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MikeTJumps

February BOD minutes from the gallery

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OK. Let's face it, sitting in the gallery and being moved out of the room for a closed session is the pits. However, I will attempt to keep the general membership informed to the best of my ability. I see notes are already being posted on the Jan Meyer "impeachment" site, but I am going to post my notes here so as to include other items and opinions.

USPA BOD meeting, Orlando, FL 02/08/08

The agenda as published:

1. Call to order by the President
2. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting & adoption of the
agenda
3. Interim actions of the Executive Committee & President's Report
4. Treasurer's Report
5. Executive Director's Report
6. Special Agents Reports
A. IPC delegate
7. Old Business
8. New Business
A. Recommendation of the Executive Committee in the Matter of
the Removal of Jan Meyer for Just Cause.
9. Committee Reports:
A. Competition
B. Constitution & By-Laws
C. Executive
D. Finance & Budget
E. Group Member
F. Membership Services
G. Nominations & Elections
H. Regional Directors
I. Safety & Training
10. Adjournment

9:00 a.m. Meeting called to order by Pres. Glen Bangs.

A motion to approve the minutes of the previous meeting made, approved and seconded.

A motion to approve the agenda was asked for.

Jan Meyers made a motion that Item 8A of the agenda be deleted. A second was heard from the floor but Glen Bangs declared it dilatory (delaying) by a point of order and that it will stay on the agenda. There is much discussion and the session is being closed for further discussion (meaning we in the gallery were told to leave while the BOD argues these points). I believe that there is a major personality issue that is leading to this closed session and I feel that things could be handled in a much more expeditious manner rather than keeping the gallery members outside for what is now more than four hours of thumb-twiddling. I would question the need for concealing the goings on of the meeting from the gallery. One way or another, we will eventually learn what is being discussed. The use of closed meetings to minimize disclosure of personal issues has some valid purposes but it can be overused as well. I would encourage any use of a closed meeting to be strictly time limited as it presents an aura of secrecy which is (in my opinion) not really necessary in our organization.

I have just been informed that the BOD meeting is attempting to handle all “closed session” items in one fell-swoop so as to eliminate the constant move of the gallery in and out of the meeting. Communication to the gallery of this decision would have been welcome as compared to the current situation of being left “in the dark” as to what was going on.

It is now 2:50 p.m. I have just been informed that the action to remove Jan Meyer from the BOD has been voted down. Jan is still a member of the Board of Directors. Now they are moving on to the discussion of the Skyride settlement. That will also be in closed session.

Randy Allison has been selected as the newest member of the BOD, replacing the resigned Kip Lohmiller. He will represent the Mid-Eastern Region. Another very qualified candidate, Gene Newsom, had also vied for the position. The decision between the two candidates was surely a difficult one.
Mike Turoff
Instructor Examiner, USPA
Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook

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Yep, after leaving for lunch and coming back to the doors still closed, we just got bored enough to come check into our hotel. I figured I'd rather take a nap than wait around for nothing to happen that I'm allowed in on. But hopefully someone will call me when the doors to the secret chamber are opened again to the minions.

Interesting (not) watching the process play out. It's actually quite telling.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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My rough draft notes....see the later to be published minutes if you want details.

4:45 pm Session opened to gallery again
4:47 pm Letter from Kip Lohmiller re: resignation, read.
4:49 pm 2 Candidates for the Mid East RD position presented themselves.
5:02 pm Closed session for vote on the Mid East Regional Director Position.
5:12 pm Session re-opened.
5:13 pm BOD introductions followed by Gallery introductions.
5:16 pm Interim Actions (these are items the EC has acted on that need to be ratified by the full BOD)
PASSED a) Wording on recent tandem changes clarified re:USPA members conducting tandems must be USPA tandem instructors.
PASSED b) Waiver for Tandem Demo
PASSED c) Suspension of Kip Lohmiller's TI rating for 90 days.
PASSED d) Move to accept revisions to 2007 IRM
PASSED e) Waiver for Tandem Demo
PASSED f) Waiver for Tandem Demo
PASSED g) Waiver for Tandem Demo
PASSED h) Move to suspend USPA Membership for 6 months: Francisco Paco, for unsafe skydiving while conducting tandem skydives
PASSED i) Move to waive a competition manual requirement for a competitor at the 2007 collegiate nationals.
PASSED j) Move to accept a budget item
PASSED k) Move to accept a USPA member to the US Para Ski team.
5:34 pm Lee Schlichtemeier presents 2007/2008 budget information
5:45 pm-ish, Meeting recessed

General Membership meeting is up next at 7pm.


Edit: My apologies to anyone for any of my own inaccuracies in the above information. It's a hard room to hear everything clearly in.:)

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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In addition to what you folks have already read, the other major issue that was probably discussed in closed session was that of the "Skyride" lawsuit decision by the executive committee based upon the legal opinion/recommendation of the corporation's lawyer. Although the BOD members would not come out directly and say so at the "general membership meeting" (meaning that it was an informal discussion session because a quorum of the membership was not present), you will be able to assume that the decision of the executive committee was most probably upheld. I cannot give you a definitive statement on that issue because I could not get confirmation of that issue's resolution by any BOD member. The BOD's meeting minutes will be the final authoritative resource of information on this issue.
Mike Turoff
Instructor Examiner, USPA
Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook

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It was a disciplinary action against a foreign member that amounts to a slap on the wrist and has no real effect because the time of the suspension has already lapsed. Foreign jumpers can not be controlled by the USPA, but it was felt that a statement of disapproval of his actions was necessary and thus made.
Mike Turoff
Instructor Examiner, USPA
Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook

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What did he do?



Report from the Director of S&T (Jim Crouch) was that the TI in question was freeflying, specificaly sitflying with tandem students. It's against the BSR's and since the individul was not working in the USA, nor possesing a USPA TI rating, the punitive measure of the membership suspension was felt to send a message that the USPA could not condone such activity.

At least that was my take of the issue.
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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Hey, they're going to debut a new USPA web site with enhanced e-commerce functionality. Maybe it'll have the same graphics and testimonials as a bunch of other sites, and only allow you to change your mailing address AFTER is has your credit card information. Sure, you can apply to run for regional director...but it'll have to be in a region that is a 5 hour drive from where you live. ;)
firmly planted in cheek>

Thanks for the video updates!

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the action to remove Jan Meyer from the BOD has been voted down. Jan is still a member of the Board of Directors[/quot]

Hurray for Jan
Hurray at last
Hurray for Jan, she's a horses ass.

Her, Her, FUCK HER



Is she cute?
Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

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So what is Kip being spanked for?



DILITARY!!!!!!!!! POINT OF ORDER!!!!!!!!!!

in case you hadn't guessed I'm still mad at *PA removed by slotperfect - regardless of his actions or your indignation, he is a member of these forums* >:(
Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

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Just asking for a point of information



DILITARY! POINT OF ORDER! (I guess you had to have been there :S) - I copied and pasted this from the other thread

"AFAIK, Kip is resigning because he took a 12 year old on a tandem without a waiver and then tried to file a waiver after the fact to cover his ass and he got busted doing it.

Discussion here:

http://www.dropzone.com/...tring=worst;#2995711 "

and for clarification I'm mad at Bangs and the USPA, not Kip:P
Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

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