This email was sent to the ExCom of the Atlantic Chapter, and to the public email contacts for all Atlantic Chapter groups, on April 30, 2011
Sierra Club National offered free consulting to Atlantic Chapter & Group leaders. Has anyone taken advantage of it?Often when a particular model of car has technical problems, the manufacturer offers replacement parts and services to all owners of that car. If the manufacturer of your car promised to give you a free 50,000 mile tune up – wouldn’t you sign up for it?
I’m writing to remind Atlantic Chapter and Group leaders that Sierra Club National made just such an offer last fall. In these times of budget cuts, you may want to take advantage of it.
As you may recall, in November 2010, Sierra Club National President Robin Mann wrote a letter to Atlantic (New York State) Chapter leaders, essentially putting the Chapter on probation. One cause was the NYC ExCom August 2010 election, won by a campaign of fraud and libel, in flagrant violation of the Club’s internal code of conduct. Although thoroughly documented, the complaints against Ken Baer and Jim Lane (with potential penalty of removal from leadership positions) were dismissed through a February 2011 letter of pardon from Robin Mann. Another cause were problems on the Chapter’s Political Committee.
National set a higher standard for Atlantic Chapter leaders, and offered support to make it happen
As Robin wrote: “The Board of Directors expects all of the chapters to participate in building and maintaining a vibrant grassroots organization that advances the Club's mission. As Chapter & Group leaders, you all have an obligation to protect the Club's name and reputation, ensure a safe and productive working environment for members and staff, and foster a Club in which people want to participate…Due to these concerns, we have asked the Volunteer Leadership Advisory Committee and staff in the Office of Volunteer and Activist Services to offer support to the Atlantic Chapter to help address these concerns. Greg Casini will be the lead staff for this effort, which will continue until it is evident the following has occurred:
WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE:
+ A welcoming and respectful environment for all volunteers and staff
- No basis for requests to suspend or remove leaders
+ Sincere efforts to involve new volunteers in meaningful ways
- No reports of factionalism or cliquishness
+ Positive public relationships with elected officials and other community leaders
- No reports of behavior that harms the Club's reputation and effectiveness with public officials
+ Chairs fostering productive and satisfying teamwork for their committee members
- No angry resignations
+ ExCom elections viewed by all as fair- Complaint-free elections…”
The potential benefits for the Chapter and your Group
Those are all excellent goals that every Chapter leader should support. While some leaders might have been embarrassed or offended by this communication, it represents an opportunity that the Chapter and Groups should embrace wholeheartedly. Remember that Robin’s goals go beyond simply avoiding scandal and wrongdoing, but enhancing volunteer and committee activities and increasing people’s interest in being involved with the Club – and with your Group. Greg Casini is a master facilitator and trainer, and he’s been assigned by National to help Chapter leaders. Just imagine how Greg’s direct consultation with your Group ExCom could make your activities more successful! Why not reach out and use the support National has generously offered?
Okay, who wants a free 50,000 mile tune up?
First in line could be the NYC Group. With the volunteers who have run the NYC Group for decades firmly back in control, there’s no internal conflict - but they have fallen back into old habits. Instead of developing their own activities, the Group maintains the appearance of activity by co-sponsoring events organized by others, and promoting a slew of committees which exist in name only. Despite the efforts of one dedicated volunteer, who singlehandedly publishes the newsletter and maintains the Group’s online activity, the NYC Group is nearly defunct – just as it’s been for years. Why not make lemonade out of lemons and request Greg’s ongoing participation?
Remember, Robin assigned Greg to work with the Chapter “to protect the Club's name and reputation, ensure a safe and productive working environment for members and staff, and foster a Club in which people want to participate.” Even if your Group has its own programs and active committees, and no history of violating Club rules and procedures, Greg can surely help get you to the next level.
Maybe this is already taking place...
Maybe Greg is already working with Chapter and Group leaders. Since I’m no longer on NYC Group or Chapter leader lists, I wouldn’t know. I hope this is the case and it’s working well for everyone. Perhaps this message is months late and very out of date. If that’s the case, sorry, never mind!
What if Greg has already been working with the Atlantic Chapter ExCom or Group ExComs, and you don’t know about it?In that case, all Chapter and Group leaders should be kept informed of this important project, which was after all, directly ordered by the Club’s National President. This way everyone can learn together and step up to National’s higher standard of performance.
Could it be that neither the Atlantic Chapter nor individual Group ExComs have been working with Greg and taking advantage of National assistance?
If not, both National and Chapter leaders should learn what happened, and reactivate this effort to build the effectiveness of the Atlantic Chapter and its Groups.
I can’t believe that Robin’s offer of National support was always intended as an empty promise – or a hollow threat – to prod the Atlantic Chapter to stop scandalizing and embarrassing National Sierra Club.
If this was so, it would indicate that National does not take the Atlantic Chapter seriously, and thinks a sternly worded threat of future supervision will discourage misbehavior. This would also indicate that National is not really concerned about Atlantic Chapter functioning, and wishes only to avoid embarrassment and maintain minimum membership donation levels while National pursues its own program goals. Could this very cynical analysis be accurate? Perhaps, but it is also likely that Atlantic Chapter and Group leaders have already disproved it with their actions.
I’m curious to know what happened. But as Chapter and Group leaders, you have a right to know the answers to these questions. Thanks for your time!
Dan Miner
Past Chair, Sierra Club NYC
volunteer, www.beyondoilnyc.org
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