I had occasion to try to cover a chair with a slipcover recently. Several kinds are available at various outlets and I tried to help fit them to this upholstered chair that had become worn. If you ever had the experience you will have an idea of the frustrations. All items supplied were much too large for the project and there just were not enough spaces around to tuck away all the excess fabric. Though the new fabric was acceptable enough, the abundance made it unattractive and even less useful. That same thought comes over me on thoughts of what needs be done with our Association.

AMCA By-Laws reflected change      When I worked on the new governing by-laws during the last change, I was aware of some difficulties. Having been elected to the post of Executive Council Chair, I now must deal with those shortcomings in the real life of this Association. In some cases it becomes a continuation of the work; simply insert corrections accordingly (using resolutions). Other times are the difficult occasions where no agreement is obvious. Like the slipcover scenario above, it could be just ugly.      Two things are very clear to me when working in our Association:      1) Don't want to put a slip cover over it and call it new!      2) Don't want to pull apart the frame work (structure) either! Changes      Changes are inevitable, and they will come, but soon enough is good enough for me, currently. The important items are the things you want added on, that value-added feature to make the life of our Association worth more. Do you want more music made available to sing? Do you want more choruses to join the organized efforts? Do you need better planning to make events work for you? Ask the questions, seek the answers, and the important issues should become visible. Leadership      One of my concerns is how we are grooming leadership positions now for the immediate and future needs. The old method seemed to be a sorting out of members as they worked up the ladder in the chorus, the district and on to the Association - A tried and true method of meeting the challenges.      The streamlined version of our Executive Council leaves all the training needs very much to the districts. If the district and Executive Council do not have adequate feedback to those needs the problem will become rapidly evident upon changes at the Council.      We currently have only three districts sending reps and any one change can become a major shift. Not that any one change will be poor but that it can prove difficult. Appointed Leaders      Appointed offices allow the Council to watch leaders at work. Making progress reports, finding resources and developing strategies gives indications of the strengths and weaknesses within that leader.      We do not have all the Appointed Offices filled to date. We do not have the leadership resources made available to our Association to date. So if we find a project of interest we cannot possibly fulfill the investigation of said interest currently.      We are in serious need of men willing to step up for meeting the opportunities ahead.

How Much Change
     Rebuilding the furniture is a poor second choice; changing the framework of our structure is unnecessary, we just did that to get where we are and have little witness to claim inadequacies. Much of the good was salvaged in our legacy to work with. So we can do well with this.

     What we can do in these coming months can establish the Association as we hoped it would be after the changes we voted on. Likewise, not attending to the needs can create confusion or chaos that might cripple the workings of AMCA. I invite you to help make the Association better, to make it what we all want it to be, to make it work ... very well!

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Feedback Post your comments Two email contacts	Best regards Ric Addenbrooke