Former Member Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area 51 Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Take it one step at a time Percy and ask for the type of model and reason for recent interest.. Has a nearby club lost its site/some members become unhappy at another club and looking to move on! Whilst your landowner is allowing an increase in numbers, this is based on his / her expereince of those currently using his land.. if you add more people.. they all need to be of the same type as the current members for the landowner not to notice "much of change".. however, if you add one new member/maybe a few with different flying styles (more glow/petrol/racing types (noise) etc) it could put the whole club at risk! Only my thoughts, but based on a good few years of headaches. PM if you wish..! Edited By Area 51 on 02/12/2015 14:27:54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 It seems logical that each site has restrictions on the type of model that can be accomodated. For example there are very few places that would / could / should allow a pulse jet to operate. I know of one club that operates adjacent to a fertiliser factory. Obvious risks & consequences there. Set Clear rules on hours, size, noise, propulsion, speed as appropriate. All members to agree & sign up to the limits (including existing). Then police and enforce those limitations. As your club works now then the limitations are already established and (tacitly) agreed by the existing members. It just falls to the new members to understand and accept the limitations of the site. It is the policing/enforcing bit that is difficult. but I expect you know that already. Edited By Kevin Wilson on 02/12/2015 14:39:47 Edited By Kevin Wilson on 02/12/2015 14:40:14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 2, 2015 Author Share Posted December 2, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 For me the existing club must have priority and if compromises are needed then they should come from the new members. If they cannot accept those compromises then they need to look elsewhere. I think your first duty is always to the existing club and ensuring its well-being. If that well being is compatible with expansion and new members fine - if not then you need to defend those who make up the current club. Just my view of course. BUT,....there is always a "but" - I would advise that you exercise some care in this whole process. You are quite at liberty to effectively "discriminate" against certain types of potential members. Unlike what many people seem to think discrimination itself is not illegal, provided the basis for the discrimination was: fair and reasonable, transparent and open. So, if I were in your club I would be pushing for you to write down clearly the basis on which you will accept or decline membership applications - so that you have one clear and openly available published set of criteria. And those criteria must then be applied to any application for membership without "fear or favour". This way you are protected from any (possibly malicious) allegations that you have been unfair or exhibited unreasonable discrimination. It may seem sad that you have to defend yourself in this way - but in my experience it would be wise to do so if you feel that you are likely to get into the territory of declining some people (on perfectly reasonable grounds) from membership. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 A few years ago, our club advertised for new members and received a good number of applications from members of a fairly local club that had just lost its site due to the whim of the farmer's wife... I'm really glad to say that although that club has now got a new field and a few members have returned (hopefully largely due to distance issues) or taken out dual membership, we've retained the majority of the new members who, without exception, have turned out to be thoroughly good members and become firm friends. Perhaps we were lucky, but maybe the fact that they had lost a field made them aware of the need to fit in with our established procedures and foibles? If you or other members know any of the applicants and can trust their judgement - or strike up an early rapport with one or two, it might be an idea to discuss the attitudes and suitability of the other prospective new members with them. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Randall Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I would reiterate what BEB has said. We, at one time had to decline FPV flying both on account of the wishes of our site owners and the fact that we shared our field with full sized aircraft. We also, in opening our list to new members, felt that were could not accept any more members flying jets. So far as number of members in the club is concerned, we found that even when we had close on 150 members, it was always the same dozen or so that flew regularly. The reason for this may have been that many members belonged to other clubs and only came to us for the use of our tarmac runway, a facility we no longer have due to our losing our site to the developer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extra slim Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Do you need more members?, if not then I would close the membership and keep the waiting list at one in one out (if indeed you need to do that)...sorry... Why jeopardise as you say 8 years of reaching the right balance (which we all know is tricky at the best of times). if everyone is currently happy then, dont change what is not broken. Weigh up what advantages vs risks new members would bring. You are under no obligation to allow new members, it is your club, your pass time, your enjoyment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 hello percy-if your club is the same as ours(BVRMC) a private club.....then you dont need to take any old tom dick or harry........even more so if you feel its going to go pear shaped ect.....best bet is to formalise your club affairs..draw up a constitition and stick to it..dont make a rod to break your back with....we haven't refused anyone membership yet.....but.. ken anderson...ne...1 ...constitution dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Throws up allsorts of questions this thread ..and don't take owt I say as a criticism of how others run their business. If we don't take new comers who is securing the future of the hobby and who is passing the knowledge on to the next generation of modellers ? and how can we keep replying to newbies "go join a club " and asking the BMFA what are you doing for us ? tricky balance to achieve is it not ? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert baker Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Just been in the same situation of sorts, our club got to big and attracted all sorts of problems, now it has been mucked up, all the extra people that caused the issues have gone and left us in a worse state. It's your club, keep it how you want to, I have been on a waiting list for two years to get in to a specific club, I was at start 40th in line, just got to bide the time and wait for my turn. If you are happy the way things are don't change. Bert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 The larger of my two clubs has a waiting list & has had for some time. The smaller club is I think about to cap the membership. There were issues within the smaller club a few years ago when a neighbouring club lost its site literally overnight and was "invited" to join our club en mass . This was a poor decision as the homeless club seemed to want to carry on as a separate entity within our site. Don't get me wrong the vast majority of its members were really nice guys but it just made things so busy especially at weekends. Happily for both clubs the guests found a new site and seem to be doing very well so all's well but it was an episode that I can't see being repeated. Interestingly both clubs will probably still have waiting lists next year but the amount of members who won't fly at either site all year is staggering. Still it keeps the fees down I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 2, 2015 Author Share Posted December 2, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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