Region One President’s Newsletter

Region One President’s Newsletter – May 2009

Published: May 28, 2009

By Franklin Sanders

As May draws to a close, most of our units have held their Spring Business Meetings, selected their delegates to the International Delegates Meeting in Madison, WI on June 30th, and determined their votes for candidates for International Offices and on motions to be presented to that meeting. The next Region 1 Newsletter, in July 2009, will report upon the Delegates Meeting and two meetings of the International Board of Trustees, on June 26th and July 5th.

Spring Business Meetings
Your Region 1 President attended the Spring Business Meetings of our four U.S. units and of Québec Canada Unit. (Canadian Atlantic Unit will meet on June 6th.) Most of the meetings were well attended by unit members. The election of members of the International Nominating Committee attracted the most discussion, as Leo Garvey of the Metro New York Unit in Region 2 is expected to be nominated from the floor in competition with R.B. Bernd and Don McKelvay, whose names were proposed by the outgoing International Nominating Committee. Proposed Amendment No. 1 to the WBCCI Constitution, to adopt Vision and Mission Statements proposed by the 2020 Long-Range Planning Committee, and Amendment No.2, to permit units to select Affiliate Members who are Regular Members of units in the same region as Alternate Delegates will be supported by each unit which has voted to date.

Motion re: Unit Caravans
Rick Cipot, a member of the New England Unit, presented a Motion to that unit’s Spring Business Meeting to amend WBCCI Bylaws & Policy, page 47, to create separate criteria for fully-sanctioned WBBI Unit Caravans. The Motion was coauthored by Past Region 1 President Bob Thompson and Rick Cipot, and is intended to amend the WBCCI Bylaws & Policy via Section 1 or Article XVI-Amendments of the WBCCI Constitution, by the vote of at least two-thirds of WBCCI Units within one year of submission to them.

The effect of the Motion is to make modest changes in the “Criteria” for designation of “fullysanctioned” caravans: reducing the required duration from 10 nights to 8 nights, the required parking locations from 5 to 4, and the minimum number of Airstream RVs from 10 to 7. The rationale for the motion is based upon the reduction a few years ago of the minimum size for WBCCI units, with the intent of increasing the number of “fully-sanctioned” unit caravans and gaining such caravans the advantages of WBBI designation and numbering.

Adoption of the Motion requires: (a) support by a majority of Region 1 units, evidenced by certificates of their presidents and the Region 1 President; and (b) support by two-thirds of WBCCI units acting within one year of submission of the Motion to them by International Headquarters.

As of this writing, the Motion has been approved by the unanimous votes of New England Unit, Charter Oak CT Unit, Cape Cod MA Unit, and Québec Canada Unit. White Mountains NH Unit will consider the Motion at a Special Unit Meeting on May 31st and Canadian Atlantic Unit at its Spring Business Meeting on June 6th. The Motion was reviewed by Region Caravan Chairman Rich Walbridge, who endorses its adoption.

We thank Bob Thompson and Rick Cipot for proposing a useful motion, and their ingenuity in seeking its adoption via Section 1 of Article XVI of the WBCCI Constitution, which would result in its adoption as presented by them, without amendment.

We anticipate forwarding the Motion to International Headquarters shortly after the Canadian Atlantic Unit Spring Business Meeting, in the hope that then we will have the unanimous support of our six Region 1 units.

Region 1 Luncheon at International Rally
A reminder to members going to the 52nd International Rally in Madison, WI: The traditional Region 1 Luncheon will be a picnic “under the awning”, probably at Dan Dureiko and Bob Butler’s Airstream trailer, #29072, on Monday, June 29th at Noon. Look for an announcement at the Region 1 Desk near the International Rally registration line.

International Board of Trustees Meeting, June 26th
Under “New Business”, one Motion is of particular note: R.B. Bernd, President of Region 10, proposes to amend Bylaws Article XVII, Section 1, to permit units to determine their votes, for candidates for International Office to be elected and motions to be decided at the International Delegates Meeting, at regular or special unit meetings which may allow voting by email, regular mail or facsimile, subject to procedural safeguards set forth in the Motion.

Region 1 units which have previously amended their constitutions or bylaws to permit such voting should be prepared to conform the provisions of their documents to WBCCI Bylaw XVII, Section 1, as it may be amended.

Candidates for Region 1 Office
Your Region 1 Nominating Committee is charged with presenting a slate of candidates for Region President, 1st VP and 2nd VP to the Region 1 Board’s Annual Meeting during the Region 1 Rally, August 5th to 9th, in Essex Junction, VT.

Michelle Plunkett-Lupien is Chair of the Nominating Committee for 2010-2012; the other Committee Members are David Olivier of Canadian Atlantic Unit and Richard Geschwindner of New England Unit. Please contact any of them if you are interested in serving Region 1 as an officer; feel free to contact any current or past Region 1 officer for further information.

“Take Me Out to the Ball Game” Region 1 Rally Update
Trevor Lake is receiving more coupons each week as we progress towards our BIG RALLY of the year in Region 1. In just one week we had many commitments from distant units in Québec, Canadian Atlantic and Region 2; in our difficult economic times we are pleased that folks are focusing on the activities being offered at one single location where the kids can bike and skate on excellent paved roads within the safety of the Champlain Valley Exposition. Also offered at no extra cost is the excellent venue of Northern Vermont in August.

Two tours have been selected and are being offered by Notch Above Tours, too:

1. “Stowe, Sweet Stowe” which includes sweet flavors of Vermont such as Maple Syrup, Cider Donuts, Chocolate and Ice Cream. Much, much more is included with this tour.

2. “History Abounds in Middlebury” which includes stops at a sugarhouse, maple syrup cannery, a brewery, and Addison County historical places of interest.

A complete description of the tours is available in the Region One May Press Release. Note: You must sign up for these tours prior to August 1, 2009, directly with Notch Above Tours, at 800-639-2367.

We have scheduled a hobby show at the Region 1 Rally where members can display what they work so hard to produce in their times of leisure. We’re sure this will produce some astounding work since we have such diversely talented members. So, bring along your photos, sewing, paintings, quilts, wood carvings, plants, etc. If you want to sell any or all of your crafts, you can do that too.

Got your “Fantastic Fan” décor yet? Don’t forget that we’re dressing up ourselves and our rigs in sports memorabilia!

There is plenty to do and see in the northern-most region of the Green Mountain State, so join in and come along to the “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” Region One Rally; you will be glad you did.