Ladies and Gentlemen, I am forwarding the following message from OH SM Joe Phillips at his request.  This is FYI and consideration. I believe Joe is on the right track, actually.  I don’t know about the relative numbers of dissatisfied members in Ohio; however, I am positive these folks exist – I’ve talked to several of them as you probably have.  As one example, a number of GLD members have told me they think we are dedicating too much effort to our BPL project.  At the same time, they also recognize the importance of this effort.  The overall situation poses an interesting dilemma. 73, Jim Weaver, K8JE, Director Great Lakes Division, ARRL 5065 Bethany Rd., Mason, OH 45040 Tel. 513-459-0142; E-mail k8je@arrl.org ARRL, the Reason Amateur Radio is! Members, the Reason ARRL is! -----Original Message----- From: K8qoe@aol.com [mailto:K8qoe@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 12:39 PM To: k8je@arrl.org Cc: ki4la@arrl.org Subject: Ask this go to the ODV please MESSAGE TO THE ARRL BOARD OF DIRECTORS FROM THE OHIO SECTION The Ohio Section just completed a section manager election with nearly 2,000 ballots cast - an unusually high number for a two candidate race. Even more astonishing is that the vote total represented 33 per cent participation. It was the fine work of the Ohio Section Cabinet which encouraged such a high participation rate. But there is a lesson which I wish to share with all of us in American Radio Relay League leadership. From the first day of this election cycle, I told the Ohio Cabinet that there was a cadre of ARRL members - loyal to the ARRL - but nonetheless upset with the direction of ham radio. All hams are unhappy with ham radio’s aging population and declining numbers. But this cadre I spoke of were looking for some way to strike back. A group which would use an Ohio section manager election to send a message - in short, a motivated force. Particularly motivated in getting their vote to the ballot box in Newington. The election is now history and I wish to comment on 700 of those nearly 2,000 votes. Ask Division Director Jim Weaver, K8JE and Vice Director Gary Johnston, KI4LA, and I am confident both will agree my opponent, Mark Erbaugh, N8ME, did not run an effective campaign. Even the issues Mark chose to stress were not “hot button” issues which would usually motivate voters. He ignored the goodies like "I will restore CW" and the ever popular "I will stop dumbing down the hobby." His 300 word statement took on issues which generally put people to sleep. Yet he received 747 votes. I doubt he received more than 50 votes based on a belief he was the more qualified to be section manager. Which means, in simple arithmetic, almost 700 votes of nearly 2,000 cast were from that motivated and dissatisfied group. More than one-third of the total vote. My only comment here is to observe the size of that motivated group at least as it can be determined in Ohio. Those dissatisfied with ARRL leadership are generally asking for us to stop those things we have no control over. But a lesson for us still exists - this subtle dissatisfaction is sizable. May I suggest when we speak to groups or when we communicate by letter to our membership, to remember this unhappiness is out there and in greater numbers than we may wish. Joe Phillips, K8QOE Ohio Section Manager Joe Phillips, K8QOE Ohio Section Manager American Radio Relay League 2800 Jupiter Drive Fairfield, Ohio 45014 E-mail: k8qoe@arrl.org E-mail: jphillips@arrl.org Home: 513-874-0006 Pager: 513-971-5048