From: Ted <tsrwvcomm@aol.com>
Date: 12/27/17 14:16 (GMT-05:00)
To: Vic Culver <vic.w4vic@verizon.net>
Cc: John Bellows <jbellows@skypoint.com>, CONRC@aol.com, K0GW@arrl.org, ny2rf@arrl.org, k5vip@arrl.net, PVRC Submissions <PVRC@mailman.qth.net>, gofrc@yahoogroups.com, Jose Castillo N4BAA <jose-castillo@verizon.net>, K5UR@arrl.org, k3rf@arrl.org, w3tom@arrl.org, YCCC Reflector <yccc@yccc.org>, n1vxy@arrl.org, K7GM@ARRL.ORG, wb3w@arrl.org, N5ZGT@arrl.org, w8rjl@arrl.net, Jay Bellows K0QB <k0qb@arrl.org>, ctdxcc@kkn.net
Subject: Major Change to ARRL By Laws proposed by Hudson Div. Director N2YBB
Dear ARRL officials, and interested parties:
Speaking as an ARRL Life member for over 35 years, and as an active engineering educator and staunch proponent of amateur radio and of the ARRL, I urge all of you to vote *AGAINST* the proposed by-laws changes proffered by the Hudson Division director, N2YBB, and to please support and distribute this plea to others who have a vote or “say” in the direction of ARRL.
Even the suggestion of such by-laws changes is damaging to the perceived mission and charter of the ARRL, and its responsibility to the hundreds of thousands of its members. Enactment of such changes would be catastrophic to the US amateur radio hobby, as such changes would allow a few appointed ARRL board members, or even a lone hired executive, to act in an omnipotent manner, both within the broad membership ranks of ARRL, and externally to business and government interests, without having any immediate accountability or transparency to the membership at large. The changes would entitle the board to have powers over the membership and the board that are both unprecedented and dangerous to the well-being of the broader amateur community, allowing the board to have wide powers such as to remove anyone from paid up league membership, at any time, at will. The changes would also double down on building upon the “iron-fist” mentality that seems to have pervaded the League in recent months and years. I note that the proposed by-laws changes would allow “immediate” action to occur by a few or even one person (with implicit board approval), well before any elections could occur to change League policy for the many members.
Based on recent actions taken by the board and the leadership at ARRL, the proposed by-laws would dangerously empower a group of leaders who sometimes seem to forget that they represent and have accountability to the very large tent of amateur radio. The proposed by-laws changes would further exacerbate the increasingly volatile situation, where membership is rapidly becoming increasingly suspicious of the motives and operations of the ARRL Leadership.
Some specific examples that point to the current and present dangers of further empowering one or a few existing board members may be readily found in the recent CQ magazine white paper, that indicates others have reported fair elections for director spots were not made possible, due to ARRL action of removing prospective candidates.
Also, the recent censure of Dick Norton, N6AA, who factually represented ARRL activities to interested members at a hamfest, is evidence of the board’s current desire to muzzle efforts for transparency, and to punish open communications between ARRL leaders and the membership at large. What is particularly shocking in this case is that the board chose to censure N6AA in the face of evidence presented to the board by distinguished amateur operators who were present. This shows a clear desire of the board to be able to hide its internal operations, and to “send a message” that no public discussion, let alone dissent, is to be permitted or tolerated by ARRL leadership about its internal workings, regardless of circumstance. This removal of transparency, already enacted by the present board, is precisely why the current bylaws proposal is so dangerous. Such a censure of a highly regarded board member (the longest serving voluntary executive of ARRL) indicates a board that is both irreverent to the voluntary nature of the ARRL and the accountability the League has to its members, and it further shows blatant disrespect for the inherent contract that the ARRL has with its large membership– to serve the membership in an open, fair, and honest manner. The proposed bylaws changes is a direct assault on open, honest, and fair discussion and dissension, and would give the board an iron hand to remove any ARRL member from office and from membership, at any time.
The recent departure of many highly-regarded employees of ARRL, and the muzzle that has been placed on them, prohibiting them from voicing any reasons for their departure, and similar orders now being rumored to be placed within all officer and employee agreements, also suggests a heavy handed, non-transparent approach to ARRL management, and in such a climate, it now becomes a legitimate concern to question the motives and sensibility of leadership. Why would ARRL leadership be so desirous to avoid transparency, and wish to so aggressively muzzle the freedom of speech of elected volunteers and staff members? These principles backstop the very nature of democracy that is “American.”
Similar heavy-handed activities by the ARRL in the voluntary US traffic handling operations (NTS), have been noted recently by many, as well.
While disagreements and management issues are sure to arise in any large organization, a largely-voluntary organization requires an engaged leadership and open dialogue, not a dictatorial climate that would be further perpetuated by the proposed by-laws changes.
Since the ARRL is the self-appointed lobbyist for the precious US amateur spectrum, the current climate–further worsened by the by-laws proposal– now legitimately causes ARRL members to worry about “back room deals” being done by one or a few ARRL leaders that could give away or usurp the hobby’s use or access to its lifeblood – its valuable use of the electromagnetic spectrum.
In particular, the League’s aggression toward existing HF CW and narrowband data operations, though it’s filing of RM-11708 (and RM-11306 ten years earlier), and the lack of transparency by the board in its motivations, and its unwillingness to meet and collaborate with interested ARRL members and technical experts during the comment periods in 2013-2016, has resulted in the potentially devastating Notice of Proposed Rule Making Docket 16-239 that is now being considered by the FCC. If enacted in the FCC’s
proposed form, automated wideband data (of unlimited HF channel bandwidths) and encrypted internet transmissions suitable for boaters and use by terrorists without any identification would be allowed in all HF cw/rtty band segments. Are other deals in the offing; that need to be kept behind closed doors, that could provide other commercial interests access to our spectrum at VHF, UHF, and above?
One may legitimately wonder if there are hidden, monetary motivations for the League to take certain actions (at the expense of other genuine membership interests), while it conceals its activities, and now proposes to further clamp down on transparency and remove accountability to membership, as proposed in the current by-laws amendment proposal.
The proposed by-laws changes would more easily allow back room dealings and nefarious operations to occur, without leadership being accountable or transparent to membership, while giving the board members the sweeping powers to simply cancel the membership of *any* dissenting member of its choosing (or *members*, including all paid up Life members, or ARRL members who happen to be elected to the board and choose to not go along with a particular action).
In the current climate, the proposed by-laws could allow the board to revoke the membership of any ARRL member, including board members who are in the minority, such as N6AA and the two other board members who voted against his censure at a recent ARRL Board meeting.
The actions of the present board, with regards to the hobby’s access to spectrum, or the proposed ability to revoke anyone’ ARRL membership, could be extremely swift and damaging, and possibly permanently detrimental to the amateur radio hobby, before new elections could be held for new board members or new hires executives who could change a particular course of direction.
When dealing with spectrum, it’s often impossible to “put the horse back in the barn”, so any loss of spectrum protections would likely be irrevocable. US Amateurs currently enjoy valuable spectrum rights– commercial interests in our use of spectrum could be considerable. Under the current climate, and given the League’s aggressive, secretive, and unengaged stance on spectrum in the recent past, and it’s more aggressive desire to empower the board and censure dissenting board members, membership has a legitimate right to now be very suspicious of the League as it attempts to further limit discourse or discussion. The proposed bylaws changes would further perpetuate the growing suspicion of backroom dealings, while at the same time emboldening a few leaders, or even one, to act with impunity and with disregard for the good of the entire membership, without open discussion or dialogue.
The overwhelming desire of the board to censure N6AA in the face of strong evidence, and the recent and rapid departure of valued employees, and the rumored deterioration of morale of employees in Newington, shows that there may be ill forces already at work.
The by-laws proposal only further erodes trust among the membership, empowers a tyrannical board that could be empowered further to simply revoke membership of any ARRL member, board member or otherwise, and it creates an atmosphere of secrecy in fear of repercussions for dissension or dialogue.
This by-laws proposal helps no one but those who want to widen that disconnect, and lessen the obligation and accountability that leadership has to membership.
I offer you to consider the recent activities that have occurred, the perceived damage already done by the actions of the board and executive management at ARRL, and to consider the further damage that such a proposed by-laws change would create.
I suggest the proposed changes would unhinge the ARRL from its 100 year-plus charter of being a membership-driven organization, by and for its members, and for the preservation of the spectrum for our hobby. The proposed by-laws changes would further erode the ability for the ARRL to offer and support transparency among its hired, elected, appointed, and voluntary members, many who volunteer for the good of the hobby and for the League, and some who are paid a salary by the League to properly represent the massive membership at large. Thanks
I also would urge you to consider an immediate refreshment and renewal of the mindset of the managing executives and the board, to consider a new approach to present leadership.
Please consider offering up with full transparency to the public, to the extent possible, any legacy contracts, estate planning commitments or bequeaths to the League that provide revenues or benefit to the League in any manner, as well as such bequests that contain a conditionality clause that might motivate certain ARRL conduct or decisions, disclose any conflicts of interest or commitment by any board members or elected or hired staff member, and provide full disclosure of any side business arrangements, any outside business or personal relationships that any of the ARRL leadership members, president, executives, officers, or the League itself, has or is contemplating.
To the extent that certain gifts or endowments or bequeaths, business dealings or agreements have a confidentiality clause, a broad interpretation should be taken to enable the public disclosure of the existence of such agreements for all the ARRL membership to see, and the general purpose and intent of such agreements or bequests should be made transparent, if the specific amounts or terms must be held confidential, so that all ARRL members, board members, and hired ARRL employees/officials may disclose and understand potential conflicts of interest and commitment that might be at work on a daily basis.
Please do the right thing for the future of ARRL and its membership, and vote *AGAINST* the by-laws changes proposed by N2YBB in your January meeting, and please similarly avoid enacting *any* further powers to the board or the executive leadership of ARRL.
I would urge you to immediately act to ensure that all board members have wide autonomy and a specific mandate and approval to communicate widely and freely with all the membership, and to disclose all possible conflicts of interests or commitment that could be at work at or inside ARRL and among its staff and board members. I would also urge leadership to create a culture inside ARRL that is conducive to recruiting and retaining a highly motivated and dedicated staff that can serve the large membership of ARRL.
Thank you, to all of you, for your dedicated service to the ARRL and the US amateur radio community. Thank you also for considering this input. Wishing you the best of Holiday greetings, and a wonderful 2018.
Ted Rappaport, N9NB
Life Member ARRL