UMCA membership went down and 2008 election results

April 21st:

Dear UMCA government,

I read the election results in this link with interest:

http://www.ultracycling.com/about/umca_elections_2008.html

Only 965 total members as of the election period?

This is of interest and a rather big concern because a person expressed her concern back in May 2007about whether UMCA can afford having members leaving:

http://lists.topica.com/lists/ultracycling/read/message.html?mid=812745468&sort=d&start=9828

As you see, her primary concern of about 700 members leaving appears to come true! Here is SaveUMCA's excel (see attachment) [not available on blog] of all the current and past UMCA members data available to anyone as of 4/21/08. If we include the memberships expiring in 2007 to current (1024) we would have 1,849. This meant 825 people didn't renew this year yet as of today. (Don't forget that we have 174 current life members in this database.)

In late April 2007, we used to have the membership in the 1,700's. We are aware that the online directory is not accurate, but this is looking close enough to the real thing. The number of paying members cut into about half is not looking good at all.

Well, the UMCA members did communicate to UMCA about the unrealistic of UMCA's governing behavior toward their customers for four years. In all seriousness, it's the time for UMCA to better communicate what they are doing. Start by answering the UMCA members's questions!

Respectfully,
Mavis

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Dear UMCA government,

I reviewed the election results with a smile because ever since 2003, the UMCA members were suggesting ways to improve the election voting turnout. After all, it was the UMCA members themselves who voted to accept the UMCA Bylaws!

It took the public pressuring from UMCA members wanting UMCA to follow its own UMCA Bylaws to finally make UMCA do a few methods already suggested for years. Speaking on the belief of the UMCA members, who were trying to convince the methods finally used in the recent election would likely work, we are really happy to know we are right all along!

The credit should go to all the Board of Director members trying to improve the election ever since 2003. Be sure to write an article in the UMCA magazine, apologizing for ignoring the Board of Director members who does know better than to bury their heads in the sand. Now, let's make the elections even better:

1) Throw out the ridiculous requirement of having Life UMCA members (as well as any other members) sign the waivers to not sue so they can vote. This is NOT in the UMCA Bylaws and there is no such a requirement for this country's messy, but more democratic government. (If anyone did have to sign a
wavier to not sue so they could vote for the next president of USA, I am sure there will be a riot. We ultracyclists are much more civilized than that!)

2) Drop the ridiculous three requirements to run for Board of Directors. Not only because they were not in the UMCA Bylaws, but the UMCA Bylaws clearly stated that any UMCA members can run. Furthermore, one of these requirements kept members like me out of the last election even through I was
in the one before this recent election.) Anyone who is a regular UMCA member as stated in the UMCA Bylaws legally can be candidates!!

I am telling you these things because even with the wonderful voting turnout in this election, there are still some UMCA members who didn't vote out of protest over UMCA's new system of selecting applicants for their ballots. (Don't look at me, I am only the spokesperson and I did vote in this election.)

Happy cycling,
Mavis