Just recieved this via email! I was unaware of this and we, members of NAFA, need to do something about it. We need to take back "our" club! Stuff like this is needs to stop happening!
If you think this information is as important as I do, please forward
this e-mail to every falconer you know.
Briefly, here is what happened. A NAFA member—me—submitted a petition
signed by well over 5% of the membership in accordance with the bylaws
that the membership secretary—a former president of the club—deemed
“verified.” Then after months of delay I received a letter from a
lawyer and a copy of a lengthy legal memorandum from (expensive) local
Colorado counsel. (Keep in mind that up to that point I had not
consulted a lawyer.) Now, more months later, the NAFA board has
expressly declined to act on the petition despite the fact that a means
for doing so that fully complies with the bylaws has been demonstrated
to them.
We have started a Yahoo! Group, for you to provide whatever feedback you
would like (link at above site).
I want to be very clear: this matter is no longer about the subject of
the original petition, it is about whether:
- The views of the membership matter. - A small group of people gets to
decide what NAFA is and what it stands for. - NAFA's "Constitution and
Bylaws" should just be called "Suggestions and Ideas."
If you think the way this matter has been handled is objectionable, I
encourage you speak out.
After reading the documents in the web link assembled by 27-year NAFA
member, Matthew Gould, my attorney, I believe you will see the irony in
these same people sending you a ballot asking you to amend NAFA's bylaws
to make it more difficult for you the member to take a matter directly
to the membership by petition. (It is my understanding that the
Beebe/Webster petition was the first ever in NAFA's history.)
If you want to hear debate about the merits of the original matter of
Beebe/Webster's qualifications to be made honorary members, then please
complain to the NAFA Board for not allowing you to exercise your right
as an adult to reach your own conclusions and vote on the matter. But
do not let them trick you into thinking that is what this is about now.
If it were, we could have had that debate and voted on the issue over a
year ago!
This whole episode has been about one thing and that is POWER. Who
controls NAFA, a small group of insiders, or we the MEMBERS? The
decision will be up to you. If you believe the members should have a
say in how NAFA is run and what NAFA does, then spread the word and let
the current regime know where you stand!
All the best,
Mike Dupuy
phone: 570.837.1551
As a member of the falconry community we thought you would be interested in this issue. If you would not like to be contacted regarding these issues, please unsubscribe from the list. Please feel free to forward this e-mail to others in the community
Beebe and Webster - NAFA, when?
