IMCA Insights – August 2011
2011 IMCA Board Elections - Special Edition
by Anne Black & Jeff Kuyken

The snow has all melted on the Rockies.
The Denver Show is just a few weeks away.
Yes, it is this time of the year again, time for our Yearly Elections!
And to make it absolutely sure that not one single member missed this opportunity to become a Director or to vote for their favorite candidates; we are devoting a whole issue of our newsletter to it.

First of all, since you must be a Member in good standing to vote, this might be a good time to check on that, do we have your correct current email address? Did you pay your dues for 2011? If you are not sure, this would be a good time to check by asking the Board (election@imca.cc).

What's next?
In accordance with our ByLaws, three Board Members will be elected in 2011, and at least six Candidates will be up for election (our ByLaws require a minimum of two Candidates for each vacant Board position). Something that brings us to the first phase of our public elections: the Nominations.

Nominations: Volunteers Wanted!

The requirements to be a Candidate are very simple: you must have been a IMCA Member in good standing for at least two years. And since we are an International Association we really want the Board to be International too, so go ahead be a Candidate, even if your English is not perfect, If you have any questions regarding your Membership, this would be a good time to contact us, and to ask about your status.

A great many of you do qualify. So tell us now that you want to participate in the shaping of our Association for the future. If you really must think about it first (or ask a few questions) we will give you until September 14, 2011, but we must have your email announcing your candidacy no later than September 14, 2011, midnight (Eastern Time). Remember – we need at least six Candidates as our Bylaws require two Candidates for each open slot on the Board. We're just waiting for a sign from you!

Contact the Nominations and Elections Committee at election@imca.cc to let us know that you want to be a Candidate for the Board of Directors. If you want to nominate someone else, that's also fine with us – just make sure that the Nominee is aware of that nomination, and that he's actually willing to accept it. In any case, we will have to receive a formal notice by the Nominee, stating that he accepts his nomination no later than September 14, 2011, midnight (Eastern Time).

FAQ: How much Work is it?

We often have been asked how much work it is to serve on the IMCA Board of Directors. Is it time consuming? There's no simple answer to that, and it certainly depends on if you are just serving as a Board Member, or as a Board Officer. Naturally, the Officers will have to invest a bit more time and energy into their respective tasks – but then, you won't have to volunteer for an Officer's position after the elections.

In any case, be prepared to engage in a frequent discussion with the other Board Members, voting on Membership Applicants, resolving disputes, investigating complaints, etc. Besides that, you might be asked to serve on one of the Committees, such as the Nominations and Elections Committee, the Membership Committee, or the Website Committee. Of course, you will be a bit busier if you are a member of the Nominations and Elections Committee at this time of the year.

Besides that, working on other Committees, such as the EoM Committee, can mean a lot of work: just ask Sergey Vasiliev and Bob Falls who do a fantastic job in constantly updating the IMCA Encyclopedia of Meteorites. Just have a look, and you will see what we mean. Thanks to Sergey and Bob for all of their time, great work, and enthusiasm.

The continuing work on the EoM, the open discussion of international meteorite laws, business practices, and other important issues will sure keep all new and old Directors busy, but don't worry, we all have a life beyond IMCA and its Board of Directors, and we are all used to teamwork. Of course, we would prefer to see Candidates running that are more active Members, and who are actually willing to give their best for our Association. But then, we are fully aware of the natural restrictions put upon us by everyday life, and other commitments.

So, What's Next?

After the nomination phase, which will end on September 14, 2011, midnight (Eastern Time), we will take a few days to verify the eligibility of all the Candidates, and we will publish the names of all the Candidates on September 17, 2011 via our IMCA Mailing List. The Candidates will then have two weeks time (from September 17 to October 01, 2011, midnight, Eastern Time) to explain to our Membership why they want to be a Director, and to answer all your questions (again, via our IMCA Mailing List). And we will actually vote during the week of October 02 to October 09, 2011. Please have a look at our official Election Schedule for more information, and technical details.

Official IMCA Election Schedule

September 14 (midnight Eastern Time): Deadline for Nominations

Contact the Nominations and Elections Committee to let us know that you want to be a Candidate for the Board of Directors. (eligibility requirements – 2 years as a dues paying member in good standing)

September 17: Publication of the List of Candidates

September 17 - October 01 (midnight Eastern Time): Campaign

The Candidates may tell the Members (via our IMCA Mailing List ONLY) why they want to sit on the Board of Directors, and answer other Member's questions. Their statements and answers will be published to our entire Membership during that time (again, via our IMCA Mailing List ONLY).

October 02 - 09 (midnight Eastern Time): Election Week

All members may vote for the three Directors only ONCE at any time during this period. Voting begins October 02 and ends midnight October 09 Eastern Time. The special voting email address will be published via the IMCA Mailing List. (If you are not on the IMCA Mailing List and wish to vote, contact the Nominations and Elections Committee). Please be sure to use the mailing address we have on file for you, so we may verify that the vote is coming from a registered, eligible Member.

Please contact us if you have any questions. We're looking forward to your participation, and to your votes. Thanks.

Other Ways to Support the IMCA

If you are not sure if you want to run for the IMCA Board of Directors, but willing to actively support the IMCA there are indeed other options, such as volunteering to help in one of our various Committees, or by answering some of the many questions which we receive via our Contact form. We would be very grateful for any kind of help you can offer, especially since the number of questions and requests has been exploding ever since the "Meteorite Men" have become popular through TV, and other media have focused on the subject. So if you are willing to help, contact us, or just drop us a line via our Contact form (questions@imca.cc), and we will be in touch with you. Thanks.

Best Regards to all of you!

In the name of the IMCA Board of Directors,
Anne Black, President IMCA Inc.
Jeff Kuyken, Vice-President IMCA Inc.
 

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