Southern Region - What's Happening?

[Billy]

I'm amazed that no one has mentioned anything about last Wed's meeting of the Southern Region. For the benefit of those not present, what's happening? Who is still involved? What is the Committee's view? Is there another forum where this is being discussed?

[leyland]

Hi Billy,
The regional chairperson will have all the details so you need to talk to Imelda.
Cheers

[Billy]

Hello Leyland, I'm afraid I don't know who you are. Do you represent the Southern Region or are you a member of the IMOC Committee?

Can anyone who was at the last SR meeting please give their version of what happened? Is there a crisis in the SR? Is everyone moving to a new club? Why all the secrecy?

[mini998s]

Hi Billy,
As a member with such interest I am surprised you didn't manage to get to the monthly meeting. There was an honest and open discussion and I'm sure that the minutes of the meeting will be read as they always are at the next meeting. THis will reveal all that happened at the meeting. I am sure however if you do make contact with the regional chairperson she will enlighten you. :roll: :roll:

[Billy]

OK, obviously I've touched a nerve as everyone seems to be dodging the issue and passing the buck to Imelda. I have already spoken to Imelda and we share very similar views on the future of the Southern Region.
Here's what I've heard so far on the grapevine. Feel free to clarify if there are errors:

1. There's a new club being set up in Cork for new MINIS only;
2. Certain existing members of the SR are not being invited to join;
3. This new club intends to run MTM itself and bring with it the BMW sponsorship.

To respond to the last reply, my interest in the SR is that 7 years ago, Kevin Ring and I set up the Southern Region when there was no club catering for minis in Cork/Kerry. For that matter, the original Mizen to Malin was my idea all those years back so it's fair to say that I have more than a passing interest in the continuance of the Southern Region. Attendance at monthly meetings isn't always an option for every member of the club and indeed there are plenty of members who never get to monthly meetings. This does not mean they cannot express an opinion on the future of the region.

I think it's time there was clarification on the future of MTM, sponsorship, and the future of the SR.

[j lancaster]

Billy,

Did Amelda really say that , I am shocked.






John. Lancaster.

P.S .
Congrads The Mizen to Malin . was a brilliant idea

[Billy]

Hi John, to be fair to Imelda, my previous comments were not based solely on her input but rather from others who were at the meeting and have called me looking for my views on the matter. As I wasn't at the last SR meeting myself, I can only base my opinions on secondhand info and clearly there are differences of opinion as to what is going on.

No doubt the minutes of the next meeting will give an account of what happened at last week's meeting but why should we wait that long i.e. another 3 weeks? I believe the club committee should clarify its position on the future of the SR and MTM to all IMOC members, whether they attend meetings or not. MTM is the biggest mini event held in Ireland since IMM97 in Bandon and I would have a big problem with another club claiming it as its own.

[mini998s]

Billy,
No nerve has been touched but I would think that only the true facts would be posted on a public forum.
I am aware of your personal history in the IMOC, Southern Region and would commend you for the good work you did then.
To answer your original questions, as far as I am aware there are 21 paid up members in the Southern Region for 2006. There is, as such no committee, as there is only one elected officer, a chairperson. I would think then, that as the only officially appointed officer to the Southern Region, she (Imelda) is the person to put the facts as she knows them to the forum if she feels it is correct and proper to do so. I don't know of any other forum where this is being discussed.

Your grapevine, it seems, has been feeding you grapes that are a bit away from the truth. As far as I am aware, and I would need to get verification, none of your three points are true. If I can get a verification on what I have heard I would be happy to tell you.

[leyland]

I was told that Mick O'Shea was also involved in starting the SR when Billy and himself met in Killarney. I feel that this discussion should only continue on the members only forum as it is a members thing.

Leyland

[Billy]

Hi Leyland, just to clarify, back in the 1998 IMOC AGM in Dublin, Kevin Ring and I proposed the setting up of a Southern Region. Back then, we were the only active members of the club based in Cork. The first new member signed up was actually Anthony Devine with the likes of Dick Mason, Barry Oliver, and the O'Shea family joining shortly after that, all having been approached by myself through the vintage scene. In fact I first met Mick and Imelda at the Easter Vintage Show in Killarney, some 2 months after Kevin and I had got agreement at the AGM to start up the SR. I know it's trivia but I too have heard the rumours and am glad of the opportunity to set the record straight. End of history lesson.

Back to the core issue here. If there is a members only forum, I certainly don't have access to it.

Personally I have always looked at the IMOC as a national club, being involved and getting to know a lot of the guys in Dublin and elsewhere before there was ever a Southern Region. All clubs go through phases but it would be a shame if the Southern Region was wound down. Anyone is entitled to start another Mini club but will someone explain to me the advantages?

FYI, I've paid my IMOC membership for the year so I'm staying put.

Billy

[Bobby]

Sorry for getting in the middle of this, but is there more then one mini club??

I'm from cork and would like to join one, but i thought there was only one so i'm confused, how do i go about goining whatever clubs?


Also on another note, myself and marc are organising a meet soon in cork but this has nothing to do with the setting up of another club, we just want to meet a few new people in the mini scene as we only know eachother through a different forum!

Sorry if this is in the wrong place but i think its a small bit relivant!

Bobby

[Billy]

Hello Bobby,

Having checked with Imelda O'Shea, the chairperson of the IMOC Southern Region, the next scheduled meeting of the SR is on Wednesday June 7th at 8.30pm at the Viaduct Inn out the Bandon Road. Details of IMOC membership along with a printable membership form can be found on the IMOC homepage.

Billy Mulqueen

[leyland]

Billy,
If you were at this years AGM you would know the advantages. Less said the better. Its time to move on. Its great to see you back on the scene as you have alot to offer the club. Best wishes for the year.

[BlackSe7en]

I was at the AGM and couldn't see the advantages unless you want a dictorial run club. This I have seen in other Clubs, (Mini and non-Mini) and I have seen it cause more problems where members ideas could be dismissed on the wim of a non-elected official.
The AGM did go on a bit , but it aired some grievences that not a lot of people there knew about.

[j lancaster]

Can we list these grievences you talk about and action them, so the
members can see the good work the National Committee do.



P.S. are the minutes of the AGM out yet?

[woody]

The people who aired greavences at the AGM where asked to submit these in writing to the new committee so they could be investigated through the correct channels as laid out in the constitution. As yet no formal complaints have been recieved by the committee.THIS IS OFFICAL.

On a personal note while I have no objection to anybody forming another club I would be interested in hearing what they have to offer that the IMOC doesn't. It is hard for any national club to satisfy everybody all the time and regions go some way to satisfiing local interest.At present there are enough SR members paid up to see the region continue and maybe even prosper in the absents of some personal conflicts. This is not the first club to be born out of the IMOC, Minis In Northern Ireland came from our northern region and has split several times since into half a dozen or so small clubs.

There are many reasons why you could form a newclub (Mini II, Mini sports / racing ) but all of these things can also be done within IMOC with a larger support mechanism and 16 years experiance. All regions in the club have gone through ups and downs and because we are one club the regions on a down get carried through to better times.

Although this is a regional matter I would like to see the minuites of that last meeting posted in the members section for all SR members to be aware of what is happening.