ACTION REQUIRED. SAVE THE NBRSA

[Lou Murdica]

All the members of the NBRSA, in the six regions whose director perhaps didn't think this decision through completely need to request an immediate recall of their director and replace him with someone that will make a business decision to save the NBRSA.

This may be the last way to resolve this and save the NBRSA before we lose members and ranges.

This decision could possibly result in a huge financial disaster and has to be corrected quickly. Below I will outline what I was told could happen due to the fact that the NBRSA holds approximately 149 matches at this time and approximately 87 of them are being held out West.

Here's the scenario: Due to the decision regarding Rodney Brown, we could possibly lose a lot of ranges in the west and probably all of them except Phoenix at this point.

If that happens we will lose 1/3 of our revenue because the NBRSA makes no money off membership fees. The NBRSA can't even absorb a charge fee for credit card use and made a decision to charge the fee back to all members using credit cards.

All revenue comes from match fees. We are not even making enough revenue to buy good paper to use for targets. So, now with the possible added expense that we've incurred paying a higher salary for the secretary, we could be in dire straits within two years.

Anybody with any business sense should take a look at our expense report and if you take away 30% of all the match fees, you too will come to the conclusion that we can not afford to exist.

Once these range hosts or small clubs hold a match that is unregistered, they will able to put $150 more in their coffers for a weekend match with the same shooters. They will ask the shooters, if they care if it's registered or not...I guarantee you most will all respond, " WE JUST WANT TO SHOOT"! Especially if it can help their individual small clubs.

Once that happens it's not going to reverse.

The repercussions of this business decision made by the existing board members has more far reaching effects than just banning Rodney from the organization and the World Team. That dream for Rodney is gone but, for the rest of us, this is the time to save the NBRSA.


I am urging you to talk to all the members in your region and contact the President immediately. The Western states are filling out their schedule for 2018 now because we shoot all year.

I predict that this could go down as the poorest business decision any directors have ever made in NBRSA history.

I believe this is serious. Is it going change my Shooting, No. Everybody knows I shoot a lot of disciplines during the year. However, I love the NBRSA, I love the many good friends I have made in the 30+ years I have shot Benchrest. I have put a lot into it for that reason. I do not want to see this fail and there's a lot of people in this organization that feel the same way.

We need directors with a business sense and not personal feelings mixed in it.

Talk to the members in your region.



Thank you
Lou Murdica

 

[Lou Murdica]

Section 4. Resignations and Removal of Directors.

(a) Any director of the Association may resign at any time by giving written notice to the President or to the Secretary. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if no time be specified, then on delivery.
(b) Any director may be removed for cause by vote of the Individual Members from that region, or by vote of the directors provided there is a quorum of not less than a majority of the entire Board of Directors present at the meeting of directors at which such action is taken. Any director may also be removed without cause by vote of the Individual Members from that region.

REMOVAL OF PRESIDENT

Section 4. Removal of Officers. Any officer may be removed by the Board of Directors with or without cause at any time.
Lou Murdica

 

[JRS]

All the members of the NBRSA, in the six regions whose director perhaps didn't think this decision through completely need to request an immediate recall of their director and replace him with someone that will make a business decision to save the NBRSA.

This may be the last way to resolve this and save the NBRSA before we lose members and ranges.

This decision could possibly result in a huge financial disaster and has to be corrected quickly. Below I will outline what I was told could happen due to the fact that the NBRSA holds approximately 149 matches at this time and approximately 87 of them are being held out West.

Here's the scenario: Due to the decision regarding Rodney Brown, we could possibly lose a lot of ranges in the west and probably all of them except Phoenix at this point.

If that happens we will lose 1/3 of our revenue because the NBRSA makes no money off membership fees. The NBRSA can't even absorb a charge fee for credit card use and made a decision to charge the fee back to all members using credit cards.

All revenue comes from match fees. We are not even making enough revenue to buy good paper to use for targets. So, now with the possible added expense that we've incurred paying a higher salary for the secretary, we could be in dire straits within two years.

Anybody with any business sense should take a look at our expense report and if you take away 30% of all the match fees, you too will come to the conclusion that we can not afford to exist.

Once these range hosts or small clubs hold a match that is unregistered, they will able to put $150 more in their coffers for a weekend match with the same shooters. They will ask the shooters, if they care if it's registered or not...I guarantee you most will all respond, " WE JUST WANT TO SHOOT"! Especially if it can help their individual small clubs.

Once that happens it's not going to reverse.

The repercussions of this business decision made by the existing board members has more far reaching effects than just banning Rodney from the organization and the World Team. That dream for Rodney is gone but, for the rest of us, this is the time to save the NBRSA.


I am urging you to talk to all the members in your region and contact the President immediately. The Western states are filling out their schedule for 2018 now because we shoot all year.

I predict that this could go down as the poorest business decision any directors have ever made in NBRSA history.

I believe this is serious. Is it going change my Shooting, No. Everybody knows I shoot a lot of disciplines during the year. However, I love the NBRSA, I love the many good friends I have made in the 30+ years I have shot Benchrest. I have put a lot into it for that reason. I do not want to see this fail and there's a lot of people in this organization that feel the same way.

We need directors with a business sense and not personal feelings mixed in it.

Talk to the members in your region.



Thank you
Lou Murdica

Thank you, Lou. And thank you for everything you have given to the sport.

 

[LHSmith]

Good luck on your endeavor. For many years the IBS honored NBRSA membership at their shoots. The NBRSA never reciprocated -telling me that promoting the shooting sports was not a high priority. Hopefully the organization can be saved. FWIW the match reporting (both schedule and results) is abysmal- it's almost like they try to regulate who attends the matches.

 

[JRS]

Mr. Rich Stiefel, wipe that brown spot off of the end of your nose.

I've known Lou for 28 years, and there is no finer person alive. Thanks to Lou, we have March scopes, Berger Column bullets, LT-30, LT-32 and XBR 8208 powders, among other things.

 

[butchlambert]

This is the Left coast against the NBRSA in my opinion.

 

[JRS]

Though the BOD has the authority to make decisions, that decision should not be implemented until the members have the opportunity to vote on it. The BOD should never have been given that kind of power. Let the votes of the members speak.

 

[butchlambert]

Though the BOD has the authority to make decisions, that decision should not be implemented until the members have the opportunity to vote on it. The BOD should never have been given that kind of power. Let the votes of the members speak.

If you disagree you should run for office or get a candidate that will promote your agenda. Are you aware of the other side of the issue?
Oh, by the way, the members voted on the BOD to represent them. The vote was 6-0 with 2 abstentions. Nobody agreed to back the other side of the issue. The BOD are elected by the shooters in each region. All regions of the USA are equally represented.
Until you know the facts, don't form opinions.
Yes I know Lou and have for many years. First time I haven't agreed with him, but still consider him a friend.

 

[JRS]

If you disagree you should run for office or get a candidate that will promote your agenda. Are you aware of the other side of the issue?
Oh, by the way, the members voted on the BOD to represent them. The vote was 6-0 with 2 abstentions. Nobody agreed to back the other side of the issue. The BOD are elected by the shooters in each region. All regions of the USA are equally represented.
Until you know the facts, don't form opinions.
Yes I know Lou and have for many years. First time I haven't agreed with him, but still consider him a friend.

And that, Butch, is the problem. The BOD should not have that kind of power. The only fair way to resolve the issue, is to allow the entire membership to vote on the banning of another member. Personal grudges should never be allowed to come into play. When you have 8 people in the same clique, what do you honestly believe the outcome will be? Isn't it possible the 2 "abstentions" felt differently, but were afraid of retaliation?

 

[butchlambert]

And that, Butch, is the problem. The BOD should not have that kind of power. The only fair way to resolve the issue, is to allow the entire membership to vote on the banning of another member. Personal grudges should never be allowed to come into play. When you have 8 people in the same clique, what do you honestly believe the outcome will be? Isn't it possible the 2 "abstentions" felt differently, but were afraid of retaliation?

I don't guess that you understand. If you are a member of the NBRSA, you should question your BOD member that you voted into office why he doesn't agree with you. If the two that abstained were afraid of "retaliation" they shouldn't have the office. I know now that you don't know the "facts" as personal feelings weren't involved.

 

[Brians356]

I searched these forums for "Rodney Brown" and found nothing about this incident. Where can I go read the story behind this thread?
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[JoeMcNeill]

Butch,
Your dealing with the "never Trumpers" of the shooting world! We don't know all the facts but what does that matter. What if the elected members voted to expel a member which was their right. If we all don't agree then I guess it's just wrong. People should use their brains and not their mouths
especially when they don't belong to the NBRSA.

Joe McNeill
SW Arkansas

 

[butchlambert]

Joe,
Gene laid it all out on BR.com. It had to do with NBRSA business.

 

[JRS]

Why? because they agree with you. Were you there?

No, Eddie. I wasn't there. Were you? As I understand it, the decision was made without the dues paying membership present at the time the clique made their decision. Changing the by-laws won't be easy. Those in power will not easily relinquish that power. Power results in a great deal of influence.

 

[Brians356]

Joe,
Gene laid it all out on BR.com. It had to do with NBRSA business.

I scanned a long (8 page) thread on benchrest.com but did not find any post from a "Gene". Unless there's a secrecy pact being honored for some reason, or it's too much trouble, how about a link to the recommended post?
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[JRS]

No. I was not there. I'm not running my mouth about this issue or taking sides either.
The term, "as I understand it" leads me to believe that you don't know EXACTLY what went down.

I'll look at it differently, and apologize when someone proves to me that power didn't influence the vote. Until then, i'll bank on Lou's word.

 

[riverwolf1]

Let me add to this conversation a few things that none of you are talking about.
Audrey brown was the business manager & the editor of Precision shooting magazine, Rodney was a member and a shooter!
Rodney Brown made the USA team to go to New Zealand.
During the time that Audrey and Gene had their battle going,is when Gene and possibly other Team USA members decided that with Rod coming along with Team USA, meant that Audrey would more than likely go along, as wives usually go along too!
This would certainly be an uncomfortable situation for Gene and others to deal with, so Gene acting in concert with at least 1 other person sent 2 letters to Rodney Brown Telling him that if He brought Audrey along to the World Championships, she would not be permitted to attend any team functions!! The first letter was on World Tean Stationary, The second Letter was on NBRSA stationary. The two entity's are individual organizations!
So Rodney takes his wife's side as anyone of us would have done. And He has been accused of lying and spreading rumors, and the fact that as his wife finished up her business with Gene, she gave Rod a 2 year membership! Then the NBRSA sent notice that she had no right to give him the membership, so Audrey sent a check for the membership. Remember the decisions that effect all of this were made by Audrey as the business manager, not Rod the member and shooter. The last item I can provide is the fact that Rod Brown is also an IT guy, and during Audrey's 8 years he redesigned the web site, maintained the web site. I do not think he was paid but no one has answered that for me yet. If you have never met Rodney he is a real nice guy, and a great competitor, and there are a good number of shooters that feel that he did not deserve this punishment. Everyone needs to put themselves in Rodney's shoes, what would you have done if your wife was having to deal with this untenable situation?

 

[Tim Singleton]

I searched these forums for "Rodney Brown" and found nothing about this incident. Where can I go read the story behind this thread?
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http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?97993-The-truth-about-the-Rodney-Brown-expulsion

Gene Bukys is TSI243

 

[carlsbad]

I shot benchrest this morning off some ratty old benches on an Indian reservation with a bunch of other shooters who wished we had better facilities. One thing shooters in CA DO generally have is disposable income. On top of these ratty benches sat lots of $4000 up to $10,000 rigs. The guy next to me had two custom rifles with him, one for 300 yards and below, one for 400 yards up. Nobody complained about the fees. We were all concerned about the future of this range in light of the politics enforced ON us, not BY us. And given the opportunity to pay to play at a better facility, we would gladly take it.

We all support Trump. We don't watch Football. And we would love for the NBRSA to offer us more options to shoot.

In another group I shoot with, where our range privileges on a federal government range are in jeopardy, several people have offered to kick in $10k to $50k each to buy property and build our own range. We are not penny pinchers.

I don't know the issue being discussed here. I don't know who the players are--because there are no NBRSA matches in driving distance. But I am sure that the problem isn't the result of shooters in California being liftist, snowflake, neverTrumpers. I do see alot of competition from other forms of shooting. The have added a prone category to our benchrest match, for instance.

--Jerry

 

[Brians356]

http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?97993-The-truth-about-the-Rodney-Brown-expulsion

Gene Bukys is TSI243

Thank you, Tim!
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