The DOC, A new vision?

[Dave Adams]

I think that the DOC should do as most classic car clubs do and focus its efforts on preserving the Marque, members come and go all the time but the cars tend to remain. i dont think that the club should worry about organising social events for the members...the internet is better for doing that.

neither should it worry about flag waving and trying to attract new members, folks who buy a Dutton will join if the club offers something they want or need. And the "pool" of cars for members to buy is falling year on year, our potential membership is a falling number so why spend resources on finding them when we can be found so easily? If we offer something worth having they will join, but nice banners and flags wont do it. there is nothing wrong with a distinctive identity for the club but it would be better to see it as a worthwhile club to be a member of, rather than the club for supplying donor V5's for Mk's

In the 80's when the club was formed it was the only practical way of meeting other members, any parts could be ordered from the factory direct, or a quick trip to your local scrap yard would get you a wide choice of donor cars. Even lotus Cortina's if you wanted (no one wanted them.....horrendous unreliable engine) but you would struggle to find owners if you never went to shows.

These days the exact opposite is true. a quick google will find not only the club and associated web sites (here for example) but members.as well. However the available supply of parts is diminishing rapidly and alternatives need to be found. That is where the club could find its purpose and provide some thing worth joining for.

[Dave Taylor]

You keep trying Martin, take this to the DOC forum, don't keep trying to fire folk up on here we've already lost valued members on this site because of this argument. It won't change by firing everyone up on here.

[James Doulton]

Okay, where's the stick - I'll do it to myself!

[Dave Taylor]

Paul, your right all it needs is contact and a meeting point. This Ning site is definantly that meeting point, I don't see any other forum for Dutton's with as much use as this one. So I'm in.
As more of the rebuilds get on the road in different areas, the more contact will be made.
This subject as run it's course on here now and we need to get back on with the usual banter and help.
So have you last say, then if you want to continue the debate take it to the DOC forum www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?&user=dutton

Thanks

[Paul Sheridan]

Not a club Dave, just a group of  associated like minded people who enjoy showing what they get up to with their Dutton cars. You are one of the long standing people who has a wealth of knowledge that can be passed on to people who are new to Duttoneering, this is what we should all be concerntrating on rather than getting involved with politics.

[Dave Adams]

In the space of a few weeks  I have had it presented to me that I with others should form a new dutton related club and now I hear daryl is doing the same so that makes 4 in all.......out of a pool of 250 ish owners. It all smacks of its my ball so my rules or im not playing.

[Paul Sheridan]

I think it time to draw a line under this now.  The only people who are arguing amongst themselves are the people who are passionate about their cars and enjoy communicating with each other via the internet, through sites like this. That’s not to say that the rest of the 250 ish members are not passionate about the Marque, otherwise they wouldn’t still be members, but they seem quite happy to remain anonymous and do their own thing, which is fine, why try to force people to join in.

So the best thing to do is let them get on with it, its no skin off our noses.

 

I propose that we start the Association Of Dutton Owners, where the only requirement for membership is owning a Dutton. No committee, No hierarchy.  We can actively promote the restoration, improvement and enjoyment of owning a Dutton simply by sharing what we are all doing to and with our cars.

 

There is no doubt that the members on here who have been and still are involved in the DOC committee, have all worked hard for the club. But all it seems to do is cause unnecessary and pointless arguments.

 

We all want to see the old Duttons  put back and kept on the road, we have some very passionate and knowledgeable owners, who are ALL needed to help promote and attract new owners to complete the task. We cant do that if we are all at each others throats.

 

So its time to stop the arguing, let the old guard get on with what they want to do,  those who want to still be members of the DOC, can do so, but don’t moan about it anymore!!

Be part of the AODO ( Association Of Dutton Owners) and actively promote the enjoyment of owning a Dutton.

Maybe we can become affiliated to the classic car clubs etc.    

[James Doulton]

Daryl, I think that it is the Chairman that should drive the club. He controls the committee. He makes sure that the Treasurer draws up an accurate financial statement at the end of the financial year. He makes sure that the magazine is published and distributed. He makes sure that the website is maintained. He checks that the membership list is up to date and available to other committee members who might need it, e.g. the webmaster. In short, he regularly interacts with the individual committee members to ensure that they are doing their jobs. If we don't have an organised and organising chairman then we will end up with a shambles.

[James Doulton]

I think that we have to be very careful about ensuring that anarchy cannot rule. If it was permitted for a minority to propose some change at the AGM and then produce a list of names supporting the idea then it would be very easy to get almost anything agreed. The only way to stop that is to give both sides of the argument enough time to rally their support.

If we had a working website with functioning member's pages then that could all be done on there. Motions or candidates could be proposed along with justifications and supporting arguments (or manifestos). e-Postal votes could be collected and the AGM could be a forum to examine the outcomes and for any other business.

Some will say that it would prejudice people who don't have internet access but how big an issue is that? Actual postal communication is expensive and hard work for somebody who has to put together 250 data packs. On top of that, it is slow so that motions need to be fixed many weeks (I'd guess 6 weeks) before the AGM.

[Dave Adams]

Thank you James.

I need an ally at this time......

[James Doulton]

I think that is a little harsh, Daryl. The editor is not in control and I don't think that he wants to be in control. He was left in an awkward situation with neither the Chairman or the Secretary wanting to, or being able to, run the AGM. So he stepped in. He freely admitted that he didn't know the rules but it wasn't his job to know them, he shouldn't have been running the meeting.

What is the point of having a long standing Chairman if he doesn't ensure that the rules are followed. Most of the rules are there for good reason, e.g. to ensure democracy and fairness. But the rules do need to be understood and applied. If the committee is dysfunctional or key members are not doing their jobs then it all starts to get very hard and it ought to be the Chairman who would sort that out.