Keith mentioned the AMA services an AMA VP and his AVPs should provide.

I would like to share with the group what another challenger, Norm Deputy ran into in his campaign.

Norm, in case you don't know ran against for District V VP in 1998.

Norm is also one of the movers and shakers responsible for the Perry Swap meet, one of district V's premier modeling events. Hardly a person you would say has no leadership ability.

He was defeated even though McNeill played his usual 3rd candidate card by having his buddy Jim Weems run, he also had Mr. Russell Mobley nominated, but he didn't make the cut as Deputy had by far the most signatures on his nomination.

The results of that election were.

District V *Jim McNeill 1,819 J
Jim Weems 343 (later made an AVP as was Mobley)
Norm Deputy 754
Total votes cast 2,993

This is the first election where the threat of e-mail communication between the membership and web pages came into the equation.

Deputy's campaign was met with the full thrust of McNeill's offensive as is shown in the following letter posted by McNeill.

4/28/98

From the Dixie Aeromaster Inc. Newsletter
William W. Atkins
467 W. Seminole Rd.
Byron, GA 31008

A Rebuttal
by Jim McNeill, District V Vice President

1998 is an election year for the AMA District 5 Vice Presidency. I currently hold the office. I am running for re-election.
A few weeks ago a Mr. Norman Deputy announced his intention to run also. Curiously, he mailed all of my Associate Vice Presidents a package asking them to nominate him for the office. Contained in the package was a spoon-fed pre-worded nomination addressed to the Nominating Committee. Also an envelope with a 32c stamp on it pre-addressed also. All the Associate VP had to do was follow instructions. 1) sign it; 2) include his or her AMA number; 3) mail it. I have 4 of these in front of me now. To contained the same wording as the one appearing in your DIXIE AEROMASTERS NEWSLETTER now. Only one nomination is necessary. This is all very new. Anyone experienced in AMA matters knows the relationship between a Dist. VP and his Associate Vice Presidents is generally based on trust and a long friendship. At first blush I decided to stay out of it and let Deputy run his own business. Now, however, he has changed his story and has become bolder. For me to remain silent is an error.
In his pitch he says: “we as a group, do not communicate very well with each other, and we as AMA members, feel that we are very far removed from the District Vice President, Associate Vice Presidents, the AMA Executive Council and the policies they make on our behalf.” My response to this is: RUBBISH. POLITICS. Politics at its lowest level. You, the member, are not very far removed from me, and I am not very far removed from you. In each issue of your Model Aviation magazine I have my address, my phone number, my FAX number, my E-mail [email protected], now my own WEB PAGE. http://www.scott.net/~ama. I am starting a District Newsletter to all editors, exchange, and contacts of the 318 clubs in my District.
This last go-around I have been your Dist. VP for 25 years. After each of the previous 33 council meetings, I have immediately reported to you in your magazine exactly what happened, the motions etc., and how and why I voted as I did. Go back and check your old magazines. I am the only Council member who has done so. I have stopped this practice, it is no longer necessary. Today we have a fine new President and very experienced Executive Director, so now Hdq’ers publishes in detail the minutes in the next issue. This was not the practice when I take office in 1990. Some of you may recall the national furor that erupted when I reported the proposed land purchase in Visalia, Cal, using AMA dues money. Let me make my point in another way. For several years I have given away AMA Rule Books, Booklets on Flying Sites, videos for acquiring flying sites, videos for club entertainment at meetings, books of “Roberts Rules of Order”. I have mailed out free hundreds of these items. Not one single time has any members complained I was slow in mailing or to quote Deputy “very far removed.” I am as close to you as your telephone, or your FAX machine, or your computer, or your mail box.
Deputy’s mention of a WEB PAGE for the District is excellent. I already have one. I am scanning newsletters to show them on the WEB. Currently I have 10 megs and more if I need them. My secret plan is to show 1 page for each of the 318 clubs in my District that want me to. I will group them by states.
Mr. Deputy’s credentials in his statement appear quite impressive. He says:

NORMAN DEPUTY
LEADER MEMBER SCIENTIFIC
LEADER MEMBER ADMINISTRATIVE

He is indeed a Leader Member but he has not told you how long he has been a Leader Member. He became a Leader Member March 18, 1998. Last month. When Hdq’ers received his first nomination from James Duckworth on March 17 (dated 3-10-98) he was not yet a Leader Member. He became one hours later. Also he states: “...an avid model enthusiast for 10 years...” I’m sure he’s telling the truth here but he does not say how long he has been an AMA member. He joined AMA on June 10, 1991. He has been an AMA member for 6 years and 10 months.
I have been an AMA member since its inception. In 1939 I was told to stop painting NAA & my membership number on the right upper wings of my models and henceforth put AMA & the number instead. The American Academy of Model Aeronautics had dropped the American word off and was now Academy of Model Aeronautics. I had been a member of NAA for years before then. I have been on AMA’s Board of Directors, its Council, for 25 of the last 27 years. Longer than anyone else in AMA’s history.
If Norman Deputy accesses to the office of Vice Presidency of District V I hope he treats you better than he has treated me. Last Fall he called me on the phone and requested I put an AMA booth in the then forthcoming Southeastern Model Show at Perry, Georgia. I then got in my car and drove to the Georgia Aircraft Modelers Assoc. club meeting in Warner Robins where Deputy was the Club Secretary Treasurer. I offered an AMA booth etc., never at ant time did he as Show Coordinator offer ANY pledge of assistance from any members of his club to help AMA. He said they would all be busy. A very distinguished old-time FFer offered to help but is in poor health. I sent one of my Associate VPs to monitor the booth, drove over myself to see. Whammo!!! SURPRISE!!! The AMA display wasn’t in the main room at all where all the action was taking place. It had been sullied off into a side building. I didn’t understand at the time but I understand now. As a direct result of the manner in which Norman Deputy treated the Academy of Model Aeronautics at his Perry Show a committee of 3 has been developed here in Birmingham and are creating a Model Show beginning in Jan or Feb of next year in the old Fairgrounds buildings. One of these halls is 3 times the size of the Perry, Georgia one.

My grateful acknowledgements to your fine Club Editor Mr. Bill Atkins and your fine Club President Mr. Jim Harris in allowing me this rebuttal.

copies; All of my Associate VPs.

**********
File and don't forget!

Red S.
AMA 951
District V - lets bring it back to life.