Aarne L. Langley
1205 Lake Rogers Circle
Oviedo, Florida 32765
Kelly, I am doing a letter to the Editor regarding exactly your point.
In the 22 years I've been in IHMSA there has been constant turmoil within the organization. How a bunch of people who love to bust steel and tell lies could goof up an organization so badly is beyond me. Something is very wrong with a system that has a resulted in a revolving door for Officers of IHMSA, not to mention the loss of so many valuable and talented members. So many people have left IHMSA and many qualified remaining members will not get involved because of the internal strife that goes on. I don't want to dress in drag, take an alias and shoot wimp loads or shoot black plastic wonder auto's. That was only a joke) I want to shoot Silhouettes!
We need a commitment from EVERY IHMSA member to get involved!
The Match Directors, State Directors and Regional/Board Members need to cooperate in making the changes necessary to save our sport. It is not a difficult task to establish an email contact list chain for communications with everyone from the Board on down. It is most likely in existence already, just not being used effectively.
The following are my attempt to formulate the beginnings of a plan to involve the members in the future of IHMSA. What ever changes we adopt, the members need to feel they have some input instead of the apathy that is prevalent now.
1. All rule changes, proposal, modifications should be published in the March IHMSA NEWS. Members will have from the Internationals until February to discuss proposals/ideas and send them up the chain. Members would then have 2 months to discuss them at their monthly matches. The results of a club vote can be forwarded up the chain from the Match Directors before June 1st.
2. All issues are to be published/disseminated before a vote by the Board.
3. State Directors will forward the results of his/her States votes to both Region Director and to the clubs as well.
4. Region Directors will then notify State Directors of his/her Regions results.
5. All issues voted on by the Board will be published. All minutes of meetings are to be published either on the IHMSA Web Page or in the News. No secret results of a vote. All Board votes will be publicized.
This would establish some accountability on everyone’s part. If everyone does their part, the Region Director would have a mandate from his/her members before they vote. This would also show whether or not a Match/State Director or club are not pulling their weight as well.
Please consider these changes. And add any constructive ideas you have. I am not placing the blame the IHMSA Board or any individual for the decline in membership. I am not criticizing anyone. I am only trying to start an idea to get us back on track and preserve the game we love. As a MD, it is not really a lot of work if you have over 90% of your club shooters on email like I do. It would only take a few minutes to talk over the proposal/changes at a match. Heck, try it after a match over a few adult beverages and who knows what great ideas will come forward.