i am fully behind the use of empowered committees to help make the WGA better. I feel that committees are an excellent way to have the general membership both have a say in the inner workings of the WGA and it’s a way for them to give back to the WGA as well.

I am currently on the Web Committee, and West Bend Cache Bash Committees. As a member of the Web Committee I have helped with testing of the new website, had input into our move to a new web server, and have helped on other decisions both great and small.

No matter the outcome of the BOD election I plan to continue to support the WGA through serving on the committees I’m currently on as well as join others if I feel my talents can be useful.

I have been thinking for several hours on how to answer this question delicately and have decided that it just can not be done, so here goes:

Ralph, you have mentioned, or strongly suggested, on more than one occasion now that you believe that participation on a standing committee should be a requirement, or STRONG consideration, for BOD candidacy. I would need to respectfully disagree.

As a current board member you and your eight fellow board members have quite a bit of control on who serves on those committees. You are able to limit the amount of non-board members serving on the standing and empowered committees and you are able to personally invite non-board members to serve on committees. Therefore, if it where a requirement, or a strong suggestion that BOD candidacy or qualification be based on committee work, the current board could and would have considerable input and influence on who they would like to see run for BOD in upcoming elections. This type of thinking is harmful and leads to further alienation and potential classism with in the WGA. I think we can agree that one of the concerns we hear about membership is isolation and insinuating that qualification for BOD be based on past work for the WGA only furthers that isolation.

I agree that having committee work on your resume is an indication that an individual is committed to the WGA but there are also many other factors to consider. Enthusiasm, and the willingness to better the sport is a prime factor in my opinion.

In the past, I have offered my services to the WGA only to be ignored. I have seen others offer their services only to eventually be told that their PM did not make it to the email of the requestor or that there were already enough members on that committee. I came to the conclusion that my offers of assistance were ignored because they either had too much help or that I was not to be a part of the club because I was not particularly popular amongst those that made the decisions.

I have offered in the past to assist with the spring campout and to take whatever signage and material needed to Geowoodstock or Midwest GeoBash. I got absolutely no response. Finally, one of the individuals associated with the spring campout asked me to hide a few permanent caches beforehand. Even though I have had some serious disagreements with this individual in the past I agreed because it wasn’t about me and him, it was about the membership in general.

I hope I have answered your questions here. Committee work is important if it is not used as the fault excuse for leadership when something goes wrong. As I have mentioned before, my commitment to accepting the nomination means that I understand that my commitment to the WGA will increase considerably. I understand that I will be involved in one or more committees or projects. I accept that premise otherwise I would not have accepted the nomination.

Zuma
I too support the empowered committee focus. The goals are more than what just 9 people can reasonably do and it does allow for members to get involved, give input, and provide leadership. I have been involved with the Education Committee for several years but I have not seen the committee really take off with the potential I see there. As a Board member, we do have access into participating with all the committees so I have tried to do. In another question posted, I did comment that I would like to see perhaps a focus on getting others up and running across the state who are prepared to do the Geo101 type classes. And, yes, I will stay involved with the Education Committee.

@zuma wrote:

The biggest evolution in the way that the WGA functions is our move towards empowered committees.

First, do you agree that our gradual move towards well functioning empowered committees is a good idea, or would you prefer a move back towards central control by just the 9 board members?

And second, what contributions did you make in the last year by participating on our committees?

And third, whether you are successful or not in winning election this time around, do you plan on being a part of any of our empowered committees in the coming year?

First: “Empowered” committees do and can work very well! The question here as pointed out by one of the other candidates is are they truly empowered? This comment concerns me and I think the entire WGA membership would like to know more.

Second: Being a WGA member for only a short while, I have not made any steps in this direction. I still feel as though I’m a real outsider here, I need to earn more acceptance by the membership.

Third: I definitely like the idea of getting myself involved in some of these committees, I have been poking around and inquiring.