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Questions for discussion if you value the WBCCI

If the WBCCI decides to separate itself from the SNU, it will not make much of an impact on the SNU, how it operates, or what it does. The WBCCI will lose an advocate for membership and a flag in the Great Basin, further tarnish its identity, and diminish its role as the Airstream association towards just becoming one of many. SNU members who wish to retain their WBCCI membership can do so via another unit or as a member at large. Doing so will not impact their support and participation in the SNU.

This episode provides a number of very clear objective behaviors that can aid those who value the WBCCI in addressing its problems and issues. There has long been complaint about the ‘good ol boys networks,’ cliques, asocial behavior, and other identity and governance problems in the WBCCI but none provide as clear an example of these issues and problems as the story of the SNU trying to show by example.

Here are questions for discussion for those who value the WBCCI and seek to improve its health and vitality:

• The SNU provided a Governance Document Review to explain its bylaws, the requirements to be met, and the principles that were involved. Several IBT members and agents have claimed to have read this Review and said ‘how nice’ but none have shown any awareness of its content nor have any provided advice or suggestion matching the level of support illustrated in that Review. Why is this lack of due diligence and the inability to rise to a competent level of discussion so common in WBCCI governance?

• Suggestions and demands to change SNU bylaws have never cited any fixed requirement nor addressed any legal or regulatory requirement. Why are Trustees not able to restrict themselves to the proper scope of their duties as specified in their own Constitution and Bylaws? Why do Trustees try to foist their personal preferences on organizations where they are not members?

• One common demand has been for the SNU to duplicate WBCCI membership requirements and other material in its bylaws. This is often rationalized by citing Robert’s Rules, marketing principles, or comprehensiveness. Why do Trustees think that these reasons are sufficient to overturn competent professional and legal advice? Why do Trustees think that these reasons apply to a Unit and not to the WBCCI first?

• The SNU has shown itself to be healthy organization that meets all pertinent requirements. Why have Trustees decided to involve themselves in micro-managing the SNU rather that those units that cannot fill their officer and standing committee rosters and are not in even fundamental compliance with their governance documents? (this is a WBCCI Bylaws requirement for units)

• What is the WBCCI going to do about an invalid IBT motion, one that attempts to bypass an article in its Constitution? Why did a Trustee even consider to take upon himself authority not delegated to him? Does this represent a general Trustee ignorance of their own governance responsibilities or is it specific?

• What does a mailing to all members of a Unit rather than to the officers of a Unit about Unit business say about respect for that Unit as an independent organization with its own members? What does it say about understanding the distinction between requirements of a Unit compared to requirements of WBCCI membership and the difference between Unit and WBCCI membership?

• The WBCCI bylaws assert that Trustees are to provide advice, consultation, and assistance to Units. The assumption is that Trustees will respect their limitations in experience and knowledge and constrain themselves to their proper responsibilities as defined in the WBCCI Constitution and Bylaws. What does the WBCCI do if this assumption fails? What is the proper response to a Trustee that demands overturning competent professional advice? What is a proper response when a Trustee gets into making demands about changing the title of a Unit document or choosing one particular word over its synonym, or choosing one particular clause from several options?

• Why is the most common advice, consultation, and assistance provided to Units to dissolve, merge, or consolidate? Even in the SNU case, this destructive approach is the one taken. Why? The SNU has shown what competent advice can do for organizational health in recovering from an aging out in the 90’s to todays solid membership, rally calendar, and officer roster. Why doesn’t WBCCI learn from example and support constructive effort rather than attack it?

• Why have important records been lost (e.g. the IRS tax exempt penalty) or mishandled (e.g. the SNU Bylaws submissions) and what can or should be done about this?

• How are the WBCCI and Unit compliance with IRS disclosure requirements audited and why did the WBCCI Hq fail to comply with a request for a Form 990?

• What is the value of a Unit to the WBCCI and what is the value of the WBCCI to a Unit in light of today’s capabilities for inexpensive communications and changes in the Airstream RV community?

• Why haven’t WBCCI Trustees been able to present actual IRS needs for tax exemption maintenance and management? Why is the focus on following a process and not being able to link that process to the actual requirements tax exempt status?

• Why aren’t there guidance manuals, checklists, and measurement tools for important WBCCI management and governance functions?

Note: This is a work in progress. If you have any questions or comments you feel should be addressed, please let us know.

Links to pertinent documents and background information

Other information:

Dear Association Leader – A newsletter for association leaders. (WBCCI – A Case Study)

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