May 26, 2004Hello, My name is Luke Rizzuto, charter member of the California Oliver Cletrac Club. I was very fortunate to be involved with the Hart Parr #3 dedication in July of 2003. I arrived in Greenville, Illinois 5 days early, welcomed by Ollie & Sherry Schaefer. They invited me to help with last-minute details still needing to be completed 2 days prior to the weekend dedication. After picking up HPOCA board member Landis Zimmerman in Pennsylvania, he joined me in a convoy of 10 vehicles heading to Penfield for the big weekend. I felt honored to be involved in such a historic event, having the rare opportunity to witness the arrival of the oldest gas-powered tractor. Although other HPOCA board members were in attendance, I got the uneasy feeling that they were disturbed about something. They seemed standoffish and unwilling to interact with those who had worked so hard to prepare the Hart Parr #3 for the honored occasion. In spite of this, we all enjoyed the festivities. Puzzled as to the source of the Board?s behavior, some calls were made to key members. I gathered from my conversations with both them and some other club members, that the elected Board was disgruntled with issues surrounding the preservation of the Hart Parr #3 tractor. This was only the beginning of things to come. Wanting to better understand the source of their displeasure, I decided to look further into the matter. I was puzzled as to why they would be upset about the Smithsonian?s choice of Ollie Schaefer to perform the much-needed preservation. He went through the required process, winning the bid fair and square, yet some unfairly accused him of overcharging. How anyone who saw his invoice for expenses incurred in the course of the process, could claim he gouged anyone is beyond me. Based on that, and the actions stated below, I strongly feel that we, as members of the HPOCA, should demand the resignation of the elected board members on several grounds. 1) Entering into a contract on false pretenses.
During the Penfield meeting, the board voted to renew the HPOCA Magazine Editor?s contract and publicly stated so. Less publicly, a witness overheard the board president say that it would be renewed now and broken in 3 months. Sure enough, at a meeting 3 months later?a meeting with very few members present?they broke their contract with the editor, in spite of several favorable comments on her performace. She was given no warning, no recourse, no probationary period, no opportunity to appeal. My stand is that a decision this important should have been made with some forethought. I submit that this decision was of a vindictive nature. Additionally, when the new editor?s first issue of the HPOCA magazine was published, the Board President?s message was blatantly lacking any expression of appreciation for the previous editor?s 12 years of loyal and dedicated service, nor has any such message been forthcoming in any consequent issues. 2) Board violation of fiduciary duty.
Unequal treatment of board appointees. One particular member who had a dissent vote with regards to the Board?s decision to dismiss the Cletrac Magazine?s Editor, was never given the opportunity to discuss the Board?s actions, nor state his objections. It appears that he was intentionally kept in the dark on this matter until the actual day of editor?s dismissal. 3) Failing to adequately promote the events surrounding the preservation of the Hart Parr #3.
By failing to put sufficient PR resources toward the promotion of these events, the Board is ignored potential income for the club. Their shortsightedness in not taking advantage of this ideal opportunity, could well result in decreased membership. 4) Unfair treatment of the Schaefer family and spreading of false information against them. The Schaefer invoice, Smithsonian-approved and published in the HPOCA National Magazine, clearly eliminates any doubt that he overcharged for his services. In addition, I feel the way the Board revoked the Toy Tractor Replica distribution from Landis Zimmerman, was definitely suspect. They only made this decision once he resigned from the Board in protest to having his dissent vote ignored. Do we really need a Board that reacts with spite and deception? Join me in demanding the resignation of the elected Board. We can set up one representative from each Chapter to create an interim Board and hold a special election in September 04 , to replace the existing one. Please let?s not let this current Board contribute toward the destruction of our Club. Thank you for your consideration,
Luke Rizzuto, Jr.
408.590.2946
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