CASI BOD Meeting

Good afternoon :)

I mentioned in my previous posts that I felt the BOD meeting was successful, but that CASI (in MY opinion) still has a long way to go when it comes to "getting it". One of the most positive and well thought out presentations I've seen in awhile came from Jim Ezell. He brought up four issues that he felt needed immediate attention; the amount of members CASI claims, the GP Meeting (THANK GOD!), Increased Scholarship Funding, and recoginition of the TICC Champion. These points have been posted on Janice Miller's blog.

Jim made a great point regarding the membership count - it should include anyone and everyone that cooks in a CASI sanctioned cook off. If the Board wants to differentiate between sanctioned and non sanctioned cooks (CASI dues paying vs. non) internally, so be it. To try and promote ourselves as an "international" organization, but only have approximately 1500 members, doesn't sound very promising. If CASI can tap into the tens of thousands that cook at our cook offs all over the country and Mexico, then it helps our cause and will potentially bring in more interest and of course, sponsors.

The second item that I was giddy over was the proposed format for holding the GP Meetings. Instead of a Pod being charged with raising money, finding a location, and securing hotel and meeting rooms for it, the Board will now take on the nuts and bolts of the meeting with three or four Pods "hosting" it by providing support in areas of registration, hospitality, etc. I think that is a FANTASTIC idea and I really, really hope that the Board approves this new concept. It would be so much easier to find a permanent location, build relationships with the hotel/meeting site and potentially lock in better rates in exchange for a multi year commitment from CASI and keep the costs down each year. It would also take the pressure off of the Pods and the smaller ones, such as the NOW Pod, would be able to join with other smaller pods and host the event. I got the impression that the Board was pleased with this proposal as well and it's just a smart move all around.

I want to go back to the membership issue. I am a little disheartened at how many members the Membership Director reported - I believe it was 1547. The discussion that took place after the number of members was reported seemed to center more around how can we keep people renewing their membership year after year (even if they aren't actively cooking) and less about how do we promote ourselves more to actually drum up interest in our organization. One person thought an auto draft would be a good idea as it would take the pressure off of someone to remember to pay their dues and it would just be automatic. I think that's a great idea if you're also working at actively bringing in members. But as a way to keep people because they're too lazy to cancel the auto draft....not so much. I used the term "apathetic" when speaking on Saturday and I applied it to both the Board and the Membership (as I'm sure it's going to be taken out of context...hopefully not since there was a recorder!) If that isn't a prime example of apathy, then I don't know what is. Does the Board really think that CASI is the only organization people can get involved with if they want to do "charitable" work? This isn't 20 years ago when cooking competition chili was a novelty and one of the few things people could do inexpensively with their friends and have a good time. The landscape of CASI is changing - younger cooks, more cooks with kids, less older cooks and less people wanting to cook in the heat of summer. People have a choice in how they spend their free time and money. CASI is going to have to adjust their mindset if they want to keep and retain members. Setting up an auto draft on someone's account is only going to get you $15 per year and one more person to count. What CASI really needs is to start engaging more with the cooks and the public to interest them in our organization. Instead of a pamphlet at a Welcome Center or Rest Stop, start advertising where people are going to see you the most - billboards, internet, Texas Monthly magazine, Facebook, etc. I know we need to advertise on the radio in West Texas to get people out to TICC, but what about advertising on the radio locally as well to get people interested in coming out to the hundreds off cook offs that take place all year long. Why not have a membership drive? When I ran for director last year, I said (and still stand behind) that I would be more than happy to pay someone's membership fee in order to get them interested in CASI and what we do. How was that greeted - with scorn and disdain...and this coming from an old time cook who was just bitching that CASI needed new blood. That was one of those WTF moments for me. If YOU don't have any ideas, but have a complaint, don't diss the one who is thinking of ways to bring in more people, regardless of whether you agree or not. In my mind, the membership position on the BOD should be held by someone who loves CASI and WANTS to bring in new members. Someone who loves chili, loves talking about what we do and doesn't mind a little leg work to do it. Is that a dig at our membership director? It's not meant to be; it's just an opinion of what I think that position should entail.

I don't know if I completely and accurately understand the Old 320 issue. I do know one thing - if you ask people to vote on a proposed change, and then you refuse to accept the results of said vote, then you have just pissed off a lot of people! I'm not an Old 320 Shareholder; Gary and I are on the waiting list and that is fine with us. However, I was really, really disappointed to see the Board completely disregard the votes of 92 Shareholders that voted in favor of the change. That would be like our country voting for a President and then when the results weren't what our government wanted, they would just choose to disregard the voice of the voters and do what they wanted instead. A valid point was made when I spoke to the "apathy" of the Board concerning this issue. The individual made the point that you can't say the Board doesn't care simply because they don't do what the membership voted to as the Board did not believe it was in the best interests (of who I'm still trying to figure out) to accept the results of the vote. That person is exactly right! But here's my question - exactly who's interests are we looking out for? If you are going to ask a group to vote on what THEY want, and they vote to do something, who is the BOD to decide that's really not the best thing to do? Why ask them to vote if you're not going to take action on what they want to do? This is exactly why the cooks don't believe the BOD gives a hoot about how they feel. I own a business; I know all about taking suggestions from others and then making your own decision. This wasn't a "suggestion" box from what I understand. It was a change presented to the Old 320 Members that they were asked to vote on as to how they wanted to proceed in regards to selling them, donating them, losing their rights, or keeping them. I have said this a lot of the past year, "CASI should be run like a business, but it is not the Board's personal business to run". I feel that the line between running the organization to be successful and running it to someone's personal satisfaction and wishes is beginning to become blurred. If a group of people want something a certain way and you've TOLD THEM TO TELL YOU HOW THEY WANT IT RUN....then what is the problem? I hope that CASI and the Old 320 Shareholders can revisit this issue and come to a resolution that benefits everyone. I get the feeling that this fight is far from over. At the same time, more members need to come to these meetings, talk to the Directors, and openly communicate their feelings on all of the issues they feel need to be addressed.

It would be easy to assume that I'm bashing the Board - I'm not. I do know a lot of people are unhappy with the Board and how it runs CASI. Well...where were all of those people on Saturday? Why aren't more cooks involved in the Board meetings? Something I appreciated was being able to witness the discussions and differing opinions of the Board members when they were discussing the different issues on Saturday. If more cooks were present, they would see that there are Board members working for the best interest of the membership as well as Directors trying to find a balance between what's best for CASI and what's best for the cooks. If you don't show up and voice your feelings, how will anyone know where you stand. I've never understood why people argue with one another at cook offs. That's so counterproductive. You are basically arguing with your own teammate :) Why would you waste a good beer drinking opportunity to argue with someone that can't do anything about what you're pissed off about! Both the Board and the membership have a responsiblity to communicate openly with one another. We've been yelling at the Board to be more transparant for a very long time. The membership looks hypocritical when they won't do the same. I think everyone involved in CASI has the same intentions - cook chili, help charities, and have a good time. Along the way, it's become divided and there is very much an "Us against Them" mentality. I can't say that mentality is completely unwarranted. There are a lot of decisions and actions the Board takes that leave you scratching your head. On the flip side, there is a lot of NON ACTION on the part of the membership that leads everyone to believe that no one really gives a damn. How do we meet in the middle and start making decisions that benefit everyone involved in CASI instead of a select number of people?

I don't want to delve any further into the meeting as I want to give the Board an opportunity to post the minutes and others to form their own opinions. Every comment I have made today has been my opinion - which I am entitled to. I did my absolute best to state the facts of the meeting and then follow up with my personal opinion. I'm sure I'll have more to say as the week progresses.

I'll be back tomorrow with my own special brand of joy and kindness ;o)

Kelly