I too would like to add my thoughts on the subject, as a past club officer, after reading Janice's post.

Whatever the outcome of this vote, the original problem will remain which has led us to this dilema we are now facing. It's a matter of policing.

Prior to the current board over-ruling what had been in effect for many years, the past officers of the national club had become aware of several chapters doing their own thing with respect to enforcing the requirement that all individuals belonging to chapters had to hold membership in CCGTCC. Some Chapters enforced the rule vigorously, such as Las Vegas Chapter and Silver Strikers. While other chapters found some low-key, discreet, innovative methods to get around the requirement such as Florida, other Chapters came out with an "In Your Face... We Ain't Going To Comply" attitude. The club officers were faced with the situation of either enforcing the requirement spelled out, or stripping Chapters of their affiliation with the National.... as was done with the Colorado Chapter.

The newly elected (current) Board was advised upon taking over the reigns of this club that this controversial issue had to be addressed. It was the most important issue that remained unresolved at the time the old board left office and it was recommended to the new incoming officers that they had to address this issue as a top priority. Either the membership requirement had to be enforced .... or done away with.

As most of you know, the current board voted unilaterally, without taking this issue to the membership (which they had the right to do) and rescinded (reversed) the old mandatory membership requirement language. Those are the undisputed facts.

Several club members resented the action taken by the present Board and have made new proposals that would prevent future Boards from taking similar such action. That is what the current vote is all about. However, should Marv Weaver's proposal be passed .... the simple fact remains that the problem of enforcement (or policing) still remains. How does the incoming Board deal with that, without causing major disruption to the organization? My read is that trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together again will be very difficult... but possible. Had the original C & BL not been tampered with, everyone who joined a Chapter would have known up front that they also had to join the National. Now that there are mixed club members and non-club members in most all of the Chapters, mandatory membership becomes even more difficult to enforce.

Hope I've not taken up too much of everyone's time... but with the amount of new members coming into the organization, I felt that now was the time to offer some background information on how we got to where we are for those who were not around just a couple of short years ago.

My own personal opinion is that every individual belonging to a chapter should be a CCGTCC member.... a view I've not always held. But I have no intention of withdrawing my support for CCGTCC should the amendment proposal be defeated. Conversely, I think that those who have stated they will withdraw their chapters from CCGTCC if the amendment passes, will bring even greater harm to this hobby. We must learn to work together, within the system, and right the wrongs (perceived or imagined) for the good of the majority. No resolution is going to please everyone. We simply can't throw the baby out with the dirty bath water.