Appointment of club committee members

[Robert Parker]

Hi All,

Recently my club held it's AGM and part of the AGM is to appoint new committee members to replace those standing down. This is always a difficult part of the meeting and the room goes very quiet until someone offers to take the post/s available. This year there seemed less members attending the meeting than that from previous years.

Well, this year was a little different by in that no one took the post of club secretary, a position which is a requirement of the BMFA.

My club has been established for over 35 years with a membership of around 35, I have been a member for some years. Not wanting the club to go into dissolution, and at present I'm not really wanting to put my head up but at the same time I would like the club to continue, I would like to ask what exactly is the role of the club secretary, secondly, do other clubs go through a similar experience?

Regards

Robert

[John Tee]

Every year our committee all stand down. At least a month before the AGM all members are asked for nominations. If there are any ( not too often) there is a vote at the AGM, if not the committe are reelected if they wish to stand again. We have had a turn over of committee members in the last 10 years to keep the committee fresh. Most club members go for the quiet life and let the existing committee carry on ( same as in most hobbies I have found). We did have a minor "rebellion" a few years ago by some members who thought the club should just for them on their terms but that blew over quickly.

john

[John Tee]

Should have added that the AGM is always well supported especially this year as we were discussing the CAA's latest news and geeing up those that still have to do the test and register, which was easier in a forum than one or two discussing between themselves

John

 

edited for bad typing

Edited By John Tee on 15/12/2019 12:15:47

[gangster]

Well if out of 35 members no one will put their hand up they deserve the club to fold. I am not sure why you have asked us on here what the roll of the club secretary is. Why not ask the committee and the outgoing secretary. In our club it is not a particularly onerous role.

Some clubs love to make a meal of the bureaucracy but I doubt that is the case. Maybe meeting minutes which can be brief as you like and the odd communication but now email etc has made that simple. If however the secretary also wears the hat of the membership secretary it’s a bigger role especially at this time of year. So many say they don’t have time. Rubbish I bet over half of the club is retired. If someone has time to build and fly

they have time to make an effort to keep the club alive. I am treasurer and membership secretary and I believe though that I could build and finish a standard sport model kit in the time I spend at the end of the year but that still leaves 10 months to build

[SIMON CRAGG]

We have similar numbers, and after a two year break I have been club sec. for the last two years. To make a good job of it, the person who takes it on must WANT to do the job. Depending on your club set up the job can be as busy as you want it to be. To give you some idea, this is what I get up to:

Arrange both club and committee meeting agendas and take minutes.

Liaise with our BMFA rep, Chairman and programme co-ordinator on a weekly basis.

Hold a club database, and send out reminders of club events / meetings / BMFA News / CAA info on a regular basis.

Help keep the club caravan and grounds in a decent state.

Liaise with our club treasurer, and pay in money from our club shop.

Lots of other odds and sods, (put up the Xmas tree in the club caravan today), but I LOVE the job, so its no big deal for me.

We had to employ somebody outside the club to be treasurer, as none of our 40 odd members would take it on.

Hope this helps!

[wingcoax]

If it makes things easier there is software available to help. Not sure if I still have a copy, but it does give templates for setting up lists and so forth. We did use it in my club many years ago and it seemed to work ok.

[John Tee]

In our club the chairman does the agenda for committee meeting and he is good with coming up with new ideas to keep the club interesting - special events. The secretary deals with the paperwork and day to day practicalities. I am BMFA contact so do renewals etc. Our field mowing consists mainy of our committee as we are all retired and have been joined by one other who at the moment has been made redundant. We have a "work party" every Good Friday (no flying allowed) subject to weather and usually have a fair turn out to roll the strip, tidy up the club hut and generally tidy up the field. Apart from this day most of the "work" is done by the committee. The club members do, to be fair seem to appreciate the efforts made on their behalf and thank us at the AGM.

This equates to most of the effort being spent by7 people out of a club of 100 + 4 juniors

John

[Robert Parker]

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies.

I just wanted to see / get an idea of what is involved should I offer my services as I have no previous experience of such a position and wanted to know what I was letting myself in for just to keep the club going.

Regards

Robert

[Denis Watkins]

It is normal for 10% of the club to do all the work Robert

And it is no surprise with lads with families and working full time just about manage to fly

A crew of 3 on the Committee sharing the work in this age of " The Portal " is relatively easy

And our lads have us paying by BACs now into the Club account

So these days, at least the admin can be very simple to complete.

[Richard Acland]

I have been our club secretary for going on ten years. The chairman and treasurer have also stayed the same during that period. Most tasks are carried out by the same few people ie grass cutting mower servicing etc. the club secretary normally passes on any info to club members such as BMFA club bulletins and other relevant info.I also deal with club membership renewal which in the past has been quite straightforward, but this year was made more complicated by having to work out the new online system. this involved several calls to the BMFA, but I got there in the end. You really need to have every ones e mail address and then all relevant info can be sent direct.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I'm club Secretary, what's my job ? god knows, but the high heels n the fish net stockings ain't good in the winter months.

Not much to do these days, tinternet has done away with most of my job, maybe they don't need one now. Fees are mostly online, info is e mail or BMFA links, mostly I'm looking after the field with Garys help.