I got another threatening email this morning
from the state office of the
Music Teachers Association of California.
Basically, it said...
"We haven't received your revised bylaws yet.
Remember, if they aren't received by November 30th,
we will revise them FOR YOU at a cost of $150.
It's really very simple."
Which made me angry...again.
Oh, not just me. Our entire board was seething.
The original "request" was a demanding
"Do this, by this date, OR ELSE..."
Why do branches even HAVE bylaws
if the state organization can mandate what they say?
Granted, some of the changes were beneficial,
but we're professionals here.
I don't need them to threaten me to get work done!
And it was NOT simple.
Two of our members spent many hours updating our bylaws last year.
The state's language was mandated,
meaning we could not change a single word of it.
And it was written in confusing language by a lawyer!
We who worked on adding the state's several pages of mandated additions
were not about to carelessly mess up
the order or wording of our colleagues.
We spent hours deciding where the additions should go,
deleting redundant portions from our bylaws,
then I called two board meetings to discuss them and
make revisions, since I don't work independently as president.
I sent them purposely BEFORE my vacation
so I wouldn't have to deal with this stuff ON vacation.
So I sent off one hot email telling them
we DID meet their deadline 10 days ahead of time,
and we as a board do not appreciate their patronizing tone.
Patronizing: Treat with an apparent kindness
that betrays a feeling of superiority.
Well, now that I have that off my chest,
on with the vacation.
Business can take a hike!
