Ron

1. The Financial Statement is posted in the AMA Member's Only section of the AMA web site within a few days of it's receipt by the AMA. The auditors take until the end of March to finish their work and it was up this year in about 10 days after that. 2002 IS the most current year for such a statement. Obviously, 2003 can not be done until it is over. (This is true when the guys that run the web site do it right. Rumor is that the AMA may change suppliers.)

2. The AMA has already announced an "introductory membership" for three months at $19.95. It is a one time thing and can not be renewed or taken again. This is close to what you suggest. If a competitor can not make his mind up in 90 days, so be it.

3. Part of your concern here is obviously at the discretion of the manufacturer's. The Radio companies do sponsor individuals. We have one in our club. The same is true of kits and other items. When it comes to donations, you are correct. They recieve too many requests to make it cost effective. In reality, if you are running an established rule book event, of class AA or better, it is not that difficult to get them to help out. The CD program has been abused from it's initial intent and it is making it harder for the sanctioned events, less than class AA, to get donations. There are just to many fly-ins where donations are sought. Remember, there are about 2500 clubs, all running a couple of events a year. There are only so many donations to be had.

4. Look at the districts other than D8 this year. Each VP is running unopposed. The discussion and/or implimentation of term limits needs to have the problem of attracting candidates resolved first. If you institute term limits in the current situation, you might wind up with no leaders. The possibility that term limits "might" make more candidates likely is not an acceptable situation.

5. Very interesting that you raise this point. I was talking to Dave Brown just last week about the nominating process and it's potential for abuse. He has an idea, not complete in details, but fleshed out. He would hand the duties of the Nominating Committee to the club presidents of each district and let them select from the candidates nominated by the membership. The club presidents would become the nominating committee. As I see this, it has all kinds of great side effects, right down there to getting club members more involved in the process. Rich Hansen is the Committee Chairman of the By-laws Committee. It's function is to make recomendations for changes. It is a slow process.

6. See 5.

7. This has, and is being looked at. The potential for abuse is beng looked at. Keep your eyes open, this might happen sooner than later. As far as I know, no EC member is opposed to the basic concept, they just want it right when it happens.

None of this stuff is a secret. Call or write to your VP, or DB. These guys do talk and will tell you what is going on. If you attend a show where the AMA is present, look our leaders up. If they share nothing else in common, other than models, they love to talk.

Hey, Ron, are you a shill for the AMA?

JR