These last weeks I have been doing a lot of soul searching and questioning of my sanity and decided to toss my conductor's cap into the ring and run again for the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.
It is apparent to me, as to others, that some changes in the organizational structure and operation of the Friends would be desirable. I would like to be in a position to effect these changes. The organization, through the hard work of a core group of individuals, has grown substantially. But hence is my perception of the root of some problems. What has worked well in the past for a small organization, and a small coterie of individuals, has outgrown its relevence, and the structure of the organization, as embodied in the Bylaws, as well as its operating practices, are in need of revision.
Unfortunately, under the present bylaws it is very difficult for new blood to become a member of the ruling heirarchy, or for new ideas to be freely presented and and considered without the prior blessing of the present governing body. So it will take a concerted effort by many like-minded people to overcome this built-in inertia.
At this point I am deliberately being vague as to what my specific ideas are, although I have some. What I want and need at the moment is input from Friends members and non-Friends members alike. We are all joined at the hip by our love for our little railroad. But my views may or may not coincide with yours, although I hope they do for the most part. So I would like to hear from you, either here publicly, or by private E-mail if you would prefer.
The "platform", as it were, at which I arrive, I want to truly and honestly reflect the feelings and beliefs of as broad a spectrum of people interested in the Cumbres & Toltec as possible. So over the intervening months between now and the time to submit nominations I would like to hear from you.
But a word of warning: I want to be an agent for positive change. I am going to be very deaf against any negative comments about any individual in the present Friends ruling body. There is no need for that. Over the years they have poured their hearts and souls into the organization, and should be credited for that. And likewise, there is no need for hashing over past actions with which you may have a particular gripe. The point is, things can be better. Let's work together to change them.
In the next few weeks I will be selecting certain individual topics and presenting my views on them, and throwing them open for discussion. As nomination time approaches I will distill the comments into a comprehensive and coherent statement of my position, although it should represent the thinking of a lot of us.
I don't expect that all changes will take place during the time that I may be on the Board of Directors. They will take time. But at least we can start.
So I ask for your support.
Besides, I consulted my astrologer on high today, and he said that since my windmill tilting lessons have been going so well, and that there was a full moon on Halloween, that I should give this a whirl.
Hope to hear from you soon.
CJ
