[NENA] Mailing list and communications

[Dobrina Teifel]

  Mr Contractor,

The process is standard, open and fair, an election is an election  
regardless of turnout, the whole political system has come into  
existence simply because all individuals in the community cannot or  
don't want to be involved in decisions that involve the group as a  
whole. This is why they select (or, by inaction, choose not to select)  
a group to serve them all.

I am one of those who has never attended a meeting, has subscribed to  
the list through the website, and reads up the meeting agendas once  
the meetings are announced and then the parts that interest me in the  
summaries. The same logic holds for the general political process. If  
you want to vote in the general election, you first have to register,  
and you seek out information as to how to do that. In short, the  
process requires a fairly easy action on your part, you cannot blame  
the person who gets elected if you failed to perform that action.

I have absolutely no quarrel with how NENA is run, if someone wants to  
be informed, they can seek out the very public information, go to the  
meetings and participate. As to me and I assume the large majority of  
people out there, NENA works just fine and they are in no rush to fix  
what is not broken. Therefore could you possible conceive that the  
simple answer for why many are absent might be that they do not see  
value in their presence there as they trust and appreciate the service  
of those who are present?

  Dr. Dobrina Teifel
Resident

, 2008, at 8:02 AM, Maxon Stuart B Contractor AFOTEC/A3Z wrote:

> Mr Grunwald, Thank you for your service...I am intrigued...
>
> My observations...Please correct me if I have misunderstood...
> -NENA has 1800 member households
> -NENA is the most influential association in the city
> -6.6% subscribe to the e-mail and NENA website
> -Less than 6.6% pay their voluntary dues
> -Around 1% attend the quarterly meetings
> -Positions are formed by a democratic vote of members present
> -NENA does not use consensus tools ... petitions or surveys
> -NENA positions are presented in various city venues
> -Members who attend NENA meetings feel the decision process is  
> adequate
>
> Questions...
> -How are all members (1800) informed of meeting agendas?
> -How are all members (1800) informed of impending votes?
> -How are non-participating members (1782) informed of final positions?
> -Once a position is cast, is there a mechanism of appeal?
> -Is there ever an issue that NENA feels is too big for the 1% to  
> answer?
> -Does our elected city councilman sometimes act on NENA positions?
> -Does our elected city councilman understand decision theory  
> statistics?
>
> Think briefly and honestly about our answers...
>
> NENA represents a significant population of business owners, managers,
> scientists and engineers...How we answer, may explain why many are
> absent...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: members-bounces at noreste.org [mailto:members-bounces at noreste.org]
> On Behalf Of Paul Grunwald
> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:56 PM
> To: 'NENA'; 'Nor Este Neighborhood Association Board'
> Subject: [NENA] Mailing list and communications
>
> Dear NENA Members and Board,
>
>
>
> We have had more traffic on this mailing list in the last few days  
> than
> in the last year.  That is what the list is for - thank you all for  
> your
> thoughts and time.    We are investigating adding a discussion forum  
> to
> the website to take discussions offline but it will take a few more  
> days
> to implement that feature.  If the email traffic from the mailing list
> is unwanted, you have a couple of options.  Option 1 - set the mailing
> subscription to digest mode.  In digest mode you will get one email a
> day with all the messages.  Option 2 is to unsubscribe.
>
>
>
> Both options for your subscription can be set here:
> http://noreste.org/mailman/listinfo/members_noreste.org
>
> There is a button at the bottom of the page labeled "Unsubscribe or  
> Edit
> Options" where you can manage your subscription.
>
>
>
> ---------
>
> I have one other thought about the recent discussion.    We have 1800
> homes in the area bounded by NENA.  There are 119 subscriptions to  
> this
> list.  There are even fewer paid members today.  That said,   NENA  
> is a
> legal entity as recognized by the city with binding bylaws & charter  
> as
> well as a being 501 C3 organization for tax purposes.
>
>
>
> Just because people choose not to participate or join does not
> invalidate the legitimacy of the organization in just the same way as
> someone choosing not to vote does not invalidate the legitimacy of an
> election.  NENA does speak for this area and is actually the largest  
> and
> most influential neighborhood association in the city.  NENA has done
> more to control and manage development in this area than any other
> organization in the city.  Ask some of the developers and cell phone
> companies that have tangled with us...
>
>
>
> If you do not like the position that NENA is taking or may take, get
> involved, get your neighbors involved and participate in the
> organization and issues.  Everyone who has been involved in NENA has  
> had
> a single goal - the quality of life for this entire neighborhood.    
> As a
> group, we can direct and guide how this area develops in real and
> practical ways for the betterment of all.  Please continue to
> participate!
>
>
>
> Best regards,
>
>
>
> Paul Grunwald
>
>
>
> VP Manor
>
> Treasurer
>
> Webmaster
>
> Past President
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>