2009 USBC Convention in RENO,NV

[PSBA10]

The USBC Nationals are in the Cashman Center in Vegas not the Convention Center. I'll be there in 5 weeks.

A question for those going to the convention: I have it on good authority that one of the proposals this year is to require all State Associations to merge. What are your feelings on this subject?

Personally I am opposed to this proposal. The first time that ABC / WIBC brought up the USBC it was voted down because it required all associations to merge. They later came back with language stating mergers were optional and not mandatory. This time USBC passed. By requiring all State Associations to merge, logically they will in a year or so require all associations to merge. Don't let USBC have piecemeal what was defeated in the original proposal.

[ThongPrincess]

I understand your concern, but we have already merged on both the State and Local level. I think we are 3 or 4 years merged at the state level and in our 2nd or 3rd year as a local. There were some growing pains, but from what I have seen it has all been relatively smooth.

How many states are not merged? I ask because if more are merged than not merged I would think it will pass.

I also think there were other bigger issues in the first merger proposal such as no say from the membership when it came to rules and sanction fees charged by Nationals. I was on our local Women's board at the time the merger was in the works. I remember discussions about how in theory it would be good, but that the initial proposal gave too much power to the National and they could make changes without any consultation with the members. The conventions would really mean nothing. We had advised our delegates to vote no the first time.

[PSBA10]

I also was there before, at the birth of USBC, and after. In subsequent years the board has been given additional "powers" that do not require membership approval. Do you think that if the membership had any control over the Board's activity that the move to Arlington would have happened? At the convention it was stated that this was happening period, no discussion. Proposals have passed that were worded such that they could be intrepeted several ways. One of the ways was always in increasing the Board's independance. This new proposal would be the capstone in the board's autonimy. If we give them the ability to mandate mergers, where will it end???? Mergers were to be OPTIONAL.

Mergers work for some, and others they don't. In PA we have merged associations. Some have increased membership and are thriving, while others can not get enough people to fill even half of the board, and are losing membership because there is no local leadership.

I am a state officer. We have approached the state women's board in the past and were told, in so many words, leave us alone. In PA we have 2 great organizations. We want to remain that way. I know there are other states, and locals that feel the same way.