170 replies to this topic

[fourdapostle]

I think the whole debate has gone cockeyed again. The concern Terry has from the outset was the standard we (can I really say 'we' becuase the committe made this decision not the membership although we as a club are resposible [rules subsection 21:2]), as a club are now taking. A sponsor should be it would seem someone who can assist the fish keeping community and help it grow and become more imformed. Sure they will learn here, but when we suggest someone go to our sponsors, would we really advise them to go to a place that knows very little. A sponsor should really have the ability to inform and educate, not us doing the educating....Thats why we have sponsor not just to get there shop recognised which is great, but when we go and speak to them they can assist us in our needs. Filtration, lighting, water chemistry, plants etc...If they can't should they be called a sponsor...possibly another place on the heading but not major sponsors...impo

Edited by fourdapostle, 13 January 2012 - 07:59 AM.

[bradfitzy]

Az this topic is nothing to do with Kev or Malaga it is titled censors?
I'm assuming that you have all spoken to Kev about his thoughts on the matter?
Obviously not considering the comments put up here.

[Poncho]

It appears that you are speaking as a chairman, not as a club member!

I also believe that there is a lot more to the situation than simply a case of someone with more knowledge jumping on someone with less.... so you may want to reconsider who you want in your club!

I think that it is evident that it is not a popular choice as to have a particular sponsor associated with PCS... I suggest that maybe you may want to question as to why it is such a hot debate, and why it is all to do with that sponsor. It is just extremely interesting that as soon as a dedicated aquarium shop closes its doors, that a pet store accross the road wants to become a sponsor!

It is not difficult to read between the lines (and it has upset a lot of people). Something the committee should have (had) a good hard think about!

Rest assured, I will not comment any further on this matter... prompted to or not

I may be chairman at the moment but that's not what makes me say it is my club. What makes it my club is the fact that I'm a member and I choose to stand up and have my say - take the ownership that is entitled to me as a paying member. Every other member can say it is "my club" too and they have just as much opportunity to have a say in how the club runs should they wish to - in fact it is strongly encouraged. I am not the club and there are other members who give and have given more to the club than me.

The fact is we have over 200 members and only one or two bitching about this issue - several non-members bitching too but that is of little concern. I can easily look into why that is and I come up with a very likely reason - past greivances and an opportunity to try and make the club look bad by jumping on the bandwagon and picking on two people who seem like easy targets. Nothing new, the committee has to deal with this rubbish from the same people day in, day out. Every person whinging about this has at one time or another in the recent past been at odds with the club over something. It is not a coincidence IMO that they now arc up and rally together to pretend like this is an important matter to them when in reality what is important to them is to make a committee look bad, even at the expense of two new members. So there is some bad spelling by someone who works at a sponsor store - is this really an issue you expect the club to be concerned with? What is the point trying to be made? I'm sure those saying they have had their final say will once again arc up as it is why they are here.

I said before that this is a new relationship and time will tell if it's a good one. I hope it is and the majority of committee (and members from what I can see) believe it is worth giving a go. It's still undetermined whether it will be a great move or a bad move but what is determined is that the committee won't run this club to the whims of forum bullies. Committee is in tune to what the members want as we speak with them face to face every month or more. This whole subject is nothing but hot air and posturing from a couple of forum bandits and the only usefulness in this thread remaining up is so that newcomers to the club can easily identify who such people are and deal with them accordingly.

Aaron, who are you trying to fool. It is about a new sponsor and whether they are suitable - it's only about Malaga because you brought it up. What are you, the self appointed aquarium hobby ethics representative? Standing up and speaking for the poor ol' LFS struggling their hearts out and then stabbing them in the back with a side business bringing over cheap fish from over east to undercut them and make a couple of bucks? Give me a break

[Sarahhhhh]

I am a relatively new member, so forgive me if it's too early for me to have a say on this..

I never went to this Malaga store that you speak of, and I'm sure the owner was a very nice person, but business is business. Unfortunately, businesses come and go every single day, and it's simply not possible for everyone to sit and wallow over them for a few months before moving on to a new store.

From what I can tell, PCS is here to support the local aquarist community - be it people who have aquariums in their home or those who run a store. Should we really run a new sponsor down because they were "a rival" of someone who went into liquidation and their store isn't purely dedicated to fish?

[Poncho]

I am a relatively new member, so forgive me if it's too early for me to have a say on this..

Never to early Sarah - thanks for your input

[Riggers]

I never went to this Malaga store that you speak of, and I'm sure the owner was a very nice person, but business is business. Unfortunately, businesses come and go every single day, and it's simply not possible for everyone to sit and wallow over them for a few months before moving on to a new store.

An excellent point Sarah, well said. It's really unfortunate Malaga closed, it was one of my favorite store, but like you say business will come and go, there's another fish only store in the Northern suburbs that is closing down as well..

[Anka]

I love each and everyone of you <3

[Wet Dreams]

Of the 200 actual members (or just over 200 as you said) how many do you think actually give a stuff about what goes on in the club and what decisions are made, and arn't just a member to reap the benefits and discounts from stores?

Maybe the members that are speeking up are actually putting their best interests forward and not just making so called 'noise'.

[Riggers]

I love each and everyone of you <3

Aww stop it your making me blush.....


Wet dreams I put my hand up for the committee and give my time because I care about the club and the hobby of fishkeeping, so in answer to your question I for one did not just join to get discounts from sponsor stores.....

Cheers
Rigs

[fourdapostle]

Of the 200 actual members (or just over 200 as you said) how many do you think actually give a stuff about what goes on in the club and what decisions are made, and arn't just a member to reap the benefits and discounts from stores?

Maybe the members that are speeking up are actually putting their best interests forward and not just making so called 'noise'.

Hey young fellah, I am concerned about the club and the people and the advice they get given, discounts are really a bonus to those that choose memebership. IF its discounts people are after I am sure many can and do negotiate well.
So in answer to your statement 'who really gives a stuff' there are many, many people who really carer, but obviously you have missed the point of this discussion...

[Poncho]

Well, at least the 40 who showed up to the annual bbq to spend a day socialising with other members, the handful of members who donate charity lots at our auctions - there's no financial reward there, the ever growing amount of members who attend our monthly meetings - last few have been over 35 attendees. And the members who provide constructive and helpful advice to newcomers on our forum. Granted there are those who just look for what they can get out of the club but I honestly think that's a minority and that most of our members do give back what they can - whether donations, advice or support for club events. There's a well held mantra that IMO plagues this club and that is that the club is all about the fish. Thankfully that's changing slowly from what I can see and people are realising that the club isn't about the fish, it's about the people who belong to it.

I take your point though, and apologise to Dave (fourdapostle) who I can tell is making some constructive comments to try and come up with a better alternative.

[Wet Dreams]

I must have worded it wrong, my bad.
Dave I know your trying to help and are genuinely interested as am myself and many others who've spoke up voicing they're concerns.

It's when people voicing up who do count and genuinely want to make a difference, get told they're making noise and are trouble makers that it isnt right. When all they're doing is looking out for the club.

[fourdapostle]

Well, at least the 40 who showed up to the annual bbq to spend a day socialising with other members, the handful of members who donate charity lots at our auctions - there's no financial reward there, the ever growing amount of members who attend our monthly meetings - last few have been over 35 attendees. And the members who provide constructive and helpful advice to newcomers on our forum. Granted there are those who just look for what they can get out of the club but I honestly think that's a minority and that most of our members do give back what they can - whether donations, advice or support for club events. There's a well held mantra that IMO plagues this club and that is that the club is all about the fish. Thankfully that's changing slowly from what I can see and people are realising that the club isn't about the fish, it's about the people who belong to it.

I take your point though, and apologise to Dave (fourdapostle) who I can tell is making some constructive comments to try and come up with a better alternative.

I would have shown up at the annual bbq and I do attend most monthly meetings if I have nothing on, but I do have a church to organise and run on Sundays and some nights during the weeks, which is also a non prophit organisation, not as many veiw the church. The only reason I attend is to support the club nothing else there is very little sold or geared for us old guard who keep the Discus.
May have to put on a sub section for those of us who keep Discus. When you look at the auctions etc all geared to malawis or tangs, even photo comps are for malawi and tangs, that is why some others really don't get to the meets. Look at the turnout for Heiko, awesome....Discus are an important part of the Cichlid world also you know.
WELL there is a bunny trail if ever I heard one.....

[scottyhooton]

Nothing is "geared" for malawis and tangs .
You are quite welcome to bring your discuss to auction along with others that bring snails , shrimp , guppies various americans and catfish we can make the discus keepers get involved if they don't want to

[fourdapostle]

Nothing is "geared" for malawis and tangs .
You a guite welcome to bring your discuss to auction along with others that bring snails , shrimp , guppies various americans and catfish we can make the discus keepers get involved if they don't want to

I have been to many auctions and yet to see snails, shrimp or guppies there, but I know what you mean Scotty, but I think you missing the point...
I come and go to meetings becuase I am concerned and interested, not because of what I get, and I am sure if I brought discus to the auctions i would be taking them home, few know how to keep them...You get Johnno to bring some L046s in I will bring discus, he would be taking them home as I would....

[ryan overfield]

We do need to support local fish shops more cuz soon we will all be arguing about who goldfish is cooler that they got at petbarn
So any sponsor that comes should be welcomed as long we don't get sold to china or america please

True very true

[Fish Antics]

There is a mix of issues that are cropping up in this thread again. The original issue that was rasied by Terry is one that I have raised myself while on the committee. By allowing a shop to be a sponsor are we giving the Clubs endorsement of the shop. I believe so and I do think the club needs to consider this. Having said that it is extremely difficult as Who makes that decission and under what parrameters is that decission made. The decission at the time was to limit the Chain stores who have no genuine interest in fish and the hobby.
As someone who is still in contact with Kev I can tell you he has no issue with the shop concerned or them being a sponsor. I think it might be a case as people ae confusing the two shops across the road from each other.
The Committee is elected by the members to run the club. The minutes of the meetings are available to all members who can see the discussions and decissions being made. Any member who does not agree or has issues with those decissions can make submissions to the committee to be considered. There has been a number of posts in the members section made by the committee in the past about potential ideas or seeking advice from members on the direction or ideas for the club going forward. THis subject might be another good one for the members to have their say.

Tony

[Riggers]

Well said Tony

Ford, last auction there was heaps of shrimp, snails, guppies, and other non cichlid stuff

[fourdapostle]

Well there you go rigs the one I miss then they come....

[Bickley]

Ive got about 100 shrimp from the last auction lol once I've moved into my house and set up the shed I would gladly buy some discus from the auction and if I had the cash I'd buy nearly all big johnnos stock lol but that will never happen

Edited by Bickley, 13 January 2012 - 02:01 PM.