Hey John,
I talk to Paul often, and in one of our conversations I told him than I asked you to call him about helping on policy &amp; procedures. He told me you would be welcomed. We have always had policy &amp; procedures, as well as I can determine, the problem is nobody has done anything with it. Wayne, nor Ollie addressed it while President. Paul started doing some work on it, but it wasn't something that was really needed, so, going has been slow. With these bylaws changes, and controversies, I have been putting some pretty severe pressure on Paul about the need to complete this project, more pressure than I am comfortable with. As I have been good friends with him for many years, I am certain he knows I am not comfortable with it, thus he will take it seriously. Bylaws should not cover every aspect of what we do, &amp; how we do it. Bylaws should be the rules that govern us, just the basic outline. Policy and procedure should cover the rest. A good example is to define 'conflict of interest', this is something better left to policy and procedure, where as, election procedures should not be a policy and procedure issue, but, should be a bylaws issue. The issue of candidate qualification should be addressed in bylaws, but, how this is done is a policy and procedure issue. One is the parts book, the other is the service manual, they kind of work better together, but both do different things. There is a policy and procedure committee, it has only Paul working on it, nobody has stepped in to help him out. This is the same way bylaws was, a one man committee, until I took it, and said 'This is not acceptable!'. An unusual thing I have noticed is the last time the bylaws was ready, it took 5 years, with a one man committee. This time it will be ready in 10 months, with a 5 to 7 man committee. I guess the more help, the faster it goes. Well, that and keeping the board out of the approval procedure, at least that way it isn't being sent back to committee for a single word change, then brought back to see the same thing done again. I am nearly finished with the bylaws, just a couple of more issues. Paul will probably be looking at policy and procedure taking this work into consideration. As I explained, the main purpose is to empower the membership. In doing this, we have opened the door to numerous procedural problems. Kind of like starting 2 fires for every one we put out, well maybe not that severe, but sometimes I feel like it! My biggest concern is fielding candidates, we will have twice the need. In the past it has been difficult to get 2 candidates for each position. Twice I have run for positions, knowing it was an incumbents field, and my chances were slim, but it did give the members a choice, which I feel is important. Well, my opinion of renegades is someone who hides behind a computer screen, and fusses, but when it is time to roll up your sleeves and go to work, is no place to be found. They say they want change, I don't see them contacting the nominating committee, and stepping up to the plate. Boy, if they do will they ever be in for a surprise! They get to do ALL the work!!! Well, I've spent enough computer time for now, just got in from the state American Legion convention, and I gotta go to work in the morning.
Have a wonderful day!!!!
Andy