Tonight I attend
A private meeting of my club.
The president/treasurer of my club seems to be trying to operate the club as his own private business, and I’m not interested in beaing a party to this.
The meeting tonight is to expel a member that has “Gone rogue” as they say, but IMO, is just asking the same questions we all should ask.
If the meeting is open and operated as a hearing, I may stick around. If it is closed and operated like a kangaroo court, and I am excluded, I will leave my membership badge at the door and tell them they’re on their own. To operate a non profit like a business and disallow memberhship input seems dangerous, and the biggest problem, as I see it, is the current regime has the ear of the police.
So by tomorrow I may have no place to go and shoot. Which bums me out.
I feel for you, big guy. Some years ago, my club had a Discipline Director ho “went rogue”, and they booted him. The booted guy had an ego to go with his Discipline, which was Fifty Cal.
He sued the Club. Club had $250K in the bank, but had a wuss of an attorney, who, even after 3 back-to-back won lawsuits for the club, wouldn’t counter-sue the guy. The legal bills ate right through the treasury, and then there were several $100/member levies, then the booted jerk sicced the EPA on the club for excessive lead in the shotgun range lawn (possibly) leaching into a nearby salmon-bearing river.That closed shotgunning for over two years while the testing was hassled over administratively.
I was a vocal advocate for agressive legal action, but no one listened. I left, along with about 10% of the membership.
The club seems to get along without me, but the fact is, I don’t shoot as much as I used to, now having to drive 1.5 hours to my new range instead of 25 minutes.
Those are all very parallel to the situation I face, and I’m not happy about it at all.
I can’t imagine running an NFP like that. I’m secretary or secretary-treasurer of six of them at last count (not gun clubs…you know) and I would never act in such a high-handed and assholish way toward the membership. It’s “our” club, not “my” club.
For their part, the membership may or may not piss me off on a regular basis, but that’s another story :)
Hey Og,have you checked out the Izaak Walton up there? I was going to check it out right before moving down here. I don’t know what their range is like, but was going to check it out. If my lousy memory serves,it is in Griffith. Wouldn’t be too far of a drive and they offer other things as well. Take care and good luck.
For years our club was stagnant and a lot of the money went to the shotgun side.
A couple of us rifle/pistol shooters got on the board and leveled it out a bit.
The ranges are in top shape and the buildings are all cleaned up.
Membership is 1100+ and the local LEO departments pay us nicely for scheduled usage.
The 11 member board is balanced and no one has power over the rest.