US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

There's been a lot of talk about possibly moving the USHPA headquarters from Colorado Springs to some other location.

I welcome any other viewpoints, but I personally see this as another diversion being tossed out there to get everyone riled up without accomplishing anything. The Chairman of the HGAA Transition Team (is it spelled "KnumbSkull"?) is all atwitter about the possibility. Yet the simplest things that USHPA could do (like open voting or keeping their word at Torrey) are being ignored while everyone scurries around making a case for their own flying site.

Meanwhile, no one notices that Lisa Tate or some other USHPA insider is about to be "paid off" with our money to become the new Executive Director. Why don't they tell us who the candidates are? Why don't they let us in on the discussion? Why don't they let us make a case for (or against) the various choices?

Nope, that won't happen. Instead, they'll toss out a diversion so KnumbSkull and the others can chase their tails trying to woo USHPA to their favorite flying site. Is it any wonder we get such poor leadership at USHPA?

Bob,

It does seem like a smoke and mirrors show.

Is there such a quality candidate for the ED job that warrants the Hq. moved to their neighborhood?

Is this secrecy really necessary? I mean, we know who the candidates for US Pres are before they are chosen/elected.

they'll toss out a diversion so KnumbSkull and the others can chase their tails

Hey, the future of hang gliding could 'hinge' on this!
You are supposed to salute the flag and send money!

Maybe a one time levy on all members could get this ball a rollin..

How much are you in for Sam?

Is this secrecy really necessary? I mean, we know who the candidates for US Pres are before they are chosen/elected.

We know who will be selected to be the next president right after the Bilderbergers make that decision.

It IS all smolke and mirrors.
They wouldn't let us vote if it really mattered.

It's funny, the Mayer of my old home town just resigned to take over the retiring city manager's job.
All this happened in one city council meeting. Done and over.. no discussion.
The Mayer's job paid a couple hundred a month.
The city manager was paid around a hundred thousand per year.

You do the math.

[quote="How much are you in for Sam?
[/quote]

Yeah. Right. When I win the lotto.

If I can buy a turkey and have enough gas money to last till payday, I'll be lucky.

I really can't figure out what Jim is up to. Selling the home place? It seems as though some members must know who the candidates are.

Mark Forbes changing positions on the relocation issue and also today the UShPA forum issue.
He should have no trouble getting a 180* skills sign-off.

If I can buy a turkey and have enough gas money to last till payday, I'll be lucky.

The benefits of NAFTA and now "Change". Welcome to the banker's new world odor, Sam.
I've been warning about this for years.
It gives me no pleasure to say I've been right about so many things that so many people don't want to hear.

I really can't figure out what Jim is up to. Selling the home place?

Which Jim? Ex-RD Jim Gaar, that never attended a single BOD meeting before he was replaced?
I see he is selling a wrecked Ghostbuster that I don't believe he has ever flown, and a harness of some kind.
I don't think he owns a farm but I could be mistaken. He doesn't talk to me anymore.

It seems as though some members must know who the candidates are.

Davis listed them somewhere. Lisa Tate, Tracy Tillman, Steve Kroop, Matt Tabor and I can't remember who else.
It is definitely going to be an inside job.

Mark Forbes changing positions on the relocation issue and also today the UShPA forum issue.
He should have no trouble getting a 180* skills sign-off.

Mark Forbes knows where all the bodies are buried.
The shovel has his finger prints all over it.
He'll probably just sign himself off.

Good comments Sam and Warren!! Let me add my own perspective...

I've been trying to get USHPA to follow through on its resolution to increase our Soaring Council representation. The Board passed that with a 12 to 10 vote in March 2010, and yet Lisa Tate would not carry it out. I figured I'd give Rich Hass a chance, but he's refused to uphold that resolution as well. We've exchanged several email messages where I've offered concrete and constructive approaches, and he's refused every one. Here's my response to his latest rejection:

Bob Kuczewski to Rich Hass wrote:Rich and others,

The USHPA Board passed a resolution that Lisa didn't like, and so she didn't lift a finger to carry it out. That's shameful.

I've outlined very clearly what you can do differently, and you have rejected it. That makes you more of the same - shameful.

Nothing has changed at USHPA, and I expect you'll be rewarding one of your cronies with the Executive Director pay off - I'm predicting either Lisa Tate or Mark Gaskill (two future disasters). A revolving door only churns the muck.

My suggestion is that we have NO Executive Director for a while. We need people volunteering to build our sports and not people standing in line to drink from the trough.

Bob Kuczewski

USHPA is falling apart at the seams right now, and it's mostly due to poor decisions by the people in power. It would be shameful for anyone from the recent regimes to be rewarded with a well-paid Executive Director position. We don't need an Executive Director. We need a President and an Executive Committee that actually does their jobs.

I've noticed that Rich Hass and Mark Forbes are participating in the relocation discussions on the Oz Report (where I've been banned and can't ask them any questions). One of the reasons listed for the relocation is to make USHPA more accessible to its members.

So would anyone mind posting these questions on my behalf? Thanks in advance.

1. If USHPA wants to be more accessible to its members, then why won't they publish ALL the votes of our own elected Directors on the Board?

2. If USHPA wants to be more accessible to its members, then why did they ban the recording of Board meetings (passed in the fall of 2009)?

3. If USHPA wants to be more accessible to its members, then why won't they let us comment on the ED candidates BEFORE the decision is made?

These are simple things that USHPA could do with the stroke of a pen. They don't require any selling of buildings or relocation of staff. The fact that they won't do these simple things is telling you that any relocation discussion isn't being done for the members. It's being done for the Board itself. They may be entertaining these discussions as a diversion or as part of their own personal interests. But whatever the reason, you can bet that it's not because they want to do something for the members.

Tommy T (on the Oz Report) wrote:

In a perfect world.
the HQ would be for supporting USHPA programs and dealing with the nuts&bolts of daily operations. In this perfect world anyone could be a ED without having to uproot families or giving up HGing through the use of modern technologies like video conferencing. Each of the USHPA officials could have a blog as part of USHPA's web site that would be viewable by members only, so members can see what their Representatives are doing for them, giving members tools to weed out reps that are not working for them. (each RD would also have a blog as part of USHPA's web site)

While we'r still in this perfect world, USHPA would sponsor one Instructor Clinics in each of the regions once a year.

Tommy

Tommy, you are right on!! Come join the US Hawks and let's make all of that happen ... right here!