Re: U.S. Politics Consolidation

Re: U.S. Politics Consolidation

Robert VanHook

7/29/1999

In response to Mr. Snelson's comment about staffing in the National Office:

In January 1997, the organizations in the National Office had 48 staff
members. In July 1999, we have 39. Among the positions that have not been
filled are 5 senior positions. At the same time, our services have grown.
 Just in AOPA, in 1997 we had no Policy Forum, O&P Legislative Action
Network, website, or AOPA In Advance newsletter, to name just a few. Both
AOPA and the Academy staff are working hard to make your membership have
value to you and the profession.

Have there been problems in the past? Yes.

Have most of the problems been resolved? Yes, most.

Are we trying to fix those that remain? Yes, on a daily basis.

Would consolidation help fix the problems? Maybe, at least the
decision-making process will be clearer.

Would separation help fix the problems? Maybe, at least it would cut them
up in to workable chunks.

I was talking to AOPA's president Ronney Snell, CPO today about the
messages on the listserve. You'll remember that Ronney was elected by a
group of AOPA members that organized themselves to get him into office. He
asked me to suggest to folks on the listserv something like the following:
 If you are against consolidation, vote against it and go out and organize
others to vote against it too. If you are for consolidation, do the same.
 Don't just sit around and take pot shots at the leadership for trying
their damnest to exercise their responsibility as leaders.

Thanks,

Bob

Robert T. Van Hook, CAE
Executive Director
American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association
1650 King Street, Suite 500
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703/836-7116
Fax: 703/836-0838
Email: <Email Address Redacted>
        Webpage: www.opoffice.org



On Thursday, July 29, 1999 9:18 AM, DAN SNELSON [SMTP: <Email Address Redacted> ]
wrote:
> Dear National office and Board members,
>
> This change in the 2/3 to 1/2+1 is more than a small oops. Those of us
that voted BEFORE this was announced may want to change our vote! We were
NOT given all the information for an informed vote. Quite frankly I will be
calling for either a new vote or at least an independent audit of the
actual votes if it is close. Remember you may have an outside company
collecting the votes but it is YOUR outside company.
>
> Secondly some of the recent posts suggest we should run for office if we
don't like the way things are run. Well with the ONE party system currently
in place it is really hard to even try! A committee of the current make up
a list for the new, you know like in Mexico where the outgoing president
chooses his successor. Quite frankly the nominations from the floor are a
joke.
>
> The only real reason I have heard for the consolidation is because the
national office has problems. Well then change the way THAT is run. I
noticed we have more new assistants in the national right at the time we
are voting to CUT the staff with combining the groups. Like make up your
minds are there too many or not enough people in the National office?
>
> And YES I do want to change my vote I was for it but as the games being
played at the end of the vote are coming up I no longer have faith in the
Board members and their opinions of what is best for me.
>
>
>
> Dan Snelson,CPO, FAAOP (at least until the consolidastion is jammed down
our throats then what will that mean?)
>
> << File: ATT00009.html >>