President's 'Opinion'
Counted amongst the joys of being a Rotary Club President is the privilege of reading volumes of Rotary paraphernalia that turn up unrequested at my email address. Every now and again that email may have a video attached, supposedly important to the critical mass of Rotary endeavours. On occasions we also receive emails in response to correspondence initiated by our overworked Club Secretary. Over the last few months, having watched videos, read District Strategic Plans and inbound correspondence, the common thread is this theme that can only be described as ‘Rotary party political broadcasts’. I am now convinced that my enjoyment of life has been shortened as a consequence of reading strategic plans and watching video’s. This has required an investment of many important minutes of my life that I now cannot get back.
Along with a recent video one such document that I read, instead of inspiring me, has given me pause for thought. The said document was headed up Rotary District 9980 Strategic Plan July 2019 - June 2020. The guts of the Strategic Plan has 12 statements that commence with the words “Encourage clubs”...., or “Encourage all clubs”.... or “Encourage clubs to”.....or ”Encourage and support Club Presidents”....or “ Support clubs to”........, and regretfully concludes with the aspiration “Research the options for the best way to support clubs and members in the future”. In other words, we have a District Committee who believe that their primary purpose is to encourage and support, and a Strategic Plan that reinforces this simple goal, but have yet to complete the research to determine how they are to achieve their sole purpose.
The questions raised for me from this document are, “What is the strategic plan’s purpose? Who is the intended audience? What is the mischief they are endeavouring to solve? So the Clubs actually want or require support and encouragement? But the key question posed is, do we actually need a District Committee?
This Committee appears to be struggling to identify a purpose for being and the content of their Strategic Plan would confirm this. Assuming the District Committee are party to the Strategic Plan then, in my view, they have failed to give credit to or acknowledge that there are 31 Clubs in the District who have 31 Presidents, each President and club is supported by a competent Board, and so most of the 31 are unlikely to need Encouragement or Support, and in reality it is the clubs and their members who actually do all the work.
From my point of view, I have received all the encouragement and support I need from you, the members, and the Board of the Rotary Club of Queenstown.
The Strategic Plan also includes a reference “to eradicate polio and leverage the legacy”. Polio eradication was started in the 1980’s and Rotary, along with the Bill Gates Foundation, have already announced the ‘almost’ completion of the task. We have been saturated with publicity on this topic. However, to further perpetuate the myth, the DG will be riding a train in Sydney and claiming on District 9980’s behalf some further belated publicity while delivering a cheque on behalf of the District. It would make more sense to me to see the surplus District funds contributed to the eradication of measles in NZ given the significance of this current domestic crisis.
However, back to the question, why do we have a District Committee costing $100k per annum, comprising a DG, PDG, DG Elect, DG Nominee, 5 Assistant DG’s, a Secretary, a Treasurer and 14 Directors?
What is their real purpose when 31 Presidents and 31 competent Boards are fulfilling the Rotary ethos in their respective communities and working hard to cut the cloth to do it?
Given that we have paid our RI Dues to Rotary International to be members of this esteemed worldwide organisation, why would we then be levied by a District Committee without a clear purpose for being? It’s like paying school fees and school donations. School fees, like RI Dues, define our membership and are mandatory while school donations, like District levies, are optional.
We cannot continue to perpetuate the myth of the importance of District Committees without substantive evidence that they truly have a purpose. Club Presidents do have an inherent responsibility to be good stewards of the funds so kindly contributed by their Club members.
Food for thought?
Cheers Ross
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