Nominations are now open for the Cyberspace Communications, Inc.
  Second Special Election for the Board of Directors, in accordance with
  Article 4, Sections a and b of the Bylaws. Nominations will close on
  March 31, 2014 and an online election will be held April 15 through
  April 29, 2014.

  Terms of office will still begin on January 1, 2014, and are two years
  in length. One seat is up for election.

  Grex membership is a requirement for serving on the Board. Any current
  member of Grex who has paid at least 3 months' membership dues and
  meets state of Michigan eligibility requirements may run for and serve
  on the Board. Candidates who are not members will be disqualified.

  This special election is for one seat left open by a candidate who was
  not a member, and was disqualified in the regular Board election in
  December 2013.

  To appear on the ballot, a person must be nominated in this item by
  March 31, 2014 and affirmatively accept the nomination in this item
  before the start of voting on April 15, 2014.

  Seconds of nominations are not required. Self-nominations are
  permitted.

102 responses total.

I nominate walkman.

I second walkman's nomination

Thank you gentlemen!

Oh, BTW I accept.

(Nominations do not get seconded, per RRofO.)

They don't hurt.  They are just not required.  Grex doesn't
follow RRofO to the letter and don't expect it to.

walkman for board of directors.  Are there further nominations for
the board?

Nominations end March 31, so you have time yet, if you are thinking
about it.

resp:5 Grex doesn't use RR.

Yeah, I know. That is why discussions go nowhere.

RRofO would not help the discussions one bit.

resp:10 Your constant efforts to force your way of doing things on others
is tiresome.

I third walkman's nomination. :D

I'm not forcing anything. Do you feel forced? You don't seem to be 
reacting like you have been forced to do anything. I just have an 
opinion. Lots of people here have opinions. Your's is one of them. You 
are welcome to your opinion. Why not likewise welcome me to mine?

You are not helping.

Thanks for the reference about no seconds in RRoO (for nominations.)

re #13
 :)

Are there any other nominations?  This nominating period will
end March 31.

Also a reminder to all candidates that they need to be members of
Grex in order to run (you have up to the start of the election to
make sure of this).

Nominations end at midnight March 31.  You still have time to nominate
yourself or others for this position.

Nominations end at midnight tonight.  No nominations will be accepted
for this election after then. 

Looks like walkman is running unopposed.  Is there a need to hold an election,
then?

The bylaws say we have to run the election, but it would be a formality.
I don't see anything in the bylaws about "if candidates are running
unopposed, the election does not need to be held" or anything similar.

This special election will be held online April 15 thorugh April 29,
2014.  Now is the time to get your membership in good shape so
your vote will count.

How does one check their status?

I'd like to have my membership in good status. Please tell me what
it is now.

Your membership ran out over a year ago.

One checks their status by contacting the treasurer and asking.

Or, if you want to do it yourself, recollect the last time you
donated for a membership and if it has been longer than you
donated for, then, no, you aren't a member.

Actually, I think Rane's membership expired a few months ago (December of
2013, as the last time he appears to have paid was for a year's membership
in December 2012).

But the point stands: the way to ascertain your membership status is not to
ask in this item.

Yup, that is probably correct.  From this point on if you ask me you are
going to hear 'not a member' as that is the most conservative answer I
can give (and most likely to be correct).  Exact answers are not likely
to be found by asking on Grex, unless the treasurer happens to log in
(which is not impossible, but not likely to be a frequent occurrence).
And the best course of action if you want to ensure you are valid voting
member is to re-up your membership now for a year and you'll know for
sure.

Hmm..
https://www.nonprofitissues.com/public/features/point/59.html

resp:29 Talk to TS.  Oh, wait....

We follow State of Michigan law.  If the State ever asks for a list of
members, we would be required to give it to them.  Board members also
need to give real names, addresses, and phone numbers.  This information
is filed with the State each year in order to keep our corporation
active.  That Board information is a public record.

The treasurer maintains the list of members.  I don't think it would
be a good thing to publicly give out names and addresses if it is not
a requirement.  But we do list members by userid occasionally.  Other
organizations (for example, university alumni associations) often do
list names, but not addresses or phone numbers.

Since we don't have a maintained list on Grex of current members, it's
difficult to provide information for requests in the conferences.  
Again, talk to TS.  As difficult as it may be to contact him, that is
your method of finding what you seek right now.

If you want the membership process to run better, then the Board needs
to do something.  However, anything for improving the membership list
will require the cooperation and timeliness of the treasure even if the
function of maintaining that membership roll is given to someone else
(or a group of someone elses--Grex has in the past had a membership
committee, for example).  Perhaps a membership chair could be elected or
appointed by the Board?

Ultimately, it comes down to people doing things.  This is a volunteer
organization.  If people won't or can't do things, it is difficult to
motivate them.  But we can look for people who are willing to do what
needs to be done.

Right now it's Hobson's Choice for treasurer unless someone else wants
to step up and do the job.

Every time the treasurer position has come up for Board officers, no one
wants it if they need to do the day to day work.  

It certainly dosn'thelp membership, and general appreciation for Grex, if
officers are unavailable or don't do their jobs in a helpful manner. It
all hardly encurages anyone to donate money. And then there is a grief one
gets if one talks about it. Oh well, let's see if it's possible to find out
where and how much to pay........

All the griping and the lack of doing is what makes it unbearable.

It would be nice if we had more people willing to run for the board or
to  at least volunteer to take on some of the things that would help
Grex. It  seems like people are always willing to talk about the
'problems' but not  willing to help. If even a few people volunteered to
take on a project to  make Grex more efficient and an enjoyable place to
be, then even more  people may be encouraged to donate time and money.
And to participate in  online discussions, etc.

Woulda coulda shoulda. 

resp:34 I agree.  That's why I feel that responses such as resp:32 are
not helpful; instead of offering to help out in some fashion, Rane simply
complains about the status quo.

Not useful.

That also doesn't encourage anyone to donate money. 

So start encouraging people, Rane.

resp:37 What Kent said.  Also, consider the motivation of someone to donate
money when they first come to Grex, and all they see is a bunch of grousing
from the regulars.

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