At the September meeting I briefed the membership on results of the member survey we conducted earlier this year. We sent out 214 surveys and received 68 responses. The leadership team has completed review of the results and we’re starting to work on implement the findings, however it’s important for you to understand we can’t do it by ourselves. Some the recommendations will require fundamental changes to the organization and we’re going to need your help implement.
One of the things we’ve got to improve on is being friendlier to guest and new members at meetings. It was noted on multiple responses that newer members don’t feel welcomed at meetings. The main reason is that long time members sit with their buddies and don’t talk to them. This is something we need to address. I’m asking all regular attendees to look around at meetings and see if there’s someone there you don’t know. Go over and talk to them, ask if their members or guests, ask questions about their interest in the hobby, and introduce them to other members. Sit with them during the meeting and be ready to answer questions they might have about the Division.
We received a lot of positive comments on shortening the monthly business meeting and moving it to the beginning of meetings rather than at the end. We also received some comments about having fewer business meetings. So now we’re considering only holding one business meeting a quarter. No, we’re not going to stop monthly meetings, we’ll just focus more on clinics and discussions during those meetings. We’ll include some time at the beginning of each meeting for announcements and to solicit volunteers for upcoming activities. Along with this move we’ll need to look at the Constitution and By-Laws to consider giving officers the authority to deal with matters that may arise between business meetings. If we implement this change it’ll start with the January 2017 meeting. We’re really interested in hearing your feedback.
We’re going to work hard to find clinics that meet member interests and we’re going to need your help here too. Members with the necessary knowledge or skills are needed to build presentations and demonstrations. We’re also looking for sources from outside the Division for clinics and discussions, so if you know someone who’s an expert in a specific area please put us in touch with them.
Complete survey results are contained in the downloadable spreadsheet (117KB). Below is a summary of the results.
Model railroad operations 36
Railroad history 33
DCC (layout control) 32
Scenery 31
DCC (engines) 29
Discussion of prototypes 29
Layout design 28
Model building techniques 27
Prototype operations 26
Weathering techniques 24
Wiring/electrical 24
Prototype signaling 24
DCC (layout automation) 24
Decals 20
Model railroading basics 19
Background Painting 19
Benchwork Construction 16
Layout Tours 45
Prototype tours 35
Operations Sessions 26
Annual Fall Meet 25
Train Show Attendance 23
Museum/Library Visits 15
Holiday Party 14
Annual Picnics 11
Railroad Station Tours 10
