myARRLvoice.org has weighed in on the proposed changes to the ARRL By-Laws and the “Code of Conduct. The entire review can be found on their website, but here are a few examples:
ARRL Articles of Association
Article 11. “Nothing herein contained shall preclude the Board of Directors from expelling a member upon good cause shown and after notice and an opportunity to be heard.”
myARRLvoice Position: Favoring the concept of fair play, we welcome, the introduction of concepts of “good cause shown” and “due process.” We note, however, that Article 11 does not articulate any avenue for an appeal, which would ordinarily be included in due process.
ARRL By-Laws
EC-2 reads: No person shall be eligible to serve, or to continue to serve as Director, President, Vice President Treasurer or Vice Director, unless they are at all times in full compliance with these . . . Rules and Regulations of the League relating to ethics, elections, conflicts of interest as determined in accordance with the Bylaws.
myARRLvoice Position: Favoring disclosure and due process, as well as the democratic use of the ballot, we OPPOSE the motion to change By-Law 2, and this motion (EC-4) unless the rules and regulations require good cause shown and due process. We fear this is a back-door method to prevent a candidate for Director or Vice Director from getting on the ballot, because, without good cause shown and due process, the candidate can be declared “undesirable.” And no one knows what undesirable means. Could it mean that a member has vigorously opposed a current ARRL policy? Though the proposal to adopt wording about undesirable members is not new wording, we call for REVIEW of this wording.
The worst thing about this motion is that it permits E&E to adopt the position that “In our opinion, at some time in your life (“at all times”) you’ve disparaged the ARRL (in our opinion, and you have no opportunity to disagree with us), and therefore you are ineligible to be a candidate for Director or Vice Director.”
EC-6 [By-Law 14. Makes Vice-Director attendance at Board meetings discretionary, i.e. , by invitation]
myARRLvoice Position: Favoring the role of Vice Directors, who have been scorned in the past by insiders for being troublemakers, we OPPOSE this motion. We support retaining the position of Vice-Director as meaningful, with attendance at all Board meetings.
EC-7: [By-Law 19. Lets Ethics &Elections Committee “find” a candidate ineligible. This is looser than the existing language.]
myARRLvoice Position: Favoring the democratic use of the ballot, this is a method to prevent a candidate for Director or Vice Director from getting on the ballot, without good cause shown and due process. We OPPOSE this motion. To avoid abuse, only objective, measurable criteria (age, years as a member, license, compliance with application process) should determine candidate eligibility. We trust the membership to vote wisely.
Lisenco Motions – N2YBB Hudson Division
myARRLvoice Position: Director Lisenco, N2YBB, has put forward seven motions. Each motion is so disruptive to governance, and so wrong, that we OPPOSE THEM ALL.
Carlson Motion – W9XA Central Division
Director Carlson, W9XA, proposes changes to the Board Policy on Director Governance (Code of Conduct). Notwithstanding those proposed changes, until and unless modified further, the Policy does the following:
* prohibits disclosing any other director’s vote unless voting details appear in the minutes or are otherwise made public (Standard 6 c.);
myARRLvoice Position: Favoring transparency, we do not understand why a Director’s vote should be a secret. We OPPOSE this standard.
* prohibits any director, officer or vice director from making any adverse statements concerning a past Board decision (Standard 7 b.);
myARRLvoice Position: Favoring public discussion of a past practices, we note that this prevents a Director or Vice Director from ever advocating in public for a change in a present Board position. We OPPOSE this standard.
* prohibits a board member from conducting independent investigations (Standard 9 e.).
myARRLvoice Position: Favoring the idea that reasonable independent inquiry should be essential to the role of an informed Director. We OPPOSE this standard.
The folks behind myARRLvoice.org have done a much more thorough analysis of these proposals than I have, and I would encourage you to read the entire page. The board meeting is only four days away. If you haven’t yet, contact your director and make your feelings known.
Frank Howell says
Lisenco is gearing up to run for the next ARRL Prez…and packing votes on the Board.
Dave New, N8SBE says
Did you see the latest from Roderik?
http://www.arrl.org/news/view/a-note-to-members-from-arrl-president-rick-roderick-k5ur