Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 10:25:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Nelson <nelson_mr at yahoo.com>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Beyond a Great Con...
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

--- Ted White <twhite8 at cox.net> wrote:
>
> It was more than a joke getting out of hand.  The joke simply
> revealed
> the tip of a large iceberg.  And that iceberg is the behavior and
> attitude of one person -- WSFA's loose cannon.  Either this attitude
> and
> behavior is curbed (which seems unlikely) or WSFA needs a new
> Virginia
> meeting place.  She cannot be allowed to dictate, on her own personal
>
> whims, who is and who is not welcome at WSFA.

I apologize for not including your own involvement in
the current mess, Ted.  I did not mean to trivialize it.
I was trying to disarm one ticking bomb at a time.

Article II, paragraph 2 of the WSFA bylaws states:

ARTICLE II

Membership and Dues

  2.  Members in good standing shall have the right to attend and
participate in all meetings of the membership, hold office and vote.

and

C.  Revocation of Membership

  1.  A petition to revoke any membership may be presented in writing
at any regular meeting.

  2.  It must state the grounds and be signed by at least fifteen (15)
members and be communicated to the member concerned at least ten (10)
days before the presentation of the petition for action.

If someone agrees to host WSFA meetings at their home,
they should be aware that these meetings must be open
to all WSFA members.  If the current personal conflicts
cannot to be resolved privately, perhaps we do need to
find a new First Friday meeting space.  I don't know
what else to do.  WSFA meetings must be open to all
members.

On the other hand, what are the rights of the hosts?
Requesting that young children be supervised during
meetings lost us two long-time members.  But I did
support the request since I'm the parent of three kids
and I disapprove of parents who let their kids run wild
at meetings and conventions.  But ignoring the WSFA
bylaws and banning members because of personal dislikes
is overstepping the role of WSFA meeting host.

I don't understand the whole mess... I mean, Joe "Mr.
Charm" Mayhew was tolerated for years!  [That was a joke.]

Michael

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