Nowhere in the PRA by-laws was there any mention that the PRA chapters nor it's members had any vote or say WRT the PRA Board's financial (or otherwise) decisions, such as the airport purchase.
It's just like our elected representatives in government. They are chosen by the vote of the people to make the decisions on our behalf.
Years ago, some brought up the example that when people are EAA (or any other aviation group, such as USULA members), they don't a right to vote on how the EAA or any other aviation organizations spends it's funds.
They are members of the EAA, not sitting in on all financial decisions the leaders make. They belong to the group of like-minded people. They usually have a magazine, newsletter or a website to help members to stay in touch & be informed.
The PRA had a very unusual situation where a small country airport came up for sale @ a very fair price. It's purchase solved many issues the PRA had WRT holding conventions @ other locations, such as:
1. Logistics of sufficient PRA member volunteers (to organize, set-up & tear down).
2. Liability insurance. All those attorneys need their "Vig".
(I have a SIL who is a corporate atty., so I can joke here)
3. Last-minute cancellations by various airports.
4. Confusion as to which airport will it be @ this year, vs. last year's?
5. Airport facilities adequate for a large group of people camping out for 3-4 days. Electrical, plumbing, restrooms, etc.
6. PRA members dissatisfied w/ the convention being held too far away from their home state. "Last year, it was close to me, why is it being held further away from me this year?"
I wasn't involved or attended the PRA Conventions previous to the Mentone ones. But I heard plenty about how the PRA had some conventions around the midwest. such as in OK(?), OH, IN, TX, IL.
There was apparently a couple different ones that the airport authority cancelled the convention just a few weeks prior to the scheduled event!
That left the PRA Board scrambling to locate another willing airport on extremely short notice.
All are planning on attending in a certain location, only to be told a few weeks or even days b/4 the planned event that it had just relocated elsewhere? Huh? Grumble, grumble...
One reasons that I read about in ROTORCRAFT magazine later were those airport authorities becoming alarmed when talking w/ their lawyers about how all the rotor blades & propellers would be spinning around. "OMG! A disaster for liability! Who were the idiots who told the PRA they could hold their convention here?!?! Off with their heads!"
Another reason in that same vein for airport refusals were demands of ultra-high liability insurance premiums. The airports were OK w/ holding the conventions as long as insurance companies would cover all costs in case of accidents.
The PRA Board realized those super-high liability premiums was out of reach of the PRA's budget. The PRA does have liability insurance in place for the Mentone facility. That isn't free.
The PRA TX convention was apparently led by Butterfly gyroplane kit manufacturer Larry Neal, who used a large amount of PRA funds to install airport infrastructure, such as water lines (buried) & electrical lines permanently installed. All those improvements were to become airport property after their installation.
Those improvements were part of the deal struck w/ whichever airport (Waxahachie?) it was held @, as a condition of holding the convention there. It supposedly was the first PRA Convention that lost money...BIG-TIME, due to those required airport improvements.
The PRA Board members work very hard to bring value to PRA members. They explore revenue ideas to bolster the bottom line. They are first & foremost VOLUNTEERS! PRA members don't pay membership dues to reimburse those board members for all the time they spend giving to the PRA's benefit.
It has turned out that the Mentone airport was an extremely wise purchase. PRA Board members put their assets @ risk in order to facilitate the acquisition.
Something many may not know, is that during lean financial times for the PRA over the years, board members dug deep into their own pockets to keep the PRA afloat. I know of one particulat instance where each BM put $1K into the treasury, so the PRA wouldn't go belly up!
They were to be paid back over time from future monies coming into the PRA from conventions & member dues, for their sacrifice.
I seriously doubt the loud-mouth dissenters ever dug into their pockets to help the PRA's finances. Their energy was spent on creating chaos & being obnoxious. The volunteers, hard-workers all, quietly do the real work, while the lazy ones only have enough energy to exhibit their ill-tempers & show how loud they can voice their complaints.
I saw Glen Bundy & Jane's husband (JR) quietly working in the summer heat & humidity, emptying garbage cans & cleaning toilets.
I saw Gary & Sue Goldsberry working in the airport canteen grill, w/ sweat dripping off their noses, working hard to prepare food for the convention attendees. They were wealthy individuals. They could have sat relaxed in their motor home, enjoying the event, not having to do any work. Other volunteers quietly work just like them.
I didn't see the loud-mouths helping one iota.
I have heard stories of how some have yelled & screamed into Gary Goldsberry's & Doug Barker's faces. Appalling. Probably has happened to other PRA past presidents & board members. Possibly has happened to Christine Toevs, current PRA prez...
Volunteers don't volunteer for that disgusting treatment. I have the upmost respect for any PRA officers & board members, who have to love doing what they can to promote & run the PRA. Kuddos to the real, honest people we have willing to make the PRA better through their efforts!
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"A real MAN honors his contracts he enters into w/ his fellow man, no matter how painful or difficult it may be!"
