This topic contains 6 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by 
-
Posts
-
I’m posting the below message as ONE member of the WGA Board, and NOT on behalf of the board as a whole
In the next few weeks, we will have a new group of cachers sitting on the WGA board of directors. We will soon be holding our first meeting with the new Board members.
Now would be a good time to share your opinions on what YOU FEEL the WGA board should be doing to represent YOU.
After this election, I will be the last “self appointed” member of the Board of Directors. By that I mean, I have never been elected. As one of the founders of the WGA, I was appointed as the VP, but never elected.
It’s MY belief that as a Board member, I should be representing YOU, the Geocacher in Wisconsin. The WGA was started by a group of people hosting some great events, but have now evolved beyond that.
Please share your ideas on what you feel that myself, and the WGA board should be doing to represent you. Example, should we just be hosting events, or should we be more politically involved with local officials? Please share any thoughts you have. If your thoughts are more private, feel free to contact me via email.
Thanks,
“There are two kinds of hunting: ordinary hunting and grouse hunting.”
-Aldo Leopold, A sand county AlmanacBrian
WGA Vice President
[email protected][This message has been edited by GrouseTales (edited 01-22-2004).]
I am going to suck up some more server space by rambling on, beginning with saying that I think the present board has put the WGA on the right track and has already done many great things. I am also very impressed with the comments that the potential future board members have made and the ideas presented. I hate to think that anyone nominated will be voted out, but that is the way the system works.
I was at first not so understanding of the need for a board, and thought that the Chicago group had the better idea by stating- “What we are not…
We are not a governing body of Geocaching
We are not a group that has regular monthly meetings with officers, etc.
We are not a group that requires dues or any subscriptions”I am no longer so sure. I see some big problems with cache density and the effects of non-rotation of caches in areas that are being damaged by traffic.
I wonder how powerful the voice of the approver can become and remain within geocaching guidelines.Will we get to the point that caches can & will be archived after a certain time period?
Can the WGA control the destiny of what caches are disapproved or archived without stepping outside of the guidelines of geocaching.com?
At what point will geocaching.com become a pay site and how will this effect caching in WI?
How much would it be worth to remain an active geocacher or a WGA member? (or what steps will be taken to maintain & raise the value of being a member?)
Should the WGA have a server and site ready to go online in the situation that Groundspeak no longer supports our needs as it does today?
How long will caches be allowed to be “temporarily unavailable” without archiving them?
When caching becomes more prominent in the northern part of the state, how will the WGA react to make it geocaching friendly, as it has done for the southeastern section?
The future is bright yet holds a lot of challenges. I look forward to the possibilities.
A big thanks to all the members; present and future!
[This message has been edited by Cathunter (edited 01-22-2004).]
quote:
Originally posted by Cathunter:
I was at first not so understanding of the need for a board, and thought that the Chicago group had the better idea by stating- “What we are not…
We are not a governing body of Geocaching
We are not a group that has regular monthly meetings with officers, etc.
We are not a group that requires dues or any subscriptions”
I had to chuckle when I read this quote from the Chicago group, because they obviously — let’s call it borrowed — it from the WGA’s original web site. Those were the words we originally used to describe ourselves when this organization was formed. At that time, that was the direction most of us wanted to go, or at least I thought so, because I’m the one who wrote that description of the WGA. Since then other board members and WGA general members have pointed out the need for the WGA to evolve into something more. We were being looked at as a voice for Wisconsin geocachers in dealings with state and local parks officials, as well as with the owners of geocaching.com. As a result, we have evolved as an organization to be more than merely a social group. We now work to promote responsible geocaching to help ensure that this sport is not outlawed by uninformed parks managers and elected officials. Oh yeah, we have fun too.
[This message has been edited by kbraband (edited 01-23-2004).]
And by the way, Cathunter, nominations for the WGA board are still open.
quote:
Originally posted by kbraband:
And by the way, Cathunter, nominations for the WGA board are still open.I felt bad to refuse nomination, but between work and school, it’s nearly impossible to make time for little else. On top of it, I now have a Saturday class that is going to prevent me from attending all the event caches that are scheduled.
Russ, thanks for your input. You have some good items to discuss.
BTW, I’m not looking to pick ideas apart on this thread or discuss the pro’s and con’s of each of them.
I’m just want to hear from WGA members and know what you think Board should be doing to represent YOU.
One voice heard, 363 more to go
“There are two kinds of hunting: ordinary hunting and grouse hunting.”
-Aldo Leopold, A sand county AlmanacBrian
WGA Vice President
[email protected][This message has been edited by GrouseTales (edited 02-02-2004).]
I think the biggest job ahead of the WGA board is education. There is a definite need to educate those in charge of our parks and public areas about what geocaching is; and what it is NOT.
We saw the somewhat “knee-jerk” reaction which resulted in a ban on geocaching in all Madison parks. Hard work and education on the part of some WGA members are now on the verge of lifting that ban.
I think the better way to proceed is to educate those in power BEFORE areas are declared off-limits to geocaching. It’s easier to prevent than to fix. And that’s where the WGA comes in.
Any governing body is much more likely to listen to a genuine organization rather than some guy with a GPS and mission. The WGA needs to be that organization.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.