Proposed Bylaws Amendment – Your Vote Matters

On page 32 of the November/December issue of the American Trapper, currently hitting mailboxes, there is a ballot for a Proposed Bylaws Amendment. This proposed change concerns the eligibility criteria for the position of NTA President and has raised several important concerns.

The amendment, if adopted, will prohibit anyone who has not previously served on the NTA Executive Council from running for President of the NTA. The rationale given suggests that effective leadership requires institutional knowledge, and to ensure that the Chief Executive Officer of the association has a thorough understanding of the organization.

I have served on the Executive Council since 2000, including six years as NTA President. The suggestion that a newly elected president needs a thorough understanding of the day-to-day operations is simply not true. We have a full-time paid office manager and staff that handle this. In addition, we have paid contractors, including our legal counsel, DNIA, and editor. There are also the six other members of the Executive Council and the entire Board of Directors.

What an effective president does need is an inspiring vision, excellent communication and leadership skills, as well as honesty, integrity, transparency, accountability, and undying dedication.

This proposal is ill-conceived and poorly thought through. Other than the seven current members of the Executive Council, I can think of only twelve individuals, including myself, who would be eligible to run for President. Of those twelve, I don't know a single individual who is interested. They have all done their time. Only four are still on the Board of Directors, and fully half are no longer active in the NTA.

On the flip side, excellent leaders at the state level would be prohibited from running. These are some of our best trapping leaders, doing an excellent job representing and defending trapping at the state level where all the hard work is done. Why would any organization limit the pool of prospective leaders, especially in a small organization like the NTA? Instead, we should aim to expand it. There is no downside to recruiting as many potential leaders as possible. Any member with an interest should be allowed to throw their hat in the ring, lay out their qualifications, vision and ideas and then let the membership choose. I’m puzzled as to how anyone would think that is a bad thing. There is real value in having someone outside the "status quo," without a "that's the way we've always done it" mindset.

The practical result of this change will ensure that anyone on the Executive Council planning to run at the end of the current president's term will run unopposed. This is not the way to get the most qualified applicant. It also prevents members from reviewing various qualifications to choose the best candidate. This proposal will discourage fresh, new, unbiased ideas and perspectives. Instead, we will continue with the same tired progression: State Director to Executive Council to officer to president. This ensures that the "new" president has been groomed into the same old same old.

Perhaps even worse, if adopted, this proposal will create the very real possibility that no one will seek the office. What if none of the small handful of eligible individuals wants to be president? Do we really want our association to be led by someone who doesn't want the job?

This amendment is contrary to the very ideals of our democracy: that we, the people, get to choose our leaders. Our Constitution requires no prior experience to run for public office, even President of the United States. Our founding fathers rejected the idea of career "King" politicians. They recognized the dangers of such a system and trusted the people to determine the most qualified candidate. I trust the NTA membership to do likewise.

The membership alone should determine who leads the NTA, not the Executive Council, the Board of Directors, or some short-sighted bylaw amendment. Under this proposal, men with as much history, respect, knowledge, and experience as Tom Krause would be prohibited from running for President of the NTA if he so desired. Is that the direction we wish to go?

Your involvement is critical in deciding the future direction of our organization. I urge you to participate in the decision-making process.

I'm asking you to help protect the power of the membership. Vote NO on the proposed Bylaw Amendment.

**You will NOT receive a ballot in the mail. YOU MUST cut the actual ballot page from the magazine and mail it into the NTA office for your vote to be counted. Photocopies of the ballot page WILL NOT be counted. **

Ballots must be postmarked by Dec.15

Thank you for an excellent explanation! Agreed !!

Thank you Chris. Helpful as well as coming from a first hand knowledgeable base.

Bryce

Thank you for the detailed explanation.

Thank you, Chris. For letting the membership know this detailed information and to help to understand what is needed.

Good read, Chris. I couldn’t agree more. Seems like “cancel culture” is alive and well in all parts of this country anymore!

Thanks Chris for a detailed explanation. I agree with the vote NO.

Does anyone even care anymore what NTA does? Example after example has been given by many who jumped in drove all over the country, spent money, wore out their vehicles and never asked for anything even remotely as close to a pat on the back for their dedication, all they wanted was to ensure trappers had quality representation in the fight to save our rights. And when you disagreed with those in leadership suddenly you were the enemy of the state, most like me just moved on to something else and left them to their own little obscure world where they think they are doing the Lords work. But recently that hasn't been good enough, those who oppose them must be ran out of the place forever, even someone that actually did attempt to run for President to change the direction things were going.

After all that why would ANYONE in their right mind even want to run for office or be a member of such a place for that matter? Me and you both know who is running things behind the scene's so it doesn't really matter anymore who their King is anymore.

As corrupt as the place has been for so many decades it's even mind boggling to me things have reached this level. Best tread lightly, you'll be the next one being tossed out of the place, lol.

Chris, I appreciate you providing this clarification. I have heard for as long as I can remember that unity is key and that there is safety in numbers. But when a measure like this is introduced, I start to question whether we are really working together or if we are still on the same team. Additionally, it appears to me that as our membership base is declining, so is our sense of security.

Participation in the NTA has to be accomplished in a better method. Perhaps the first step could involve focusing more on keeping members rather than alienating them, banishing some, or placing others on probation or "adult time-out."

You asked; "Why would any organization limit the pool of prospective leaders, especially in a small organization like the NTA?"

It really makes one wonder doesn't it?

Yes Jackie, some do still care. We all know your position, we've heard it 1000 times.

CTraps, valid points, but they have nothing to do with the subject of this thread. And if you think I had anything to do with those actions you are very mistaken.

The point of this thread is to educate members to the awful ramifications of this bylaws proposal and to encourage them to vote against it. If you fellows want to discuss what you see as the NTA's shortcomings please start your own thread instead of hijacking this one. Thank you.

Chris,
Thanks for the Heads up and the explanation.

I agree with the points that you make.

Membership Do your research and send in your ballots.

Thanks for the prod to wake the folks up. Hope you don't become a victim of the kangaroo court.

Consolidation of power, a proven tactic of corrupt leadership.

Agreed Chris.
Excellent explanation of a ridiculous bylaw change proposal.
I can’t imagine any member voting for this. So stupid.
Even if you’re upset with the NTA, vote.

Chris,
Couple questions on this, I don’t read the magazine from front to back as I used to. So had I not just read this post I would not even had known there was something like this up for vote.
So I appreciate the information I just read.

Here is my first question why is this amendment to vote not being sent out to members?
My thinking here would be that people not aware then won’t have a vote even counted, leaving this bylaw to possibly pass by those that have an interest in getting this passed.

I’m sure there has been “house cleaning” votes placed in the magazine before but feel this has a little more meat than a house cleaning issue.

My next question is, as stated no photo copies…….
George and I are both lifetime members and I have the second publication to magazine cancelled so to speak, so I only will receive one ballot.
Will lifetime members that chose to save NTA monies (many moons ago ) and won’t receive ballot in magazine have one mailed to them?

I understand this is prob a question for office but posted it here anyways so anyone that might be in the same position as stated above don’t miss the opportunity to vote on this “hair brained”
Bylaw change !
Thanks

Hi Cindy,

How have you been? I hope both you and George are doing well.

Bylaw amendments have always been sent as a part of the magazine. Only election of officers ballots are mailed out to the membership. You are correct in that we historically get very few magazines ballots returned. I'm unsure if its because people don't like to cut up their magazines or perhaps they feel these "house keeping" votes are unimportant? Thus the reason for my post. This is FAR from a routine issue. This proposal is so detrimental to the future of the NTA that it has to be defeated. I'm hopeful that making people aware will motivate them to cut out the page and send it in with a NO vote.

You are not alone... we have numerous LT members who don't receive a magazine. Its my understanding that they will be mailed a ballot.

If anyone else has questions feel free to holler out.

Good to hear from you Cindy, don't be a stranger.

We are doing great Chris thanks for asking ! Life pretty hectic with the Cat and all the events we have but I have had a lot more time on my hands to do things than I had in past so that’s a good thing !
You get out west ya need to drop in!

I see Kiesha’s posts and see you got a lot of good grandpa things going on ! Lol
Looks like you gotta little gal that loves her gpa

Has the magazine went out yet ? When is deadline on voting ? I’ll make sure I keep and eye out !
Thanks for the heads up on this, guaranteed I would have missed it !

Yes Indeed! Grandkids are the best!!

I received my magazine today. Deadline is DEC 15 postmark

During my 42 years as the state director to NTA , I am not aware of any bylaw change not passing. I am also opposed to this one as no one should be excluded from running for president. Although, looking back in history all 10 of the past presidents, back to Don Hoyt, have been on the EC before becoming president. I would hope that all TM members take the time to vote and send it in. Normally, there are less than 50 returns.

I have confirmed with the office you can simply cut and mail the bottom "Ballot" portion of the page. This will allow you to save the article on the back if you wish.