MCDC Expanding National Team of Administrators
Thanks to every one of the volunteers who have joined the MCDC who are now fighting for the survival of the country by directing the Senate in how to craft a workable border security bill and workplace enforcement bill . Please notice I said nothing about "comprehensive immigration reform" because that is an issue that we can only address after security and enforcement are in place.
I just completed a much needed working vacation (there never seems to be time for real vacation as we all strive together to save this great Republic). While I traveled a total of over 6,000 miles, along the way I had the opportunity to meet people in Tennessee, New York, Pennsylvania and I enjoyed meeting our Ohio state director Jim Furnisien and other members of the Ohio chapters, as well as the Iowa and Nebraska state chapters.
After meeting with our team of national volunteer directors after the first of the year, it was clear that we had outgrown our capacity to deal with a variety of issues in supporting the explosive expansion of our organization, and to deal with various personality conflicts. In March of this year, Greg Thompson, our Oklahoma State Leader tendered his resignation. We thanked him for his dedicated service in creating a training program and getting so many new chapters up and running. We have been working with Pat Byrne to significantly restructure our new chapter development.
This month Bill Irwin was reassigned from the national position of Operations Director into the newly created national position of Membership Director. We are working with at least two individuals who expressed interest in filling the Ops position. On my return from my much needed break, we had planned a series of regional meetings around the country to address the chapter growth and tighten up procedures. We were also planning an orientation meeting here in Phoenix to welcome the many new volunteer leaders that we were preparing to bring aboard over the summer to meet the demands of a growing organization.
As I returned home I have a total of 13 requests to start new chapters around the country – a daunting task. During my trip, I made numerous phone calls to many state and chapter leaders as I do on a regular basis. One of those calls was to Bob Wright; we had a productive discussion about the success of the April operation in New Mexico. At no time during that discussion did Mr. Wright ever mention or even hint that there were issues brewing and that he was instigating a meeting to be organized in Phoenix. Even though I had planned on returning for the May muster, I had no fixed date of return, and was asked for none. When you are toting 2 small children around the country in your car and needing to make stops to visit state chapter leaders there could have been no guarantee that I would make it back during that weekend, and Mr. Wright, Thompson, O'Connell, Irwin and others knew that. So this was not set to be a friendly meeting to discuss procedures. Don't let yourself be duped into thinking that Mr. Wright did not fully realize that attempting to take actions for which he has no authority would create havoc in the media and the organization. He clearly hoped that by continuing a drumbeat of the false allegations of institutional impropriety that our opponents began months ago, I and the Board of Directors would be intimidated – and in fear of adverse publicity make some kind of capitulations to accommodate his personal demands for power within MCDC.
Mr. Wright did not realize that I do not make any major decisions regarding the organization without a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Baseless, false allegations of “improprieties” and ad hominem attacks against Board Members remain only that, and are unworthy of further response. I did not terminate Mr. Wright and the others involved in this disruption; the Board of Directors made that determination.
Mr. Wright also knew that as part of the national volunteer leadership all internal matters were to be discussed during regular conference calls, and that all meetings and major decisions regarding personnel, finances, media etc. needed to be discussed with a majority of the team present and voted on before action was taken. Mr. Wright violated that internal procedure. Why? Because he had plans on attempting to oust his superior, Al Garza, our National Executive Director. He also wanted to oust the Board of Directors.
After intercepting many emails and other communications, the malicious ambition of Mr. Wright and his colleagues was overtly clear to the Board of Directors, and action inevitable. MCDC is a non-profit corporation governed with By -Laws and a three person Board of Directors; we are required to conduct business with a quorum, record minutes and make decisions within the formal expectations set forth and conducted by all non-profit organizations. We have a professional and highly experienced Chief Financial Officer, Douglas White, CPA. We have been independently audited for 2005 financial activity, and are being so again for 2006.
Mr. Wright and those few who joined with him in attacking the Board failed to grasp that they could never take over this organization; he could only create some minor havoc with his ill-advised and ill-planned coup. Violating his signed agreement required of all volunteer leaders, Mr. Wright and others in his group illegally used MCDC proprietary data base information to leak the coup attempt masked as a meeting to various state directors and volunteers around the country. They purposefully released this to various web blog sites, the media and even to the nation's most virulent hate group – the Southern Poverty Law Center. Now you know the truth as to why Mr. Wright, O'Connell, and Irwin were terminated by the MCDC Board of Directors.
Only a handful of other volunteer leaders were fooled into involvement with these men. Some volunteer leaders who have been duped into a false position may be offered reinstatement at a later date and perhaps resume their positions with the organization. I have told every one of them that I pledge to meet with them to discuss their concerns, most of which have already been addressed or were in the planning stages of reorganization. Don't allow yourself to believe that I would not agree to meet with any national or state leaders; those who know me can attest that I spend hours on the phone each and every day listening and adjusting and seeking to improve this organization. Every state director and chapter director has direct contact with me by phone and by email, and has always been free to contact me at any time – and that remains so today.
So now after months of planning we need to expand our cadre of national field leadership to better serve the volunteers, and the state and local chapter leaders. We are looking to fill the following positions. These positions require volunteer dedication to the cause and are not paid positions, however, travel expenses as well as administrative support will be provided.
If the LEO/DHS response is any indication there are many dedicated MCDC volunteers who are hungry to do more and rather than engage themselves in rumor and conspiracy cabals and are ready to take us to the next level. I have received dozens of requests to join the committee and hundreds of emails of support so we will move ahead.
National Positions open - please reply with resume', why you want to fill the specific position and or are particularly qualified and your desire to fulfill our mission.
Deputy Administrator of Chapter Funding - This person will work directly under the supervision of our Vice President Carmen Mercer and will process requests for funding and process reimbursements for costs incurred by state leaders, chapter leaders and ensure budgets are maintained and reasonable. This person will also assist in providing chapters with merchandizing items such as hats and t-shirts and assist with local and state fundraising efforts and accountability.
National Communications Administrator - The person in this position will work with web administrator to update state and local chapter websites, teach state and chapter directors how to access the data base, make changes and updates to web pages and how to utilize our email blast systems. Other duties will include writing procedural guides and ensuring a better flow of information between all national, state, chapter and media sources takes place in a timely manner.
4 Deputy National Executive Administrators - We desire to increase our deputy directors to four regional directors who will each be responsible for contacting and maintaining communication with state and local chapter directors. These deputy directors will report directly to Executive Director Al Garza and will assist with procedural training and act as informational liaisons ensuring a better flow of information and support for all state and local chapter leaders.
National Operations Administrator - Two people are already being considered for this position but feel free to throw your hat in the ring. This position is to support all border watch operations by helping state leaders organize, staff, supply and facilitate a uniform SOP in regards to a diversity of approaches to border watch musters.
4 Deputy Regional Administrators of New Chapter Development - These positions will work under the supervision of our National Director of New Chapter Development Mr. Pat Byrne. These positions will require flexibility and the freedom to travel. Each regional director will be responsible for arranging organizational meetings, training and development of new chapters and supporting new chapter directors through a probationary period. Materials will be provided from national fundraising as well as travel expenses involved in setting up new chapters.
National Administrator of Legislative Issues (anyone have a better title in mind?) - As part of our pledge to establish better communication this person will keep an eye on federal, state and local legislation and happenings and will establish a clearing house section of the website to log all legislative issues and assist state and local leaders on how to engage elected officials in making policy decisions.
We are also seeking to fill the following state director positions
New Mexico State Director
Oklahoma State Director
As you can see we have already addressed many issues that were expressed as points of frustration by state and chapter leaders - we have been listening and had every intention of addressing the growing pains of this national operation. We look forward to your responses and to your submissions of inquiry to apply for these positions. It's time to grow! Once all positions have been filled, a national leadership meeting will be held to develop a plan for the future growth of MCDC.
Please submit your applications for these positions to chrissim@minutemanhq.com.
Thanks for your dedicated work and sacrifice as we strive to save this great Republic.