WMAS

Well it looks like this may be the best way to go.  So far people seem happy with an online nomination and voting system.  Here is a list of presidency nominations.  If you would like to nominate somone simply PM me and I will continue to update this list.  Then (in about 2 weeks) we will create a topic with a voting poll (or something like that).  Until then, we would like to collect names. 

If you would like to be in the presidency, feel free to write here and tell everyone, that way you can swing some votes your way.  I don't want this to be based on popularity, but rather by who is actually willing to help out and spend time doing this.

PRESIDENT
Adam Blundell
Jon Finch  (JFinch)

VICE PRESIDENT
Jake Pehrson

SECRETARY
Steve Lopez (sjlopez39)
Ryan Foote (RFoote)

LIBRARIAN
Dave Daniels (Sarnak)

TREASURER/MEMBERSHIP
Mark Peterson

NEWSLETTER
Cortney Curran (Gonzo)

HISTORIAN
Suzy Applegarth (Suzy)

PRESIDENCY COUNCIL (area representatives, newsletter, historian, audio/visual, event planning)
Here are the nominations so far in no particular order, all those listed above will be listed here as well

Jon Finch (JFinch)
William Spencer (wsinbad)
Ryan Foote (Rfoote)
Shane Heil (Shane)
Chris Singley (chrisslc)
Terry Boncada (Flying Fish)
Gary and Danielle Williams (Firefish)
Diana Tabor
Arjen Jonkhart (Dutch Dude)
Bruce Ewald (Pistonfister)
Kirk Talbot (Kahuna)
Richard Loser (1mariner7)
Renee Weimer (Weimers)
Jim LaMunyon  (chemguy)
Ryan Willden
Carl- you know Carl

CLUB TROUBLE MAKER
Marcus

We may add marketing to the list of positions, up to the current presidency.  If not, that is certainly to be an assigned position for a council member. 

Adam

(ps- instead of more estrogen, how about more unconjugated estriol, that is something I'm more familiar with)

WHAT!?!?!?  more estrogen in our tanks????  Suzy! will that help xenia grow faster?  How do i dose with estrogen?

(I'll pay my membership at the next meeting if I can be nomiated as assistant under secretary club trouble-maker )

Everyone has it, even males.  It is a derivative of estrogen, but not nearly as popular.  However, it is of huge importance during pregnancy as it correlates to fetal development. Far more than you wanted to know I'm sure. 

Adam

What slippery slope did we tread on to go from Reef Club Presidency to Pregnancy in six short posts?  I am amazed!

Shane H wrote: Don't you have to be a member to hold an office? Although, I wholeheartedly second the nomination -especially after his CrownLine comments a few months ago.

I'll be more than willing to fork out the cash if it happens.  For the record, I have been a paid member in the past, even invited to presidency meetings a while ago.  I have no problem with paying for a membership but we all go through hard times now and then.  Priorities take precedence.

Shane, are you still holding that against me?  Come on, I apologized and admitted I was wrong.  What do you say buddy?  My girlfriend came down on me the hardest for the comment after she corrected me by laughing at me.  Guess that just shows how much I know about I/O boats.  But ask me something about flat-bottom inboards and then you'll get an ear full.  Anybody want to buy a Nautique?

Shane, I have a broken collar bone right now.  Its been broke for about 3 years now.  Three different surgeons say that its more of a risk to open me up and graft a bone from marrow from my hip then to just let it be.  I also strained my MCL at Powell two years ago and blew my ankle out two years ago.  I just can't ride as hard as I could a couple years ago.  When I was in my prime I was pulling tantrums, scarecrows, 360s, and all sorts of nice tricks.  Now I do couple sets and I'm done for the day.  Its just not worth owning a boat for me.  I will still wake board here and there but not enough to keep paying on my boat.

Katie worked at the boat show this year and she saw a bunch of nice boats, but I will only buy Nautique to wake board behind.  I won't go into why because somebody here probably owns every other boat that I would diss on. I have to cover my ass this go around.  I heard there were sea lions at the boat show this year.  If I was going to get a V-hull, it would probably be a Donzi or a Formula, but I can't afford either of those so I don't have to worry about it.

I would love to keep talking about boats and all, but I wonder if Adam is getting mad that we stole his thread.

Just want to throw out a warning here.  I to agree that a marketing person is warranted.  However, keep in mind what the goals of the club, or presidency have been.  We aren't looking to grow and expand, we aren't looking to sign some sponsors, and we aren't looking to be more professional.

Now that could all change with the next presidency, but just wanted to throw our a warning so people don't have the wrong idea about the club's goals.

Adam

Carl, if you do a search for "Fish Nerd" shirts, you will find a thread about this very topic.  It was quite funny, it actually got brought up a presidency meeting at Steve Lopez's house about 1-1/2 yrs ago.

Two quick items....

1- Some positions only have one person nominated at this point.  Please feel free to make this competitive and nominate more people. (especially for president)

2- If you are looking forward to being on next year's presidency, please feel free to post here that you are hoping to win.  That way when people vote they will know you are looking forward to this, and not just leaving your name on the list for the fun of it. 

Thanks

Adam

Elected or not, I'll help where I can.

(every organization need a smarta** and I'm the man for that job)

I agree with Jon, not about helping but that he's a smartass.

I will also glady donate my time.

rfoote wrote: I am willing to help out as well!  Hey - and I nominate you Jon as Pres!

Yes finally!  The nomination has been added.

Adam

Noooo....  I'll get even Ryan!

I was volunteering my time to be on some "backroom commitee" somewhere.  You know making big decisions like whether to go with hotdogs or hamburgers at the picnic . 

In all honesty, I don't feel I have the time to devote to that post.

VOTE ADAM IN 2004!

VOTE RYAN FOOTE, UNDERSECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT!

I don't think Adam really meant we don't want the club to grow.

The problem is that over the last couple of years we have grown very quickly and it has been hard to keep everything working smoothly.

The more members the better, but we need more people that are willing to put in time to help the club.  It seems like it has always been the same people (with a couple of exceptions) that clean up after the meetings and are willing to take some time to help out when asked.  Even after people are elected to serve in the presidency only 1/3 of them actually show up to presidency meetings and contribute their time.

Timothyuhl

You have some great suggestions and hopefully you can help us implement some of them to better the club.

I can't remember how much Adam said the club has grown, but it occurs to me that the presidency must take an awful lot of time.  Just thinking of the number of times that Adam has responded to e-mails, plus the things we don't know that he does (like talking to the seahorse.org director at 10:00pm our time) and I assume that he Has A Life... what about a co-presidency?  Might be a kooky idea, and that's probably the reason for having 12 people or so in the leadership of the club. 

Speaking of that, I was amazed and thrilled to see my name on the list!  I'd love to help, and I would work hard at any position.  Currently I am an instructor on Hill AFB.  I teach computer programs, financial classes, and different math classes.  I have been a personal financial manager, oral surgery assistant, and was in the USMC for 4 years.  I also have a Master's degree in Human Relations.  (If they offered one in animal or fish relations, I would have much preferred it!)So I am motivated and dedicated... but what can I do to help?  I am a good speaker, and good at research.   I live in Ogden.  Has anyone ever thought about doing a more "local" WMAS - like South SLC, or Ogden, or whatever?  I'd love to have a way to know who lives near me that I could give some algae to, or frags, or beg for help if the power goes out.  Somebody tell me what's really needed, and I'll be hot on its tracks!  As timothyuhl says, we've got "a LOT of potential!"

~Renee

Okay I'll do my best to address everything, but feel free to write back with whatever I miss.

Renee- I don't have a life.

Timothy- I guess there is a difference between saying we want to actively recruit members, and the idea of knowing we are going to grow anyway.  For instance, we have had 12 new people at each of the last 4 meetings.  That is unreal growth.  So I guess I miss spoke saying we didn't want to grow, what I'm saying is we don't really have to try anymore.  (at least that is how the presidency has been seeing it). 
Also, don't we use a computer and projector for just about every presentation?

Everyone- to ask questions about what the WMAS wants to do, or what our goals are really shouldn't be sent to me.  In one week, all those goals will change as we will have a new presidency.  We do have By Laws, but they are for more procedural matters, not items like "what are we going to do for the next 4 meetings" or anything like that.
The idea of a large permanent meeting place is always an issue, and trust me I'm working on it.  In fact, big meeting regarding that coming up in two weeks, ask me then.

Our marketing and public relations position will be centered around.... well whatever the presidency wants.  Obviously the Reef Tour and a Christmas charity are high up on the list.  But that marketing can be to the public hobbyists, other clubs, product manufactures, elementary schools, local stores, internet stores, who knows?  Recently the club chose to no longer make all the efforts to partner up and work with the local stores.  That decision was made because after 6 years we realized the stores just don't care.  Take a look at the stores that do support us and look how many of them are posting in our LFS section on this board.  The current stance (and this can always change) is to showcase stores on our site with an upcoming Sponsors Page that will encourage other stores to be more supportive.

And I do have to back up something Jake said.  We do get lots of ideas and suggestions, but I can already tell you who the 4 people will be sweeping the floor after the next meeting.  There are some people we just know we can count on.

I'm really glad to have all the responses so far.  I'm sure they will all be read during the next presidency meeting, and I'm sure the next presidency will be looking for lots of input on where the club should go.

Keep the ideas comin'

Adam

Tim,

I guess you are correct, no projector last meeting.  But we almost always have one.  In fact click to the left <---- on presentations and you can view a couple from last year.  Other than coral cutting seminars I'm hard pressed to think of a meeting with the powepoint.
And this next part should really be answered by Mark, but I'll try.  We tried, and tried, and tried all sorts of ideas to work with local stores. And we didn't quit, the newest idea is a Sponsor's Page, and also the LFS section of this website.  All stores were mailed form letters expressing our interest to work together and to see them become more active on our site just 2 months ago.  My point is this, take a store, I'll pick on Aquatic Dreams since everyone likes them.  They're great, we like 'em, the like us.... but they still haven't posted anything for sale here.  And last meeting they donated a bunch of stuff, but still couldn't get away from their store to come and talk about it. 
Another example.  We have offered the whole next meeting to Brine Shrimp Direct to come and promote their store, their products, their facility and to do whatever they want.  The owner is very excited to give us stuff and get his name out.  However, this is the 3rd time we've tried this and they have declined the offer to visit the club and to prepare a presentation. 

One more issue.  If our membership tripled that would suck.  This club would collapse.  We are on the verge of that anyway.  If I decline the nomination for president (which I often consider) that leaves one nominee JON FINCH!!! and he is adamant about not winning.  Some people (maybe including me, depending on the day) think we are already to big, and need to split into two clubs.  I'm not saying that is the best thing, but I will say that if anyone had stepped up and wanted to be president of a second club, we would have split months ago.

These are all the exact issues we have battled since the club began, and will always battle.  I guess the basic idea of "what is the purpose of the club" and "who are we out to serve" will always be at the heart of discussions.  My answer has always been this... "whatever the presidency decides".  I'm glad you are bringing up these questions, I like discussing them, so feel free to keep asking away.

Adam

 to Steve for that comment.

Marcus,

The position was council member.

Thanks Jake. 

Thanks Suzy!

I second the Carl nomination.

Diana,

Yes we are voting for a Public Relations/Marketing person.

As of today you are the only person on the ballot under that position (there is a good chance you will win).

Hey guys, why don't we have a field trip and go to BSD for their presentation?

I am willing to offer my time and interest on the council- I think that Suzy girl has my name on the list.  Regardless, I will be helping to clean up this week.  Anything else I can do to help?

Jake Pehrson wrote: Diana, Yes we are voting for a Public Relations/Marketing person. As of today you are the only person on the ballot under that position (there is a good chance you will win).

PR/Marketing is IMO a much needed pesition.  Jake who are all the people and what possitions do we have right now?  If there are any spots needing a volenteer I would be more than willing.  I am going to try and get Thursdays off so I can start attending meetings it almost seems piontless to belong to the group and not attend any of the meetings! 

For the current ballot please check out this thread:

http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2009 - http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2009