Well folks it was another great time at the chapter's monthly membership meeting. It started off with a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors giving us an hour plus lecture and answering questions about how the county is trying to handle development and traffic control! Then we go into the land transfer, another warm hearted and joyous session about how the board is really looking out for the chapter members' interest. Here are some of the highlights of the discourse:
Pres Ernie said the land transfer is withdrawn but due to board trying to protect the chapter's land with this transfer attempt, it has stopped the National IWLA from suing 5 chapters to stop them from withdrawing from the IWLA. Yes, our chapter's board are real heros, I could not agree more of course!
Colin Riley made a motion to get copies of all records dealing with the expenses involved with the land transfer including attorney's fees. Ernie said he did not need to make a motion to get copies, but after much discussion we voted on it anyway and it was approved.
Ernie admitted the board has spent $100,000 on the attorney's fees so far.
Then Vijay Virk asked about the deeds and what happened to ones signed by the Ernie and Vice-Pres Tom Cirula. Ernie said they were not valid because the members did not vote to approve them. This discussion then went on for a while. Vijay said allot of the problems resulted from the secrecy which has caused much distrust of the board by many of the members. Ernie said due to the board's fear of the National IWLA trying to stop the transfer, the board thought it best to keep everything secret until the last month before the vote. He said sometimes secrecy is necessary. Vijay replied the proof is in the pudding, all the board did has resulted in allot of mistrust in the chapter.
When asked about the status of the Virginia Sportsman's Association (VSA), Ernie said it is still active. The questions about its staus should be directed to the President Tom Cirula. If the land transfer is withdrawn, what use is the VSA? Very curious to say the least!
I tried to make a motion to get copies of all correspondence between the board and the attorneys involving the land transfer. Ernie said a motion to adjorn had already been made, but I only needed to ask for copies of the corrrespondence. When I talked to Ernie after the meeting and asked for all letters, memos and e-mails between the board and the attorneys, Ernie got a bit flustered and said the e-mails were his personal property, he would not give them to me and told me I was an a--hole! Of course after carefully pondering this comment on my character for a microsecond my reply was, I thought he was an a--hole too. Then said he was only joking, so I replied me too. Gee, I wonder what is in the e-mails that Ernie does not want me and the other members to see? And to get to so snippy about it, maybe he was just having a bad meeting. Bucky Sills said he would provide me with everything.
Though more was said than what I have written above, it would probably take me a couple hours to try and put it in to this thread. However, it is easy to see a great time was had by all! Just a shame more members were not there to enjoy the show, oh well there is always next month. Hope to see you there, if not stay tuned. I think there is allot more to this heroic attempt by the board to save the chapter from the evil machinations of the National IWLA and hopefully we can find out some of the details. What is that old saying, "the devil is in the details"?