoid what could be significant costs, important in a fiscally difficult environment.

Should an on-line meeting not prove successful there will still be time to schedule and conduct a mid-summer meeting at Vandenberg AFB or other suitable location.

A survey of both voting and non-voting EXCOM members determined that most overwhelmingly favored an on-line meeting. A second by-laws mandated EXCOM meeting will be held in person/on site October 16, 2008.

This approach represents an opportunity for all interested persons to participate in the meeting and express their desires and concerns. At the same time, success will come only if members take the time and make the effort to participate fully, provide needed information in writing, and offer views, opinions, and positions well in advance of a vote.

In about the mid-April timeframe a draft agenda will be distributed with any additional items for consideration solicited. Anyone who wants to add items or recommend deletions can do so at that time.

The meeting will have two basic components, namely information-giving and decision-making. For example, it will be important and useful for the area directors to survey their chapters, determine chapter achievements and difficulties, and provide a short report to the EXCOM. It might be necessary to consider and cast a vote for modifications to the 2008 budget.

A briefiing sheet will be prepared and distributed for each item on the agenda, as appropriate. It will be restricted to a single page and include a statement of the issue, the facts in the case, a discussion with both pros and cons listed, and finally a recommendation. An effort will be made to represent all sides and not influence the decision in any way.

This approach has been taken recently on a couple issues, creation of an auxiliary liaison EXCOM position and whether to post contact information to the website, and has worked well.

Members will have a reasonable period of time to review the agenda item briefing sheet and submit comments. Once all comments are received they will be shared with all interested parties. Once everyone has an opportunity to study the issue, make their preferences known, and determine a favored course of action, a vote will be taken and recorded.

Decisions will be based on actions by the Council’s ten (10) voting members; however, non-voting member and chapter presidents positions on the issues will be of interest to and useful to
the decision-makers.

Once the agenda has been distributed, the briefing sheets provided, member comments received and shared with everyone, a vote taken on the issues, and information summaries sent out, the meeting will be concluded.

CDR JOHN Sammons, USPHS (RET), using the basic data, will prepare and make copies of the meeting minutes available.

Reactions to this planned on-line approach would be appreciated and will be added to this post as comments. Please send your ideas and recommendations to warren@cal-moaa.org.

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