Recent ASD History
This document was written for ASD members, June 2004, updated February 2005I. June 2004.
Every organization has it problems. Usually they are within acceptable balance.
Cries of alarm and requests for help have been sent to the Board of Trustees, and to individual trustees, but without any effect, as the executive denies that there is a problem.
No one knows who or what to believe, whom to trust.
The data that follows is as a result of long meetings with: trustees, former trustees, chapter leaders, members, ASD officers, ASD conference speakers, ASD digest editors, etc.
The good news is: Every single one cares deeply about ASD and would like to see us come back together in fact, not with meaningless words.
The bad news is: No one knows what to do.
The good news is: Now members know what has been taking place, members can attend the membership meeting better informed, and, as a membership force do something to help bring our organization back in to strength. Every individual makes the difference.
The following is based on events that have taken place. These kinds of events are still ongoing. The following are a reasonable approximation of the dates and itemizations of the events that have taken place:
Since July 2003:
Summer 2003: Rod Berger, trustee, quit the Board of Trustees
~ October 2003: The bookstore personnel: Diana and Joyce: resigned from their positions. New staff was hired.
November 2003: Barry Smith would not respond to numerous requests from the Publications Committee, requesting email confirmation of his verbal permission to begin taking action on the improvements in the Trustee Accepted Publications Report of October 2003. These requests were ignored.
November 2003: A big to do was made of the "marketing consultant" "hired" by Barry Smith and his crew. This Marketing Consultant, who would be paid externally, by an Arizona dowsing chapter, was to take over and revitalize the web site and many other parts of the ASD. A lot of time and energy was spent around this and in the planning, etc. As of February 2005, the following has been accomplished in this regard: ZERO.
Winter 2004: Ron Blackburn was fired as Science Advisor by Barry Smith. He was notified of this in a public email by Barry Smith. Other advisors have been permitted to remain.
Winter 2004: Jim Linn, Trustee, and head of Water For Humanity --- resigned from the Board of Trustees and WFH
Winter 2004: Barry Smith notified the Board of Trustees that the Network will be posted on the web. There seems to be no basis for this decision, no ascertaining what per cent of our membership agrees with this decision, likes to use Internet the way Barry Smith wants them to. This is done without consultation with or agreement from the Publications Committee. At least 2 trustees protested this decision but no response to this protest was forthcoming.
February 2004: Barry Smith and Tom Spuhler set up email lists, subscribing Trustees to the lists without their permission, and refused to unsubscribe the trustees after the trustees told them to unsubscribe them.
Winter 2004: After being notified that they were to have all materials complete and ready in 48 hours for a full audit, Operations Manager Pat Sartelle resigned her position.
Winter 2004: The new bookstore staff, who had been hired after the previous staff quit several months earlier, also resigned.
Winter 2004: Louis Matacia sent a letter to every member of the Board of Trustees, withdrawing his attendance at the convention stating that "I believe the Trustees and other parties are trying to destroy the A.S.D. in every way possible." [See: LOUIS]
April 2004: Barry Smith called a board of Trustees teleconference meeting without notifying all the trustees.
April 2004: Several trustees attempted a legal action against board president Barry Smith
April 2004: Treasurer Barry Langer was pushed out of his position.
April 2004: Convention registration forms were received by members: 5 weeks overdue.
April 2004: WFH Fund Committee sent a formal complaint to Barry Smith and the board of Trustees, taking offense at comments and statements made by members of the Auditing Committee and Business Analysis Committee they claim are slanderous, malicious, and libelous and stated that they had no control over the website and object to what was posted on it, as well as information that was omitted. The complaint stated that mishandling of an important contributor's donations alienated one of its most generous members and supporters. They addressed violations of the Code of Ethics of the ASD Constitution and Bylaws, Chapter XIV Sections 1, 2, 3, page 14. This complaint was signed by: Dr. Joe Ann Van Gelder, Steven Herbert, Kay Barnard, Marian Peduzzi, Sheila Williams, Dr. Barbara Bangert, Jerrey Adler, Leroy Bull and Mark Fulford. It was mailed to: Susan McNeill Spuhler, Tom Spuhler, D. Jack Smith, Members, Board of Trustees, Members, WFH Fund Committee.
May 2004: Lindsay Bassett, new head office employee, resigned her position.
May 2004: Pat Sartelle, ex Operations Manager, began an action against the board.
3 issues of the Digest were very late.
Membership figures are plummeting.
The following speakers are not returning this year for the convention: Robert Gilbert, Raymon Grace, Joey Korn, Louis Matacia, Joe Smith and others.
The mainstays of ASD: the convention, digest publication WFH and head office of ASD seemed to run smoothly --- relative to what has been taking place with regard to the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees has relatively little to do with regard to the convention, digest publication and WFH. There is little if any accountability for the officers of the board if they perform their duties poorly, and/or fail to perform their duties or disobey the rules.
It is recommended that the Board of Trustees be dissolved.
II. Since June 2004:
- Water For Humanity has, for its purpose, been destroyed. When asked a reason for this, Barry Smith replied "Steve Herbert has to be controlled."
- The Bookstore was closed down and moved. Board of Trustees was not consulted about this.
- Barry Smith continues to attempt to create trustee meetings, most of which are illegal, therefore the decisions are not binding. He has been notified about this and ignores the notifications.
- The editor for the Fall 2004 Digest had quit, a trustee took her place for this issue.
- February 2005: Operations Manager Kay Bernard had had a serious automobile accident. So she was let go. Claudette, who was the only person who had been in the office for any reasonable length of time and the only one who had any real working knowledge of the ASD, procedures, etc., finally resigned. (Personally, I am grateful she stayed as long as she did and surprised she stayed as long as she did.) There is currently NO ONE in the office who has any kind of in depth knowledge of the workings, procedures, people of the ASD.
There is a lot more going on, but I don't have first hand knowledge of the activities, since I have been frozen out since Barry Smith refuses to send me official ASD Trustee notifications. Perhaps other trustees are in the same situation. Wish I could tell you more.
One of the valuable areas of the ASD is its BANK ACCOUNT. It has some money, from donations of grateful members. WATER FOR HUMANITY also has some money -- which is supposed to go towards projects. And, the ASD is a registered, NON PROFIT CHARITABLE organization. Those designations are hard to get these days, and having one is like money in the bank. Or, taking over an organization that has this designation, can prove valuable to those who are so inclined. Could this be an incentive? I don't know. Nothing makes sense about what is being done to this organization.
The ASD is a wonderful organization. Its history, its members and the wisdom it shares are heart warming, uplifting, valuable. I would not be working so hard for the organization if I did not believe in the great good that it offers.
We need good people of good integrity and ethics who are willing to do some of the work, who see what's going on and can help stop the rot, support the considerable beneficial and eradicate the detrimental.
It's ok to get rid of the bad --- that which is not working --- and you better have something (someone) to take its place.
What has been taking place for several years is not working. So we need to make a change. I don't have the answers. Do you?
If you wish to offer additions or corrections to the above information, please email them with appropriate documentation and your name to: ASD@dowsers.info