Bob, many stand with you. Honor and a good name are of great value. You have displayed that you have both on this public form. “ You got to stand for somethin’ or you’ll fall for anything. You got to be your own man not a puppet on a string. Never compromise what’s right, and uphold your family name. You got to stand for somethin’ or you’ll fall for anything. “ Keeping it real, N9WFT
Personally I think the ARRL is beneficial to Amateur Radio although I am no longer a member. However, also personally, I can't justify the annual membership fee which recently increased. As with others here I can see the benefit of belonging to QRZ and use it daily.
'The LANGUAGE and implications of 'conduct' decision and control are, according to Bob, (K3RF) problematic... indifferent to the legitimate interest of League members. The IRS Form 990 only tells part of the story. Transparency is lacking.' 2022 IRS Form 990 Assets beginning 2022 --- $43,746,662 Assets ending 2022 ---$38,543,887 QST circulation approx. --- 143,667 Expenses --- $2,263,360 Revenue --- $1,359,616 CEO Salary W2 ---- $258,831 and other compensation $46,981 DS LAW, PPLC -- $150,000 --- Note: Lobbying is limited by IRS regulations for a 501(c)(3), but not for individuals. "In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). A 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status." See also 26 CFR 564911-2 & -5. Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. 2021 --- $3,004,780. 2022 --- $1,975,225. The proposed oath of obedience and loyalty to the corporation (pdf) Duty of Care – Directors must take care of the corporation by ensuring prudent and effective use of all assets, including facility, people, and goodwill. [National Council of Nonprofits] • Duty of Loyalty – Directors must ensure that corporation activities are advancing its mission. They must recognize and disclose conflicts of interest. Directors must make decisions that are in the best interest of the corporation and not in the best interest of a board member or any other individual or entity. [National Council of Nonprofits] • Duty of Obedience – Directors must ensure that the corporation obeys applicable laws and regulations, follows its own governing documents (such as By-Laws, Articles of Association, and Standing Orders), and that it adheres to its state corporate purposes and mission. [National Council of Nonprofits] • Duty of Confidentiality -- Directors have a fiduciary duty to maintain confidentiality to ensure candid deliberations and effective strategic and tactical planning [Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance] Sadly, Harvard's not what is used to be...
No Organization is perfect. That being said, the ARRL has represented Amateurs for over 100 years. Whether you approve or disapprove is your opinion. Let's just imagine a scenario where the ARRL goes BANKRUPT. No more ARRL!! Where would that place us as Amateurs? How would we benefit, or how would we suffer from that event? Would you laugh and be happy, or utter a quick "oh Hell"? Just let that sink in. I appreciate the ARRL for what it does and has done to support our Hobby, and wish it Great success in the New Year 2024!
I have alternate hobbies in case ham radio ceases to exist. If there is no longer anything to cook, well, that is pretty much the end.
The ARRL's task is really quite simple: 1) find money (that is, receptive donors); 2) recruit new members. The Freemasons pulled it off (20 years ago); surely others can too. The board doesn't need to speak in one voice; it needs to execute in one voice. Infighting and collectivism at the board level solves nothing.
I think you missed a key point with the 'Code of Conduct ' issue. The fiduciary responsibilities as duties --so listed--are standard practice boilerplate language to maintain non profit status with the USG. It is ASSUMED ARRL uses these. But there is more to it: What constitutes 'disloyalty', and who and how it is decided. THAT is the issue that befuddles the board's impending meeting. 73 Chip W1YW
Chances are good they will appreciate your well wishes. What's different this time, compared with their previous success that has sustained them for 100 years, is the financial trouble they find themselves in. All the well-wishes in the world will do little to correct boneheaded decisions by management, which in turn have undercut the support of constituents. As paid membership continues to decline, the rate of loss would accelerate without the kind of reform envisioned by critics who also, like yourself, wish continued success for the ARRL.
I don't get this ' needs reforms' stuff. The enterprise governance STRUCTURE is not the issue. The issue is MEMBERS and MONEY. Keep that mantra. You can have dysfunction in ANY governance structure. The board as a whole, and the CEO in particular, have to have a a viable plan to address MEMBERS and MONEY. That plan must have measurable milestones . Failure to meet them will, IMO, be the CEO's failure and immediate cause for termination. I don't know what the CEO's full package is, but if 2023 does not show some recovery from 2022, then that package must be either reduced or put off. Now. In 2024. Again, MHO. ARRL is being ripped by the older demographics--where the legacy money comes from-- and the younger demographic--with its absence in ARRL membership. Fix. Focus. Execute.
Lol -- As a long-term member of a Board with a budget of $5,300,469,444 for FY 2024, I understand all of the implications and key points Chip, but thanks for highlighting the issue again. Some of the key issues are here: https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/the-code-of-conduct-is-back.895082/ in the ARRL membership and governance forum, where this should be, instead of the News section.
My point is that adoption of that boilerplate for fiduciary duties is a standard of practice for many,many non profits.. It would be fatuous to fight about it on the Zed.
Yep, agreed. Recognized it when I read it. Of course, it's easy to recognize when [National Council of Nonprofits] is placed after the boilerplate in the document. Anything else?
Yes. Don't assume other readers as as educated on such matters. The Fiduciary Duties statement is obscure, unless you are a member of a non profit board and UNDERSTAND its wording is a SOP. There likely are some readers here seething about ANY loyalty statement associated with the ARRL board...that is unjustified focus IMO. Thanks.
This afternoon I noticed an update on the Harvard University president, and it started me on a comparison with the recent issues as it surrounds the ARRL. While the specific issues may vary, the overall tone of dissatisfaction among many students and alumni seems to have some interesting parallels. This is not intended as a political post as it relates to Harvard but is intended to show the results of actions taken by an organization that bring about distrust and apprehension on the part of the membership or in the case of Harvard a significant number of students and alumni. It also points out the need to reach out to those with varying opinions before implementing change. If you are interested and have not heard, the Harvard president resigned this afternoon.
