Vote No

[bmiddaugh]

A By-Law change has been proposed that will be read for the second time at the january meeting that will change the qualifications for all state positions to:
A. Include a provision that you must be hold an officials license for two years to be secretary or treasurer.
B. Make it mandatory that you volunteer at 50% of a track’s local races to hold any position.

On the surface these sound like very plausible changes, but if you stop to think about it for a moment they wil further eliminate people who help out at different levels in BMX in NJ.
Examples may include those who hit many nationals during a year and only get to help out on committees like awards, promotions, etc.
They may not have a full 50% amount of “official volunteering” at a local race. But have helped out in different capacities.
Not to downplay turn marshalls, scorers, clerks, etc, that are “official” official nbl positions but changing the by-laws as such to exclude people who may volunteer to get awards, design websites, put out effort to get donations etc. will not help get enthusiastic people into the right positions.
Anyone with a love for BMX and acumen for business should be allowed, as in all business, to submit a resume.
In these times when very few people want to step up to a position on the board is it wise to make it even more difficult for those who may want to step up but do not happen to be able to officiate at 50% of locals at a track a year?
Also,
who will keep track of this extra paperwork of keeping an “official” record of everyone who is officiating at local events all year?
Where will these records be kept?
How easy would it be for someone to just put in someone as being there when they weren’t?
I’m sorry but I don’t see how this will help bring new enthusiastic people into board positions in NJ.
I can see how it would keep some people out who HAVE helped out immensely.
Believe it or not it would keep someone like Rich Farside from being on the board as he does not officiate at events but yet helps out in other capacities that we have all seen.
I would ask everyone to contact their local track representative and have them vote NO on the this by-law change.
In order to vote a by-law change in, it must be voted in by a
2/3 majority of the board of directors.
With our current 11 +1 (state commissioner tie breaker) it would take at least 7 members to vote yes on this to make it pass.
Make your voice heard in january and attend the state meeting.

[bmiddaugh]

Another path..

Proposed

In order to elect people who have the best interest of all BMX in their hearts, and to bring about more rider involvement in making rules and actually running BMX racing in NJ, the following by-law changes are proposed.

Proposed by-law changes.

1) Article III
a) Section B.
b) The Board of Directors shall consist of the NJ BMX Inc. Officers, two representatives from each NJ BMX Inc affiliated track plus one alternate, and one rider representative from each track.
c) Section C.
d) The NJ State Commissioner, Assistant NJ State Commissioner, Secretary, Treasurer and Senior Rider Representative shall be the officers of NJ BMX Inc. Their election and qualifications are described in Article VI.
e) Section E.
f) Each affiliated track shall designate a rider representative who is at least 18 years of age. This representative shall be installed on the Board of Directors at the annual organizational meeting for a one year term.
2) Article V
a) Section B.
b) As per NBL rules, a State Commissioner will be elected for a one year term. All other officer positions shall also be made available for election on an annual basis.
c) Section C.
d) Candidates for Assistant State Commissioner must submit the following: a written resume containing BMX and work experience showcasing why that individual would be beneficial in having a position in NJ BMX Inc. This shall include but not be limited to being an NBL Official, NBL Referee, Track Director, in lieu of having held these positions BMX experience shall also be taken into consideration. This BMX experience shall include but not be limited to volunteering, racing, scoring, promoting, track designing, track building, and general BMX industry knowledge. This experience should be backed by a complete resume.
e) Candidates for State Commissioner must have submit the following: a written resume containing BMX and work experience showcasing why that individual would be beneficial in having a position in NJ BMX Inc. This shall include but not be limited to being an NBL Official, NBL Referee, Track Director, in lieu of having held these positions BMX experience shall also be taken into consideration. This BMX experience shall include but not be limited to volunteering, racing, scoring, promoting, track designing, track building, and general BMX industry knowledge. This experience should be backed by a complete resume.
f) Candidates for Senior Rider Representative must have been a licensed BMX racer in NJ at least 2 consecutive seasons. This licensing is not sanction specific. Ideally this representative should be chosen from the elected track rider representatives.

3) Article VI
a) Section E.
b) The Senior Rider Representative shall:
i) Facilitate cooperation between the rider representatives and the board officers.
ii) Serve as rider referee for all NJ state races.
iii) Serve as liaison between NJ riders and the NBL.
iv) Serve as head of the Presidents Cup Committee.

Although I KNOW this will never fly, perhaps this would at least put us on a better path.

[bmiddaugh]

The By-Law changes as proposed, to me, can only be construed as an attempt to keep new people off the board who have shown they are more than ready to help lead NJBMX Inc.

Rich Farside for Assistant State Commissioner at the end of the 2008 season.

[bmxmom156]

i dont remember this being read at the last meeting..it says it would be read for the 2nd time…when did they read it for the first time?

what is the reason for wanting this change? who proposed it? (if you dont mind me asking…)

what is the purpose of the bylaw change?

seems like exclusivity to me is not the way to encourage volunteerism…esp on the local level…

[moderator3]

Yes it was read.

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