2011 OFSC AGM

[blakesnowcrest]

Who is going???

[sledjunk]

I'll be there

[blakesnowcrest]

got anymore info on this event.

thanks

Talk to your club prez or District admin. He or she will have all the info.

[Wildbill]

I'll be there !

[UsedtoSkidoo]

Where is it?

[blakesnowcrest]

Where is it?

In Markham at the Hilton.

[Wildbill]

Where is it?

You coming bunny? I'll even buy you a beer !

[SlowTouringGuy]

Where is it?

When is it ?

[Canuck]

It's deja vu all over again. YB

---------------------

(the location of OFSC AGM should be splashed across the ofsc website. Believe it or not, a chance discussion with some guys attending the AGM in Sault Ste. Marie one fall made me think 'This is one large organization. Impressive. I wonder how big the trail system is? )

[Wildbill]

When is it ?

It is a deep dark secret!

Sept 15th - 18th 2011

[SlowTouringGuy]

It is a deep dark secret!

Indeed it is. And what a sad state of affairs that is.

The OFSC is an organization 20 or more years out of date with the approach they are taking.

Companies learned years ago, especially public companies and non-profits, that the best way to engage stakeholders is to give them as much information as possible about the operations of their business. Keep them out and it breeds mistrust and suspicion. Keep them out and your share price suffers. Your value suffers. In the case of commercial interests, you won't attract investors; in the case of non-profits, you won't attract donations or more volunteers.

And Snowmobile Clubs are crying for more help?? In this thread alone, one guy asks for more information about the AGM and doesn't get a specific answer.

The more shareholders can learn about the operations the more they can become engaged.

Wouldn't more engaged shareholders benefit clubs across the province? Instead of moaning about burn-out clubs could look to gaining new members through transparency.

I devote a great deal of my business life to filing public documents for the company I work for. We file, publicly, the most intimate corporate information because we want our shareholders to be comfortable with the investment decisions they are making.

Why, in contrast, can I not even find the most fundamental information about a bilion dollar corporation that is a non-profit ?? I am a shareholder. Yes, it is available to me. BUT, I have to pursue the most archaic routes to suss out the information I am interested in reading.

MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND INFORMATION IS SOMETHING THAT GOVERNMENTS, THE SEC, AMD THE OSC HAVE DETERMINED IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STAKEHOLDERS.

Look to my club as an example. And my experience personally. I joined my club in 1968 and watched what can happen to a club and may well happen to any organization that operates in a shroud of the old-boy secret handshake manner. Not 5 or so years ago my club, a former Club of the Year, was on the ropes because of the old boy way of doing things. Currently the club is completely transparent. Everything is shared with every permit holder. There is nothing that is 'for someone's eyes only'. This has engendered trust within the membership, has strengthened the relationship between the club and the town and local businesses, the club is stronger and is on the way to becoming Club of the Year again. Stronger, with a succession plan and members that are engaged !

And on the OFSC web site I can't even find mention of the AGM, let alone date and location. Every single permit carrying sledder should be welcome and encouraged to attend. They don't have to be voting attendees. They don't have to be delegates. They don't have to be any fricking thing except WELCOME ! What better way to address the burn out we have in so many clubs? Get more engaged !! It's contagious. Have people rubbing elbows with people that say things like "the best thing in my life is volunteering for my club" and guess what ........................................... ???

[couchrocket500]

Indeed it is. And what a sad state of affairs that is.

The OFSC is an organization 20 or more years out of date with the approach they are taking.

Companies learned years ago, especially public companies and non-profits, that the best way to engage stakeholders is to give them as much information as possible about the operations of their business. Keep them out and it breeds mistrust and suspicion. Keep them out and your share price suffers. Your value suffers. In the case of commercial interests, you won't attract investors; in the case of non-profits, you won't attract donations or more volunteers.

And Snowmobile Clubs are crying for more help?? In this thread alone, one guy asks for more information about the AGM and doesn't get a specific answer.

The more shareholders can learn about the operations the more they can become engaged.

Wouldn't more engaged shareholders benefit clubs across the province? Instead of moaning about burn-out clubs could look to gaining new members through transparency.

I devote a great deal of my business life to filing public documents for the company I work for. We file, publicly, the most intimate corporate information because we want our shareholders to be comfortable with the investment decisions they are making.

Why, in contrast, can I not even find the most fundamental information about a bilion dollar corporation that is a non-profit ?? I am a shareholder. Yes, it is available to me. BUT, I have to pursue the most archaic routes to suss out the information I am interested in reading.

MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND INFORMATION IS SOMETHING THAT GOVERNMENTS, THE SEC, AMD THE OSC HAVE DETERMINED IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STAKEHOLDERS.

Look to my club as an example. And my experience personally. I joined my club in 1968 and watched what can happen to a club and may well happen to any organization that operates in a shroud of the old-boy secret handshake manner. Not 5 or so years ago my club, a former Club of the Year, was on the ropes because of the old boy way of doing things. Currently the club is completely transparent. Everything is shared with every permit holder. There is nothing that is 'for someone's eyes only'. This has engendered trust within the membership, has strengthened the relationship between the club and the town and local businesses, the club is stronger and is on the way to becoming Club of the Year again. Stronger, with a succession plan and members that are engaged !

And on the OFSC web site I can't even find mention of the AGM, let alone date and location. Every single permit carrying sledder should be welcome and encouraged to attend. They don't have to be voting attendees. They don't have to be delegates. They don't have to be any fricking thing except WELCOME ! What better way to address the burn out we have in so many clubs? Get more engaged !! It's contagious. Have people rubbing elbows with people that say things like "the best thing in my life is volunteering for my club" and guess what ........................................... ???

Hard to find fault with that logic STG, very well said.

[sledjunk]

Indeed it is. And what a sad state of affairs that is.

The OFSC is an organization 20 or more years out of date with the approach they are taking.

Companies learned years ago, especially public companies and non-profits, that the best way to engage stakeholders is to give them as much information as possible about the operations of their business. Keep them out and it breeds mistrust and suspicion. Keep them out and your share price suffers. Your value suffers. In the case of commercial interests, you won't attract investors; in the case of non-profits, you won't attract donations or more volunteers.

And Snowmobile Clubs are crying for more help?? In this thread alone, one guy asks for more information about the AGM and doesn't get a specific answer.

The more shareholders can learn about the operations the more they can become engaged.

Wouldn't more engaged shareholders benefit clubs across the province? Instead of moaning about burn-out clubs could look to gaining new members through transparency.

I devote a great deal of my business life to filing public documents for the company I work for. We file, publicly, the most intimate corporate information because we want our shareholders to be comfortable with the investment decisions they are making.

Why, in contrast, can I not even find the most fundamental information about a bilion dollar corporation that is a non-profit ?? I am a shareholder. Yes, it is available to me. BUT, I have to pursue the most archaic routes to suss out the information I am interested in reading.

MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND INFORMATION IS SOMETHING THAT GOVERNMENTS, THE SEC, AMD THE OSC HAVE DETERMINED IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STAKEHOLDERS.

Look to my club as an example. And my experience personally. I joined my club in 1968 and watched what can happen to a club and may well happen to any organization that operates in a shroud of the old-boy secret handshake manner. Not 5 or so years ago my club, a former Club of the Year, was on the ropes because of the old boy way of doing things. Currently the club is completely transparent. Everything is shared with every permit holder. There is nothing that is 'for someone's eyes only'. This has engendered trust within the membership, has strengthened the relationship between the club and the town and local businesses, the club is stronger and is on the way to becoming Club of the Year again. Stronger, with a succession plan and members that are engaged !

And on the OFSC web site I can't even find mention of the AGM, let alone date and location. Every single permit carrying sledder should be welcome and encouraged to attend. They don't have to be voting attendees. They don't have to be delegates. They don't have to be any fricking thing except WELCOME ! What better way to address the burn out we have in so many clubs? Get more engaged !! It's contagious. Have people rubbing elbows with people that say things like "the best thing in my life is volunteering for my club" and guess what ........................................... ???

ABSOLUTELY!!!! One of the best worded and logical arguments on this topic that I have read.

[LuvMyViper]

Look to my club as an example. And my experience personally. I joined my club in 1968 and watched what can happen to a club and may well happen to any organization that operates in a shroud of the old-boy secret handshake manner.

Time for a revolution imo!!!!!!!!

This secret society old-boy crap has gone on long enough.. If this is indead the case, I would like to help in any way I can to end their secret rule.....

We are not sheep!!!

WE ARE LEGION

WE DO NOT FORGIVE

WE DO NOT FORGET

EXPECT US

[Wildbill]

Indeed it is. And what a sad state of affairs that is.

The OFSC is an organization 20 or more years out of date with the approach they are taking.

Companies learned years ago, especially public companies and non-profits, that the best way to engage stakeholders is to give them as much information as possible about the operations of their business. Keep them out and it breeds mistrust and suspicion. Keep them out and your share price suffers. Your value suffers. In the case of commercial interests, you won't attract investors; in the case of non-profits, you won't attract donations or more volunteers.

And Snowmobile Clubs are crying for more help?? In this thread alone, one guy asks for more information about the AGM and doesn't get a specific answer.

The more shareholders can learn about the operations the more they can become engaged.

Wouldn't more engaged shareholders benefit clubs across the province? Instead of moaning about burn-out clubs could look to gaining new members through transparency.

I devote a great deal of my business life to filing public documents for the company I work for. We file, publicly, the most intimate corporate information because we want our shareholders to be comfortable with the investment decisions they are making.

Why, in contrast, can I not even find the most fundamental information about a bilion dollar corporation that is a non-profit ?? I am a shareholder. Yes, it is available to me. BUT, I have to pursue the most archaic routes to suss out the information I am interested in reading.

MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND INFORMATION IS SOMETHING THAT GOVERNMENTS, THE SEC, AMD THE OSC HAVE DETERMINED IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STAKEHOLDERS.

Look to my club as an example. And my experience personally. I joined my club in 1968 and watched what can happen to a club and may well happen to any organization that operates in a shroud of the old-boy secret handshake manner. Not 5 or so years ago my club, a former Club of the Year, was on the ropes because of the old boy way of doing things. Currently the club is completely transparent. Everything is shared with every permit holder. There is nothing that is 'for someone's eyes only'. This has engendered trust within the membership, has strengthened the relationship between the club and the town and local businesses, the club is stronger and is on the way to becoming Club of the Year again. Stronger, with a succession plan and members that are engaged !

And on the OFSC web site I can't even find mention of the AGM, let alone date and location. Every single permit carrying sledder should be welcome and encouraged to attend. They don't have to be voting attendees. They don't have to be delegates. They don't have to be any fricking thing except WELCOME ! What better way to address the burn out we have in so many clubs? Get more engaged !! It's contagious. Have people rubbing elbows with people that say things like "the best thing in my life is volunteering for my club" and guess what ........................................... ???

Well said indeed convention should be a celegration of snowmobiling.

[wenailem1]

who is it

[Nutter]

As every year numerous AGM bulletins and packages are sent out provincially to all districts to be distributed to clubs, where the clubs distribute to their members/permit buyers. No need what so ever for any OFSC AGM info to be released to the public by being published on the public portion of the OFSC website. Don't like how your local club relays info then do something about it, as the only people who can do something about it are the clubs members themselves.

[blakesnowcrest]

As every year numerous AGM bulletins and packages are sent out provincially to all districts to be distributed to clubs, where the clubs distribute to their members/permit buyers. No need what so ever for any OFSC AGM info to be released to the public by being published on the public portion of the OFSC website. Don't like how your local club relays info then do something about it, as the only people who can do something about it are the clubs members themselves.

The OFSC By-Laws state that Permit buyers are not entitled not know about AGM`s. But they can be up for consideration to attend and know about meetings.

Maybe someone put forward a motion to change this for this for future AGMs. If not, maybe someone can for the 2012 AGM.

[sledjunk]

As every year numerous AGM bulletins and packages are sent out provincially to all districts to be distributed to clubs, where the clubs distribute to their members/permit buyers. No need what so ever for any OFSC AGM info to be released to the public by being published on the public portion of the OFSC website. Don't like how your local club relays info then do something about it, as the only people who can do something about it are the clubs members themselves.

I don't understand! What the @#@# is the big secret! Why the hell can't the date and location of the AGM be made public? What is there to HIDE????

Is the OFSC going to fall apart if this simple basic information is revealed?

The AGM should be a celebration of the OFSC and clubs that form it. As such, it should be publicized to ANYONE who will listen. Let everyone know how strong organized snowmobiling truly is in Ontario and maybe the uninitiated will want to get involved!

This layers of bureaucracy method of passing even the most trivial of information breeds the IMPRESSION of secrecy and a closed organization!

[Nutter]

The OFSC By-Laws state that Permit buyers are not entitled not know about AGM`s. But they can be up for consideration to attend and know about meetings.

Maybe someone put forward a motion to change this for this for future AGMs. If not, maybe someone can for the 2012 AGM.

There's no need for it to be public info, and legaly the OFSC cannot make it so, the clubs are the OFSC stake holders, it's up to the clubs to give the information out to who they are required to according to their by-laws.... IE in some clubs a permit buyer is a member, others there's a fee and/or volunteer time investment.

I don't understand! What the @#@# is the big secret! Why the hell can't the date and location of the AGM be made public? What is there to HIDE????

Is the OFSC going to fall apart if this simple basic information is revealed?

The AGM should be a celebration of the OFSC and clubs that form it. As such, it should be publicized to ANYONE who will listen. Let everyone know how strong organized snowmobiling truly is in Ontario and maybe the uninitiated will want to get involved!

This layers of bureaucracy method of passing even the most trivial of information breeds the IMPRESSION of secrecy and a closed organization!

Read above post. If someone is interest in going I highly doubt they wouldn't know about it from their local club, if they do have an issue with their local club providing info only that clubs members can do something about it. Some people seem to think the OFSC has some kind of mystical power and can do what ever others think ? As per Ontario corp law the clubs dicate all.

If I remember correctly folowing year AGM location announcements were made in the Go Snowmobiling mag in the article of the previous AGM, but no details, for details people were asked to contact their local club.

[sledjunk]

There's no need for it to be public info, and legaly the OFSC cannot make it so, the clubs are the OFSC stake holders, it's up to the clubs to give the information out to who they are required to according to their by-laws.... IE in some clubs a permit buyer is a member, others there's a fee and/or volunteer time investment.

Read above post. If someone is interest in going I highly doubt they wouldn't know about it from their local club, if they do have an issue with their local club providing info only that clubs members can do something about it. Some people seem to think the OFSC has some kind of mystical power and can do what ever others think ? As per Ontario corp law the clubs dicate all.

If I remember correctly folowing year AGM location announcements were made in the Go Snowmobiling mag in the article of the previous AGM, but no details, for details people were asked to contact their local club.

So, how do I know to contact my local club, in the middle of the SUMMER, about an event that I DON'T EVEN KNOW IS HAPPENING????

Your scenario makes OFSC look as transparent as glass, on the outdide of a BRICK WALL!!!

[Wildbill]

There's no need for it to be public info, and legaly the OFSC cannot make it so, the clubs are the OFSC stake holders, it's up to the clubs to give the information out to who they are required to according to their by-laws.... IE in some clubs a permit buyer is a member, others there's a fee and/or volunteer time investment.

Read above post. If someone is interest in going I highly doubt they wouldn't know about it from their local club, if they do have an issue with their local club providing info only that clubs members can do something about it. Some people seem to think the OFSC has some kind of mystical power and can do what ever others think ? As per Ontario corp law the clubs dicate all.

If I remember correctly folowing year AGM location announcements were made in the Go Snowmobiling mag in the article of the previous AGM, but no details, for details people were asked to contact their local club.

Honestly way too much drama. Questions were asked questions were answered.There is no secret as to were or when,but no money is spent publizing it either. If you want to go most clubs might make it possible at your expense as it is for most of the volunteers there. Every year it is a challenge to find a big enough venue at a reasonable price to do this.

Relax winter is coming. And Nutter welcome back,do I note a lighter tone to your answers? Discussion is the foundation of democracy.

[Nutter]

So, how do I know to contact my local club, in the middle of the SUMMER, about an event that I DON'T EVEN KNOW IS HAPPENING????

Your scenario makes OFSC look as transparent as glass, on the outdide of a BRICK WALL!!!

Legaly the only entity the OFSC can be transparent with is the clubs, as they are stake holders, it's up to the clubs to be transparent with their own membership their stake holders, including any info concerning OFSC business. If your local club isn't then someone in that clubs membership has to do something about it. The clubs, OFSC, districts, associations, sledders, volunteers don't write provincial corp laws, the province does that.

[Nutter]

Honestly way too much drama. Questions were asked questions were answered.There is no secret as to were or when,but no money is spent publizing it either. If you want to go most clubs might make it possible at your expense as it is for most of the volunteers there. Every year it is a challenge to find a big enough venue at a reasonable price to do this.

Relax winter is coming. And Nutter welcome back,do I note a lighter tone to your answers? Discussion is the foundation of democracy.

Hey Bill hows summer treating ya ? I was going to stop in up at your place for a visit a couple weeks back while in PS on business, but I was on the bike and wanted to beat expected the rain.

I just get wound when the tin foil hat conspiracy theory's kick in

[sledjunk]

The Kool-Aid tastes funny