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BMW ACA/CCA Member Letters
Thomas B. Nast
One
of the stated reasons for becoming a CCA chapter is because BMW AG will no
longer recognize ACA as a sanctioned club. This follows BMW's policy of only
recognizing clubs belonging to the International Council of BMW Clubs, to which
ACA belonged until the LA Chapter switched to CCA.
Leaving
aside the issues of whether life will go on without use of the Roundel and
several pounds of press releases each month, I find BMW's position to be
somewhere between ironic and hypocritical.
When
there were rumors of a takeover by BMW (02-08-99), spokesman Juerg Dinner
stated, "Management is not holding any takeover talks. We want to remain
independent." Commenting on reports that Ford would acquire BMW (02-10-99),
Ford's Chief Executive Jacques Nasser said, "I think they've made it quite
clear -- the family [Quandt] and the company -- that they want to remain
independent, and I believe them whey they say that. You have to respect
that." On Feb. 14, 1999 BMW Chairman Joachim Milberg announced, "BMW
is independent and will stay independent."
So
BMW AG is and will remain independent (at its stakeholders' instance), but would
force one of its oldest and most successful clubs to merge into a larger
organization. The explanation? "It's policy." This
'you-must-obey-rules-that-don't-apply-to-us' mentality is inimical to Northwest
values and echoes an unhappy time in German history. To acquiesce utterly sends
the wrong message, and simply encourages arbitrary and irrational behavior. If
independence is good enough for BMW, it's good enough for us.
Th.B.
Nast, ACA #403
Larry
Kangley
Like
Peter Wong in the January issue of Zundfolge I'm not clear on the all the issues
and background regarding independence versus a merger with CCA.
In
reading the "Analysis of the Impacts of Joining the CCA" article I am
confused on several points. On dues there was no discussion of what a CCA
individual membership and the associate membership gets you. I'm left with the
impression that a family of four would have to pay CCA $80 to receive the same
benefit that $25 buys with ACA. I don't think that's right. The club finances
comparison doesn't seem realistic, when it assumes there would be no increase in
"profits" for the various events. The insurance savings alone would
seem to benefit the "profits" figure.
The
rest of the analysis seems to boil down to "rice bowl" issues, some
loss of control over the club purse and a "it wasn't invented here"
attitude on the part of some members.
From
my knothole bigger would be far better and whole lot less parochial.
Larry
Kangley, ACA #5272, CCA#88961
Ted
Rodgers
A
couple of comments about the potential merger.
First, Thanks for the very balanced presentation in the recent Zundgfolge.
It answered several of my questions and helped clarify a number of
issues.
Second,
since we have a fair number of racers now, is there anything precluding us from
continuing to be a member of ICSCC should we become a CCA chapter? CCA races
just aren't a practical tow from this section of the country, and with both
Conference and SCCA running races in the Northwest we have a great venue right
here.
Third,
I agree that the Zundfolge is the one item that benefits all members, and I'm
happy to see your analysis shows it could be continued, more or less intact.
To ensure such, should we vote to become a CCA chapter, I recommend local
dues be instituted at the beginning; for one reason to insure our financial
stability, and because it would be much more difficult to add them later.
Finally,
I am usually always suspicious of large national organizations which take your
money and give you a small portion back, deciding at a national level just what
is good for the members (taxpayers), but after reading Keith Wollenberg's
article I'm a trifle less concerned about the prospect.
Ted
Rodgers, ACA # 260
Michael
McLean
Only
250 words-gawd, I've never pontificated about anything in that short of
verbiage.
To
the point, I support the "diversity" of TWO separate clubs, what's
been developed over the years separately is quite good, perhaps we can
"co-buy" insurance, and/or spend the funds to go visit BMA NA and see
about the "rebates." To me those seem to be the "only"
attributes that the club might benefit from, the driver's ed program would clearly not, as the rules seem to
preclude those who likely need the training most, that is total neophytes who'd
likely be scared spitless riding w/an instructor and the windows down.
I
do indeed belong to "both" affiliations. I've lived in Seattle,
Anchorage and now in Portland. I have no problem supporting two dues, and do so
willingly to read the prose in Zundfolge, as well as, read about issues in the
Pacific Northwest, where I live.
You
know my vote-
Michael
McLean, ACA #2731
Michael
Lord
My
feeling, after much thought, regarding the ACA/CCA issue is this. I would like
to see a merger. I have greatly
enjoyed my participation in the ACA and greatly value the many fine friends I
have made. I have begun to enjoy
this same sense of community on a national basis with the CCA. This has come
through my involvement as an instructor with the CCA and my participation in
other CCA events such as the Nurburgring school last year. While I do have reservations regarding the CCA, I feel
overall that a merger would best meet my personal goals for involvement in a
national organization while keeping in tact the strengths of what has already
been built up here by the ACA. Having
my chapter located in Spokane does me little good.
They are a dedicated group and I count some of them among my friends but
it's a long drive for any kind of representation.
Michael
Lord, ACA #4236
Brian Horne
Hello fellow ACA and CCA members. You probably remember me from my stint as ACA VP, and the numerous events I planned and staged for ACA; tours, new member day, Emerald Downs, karting, and others, and driving instructor. It's good to see the ACA board finally present this issue to general members as I've been advocating this vigorously since late last year.
With limited space it's difficult to present the full case, with explanations. So, I'll be brief. If you're a CCA and ACA member, You're paying $35 and $25 respectively. If the two clubs merge, then you'll be paying only $35/year. Your CCA dues go elsewhere, and are not spent in this area. The club newsletter need not suffer, I have presented proposals to the board that would cut costs with no appreciable degradation in presentation. The club currently spends too much on the publication per member. That money could be better spent in different areas.
With CCA status, the BoD will be elected by the general members, instead of appointment by select committee. Board meetings will be open to all members. Financial statements will be required, and the club will have a framework for growth that is tested and established.
This is a complicated issue, but simply stated we here in the NW need to join the CCA party and the rest of the country. The world of BMW is waiting for us!
Brian Horne, #3848
Douglas Haussler
I received the November/December issue of Zündfolge. In it I read the article about the ACA/CCA issue. This blatantly jaded article, I use the term loosely, is very poor at best. It accomplishes nothing but to show a total lack of professionalism on the part of the board of directors for BMW ACA and brings serious doubt in my mind as to which group of individuals they are operating on behalf of, the club membership or their own. This overt attempt to skew the facts and opinions of the membership should only be construed as an insult to our intelligence. In a previous letter to the membership it was indicated that the reason that this issue was being brought to the membership was because of some doubt expressed in regard to the subcommittees handling of the issue previously.
This brings up another point, who are "the subcommittee"? I feel the membership has the right to know the names of the individuals representing the club and collecting the information to be presented to us. Who are the individuals petitioning the club to affiliate with BMW CCA?
If the board cannot present future information in a more unbiased format I feel they should find a disinterested party to write the articles. I am very disappointed in the club leadership in their handling of this issue.
Doug Haussler, #4851
Editorial
Guidelines
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ask that all letters address the issues. We will not publish anything which
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