Ask The Candidates

I would like to see this thread get back on track. It would be nice if the people who know the candidates would ask them to participate here. Stan is the only one so far and I was already going to vote for him because he is my friend and I believe that he will do a good job.

I believe that this was ment to be questions for the candidates and not a place to advise them on how to fix it.

It won't work without the candidates being present adn answering the questions.

I appoligize for my part in getting it off track.

Thank you, Vance
 
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Vance said:
I would like to see this thread get back on track.

It won't work without the candidates being present adn answering the questions.


Thank you, Vance

Vance...I made a similar comment back in Post#12.

Do the candidates not want to expose themselves?!

You want us to vote for you; c'mon...get on board here, we won't bite.:D


Cheers :)
 
Harry, that makes me feel better. I am always concerned that I am alone in my insanity. It is nice to know that I have good company.

Thank you, Vance
 
BoD candidates

BoD candidates

I finally got a chance to look at my new PRA magazine. Man, have we got a list of candidates!

I remember when we had to ask people to be candidates, now look at the enthusiasm. I wish they could all be on the board.

I also wish a few moe of them would respond here. I would like to know their individual vision and plan for the PRA's future.
 
Ibu.

Ibu.

Vance...you know I just had a thought...Ouch.

I think I will cast a vote for the first candidate, (Stan is out...or already in) who surfaces here in this thread.

I don't know...if I were up for election to a position, I would jump at every reasonable opportunity, whereby I could present myself to the electorate.

Am I not thinking right?!

.
 
Okay, everyone, for the record I think Todd's starting this thread was a great idea. And I intend to participate. However, I just got back home from a tiring trip a few days back and have barely managed to catch up on the posts. We brought family home with us and just put them on a plane back to China where they have a 2 year project.

To bad this thread can't be highlighted and kept active during the time no posts are being made. I almost missed it. That is what happens when a person uses the 'New Posts' and 'Today's Posts' features.

I'll be baaaak!
 
Another candidate that already had my Vote.

Glad you are here Dean. Looking foward to you speaking up. I know that you have some strong opinions that come with your sense of history.

Thank you, Vance
 
Bravo

Bravo

Bout time you said something Bro.. haven't seen you in a while.. Lets open up a kega nails.. talk about thangs..
 
Dean;

Juvenile or otherwise,:D you have my vote. Welcome!!


Cheers :)
 
Ben, my friend:

Do you have a personal acquaintance with someone of like attributes as in your avatar??
If so, I envy you. If not...dream on like I do.


Cheers :)
 
I am not going to be actively campaigning for a board position. I feel what you have seen in me is who I am....and I wont be changing much.

I want the position because I think I have a different view on things....and what I dont understand I sure know a lot of smart experienced people to help steer me in the best direction for the PRA.

This is the best sport I have ever experienced. I cant contain my enthusiasm as I just want to keep exposing this sport to newbies. I receive quite often e-mails from people that really enjoy seeing our pictures that we post here.

If this could just get into magazines more often like KitPlanes...Flying..etc....we would get our numbers up.


We are at a turning point. We need some new blood and much more unity.

Stan
 
I'm baaaack!

As a candidate for the PRA BOD, I guess I've been put in the postion that I've put others in over the years. There were a few years that, as secretary of our chapter, I sent out questionaires to the candidates. Their responses. or non response, did have an impact on how chapter PRA members voted.

I hope the info I provide here finds a favorable response from the majority of PRA members and with a little luck may be non members will be inspired to join. I sincerely want to see the PRA regain the heights it once enjoyed and then climb a higher mountain. I want to be part of the team that makes that happen.

I'm going to make at least one more post that specifically answers Todd's initial question and then see if there are other questions or issues that I should address. It should go without saying (but I will!) that everyone should feel free to ask what my thoughts are on any issue. I'll try to answer the best I can.
 
StanFoster said:
I am not going to be actively campaigning for a board position. I feel what you have seen in me is who I am....and I wont be changing much.

..........We are at a turning point. We need some new blood and much more unity.

Stan
Stan, by posting your thoughts here you are campaigning whether you intend to or not! And all the candidates should be campaigning. Not in the political sense but as a means of presenting the voters our views of the issues and what we see a solutions.

We all have views but I'm not sure we all have viable solutions. And that is okay. One reason any BOD is made up of several people is so there is a greater chance for a number of problem solutions. There is usually more than one way to get there from here and having more than one choice is always good.

Your statement about 'new blood' is valid. I believe any organization stagnates and runs out of energy and in its place acquires a ton of inertia if the same people retain control for too long a time.

But unity?!! You have to remember who your audience is!:D

In my mind, what little I have left, the strength of the PRA is also its most identifiable weakness. It has been my observation that rotorcraft enthusiasts, and gyro people in particular, are individualist to a fault. In general they are not sheep, although Kenny J. would take issue with that statement, and in fact have to fight the tendency to follow their own course of action. Fortunately the majority do understand that a unified group is beneficial to all. I agree that more unity (this needs to be defined in the context of the PRA) is always valuable.

Oh yeah, you got my vote!
 
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This thread had a good thought behind it, but it's a little like a TV debate for political candidates in which the entire audience is talking at the same time.

Is there a way to limit participation on the thread to actual candidates, and let the rest of us ask questions in PM or e-mail, for the candidates to answer here?
 
ToddP said:
…..What do any of our candidates see as the biggest challenge facing the PRA in the next 5 years. What is your solution for solving this challenge?
I don’t think there is any question that finances and financial stability is the number one challenge. And I don’t think we have 5 years to accomplish that task. Without money the organization can not provide what all of us would like. I’m not going to list what we would ‘all’ like because the list is quite long and everyone has their own list they want satisfied.

Solution? I believe solutions are being implemented and that the present BOD has finally recognized that we have a crisis on our hands. I say finally because this isn’t new news. And consequently during Bensen Days they started taking steps to live within our means. That was the first step that had to be taken. It is painful for all of us but it had to be done. It could have been a lot worse if the seven or eight individuals hadn’t stepped up and supplied interest free loans. The fact that the airport is almost paid for helps out.

When I went to Bensen Days I presented a BOD member with a list of items that I thought should be dealt with in order to stabilize the PRA and start it back on a path of growth and financial stability. It doesn’t take a deep thinker to identify problem areas so I’m not kidding myself into thinking I was the only one that had made up this list. And for every problem identified there are probably several solutions. My list wasn’t prioritized but the one item I placed at the top is the PRA web site.

The PRA web site and the internet, in my view, are the most important tools we have. The web site has the potential to serve as the core for any action that might be considered. In talking about finances the ability to renew membership, or join, thru the web site has been lost and is thought to be a factor in the declining membership.

I believe the Site has the potential to not only be a money generator but also a money saver. But in order for it to reach its full potential it must be maintained, modified and expanded as needed. We have been doing this with capable volunteers but volunteers have a ‘life’ outside the PRA to manage so guess what suffers when ‘life’ calls. If you agree with that statement then I would hope that you also agree that we need to pay to keep the web site well maintained and functional as soon as we are financially able.

Where do we get the money? Well, membership dues are our main source of income.

We need to identify and publicize the reasons for people to join the PRA and give members reason to maintain their membership and eliminate any reason to drop it. People don’t do anything, good or bad, without a reason.

Those of us that belong, and especially those of us that have belonged a long time, would think that this would be easy. But if it is then why isn’t the membership growing and why such a terrible retention rate? Sorry, I don’t have a complete answer but I suspect that collectively we do. Finding and implementing the answer(s) would probably be the 2nd item on my prioritized list.

When I mentioned collectively above I mean you and me. When a member of the BOD told me what had taken place at the Bensen Days BOD meeting, my immediate reaction was good show! But the next reaction and question was ‘What, and who, are you going to use as resources?'.

The BOD is made up of eleven members and there is no way they can implement all that we would like done. So, PRA members, if you want this organization to prosper that means you and/or your Chapter are going to have to help out. The BOD is there to coordinate your ideas/desires and manage the overall process but it is going to require all of us pitching in if we want to initiate and carry out project timelines. It is my belief that the real energy of this orgainization resides in the membership and the BOD should be charged with finding ways to utililize it.

I hope I didn’t put any of you to sleep! I have other comments I could make but will wait to see the result of this posting.
 
"I believe any organization stagnates and runs out of energy and in its place acquires a ton of inertia if the same people retain control for too long a time."

Very astute observation, Dean.
 
Dean: When I sent my ballot in...I checked your name. You would be a good board member.


Stan
 
Candidates !

I believe there is one area that we could change that would have a tremendous influence on our future growth. It is our attitude towards and willingness to work closer with, the EAA. I believe we should become more closely aligned with this Great Organization. (that shares our love of aviation and that has a proven success rate and is growing every year)

It seems that because we are so fiercely independent and unwilling to loose any control or direction of our organization we have separated ourselves to the point that we are left to totally fend for ourselves. (like a rebellious child that leaves home and struggles for years rather than subject them self to some direction from parents that they feel are cramping their style and not allowing them to be there own person) I suggest it is time for us to approach the EAA and find ways that we can work closer together and each support the other so that we can be a part of their growth and strength.

What do you think of this idea? I would really like to know!!!!

Gyro Doug
 
I truly think you have a GREAT idea.

IMHO, reciprocity could be, might be, difficult at the least. I've been an EAA Lifetime member for a loooong time and I have seen ...well I won't go there.

Your idea/suggestion has merit and I believe there are several intelligent, well mannered , well spoken, and a couple other "wellnesses" that I can't think of right now :angel: , that could guide this endeavor with the EAA organization.

How many PRA members are members of the EAA?


Cheers :)
 
Doug, you have bumped up a 2006 thread! And that is okay because it is that time of year again for the PRA. But I haven't seen where the candidates have been announced. If any one knows who they are then it would be nice to see the list.

As far as the issue you have raised, Doug, I believe this is a general membership issue and not just one for the BOD. Therefore if I were you I would post it again, but in the PRA forum.
 
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