It seems that change is afoot! I have received two e-mails from the NCRS Head Honchos within the last couple of weeks. WOW!
If change is really happening within the organization, I put forth that this Forum also start to embrace a little change. In the past, the focus has been very narrow... When any questions seem to stray from, "what color should this bolt be", and ask "why do we do it as an organizaion this way", "Why don't we have a classified ad section here", "how do I get a list of management salaries", it gets closed, shouted down, or are told - "This is a Technical Board NOT A FORUM".
Really?
Look at the top of the page...
Under the NCRS Logo... Under HOME, Under the Big Black "NATIONAL"...
what is that word there? Technical Board?
nope...
It says FORUM.
How about
If you click the button under the NCRS Logo... Under HOME, Under the Big Black "NATIONAL".. under SHOPS... If you click THAT BUTTON that says FORUMS....
By golly, it brings you right here....
So, in the New Era NCRS, can we drop the pretense that this is a technical board, and embrace it for what everyone in 2016 would call it... a forum!
If you don't like that... well, you are going against the By-Laws, Charger, and 501c-7 Form 990 Tax Paperwork. I'll save you the trouble and post both.
From the NCRS's 2014 Form 990 501c-7 Tax Paperwork
Part I SUMMARY
1) Briefly describe the organization's mission or most significant activities
TO PROVIDE ITS MEMBERS WITH A MEDIUM TO EXCHANGE IDEAS, INFORMATION AND PARTS FOR THE RESTORATION OF CORVETTE AUTOMOBILES
And from the By-Laws of the NCRS...
FROM THE NCRS BY LAWS/CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE III - PURPOSE, OWNERSHIP AND ASSETS
3.1 The Club shall be both fraternal and educational so as to serve as a medium for the exchange of ideas, information, and automotive parts and accessories between Members and admirers of the Chevrolet Corvette Automobile within model-years 1953 through 1999, or later model years as approved by the Board, to aid the Members' effort to preserve and restore the vehicles in their original, as manufactured condition, and to encourage the preservation and study of printed technical and historical material.
The Technical Board EXCELS at serving as a medium to exchange information between members... but it really falls short of "the exchange of ideas". Especially when expressing ideas falls against the sensibilities of the old guard members.
Also, if its between Members and Admirers of Corvettes... shouldn't it be open to non-member "Admirers". Its just a thought, but maybe a battle for another time.
It was a long hard battle to get a classified section... If you search threads, it goes back YEARS before it was ever implemented. But the BOD got the last laugh. It was implemented in such a way that it was almost assured a crib death. Methinks it was set up the way it was, because they feared that greater participation on an online classifieds would mean less folks sending their classifieds in to the Driveline. When it was FINALLY implemented... it was a for fee (not free) and separated from the forum entirely. It is/was cumbersome and practically unused.
I would put forward, that its time to bring the classifieds under the main FORUM (or Technical Board if you still hold to that). What is the purpose of separating it, since it no longer is a charged service?
It will fall in nicely with the By-Laws as they state....
serve as a medium for the exchange of ideas, information, and automotive parts and accessories
If change is really happening within the organization, I put forth that this Forum also start to embrace a little change. In the past, the focus has been very narrow... When any questions seem to stray from, "what color should this bolt be", and ask "why do we do it as an organizaion this way", "Why don't we have a classified ad section here", "how do I get a list of management salaries", it gets closed, shouted down, or are told - "This is a Technical Board NOT A FORUM".
Really?
Look at the top of the page...
Under the NCRS Logo... Under HOME, Under the Big Black "NATIONAL"...
what is that word there? Technical Board?
nope...
It says FORUM.
How about
If you click the button under the NCRS Logo... Under HOME, Under the Big Black "NATIONAL".. under SHOPS... If you click THAT BUTTON that says FORUMS....
By golly, it brings you right here....
So, in the New Era NCRS, can we drop the pretense that this is a technical board, and embrace it for what everyone in 2016 would call it... a forum!
If you don't like that... well, you are going against the By-Laws, Charger, and 501c-7 Form 990 Tax Paperwork. I'll save you the trouble and post both.
From the NCRS's 2014 Form 990 501c-7 Tax Paperwork
Part I SUMMARY
1) Briefly describe the organization's mission or most significant activities
TO PROVIDE ITS MEMBERS WITH A MEDIUM TO EXCHANGE IDEAS, INFORMATION AND PARTS FOR THE RESTORATION OF CORVETTE AUTOMOBILES
And from the By-Laws of the NCRS...
FROM THE NCRS BY LAWS/CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE III - PURPOSE, OWNERSHIP AND ASSETS
3.1 The Club shall be both fraternal and educational so as to serve as a medium for the exchange of ideas, information, and automotive parts and accessories between Members and admirers of the Chevrolet Corvette Automobile within model-years 1953 through 1999, or later model years as approved by the Board, to aid the Members' effort to preserve and restore the vehicles in their original, as manufactured condition, and to encourage the preservation and study of printed technical and historical material.
The Technical Board EXCELS at serving as a medium to exchange information between members... but it really falls short of "the exchange of ideas". Especially when expressing ideas falls against the sensibilities of the old guard members.
Also, if its between Members and Admirers of Corvettes... shouldn't it be open to non-member "Admirers". Its just a thought, but maybe a battle for another time.
It was a long hard battle to get a classified section... If you search threads, it goes back YEARS before it was ever implemented. But the BOD got the last laugh. It was implemented in such a way that it was almost assured a crib death. Methinks it was set up the way it was, because they feared that greater participation on an online classifieds would mean less folks sending their classifieds in to the Driveline. When it was FINALLY implemented... it was a for fee (not free) and separated from the forum entirely. It is/was cumbersome and practically unused.
I would put forward, that its time to bring the classifieds under the main FORUM (or Technical Board if you still hold to that). What is the purpose of separating it, since it no longer is a charged service?
It will fall in nicely with the By-Laws as they state....
serve as a medium for the exchange of ideas, information, and automotive parts and accessories
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