IMAA Director District I resigns

Frank V. Ponteri

IMAA District One Director

95A Quannacut Road

Westerly, RI 02891

Telephone: (401) 322-8358

E-mail: snipped-for-privacy@cox.net

December 7, 2005

Tom Hayden, IMAA President

1649 Tecumseh

Lancaster, Ohio 43130

Dear Tom,

It has been almost twenty years since you and I attended our first IMAA Board of Directors meeting. The details of that Friday night special session are as fresh in my mind today as they were the day of that meeting. A lot has transpired during the time since that meeting, some good, and some not so good. We have seen the IMAA membership rise to a high of over 12,000 and decline to 1991 levels of 7000 members.

Throughout the good and bad times, we never forgot that the IMAA was founded "to create an atmosphere where pleasure, recreation, fellowship, and co-mingling can be fostered and found to exist amongst individuals enjoying the sport of building and flying large radio controlled model aircraft." In our quest to build the IMAA, we often disagreed and at times our tempers flared but none of it ever became personal. We were always able and willing to find a middle ground. It is apparent that over the past year, "fellowship" and respect differing opinions has gone from the IMAA Board of Directors.

On February 11, 2005, District II Director Frank Fels, wrote in a letter (e-mail) sent to the Officers, Directors, and employees of the IMAA:

"GENTLEMAN,SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A CANCER IN OUR ORGANIZATION."

I thought at the time that this statement would have brought forth outrage from the other members of the board, however, none of my fellow Directors showed any outrage. It is apparent that the lack of a response to this type of behavior gave license to others to partake in the same type of un-professional behavior.

On October 10, 2005 District VIII Director and President Elect Tom Hammer sent an e-mail to a number of IMAA members that contained in part the following: "I haven't seen all that is on RCU. But I have been told by several Imaa directors. That some of you, my friends and personal advisors, have been supporting the radical district one director. If this is true shame on you. For heavens sake, please remain calm, and don't be tricked by the evil one.......

NO Matter how good it sounds whatever he says he has nothing good in his =

heart for Imaa."

I forwarded this message to a number of IMAA Directors and their response was again silence.

On November 2, 2005, Frank Fels wrote in and e-mail to the Board "I PERSONALLY CAN'T WAIT TO GET IN THE BOARD ROOM AND BE WITH YOU ALL, JUST TO SEE THE WHITES OF YOUR EYES AND NOT HIDING BEHIND YOUR KEYBOARDS,"

On November 5, 2005 I received a telephone call from Bill Hamby that was reordered on my answering machine in which he resorts to name calling and threats. Unfortunately my wife has been subjected to these e-mails and telephone message.

Yesterday, President elect Hammer sent another e-mail to members of the Board in which he belittled my service and contribution to the IMAA.

During my twenty plus years of service to the IMAA, my wife Jean has always supported my service. Year after year she would give up vacations so we could attend the IMAA Rally and Board meetings. In the early years when I served as District Two Director, she would spend many weekends working the IMAA table that we would set up at local events to sell accessories and sign up new members. What has transpired over the past months has made us feel that our home has been violated and our service demeaned. We feel that the IMAA Board has gone to a place that we do not care to go.

After considerable reflection and discussions with friends and family, I have decided to resign the position of District One Director. My resignation will become effective upon the appointment (vote) by the IMAA Board of Directors of a new District One Director who will complete my term in office. Until such time as a new Director is nominated and approved, I will continue to carry out the duties of District One Director. I will give the new Director as much help as he/she may require in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Yours truly,

Frank V. Ponteri

IMAA District One Director AMA District One AVP AMA Leader Member AMA Contest Director AMA Experimental Aircraft Inspector

Reply to
Red Scholefield
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On Thu, 8 Dec 2005 11:49:40 -0500, "Red Scholefield" wrote in :

Yes, I guess they do--a large and growing malignancy. :o(

"Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!"

Marty

Reply to
Martin X. Moleski, SJ

The IMAA is an interesting study. While it is (or maybe was) the largest AMA SIG they were unique.

Big, very expensive to publish newsletter - with marginal content and inefficient layout and use of space. Refused to sanction a member e-mail forum like IMAC, VRCS, SAM and a number of other SIGS. Web is of little use, and mostly out dated. Funded rather expensive quarterly meetings of its officers. Barred participation of non-members from its events. Refused to accept that Giant Scale Aircraft were no longer unique.

Red S.

Reply to
Red Scholefield

More interesting is the total refusal to address or accept reality. It is rare to see such resistant denial. in the face of factual proofs. I know a pshrink they could, make that should, hire...

Reply to
Six_O'Clock_High

For those of us not familiar with the IMAA, would somebody care to explain what the heck is going on with these guys? Just curious...

"Six_O'Clock_High"

Reply to
Ed Paasch

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 10:54:29 -0600, "Ed Paasch" wrote in :

Their web site:

I don't belong to the SIG.

Sounds like there are deep conflicts about how to govern the group--and some tension with a web forum? (I don't participate in the web forum.)

I'm not entirely sure what this means, but it sounds like the right kind of thing to say in these situations:

"Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!"

Marty

Reply to
Martin X. Moleski, SJ

Marty,

Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!" Sounds like a sermon here somewhere, want to share it with us. Its the season for sharing and giving. :-)

Red S.

Reply to
Red Scholefield

That's what the current and former members are trying to figure out. They (the Board of Directors) seem to be adrift on a sea of uncertainty as who they are and what they want to be, or how to get there. Mean while the surging tide of giant scale modeling continues to wear down the sacred fortress of members only participation in events. Organizations have taken the rather brutal approach - scheduling their giant scale event normally through the AMA only and have left the IMAA wondering what happened.

Red S.

Reply to
Red Scholefield

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 14:06:19 -0500, "Red Scholefield" wrote in :

Yes, but rc modelers don't like to be preached to in a newsgroup! :-O

It's the last line of a short story by Herman Melville

The narrator of the story tries--and fails--to help Bartleby, the scrivener (copyist), to snap out of a deep depression. I read the story when I was a boy, and the last line has stayed with me as an expression of sadness and lament.

A few excerpts:

"For the first time in my life a feeling of overpowering stinging melancholy seized me. Before, I had never experienced aught but a not-unpleasing sadness. The bond of a common humanity now drew me irresistibly to gloom. A fraternal melancholy! For both I and Bartleby were sons of Adam.

" ... I might give alms to his body; but his body did not pain him; it was his soul that suffered, and his soul I could not reach.

" ... Sometimes from out the folded paper the pale clerk takes a ring:?the finger it was meant for, perhaps, moulders in the grave; a bank-note sent in swiftest charity:?he whom it would relieve, nor eats nor hungers any more; pardon for those who died despairing; hope for those who died unhoping; good tidings for those who died stifled by unrelieved calamities. On errands of life, these letters speed to death.

"Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!"

Marty

Reply to
Martin X. Moleski, SJ

Thank you,

A compelling piece of writing. It does invoke some thoughts.

Pour a glass of Merlot and enjoy in front of the fire place.

Red S.

Reply to
Red Scholefield

How about a Scotch and water in front of the fireplace instead? Lyman

Reply to
Lyman Slack

Sounds too depressing to read.

Reply to
zara

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 17:49:26 -0500, "Lyman Slack" wrote in :

Everybody gets to choose their own unwinder. :o)

Marty

Reply to
Martin X. Moleski, SJ

I'll take mine single malt, at least 12 years old and neat.

Reply to
The OTHER Kevin in San Diego

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