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Zekert Excluded from SCCA Annual Convention CRB Town Hall by SCCA President Jim Julow. Allowed to return after paying fee.

San Antonio, TX. February 3, 2007. Before the start of the Club Racing Board (CRB) Town Hall Meeting at the SCCA Annual Convention, SCCA President Jim Julow instructed Peter Zekert, GTLite driver and long time small bore advocate, that he would not be allowed to participate in the meeting's discussion. "[Unless you register], you will not be allowed to ask questions until the end of the meeting and only if there is time left [at the end]" stated Julow. At issue is the fact that Zekert attends Annual SCCA Board of Director (BoD) meetings and Annual CRB meetings without paying registration. "I respect the host region and SCCA's costs. I NEVER attend lunches, dinners or use any of the services provided by the hotel for the convention. I simply come to bring ideas and questions from the small bore community to the BoD and CRB." stated Zekert.

The conflict has shed light on the fact that SCCA Annual Conventions are designed for administrators, stewards, & officials but are not designed to encourage driver (customer) participation. [For Example: The safety symposium has been dropped to leave time for more administrative seminars.]

The immediate conflict was resolved when Julow instructed SCCA staff to begin a modified registration process. Zekert was charged a modified registration fee of $100 to allow him to participate in the CRB Town Hall meeting. Julow assured Zekert that next year a tiered registration system would be implemented to allow drivers to come and participate in meeting without attending, or incurring the expense of, an entire 3-4 day convention.

Julow was aware that Zekert attended Convention Meeting as an unregistered member in an e-mail Zekert sent to him in January outlining the lack of drivers in attendance and the roadblocks the convention structure posed. "I told Jim that for years I would drive to the BoD Town Hall and then drive back for the CRB Town Hall. I encouraged other drivers to do the same. ALL I want to do is to be able to ask MY Directors and MY CRB members questions."

Wow. Try that for shareholders at a meeting of a public corporation and find your Board Members in jail right quick...but this ain't a public corproation; it's a private club, in all senses of the words...

I think that is great that Mr. Julow responded so quickly and that we now have diffferent tiers for "registration." Seems to me like things are heading in the right direction for wanting driver feedback.

Raymond "The only thing better would be if the entire event was free to everyone, especially workers. However I can understand a charge as we are a club and thus somehow we would be paying for it one way or another..." Blethen

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Wow. Try that for shareholders at a meeting of a public corporation and find your Board Members in jail right quick...but this ain't a public corproation; it's a private club, in all senses of the words...
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I thought that SCCA WAS a corporation. If that's the case, then.....

I'm glad, however, that they responded quickly on this. Imagine the fallout if they hadn't. I would think that they WOULD welcome driver feedback. After all, isn't that the forum for a town hall type meeting?

well, from the whispers i've heard from people that regularly attend the convention, Zekert has a bit of a reputation. he's a character, that's for sure.

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well, from the whispers i've heard from people that regularly attend the convention, Zekert has a bit of a reputation. he's a character, that's for sure.
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Peter may be a character but there are very few that have the drive and passion for this sport that he has. That said per the bylaws the BOD must hold a yearly business meeting. Why in the hell should we be charged to attend a require meeting? I can see excluding non-paying members from the dinners and social functions but not required meeting.

i really don't have an issue with the way this was handled as it is presented here in this thread.

i have been to several things, class reunions, etc., where other people would show up "late" so that they did not have to pay and then their only expense would be the cash bar. their rationale was that the event was too expensive.

but what you can't get through to those types is that the cost of the dinner was what paid for the meeting room that they are now inside and enjoying. meeting rooms are routinely provided for large events because of the number of guest rooms that are booked.

i do think there should be a modified fee for those that do not need to stay at the event, go to all meetings, etc. but no one should be able to just show up and walk in and expect equal treatment when they did not pay the fees.

sort of line-jumping at amusement parks. those that are playing by the rules don't appreciate it. if i had paid to be there and was registered for meetings, i would not want one to be dominated by someone that has not paid.

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i do think there should be a modified fee for those that do not need to stay at the event, go to all meetings, etc. but no one should be able to just show up and walk in and expect equal treatment when they did not pay the fees.
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I agree 100%. Follow the policies as laid out. If the policy stinks, work to get it fixed. Don't be surprised when you do an end-around to the rules, you get called on it.

Let's also not position Zekert as a martyr. He tried to fudge his entry, he got caught. Nothing more, nothing less.

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I agree 100%. Follow the policies as laid out. If the policy stinks, work to get it fixed. Don't be surprised when you do an end-around to the rules, you get called on it.

Let's also not position Zekert as a martyr. He tried to fudge his entry, he got caught. Nothing more, nothing less.
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I guess I would expect no less than that from you Andy. Everybody should just drop 900 bucks to have a face to face with the BOD that is supposed to be serving its membership.....

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I guess I would expect no less than that from you Andy. Everybody should just drop 900 bucks to have a face to face with the BOD that is supposed to be serving its membership..... [/b]

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Jump out of the black helicopter Joe. If I wanted to go and saw that price, I would have thrown up in my mouth. It would have prompted an immediate call/e-mail to my BoD rep asking him to either change the policy or make some exceptions while the policy is changed.

You guys kill me. I am sure you guys think it's some conspiracy. Mattberg is already spewing threats. Have fun going after the windmills.

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Let's also not position Zekert as a martyr. He tried to fudge his entry, he got caught. Nothing more, nothing less.
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Ouch Andy! :D I hope you know this as a fact?? I do disagree about having to spend money to attent a board meeting as long as your are eating & drinking with paying members.

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Jump out of the black helicopter Joe. If I wanted to go and saw that price, I would have thrown up in my mouth. It would have prompted an immediate call/e-mail to my BoD rep asking him to either change the policy or make some exceptions while the policy is changed.

You guys kill me. I am sure you guys think it's some conspiracy. Mattberg is already spewing threats. Have fun going after the windmills.
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Again Andy you assume I or peter did not do this? The only reson I am not there is my wife's accident has had her in a wheelchair Or I would have paid the 300 bucks to raise this exact issue on the floor of the event. It is complete bullshit to think that you would have to pay to have a face to face with the BOD. Save you black helicopter shit for Matt, Andy you know better than that shit with me, There does happen to be a number of people in this club that won't be fed a shit sandwich at everyturn.

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Ouch Andy! :D I hope you know this as a fact?? I do disagree about having to spend money to attent a board meeting as long as your are eating & drinking with paying members.

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Dan,

Maybe my words came out wrong. From the info given, he didn't register and didn't pay the required fees to attend. That is how I read it. The $900 Joe is talking about is a padded number that must include other expenses. Full registration for the event was $295 including all meals and activities.

Is it bogus to think you have to pay to attend a general session? Yes. But lets not make it seem like the SCCA doesn't care what it's members think because some guy got called to the carpet on policy - albiet a dumb one. It would seem it will get changed.

As has been stated, registration/head count is key to successful off-site meetings. If "X meeting" was scheduled in "Room Y" and holds 150 people, and 250 show up, it doesn't work.

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Dan,

Maybe my words came out wrong. From the info given, he didn't register and didn't pay the required fees to attend. That is how I read it. The $900 Joe is talking about is a padded number that must include other expenses. Full registration for the event was $295 including all meals and activities.

Is it bogus to think you have to pay to attend a general session? Yes. But lets not make it seem like the SCCA doesn't care what it's members think because some guy got called to the carpet on policy - albiet a dump one. It would seem it will get changed.

As has been stated, registration/head count is key to successful off-site meetings. If "X meeting" was scheduled in "Room Y" and holds 150 people, and 250 show up, it doesn't work.
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And 900 dollars to fly 300 hotel 300 register 300 and this assumes I had to eat at home no padding it is an accurate number. You want me to fax my travel agents information sheet?

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And 900 dollars to fly 300 hotel 300 register 300 and this assumes I had to eat at home no padding it is an accurate number. You want me to fax my travel agents information sheet?
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Joe, I was clearing up a grey area you created by throwing out $900 to attend. It read like that was the registration fee.

No one should have to spend one thin dime to pay for the privilege to attend their club's board meeting. Pure and simple.

Any other activities? Fine. But the open meeting? Nada dinero.

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No one should have to spend one thin dime to pay for the privilege to attend their club's board meeting. Pure and simple.

Any other activities? Fine. But the open meeting? Nada dinero.
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Agreed...100%! Where do they come up with these fees, anyway? Or maybe I should ask, where do they come up with the stones to charge these fees?

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Let's also not position Zekert as a martyr. He tried to fudge his entry, he got caught.[/b]

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there's a little more to it than that i'm guessing.

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Julow was aware that Zekert attended Convention Meeting as an unregistered member in an e-mail Zekert sent to him in January outlining the lack of drivers in attendance and the roadblocks the convention structure posed. "I told Jim that for years I would drive to the BoD Town Hall and then drive back for the CRB Town Hall. I encouraged other drivers to do the same. ALL I want to do is to be able to ask MY Directors and MY CRB members questions."[/b]

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To start with they knew he would be there, They knew what his questions were gonna be. All of this has been on GT,prod and save clubracing sites. They could have kindly said to Peter and or any other driver that was planning on attending only this meeting that they had to pay before they left for texas. When I called Mike Dickerson to find out about any special deals for only the town hall and the CRB meetings I was told my only choice was the 295 dollar deal.....Imagine 295 bucks to ask your elected officials a few simple questions.

They all have e-mail, its on the scca.com website... e-mail thme if you have questions.

The fee for the meeting is fine with me, and if you don't like it you don't need to go. It is NOT the only way to reach your represenatives. YOU ALL KNOW THAT!!!

What is a shame is that drivers are bitching about having to help pay for the annual meeting costs, but workers never complain and continue to PAY to go to every event and volunteer their time... Some of you are pathetic, rich, and completely... whatever, over and out.

Raymond "If it was free none of you would still go anyway, so quit bitching loosers" Blethen