It's a tough job Skip -- I have been "looking" at all the emails, (read very few) and as you said, it's the most action this forum has seen in a long time.
I belong to another organization and am an officer, it is a volunteer organization and you only get a few members to do anything. Nothing bothers me more that the -- "I have an idea how we can do this better" group. Then you say "great who wants to handle this" --- no takers. Everyone has an idea, very few will do the work. I am not a contributor to this organization but I send my dues in for support -- that's the best I can do and the best I want to do. Hang on Skip. ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 9:19 AM Subject: [ercoupe-flyin] EOC RESPONDS EOC REPLIES I just finished reading the 100th post regarding the EOC. I have not replied because I wanted to get everyone’s opinion before I answered. As with any thing it is very easy to criticize and very difficult to be a team player and work within an organizations framework to effect change. Those of you that are members of the EOC I have noted your remarks and they will be addressed. Those that are not members BUZZ OFF! You are like the fellows in the barber shop that are always criticizing the elected officials but when asked if they voted they reply no, so if you aren’t a member keep quiet! 1) One of the members asked what is the mission statement of the EOC? As stated in the corporate by laws, Purpose. The following is the purposes for which this organization has been organized: As an educational corporation to further and promote Ercoupe Aircraft through a mutual exchange of ideas. 2) EOC does not work with the FAA like the AOPA. How quickly we forget! Do you remember the wing inspection AD that was to require an expensive borascope to comply with. Well thanks to the work with Univair and the FAA regional office we were able to get it amended to borascope or much cheaper wing removal. And more recently when Univair issued the Mandatory Service Bulletin we were able to submit enough information from our members to keep this from becoming an AD. And the next time an issue with the airframe arises be sure that the EOC will take action. This not only helps members save money but NON MEMBERS ALSO! 3) Membership has received quite a lot of discussion so let me help you understand this also! All clubs, service organizations, religious organizations, ham radio, car clubs, the boy scouts and the EOC are suffering from a decline in membership. Also we have a declining membership base. When I founded the EOC there were about 3000 registered coupes. I do not know what the number is today but I would expect that it is less than 2000. The EAA has had a steady membership decline for the past several years (read the publishers statement required by law and printed in an issue during the year. Usually sandwiched in some out of the way location in the magazine). How many of you have asked another Coupe owner to join? A few years ago we got Mitch to send us a list of all registered Coupe owners in the US. We then mailed to them asking them to join and did not get enough new members to pay for printing and postage. One fellow said that he had never received an invitation to join…possibly if the FAA label said registration pending we did not try to mail to them. One time we printed some business cards that had a place for you to write your name and address on one side and on the back asking them to join EOC. I just threw the greatest majority of them away! 4) Several of you have commented on the Web Site so let me tell you what is going on there. Several months ago I became Mitche’s assistant on the web site. In fact I am posting the classifieds, calendar, newsletter and keeping up the members only list. I have added some things but it is a big job that I am resolving one step at the time. Last year we moved the web to a commercial web server from Tom Laird’s server. This was the time that Ed had to move his list. We now have more space than we will ever need and can continue to build the site and remove some of the old outdated material that is there. We have also made arrangements to have PayPal accept credit cards for new members and renewals. This should be up and running by mid February. You will notice that there is a last posted date on the home page so that you can be sure the site is up to date before logging on. We had thought about adding a forum to the web site but see no need for that as Ed has his site and I see no need for two. Someone asked about a link to the forum, I don’t think that is a valid suggestion as non-members run the forum, also the forum does not link to us. In most cases we link to those that link to us. Some said that they could not get on the member’s only site. I am sorry that you are having trouble but if you will contact me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] I will see that you are granted access. I even got two fellows on during Christmas. I will also add my address to the sign up page. 5) The newsletter seems to have gotten the lions share of criticism. The main problem with the newsletter is that YOU DO NOT SEND IN ANY MATERIAL! I am still trying to get a report on the 2007 Sun N Fun and Oshkosh fly ins still no info. Why don’t we take information from the forum and print it in the newsletter? Well folks in the first place that would be plagiarism and I will not do that! In the old days you sent in your questions and problems and if I couldn’t answer it we printed it in the newsletter and asked for answers. This worked very well but with the forum is a moot point when you can get a barrel full of answers to any question, some valid some not. Some months we have to wait until we can get some information or resort to going to old issues and reprinting some old hints and or tips. The lack of material has become of epidemic proportions! Almost nothing coming in, but members are wanting information, do you have an answer? I don’t I am not going to write the entire newsletter. I may occasionally write about something that catches my eye, like the door coupe. Want your plane to be published, then send it in with a photo and I guarantee we will print it. Maybe it is time that we stop publishing Coupe Capers and put it on the web page. Sure would save a bunch of money. Printing a more expensive newsletter would have little or no effect on membership. The content is what is wanted not an expensive slick color newsletter. I will say here that look for some color in future issues. 6) Dues were mentioned so I will address that also. At the EOC convention in Mason Michigan Regional Director Russ Jensen moved that we increase the dues with an eye to increasing costs. What a visionary! We have had several postage increases printing cost increases and we are still able to have money and be solvent! In fact we have a savings account and a legal defense fund which is in high yield CDs. We also have a healthy bank account. Ed told me many times that he would join again if we reduced the dues, Ed don’t think that will happen unless we go to an electronic newsletter which will exclude about 1/3 of our members. At this time I see no need to increase dues. Wonder how long before EAA and AOPA have an increase? Bet it won’t be long, as the new postal rates are really high. Also the new postal program has expedited delivery of the snail mail with Arizona getting theirs in 3 or 4 days! 7) This club was founded as a president, secretary and treasury club but after a few years it was decided that the fairest method was to have regions and regional directors to govern the club. This has proven to be a fair and equitable way to run the organization. If you do not like the way that things are going then sign up to be a regional director or wing leader then come to the national and make your wishes known, what could be fairer. 13 regional directors govern us not one man! I serve at the pleasure of the board and members I can be removed from office with a simple vote and will gladly step down! Just remember that there are always a few that have a hidden agenda that they want to promote, or someone or something that they want to bring down. Before you cast anymore stones stop and ask who started this and what it is all about! I must say that this is the most activity I have seen on this forum to date. If you are a member and have any comments or suggestions I will welcome them. Skip Carden Executive Director EOC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.
