In case you ARRL members have not been made aware of this
candidate for ARRL Southeastern Division Director.
Ron
WW8RR
From: GARS@groups.io [mailto:GARS@groups.io] On Behalf Of John
Davis, WB4QDX
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2019 7:38 PM
To: GARS@groups.io
Subject: [GARS] Mickey Baker, N4MB
I an effort to provide ARRL members with information on
candidates for the upcoming Southeastern Division Director election, the
following email was received by candidate Mickey Baker, N4MB.
Mickey
Baker, N4MB
Candidate
for Director
- ARRL
Southeastern Division
Advocate for Transparency,
better responsiveness to members and growth of ARRL and Amateur Radio.
We have had the same ARRL Director of the
Southeastern Division for nine of the last 12 years.
Are you happy with the ARRL over that time?
From 2011 until 2018, the percentage of amateurs that are ARRL
members shrank from 22.4% to 20.7%. The
number of members shrank while the number of licensees increased by 7.6% over that period.! (Most
recent statistics available from ARRL Annual Reports published on arrl.com)
More people are being licensed – but fewer of the newbies
are joining ARRL.
Why?
Something must change. From reading ARRL
CEO's Howard Michel’s Second
Century column in QST, it is apparent that Dr. Michel is
generating good analysis to show direction for change - he needs support from
the Board and from the membership.
If
the rate of membership loss over the past 8 years continues, ARRL will not
survive this Century. The ARRL must be more responsive to the needs of newer
and less experienced amateurs so that we can leave the legacy of Amateur Radio
to future generations.
Election of Board Members
is the only way members can make change to the ARRL. Choose carefully…
The incumbent Southeastern Director voted NAY to the resolution to
hire Dr. Howard Michel as CEO in the special ARRL Board meeting on August 22,
2018.
The incumbent’s record of Board votes on transparency is
troubling to me. For example, here is what can be found in Board minutes during
his most recent term:
·
Sarratt voted in the January 2017 Board Meeting
to establish a “Code of Conduct” for directors, which, among other
things, prohibited members of the Board from criticizing actions of the Board
publicly.
·
In a special Board Meeting held in November 2017, Mr.
Sarratt voted to censure a fellow board member, Dick Norton, N6AA, ostensibly
because he “publicly criticized the ARRL Code of Conduct for Board
members at a public Amateur Radio gathering.”
·
In the January 2019 meeting, he was one of only
3 Directors (out of 15) who voted AGAINST repealing this onerous ARRL
"Code of Conduct."
· When a
motion to rescind the censure of N6AA was raised in the July 2019 Board
meeting, it was SECONDED by 11 Board Members – an unusual and exceptional
show of support. Mr. Sarratt THEN moved to TABLE the motion until the next day.
A vote was held on Sarratt’s motion and it failed. The rescission of
N6AA’s censure was then passed by voice vote.
I
believe that the ARRL needs a fresh view with LEADERS that are not afraid to
challenge the status quo but are willing to work with others to develop policy
for effective change. We need a Director that can work with the CEO and other
Board members in a positive direction to accomplish common goals.
I’m
a proven “servant leader”, 42 year ARRL member, 49 year licensee
that has lived in the Division all my life I have no personal agenda other than
the betterment of the League through improvement of the services offered to the
amateur community – that’s you! I am willing to grow amateur radio
and make the ARRL an active catalyst in that growth.
What I will do if elected:
· Transparency – The Division will
hear from me DURING my
term, not just a month or two before each election! I will answer
my phone, return emails and phone calls, and keep an active dialogue with
members. I will NOT VOTE on ANY ISSUE to take away members rights to
know what is going on!
· The Division web page will reflect
all the activity in the division, not just that in my home part of the division. You will know
about issues before the board shortly after I do.
·
Issues
and Ideas – You will know about
issues before the board when I do – I’ll publish my thoughts and
INVITE INPUT AND IDEAS. I will be respectful and will consider (and perhaps
respectfully argue) opposing views. I am not the Smartest Man in the World, as
my wife tells me every now and then… and certainly not knowledgeable
about all issues.
· Equity for ALL Sections – I will recruit
Assistant Directors and listen to them and the Section Managers and field
appointees as advisors. I will communicate with everyone frequently with an
emphasis on Social Media and electronic communication. These people will be
ACROSS the DIVISION in ALL sections and will help promote ALL Hamfests, QSO
Parties and other events!
I’m
a member of Palms West ARC, Palm Beach ARG, the current Trustee for W4AB, the
Broward ARC repeaters and active on 160m-70cm – all modes. I am a
‘know code’ Extra – I took my test at the Atlanta Hamfest
years ago in the World Congress Center.
As
a past president of the Broward Amateur Radio Club, I grew membership and the
treasury by 10X, replaced the aging FM repeaters and installed a D-STAR and
Fusion repeater.
I
live in North Central Palm Beach County, west of Jupiter, FL. I have
DXCC, WAS, WAZ, and
I need supporters to go to help get the word out.
I don’t have the information advantages of an incumbent, so I need your
help! Please email me at n4mb@arrl.net or
view my web site at http://n4mb.com if you can help or
want to know more about me.
Ballots are being mailed the last few days of
September. I would appreciate you returning the ballot to the ARRL and voting
for me – Mickey Baker, N4MB – to be your next Director.
I hope to meet you at a hamfest or club meeting
near you soon!
73 and thank you for considering voting for
me.
Mickey Baker, N4MB
Palm Beach County, FL
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