Like monkeyboy said, removing the politics is one of the solutions and probably the best, or only solution.

Our club is is different than the other 99% out there. Call it the exception to the rule, but the club isn't controlled directly by the membership and it's probably the way that things should be at many other clubs. The club has a board of directors that oversees the operations of the field. These appointed individuals are there to keep politics out of flying and ensure that the flying site is open and accessible, while continuing development and sustaining the flying site. Member input is taken highly through feedback and annual surveys and these guide the direction of the club. With 412 members, things run very smoothly with this setup. When the club was founded in 1986, the idea was to take the politics and nonsense out of the clubs and provide an enjoyable R/C experience. Flying should be fun.

Meetings are bi-monthly and the only club business done is a few brief reports on safety, news, treasury, etc. The rest is devoted to presentations, show and tell, raffle, etc. Business is kept to about 12-20 min out of the 2 hour meetings.

Often when the officers change every year or two in the democratic clubs, the club sadly changes direction. If the club sets long term goals and a vision, they can help get to where they want. Take the people's input, look at what the majority wants and you will be keeping everyone happy.

Michael Luvara
SCCMAS
www.sccmas.org