RE: Club Meetings!! WHY
Not so much a common problem, but a common condition.
For nine years as President of the South County R/C Club (Rhode Island) I suffered thru every painful daily pratfall that could befall an R/C club. These included Safety issues, Noise issues, organizational and motivational issues. Between that daily whackyness, belly laughs, near misses and personality conflicts, it was quite a ride.
There were times where I found myself believing that some of the stuff we were dealing with was unique to our condition, but I have come to understand that my paltry 18 years in the hobby had not allowed me the opportunity to understand the ultimate R/C truth; and I learned this from some of our members who had transfered (their daytime job) into the Underwater Systems Center at the Newport Naval Base. These guys had the advantage of having been members of several clubs through out the USA, and they related this which I carry to this day.
The R/C condition is the same whereever you go. Safety issues, Noise issues, organizational and motivational issues; they're all the same.
It's how you deal with them that makes it unique.
Your local club is still the best situated to respond to the needs of it's members and local issues, and it's important that it has structure, rules and the support of its' members. And besides the club newsletter, the club meeting is the only other organized forum to discuss club business. If there are those that complain about what comes out of meetings, they have no one to complain about but themselves, until such time as they get involved themselves
P