Maxie Wildes Resignation from the PRA Board Letter

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GyroRon

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Maxie has resigned as has been discussed here on the forum a few weeks ago. Last night he sent out this email stating his resignation and his reasons why. He wants his reasons of resignation to be known to all in the PRA. I have copied and now pasted his email here for all of you to read. Maxie does monitor this forum so if you have questions or comments, I am sure he will reply to them.

BTW... I am not taking any sides to this issue. I would just like to see some of his points addressed here by the other Board members. As always there is always two sides to every story. But Maxie does have some very valid points and Maxie is a very honest and respectable person that I trust fully.

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I have decided to send this resignation to other members of the PRA in addition to the President and the board. I have made this decision because of attempts to alter my statements in the past to change their meaning. This way hopefully enough people will know the truth and those who try to change it will no longer be successful.

After many years of being on the PRA board of directors, since 1997,I have decided that it is time for me to step down. I realize that this is more of a symbolic move on my part, as my term ends this year and there are no other meetings to be held before the elections. However I felt it is the right thing to do. With a resignation I get to express my reasons to the PRA President, the Board and other PRA members.

As a start let me say that I have seen many other Board members come and go. I have noticed that most of the ones that just refuse to run for the Board again are very disgusted with the way things are done and the way themselves or others are treated. Most of them you can identify by looking at their term. They tend to just go along with the majority and come up with a reason not to run again, instead of ruffling the feathers of those in power to control the PRA. Just walk away quietly if you will. Others stay a term or 2 and try to make a difference but then realize what they are up against and decide it is not worth the effort. Others just like saying they are on the PRA board of directors and are just happy to let the President and Sec. call the shots.

I must say I have never seen a group that is just happy to let the president and secretary overrule the will of the Board, as was in the case with Rotor Wing Sports. When the President overruled the board and quit sponsoring this show after the board elected to maintain its sponsorship. This was after the show went into debt to keep it going on our word to keep sponsoring it. Also the refusal to pay for the video tapes kept in the PRA office that were unaccounted for, and could only be believed to have been sold by the PRA office. A Board that is so willing to break their on by-laws at a whim. A board that wants no control over the assets of PRA. A board that stands quietly by as the president persuades them to make a risky change and then blames the change solely on the board when faced with opposition, as was the case with the editor position. A board that stands by and lets the only real contact we have left to the world, our web site, go to the lowest bidder and lose a great deal; of it's appeal to the membership and potential new members. A board that sits by and refuses to give a list of life members to the membership so they can know who is eligible to run for the Board for them to nominate and vote for, without a major uprising by a few board members and a posting on the rotorcraft conference to get it out to the PRA membership. A board that stands by while a National Hero is invited to speak at the convention and is then not paid his full fee by the PRA as was promised by the convention Chairman, and received what he did only after complaining to a well known PRA member who brought it to the attention of a few of the Board members, as happened with last years Guest speaker Dana Bowman.


Then there are the efforts that went into effect to make sure that the PRA convention in TX. Failed. I spoke to a man that told me he had talked to the PRA President, and was told to just wait “After no one shows up for the Convention in TX. Then we will have them back in Mentone.” I did not think much of that at the time, but then there was the delay in getting the TX. Chapter the expectations and requirements called for by the PRA for the convention, a move that would surely drive up the cost as it would significantly reduce the time to shop for the best price for material and get volunteers to help set up. Then there was the condemnation for paid entertainment in TX. When at Mentone thousands are spent with not a second thought or a single complaint. And the big fly-in at Mentone planned during the same week a July Mentone convention would have taken place. This act I feel was a deliberate attempt to split the PRA members by giving them an alternative place to go, perhaps closer or more convenient time for travel. My request for the PRA’s Airport to be closed during that time was ignored by the President and the majority of the Board and the Regional fly-in as it was named took place. A major effort in my opinion to reduce the attendance of the TX. PRA convention and insure that the membership would support a permanent convention in Mentone.

This brings me to the straw that broke the camel’s back. The PRA Mentone Airport. Notice that I called it the PRA Mentone Airport, not the PRA‘s Airport as I did earlier. That is because last July it was let out that there is a separate Nonprofit organization known as PRA Mentone. Now the PRA board of directors knew this all along. What all of us did not know, is that the PRA Mentone Airport has it's own board of directors, that also became common knowledge last July. Now since there is no stock for a Nonprofit Org. and there is no membership for the PRA Mentone Nonprofit Org. this organization and it's assets are under the full control and discretion of it's board of directors. Since the President or Sec. of PRA or others involved can not produce a single piece of paper I have been asking for since last July, Legal or other wise, that shows that the PRA Mentone Org. and it's assets belong to the PRA Nonprofit Org.. It can only stand to reason that there are none and the PRA membership is allowed to go there as long as the PRA Mentone Org. allows us to. All the monies that were spent by the PRA to maintain and repair the Mentone airport now belong solely to the PRA Mentone Org. with no written assurances for use by the PRA Org. In other words, all the PRA actually owns, is a magazine. The airport is owned by the organization known as PRA Mentone and is run by the board of directors of PRA Mentone. Since the membership of PRA has no say in who is on the board of directors of PRA Mentone the PRA members actually have no say in what happens at or to the airport and may be sold with no Legal consideration to the PRA or it‘s members as the only Legal thing they have in common is that they both have PRA in their name.

So now it has been almost a year with many heated e-mails over this. In the PRA board of directors meeting at Bensendays, I made a motion that the PRA Board of directors require the PRA Mentone Org. come under the direction of the PRA board of directors and the board for PRA Mentone be dissolved. This would insure that the Airport the PRA members believe to be theirs is theirs, and would remain so. However The PRA board of directors, lead by the PRA President, who is also the President of PRA Mentone, voted against requiring that the only true asset that is believed to belong to the PRA and it's membership, be left under the ownership and control of someone else. Not just that, but left in a situation that I am told and strongly believe, leaves a door open that will allow the PRA Mentone board of directors to just disburse the assets of that Org. with no regard to the PRA Org.

The stance that liability is reduced with a separation of the 2 Org. I am told is not necessary since the Nonprofit Org. Corp. Shield is in place. However any additional protection, if any, would still be in place with each Org. having the same board of directors and this would insure that the PRA membership has gotten what they now believe to be theirs. Under the control of the board of directors that they have voted in. There would be no more protection lost with the full PRA board of directors being in control as there is with just the President and Sec. Being on both Boards, as was your position at the time of our vote. There is also no method on which a PRA member can be nominated and voted onto the PRA Mentone board of directors by the PRA's membership. I can not stand by and just nod my head as if I feel like every thing is just great while the only asset that the PRA membership is suppose to have is allowed to potentially walk away.

So for all of the reasons mentioned above. Please accept my resignation from the PRA board of directors, as is required to be in writing to be effective, effective immediately and please take my name off of the nominations for the next PRA board of directors election in July as I feel I can longer be of any use to this Board until the PRA membership requires some major changes.

Respectfully

Maxie Wildes
 
:mad: Is this BS really necessary!?!? I could care less if the PRA is a great organization or a political cesspool! I pay my money, I get a magazine, that's it! And if that's all I get out if it fine. There are several sides to Maxie's and the PRA story, and frankly, the political finger pointing isn't worth listening to - it never has been and never will be. Bottom-line is, if you don't like the PRA, LEAVE! If the group or an individual can't play well with others, separate them.

Notice to all... If you don't like the way the PRA is being run, go start your own damn rotary wing organization, hold you own damn meetings, vote in your own damn board members, and bitch to someone else, and if the magazine is worth a damn, I'll join.

Nuff said!
 
Don if you don't like it, DON'T READ IT. The PRA belongs to it's members and if there is stuff going on that isn't right then the members deserve to know more about it. Maybe Maxie is just bitter and is full of it, or maybe he isn't. But this is a discussion board and this is a topic worth discussion.

If the PRA membership keeps dropping and the PRA keeps losing money at some point the PRA will be no more. I think Maxie is concerned that things have been put in place so that a lucky few in your neck of the woods will have a free airport out of the deal, at the expense of us the general membership.

Maybe that is not the case, but only by bringing it out for open discussion will we find out the truth.
 
I sure wish the PRA had a decent website. Thier old one was better, the new one is very lame and really has no good info on it. Even Norm's old rotorcraft.com had much more info, links and directorys, etc.

I am not a current member of PRA, Somebody tell me why I should join?
I mean this web forum has tons of info, and instant responses to questions etc.
 
I am no captain of industry but I do know a few things about law and business.

If the PRA board is the same board that runs the airport then you have a BIG problem. It is called liability.

Someone sues the airport, wins, POOF no more PRA.

Sounds like the PRA board was just making good legal decisions to protect the org.
 
"I am not a current member of PRA, Somebody tell me why I should join?
I mean this web forum has tons of info, and instant responses to questions etc."

Scott I joined at Bensen Days not for the magazine, but to support the organization that is supposed to be looking out for us. I still have yet to receive my first copy so like you I get most of my info here.

"Notice to all... If you don't like the way the PRA is being run, go start your own damn rotary wing organization, hold you own damn meetings, vote in your own damn board members, and bitch to someone else, and if the magazine is worth a damn, I'll join."

We should not have to go out and start our own org. We should be able to vote for Directors that will look out for our interests within this well recognized association.

I met and flew with Maxie at ROC last year and spent some time with him again at Bensen Days. My impression of Maxie is that he is a rock solid fella with no reason to fabricate any of the above. I've gotta believe what he says is true.

The question is what are we going to do about it?
 
Scott,

I also think the PRA web site has a long way to go. I hope it gets better soon. They do state that they are still working on it:

05/10/04 - New Web Design
We're STILL working to improve organization, layout, content, and design. Please bear with us.What do you think?

I need to remember to email in my suggestions. I am behind on my PRAChapter34.com updates as well. If anyone has any suggestions on content that can help the rotorcraft public please let me know as well as the PRA web admin.

Why join the PRA?

For some people it is just the magazine.

For others it is to support our hobby. It was created by ( and for ) Dr. Bensen for promotion of his Gyrocopter(tm) product. It has slowly evolved into a public run org.

The PRA represents rotorcraft owners and fans to the FAA, EAA and general public. Supporting the PRA is crutial to getting the recognition we need from the government and other orgs. PRA protects our rights as well as popularizing the sport and hosting conventions.
 
"The stance that liability is reduced with a separation of the 2 Org. I am told is not necessary since the Nonprofit Org. Corp. Shield is in place. However any additional protection, if any, would still be in place with each Org. having the same board of directors and this would insure that the PRA membership has gotten what they now believe to be theirs. Under the control of the board of directors that they have voted in. There would be no more protection lost with the full PRA board of directors being in control as there is with just the President and Sec."
 
The problem

The problem

Don,

You post / attitude says it all. If it is not directly effecting you then piss on it.

Well thats great.

History is ripe with the failures of flawed leaders and flawed logic. The silent masses are just what this world does not need anymore of.


While the pra may be the only and so far best thing that we as gyro heads may have it does not give its leaders license to abuse or take advantage of its members. I know many people in similiar situations that would just find it easy to walk silently away.


Maxie should be given the thumbs up for saying whats on his mind. THATS why we voted him there in the first place !!!

He sure has taken long enough to put his thoughts to paper.

Telling those that do not agree with the status quo to take our ball and bat and go home is immature and irresponsible.

The PRA is not a dictatorship. Its a group effort.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Weis
Oriental NC
 
I have no problem joining and supporting an organization, It just seems that ALOT of the people have left thier positions withthe PRA, all very recently. I don't know the people, or the issues, The comment I made about why should I join was not meant as sarcasm.
I mean if the PRA was responsible for getting the (1109)?? exemption to allow training in an experimental. GOOD! Other things I am sure have been done to benifit everyone. Is the PRA working on the light sport aircraft gyro regs?
Or is it a bloated political tool that has gone arry, and the members of the board are leaving like rats off a sinking ship??

If the later is the case, something needs to be done before we all loose our voice in general aviation.
 
Screw-In

I congratulate Maxie for his stance and responce. He has denounced the way they are spending yours and my money, and letting you know about it. If anything, give the man a medal.

Scott's right. The website is trash.

MHO

Screw-Out
 
Mentone Airport

Mentone Airport

How was the Mentone Airport ownership transferred from the PRA to the PRA Mentone? I don't think "a president and a secretary" can transfer assets. If PRA Mentone is not under the ownership of The PRA, than Maxie is correct - this smells really bad.

Udi-
 
PRA Board of Directors

PRA Board of Directors

I am familiar with many of the things Maxie referred to in his letter. I worked closely with Larry Neal to put on the Texas convention. All of the points Maxie made about the convention there are true plus there are others he did not mention. Most of you know PRA Ch 78 withdrew from the PRA because way the board was being controlled by a clique.
The only way I know of to fix the situation is for the membership to replace the current longstanding board members with new blood. The voting should handled by an uninvolved third party. The current board should agree to an independent audit of all PRA finances and full disclosure of all facts related to the Mentone Airport. If the business as usual situation continues I fear the PRA as a representative organization of the rotorcraft community will be no more.


Brad King
N6372K
Texas Rotorcraft Association Member
 
I too met and spent some time with Maxie. Based on my opinion of Maxie, I have to believe that he would not fabricate any of what he stated in his PRA resignation.

I was a member of the PRA, but dropped out a couple of years ago, and have seen no reason to join again.
 
To Cesar what belongs . . .say what?

To Cesar what belongs . . .say what?

Maxie, big thanks and our love to you!

Ron: please start taking sides, I have faith in you.

Don: your shoe is worn and your bridge is broken, retreat you weapon of mass pissing . . .are you crazy or just kidding?

I am sick of my stomach . . .or maybe was the lasagna this afternoon at the Ipanema's Girl restaurant (where the famous song was composed)

The pile of crap is so huge that I think lots of time and efforts will be needed to regrow the PRA.

. . .and still a one sided story!
Heron (saving money to join and venom to spit on those @#$%^&)
 
Maxie's criticisms

Maxie's criticisms

If Maxie's revelations are true (and there don't seem to be any reasons to doubt them), then they are a bombshell. They amount to a self-serving betrayal of the PRA's rank-and-file membership. As such, they definitely effect my attitude towards the PRA and its controlling directors.

Like many others, I have always assumed that the Mentone airport "belonged" to the PRA. Perhaps we assumed wrongly. The following questions assume that assertion as fact.


1. How and when was the airport transferred from the "PRA" to "PRA Mentone"? (Should be easy enough to look up at the county courthouse. Real property transfers require a recorded deed.)
2. On the basis of what PRA Board resolution was the transfer made?
3. Are there any Board meeting minutes, which address the airport transfer, available for public review?
4. If no Board resolution was approved, were any organizational by-laws broken by the {presumed} transfer?
5. Besides {some} common board membership, is there any legal relationship between the "PRA" and "PRA Mentone"? If so, what is it? If not, when and for what (ostensible) purpose was PRA Mentone legally organized? What was the initial capitalization? Who provided it? In what form (cash or contribution in kind)?
6. How did the transfer of the airport effect the financial statements of the PRA? Did the PRA's balance sheet shrink as a result?
7. Do the PRA and PRA Mentone file separate or consolidated tax returns? Are they available for public review?

Answer those questions and the PRA membership would have something substantial to discuss and upon which to act.

Maxie, you've done the rotorcraft community a great service by bringing these matters to our attention. You have my thanks.

I hope the PRA President and Secretary use this forum to openly address Maxie's criticisms. Life's too short to be anything other than transparent. Just ask the rueful CEOs of WorldCom, Enron, Arthur Andersen, etc.

-Gary Seaton
Corrales, NM
 
Maxie, thank you for posting your letter of resignation and valid concerns.

Gary Seaton, your post is well written and simply to the point.

Now, let's see some explanations from the current Board of Directors.

Everything in this organization should be out in the open.
 
Maxie,

Thanks for the letter.

Folks, when people like Maxie Wildes, Dave DeWinter & Jamie Bodie step down from an organization disgusted with the way it is being run....there is something wrong. I think every one of them has made an honest attempt to repair the PRA by working from the inside, obviously it isn't working.

Unfortunately I can't offer a solution. I am too far removed and too unfamiliar with the leadership to offer much insight. I do know that running for a board position is nearly impossible for most people because of the rule requiring physical attendance at meetings.

Lets hear some ideas, lets hear some solutions!

Todd
 
Todd don't forget Dan Leslie, he stepped down too.

Heron, I tend to choose Maxies side cause he is my friend and I know him better than Gary and the most of the rest of the board. But I consider Gary a friend too and I don't want to take a firm position till I here both sides of the story.

Scott E. Chuck I. John S. Brad K. and any of the rest of you - I have lost hope for you Heron! - not renewing or joining the Pra will not solve anything. The Pra still needs members to survive and if for nothing else you get a magazine with cool glossy pictures for your 35$. If there is some BS going on with the board then it is time now to get it out in the open and do something about it and make the PRA grow. So kick out the bucks and join up.
 
Screw-In

If the physical presence at meetings is a problem, add a PRA Board Members thread. Locked only to those members. Also add a PRA membership vote thread on PRA issues. Don't lock out this thread, only PRA members can vote on PRA issues. Do it all right here on this forum.

Since we pretty much openly discuss issues anyway, this forum may be a valuable median for communication. Could also draft a few more membrs too.

It's clear by Todds thread wanting a vote if your a PRA member, that the majority of posters here are members.

2 cents.

Screw-Out
 
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