Patroller's Committee Weekly Communication
Week Ending: April 9, 2005

The goal of the Patroller Committee (PC) is to objectively focus on issues and events which currently concern the members of the National Ski Patrol, to educate patrollers on those issues, and to recommend practical suggestions to deal with those issues in a cordial and responsible manner. The PC is accessible to all members and alumni of the NSP who are interested in the well-being of our organization and its future. We welcome inquiries and comments from all patrollers on the issues that are important to the NSP. We expect that all members who participate or contribute to the PC will do so in a professional and respectful manner to each other, the National Directors and staff, and all other persons and groups associated with the snow sports industry.

The PC was formed after members had raised questions and concerns about current issues with the National Office. These queries either went unanswered or were answered with statements that showed the National Office had approved changes that would significantly affect the identity and core values of the organization without apparent input or approval by its members.
Currently, hundreds of patrollers from across the country have expressed interest in the activity of the PC and we continue to invite patrollers to make inquiries and become involved.

The PC was formed because of the concerns raised by patrollers from the Central, Eastern, and Pacific Northwest Divisions. Members from the Northern Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Southern and South Central Regions of the Central Division have taken the initial burden of unifying this interest into a larger organization thought the PC. Our efforts to date have been focused on the following 5 primary objectives:

1. Get member interest organized and formed into a unified network.
2. Establish a communication protocol to ensure consistent messaging to ourselves and the members.
3. Collect data to ensure that we truly understand the issues and membership concerns.
4. Based on this data and the identified issues begin to formulate options to resolve those issues.
5. Ensure that we are listening to the membership and accurately reflecting the majority position of the members.

At this time, the PC is conducting it business through weekly telephone conferences, as well as exchanging daily e-mail correspondences. The following activities have also taken place:

1. Recently, the Northern Michigan Region polled its membership regarding issues around the decision to no longer carry a lettered back cross and, of their satisfaction in general with the leadership of the National organization. Its members expressed overwhelming concern on both points noted above.
2. Word has spread through out the United States regarding the activities of this committee. We are now in constant communications with patrollers in Central, Eastern, and Pacific North West Divisions. We expect to expand to the remaining Divisions in the next 2 weeks.
3. Members of the committee individually have communicated the PC's positions and concerns with every NSP Board member directly, and the executive director of our organization. We have received a form letter response from the executive Director, Steve Over, that basically deferred to the board of directors. The National Chairman, Bill Sachs, recently posted a letter on the NSP \"forum\" web page clarifying his earlier stated position, also on the NSP "forum". The remainder of the board in general has been silent.
4. We have asked for and received 2 years of audited financial statements for the National Ski Patrol and we are in the process of reviewing them.
5. We were informed on April 4th that the Central Division, at its Spring Meeting held the weekend of April 2nd, has appointed a task force to look into three topics related to concerns that members have also expressed to the PC, these are: the current election and voting structure of the National Association, communication problems between the National Association and the membership, and the perception that the National Association has turned away from recognizing its obligations to support it's members and is transforming to a more corporate image. This message will be carried forward by Jim Woodrum, Central Division Director at the upcoming National Meeting.
6. The PC has established a web site in order to communicate with the members. This site can be accessed at: www.nationalskipatrol.org.

This site was established by the membership of the PC and is designed for the following:

1. Build an independent database of members interested in the activities of the PC.
2. Provide a forum outside the control of the National Organization to state concerns on the issues identified. This will also be used to collect the positions and concerns of our members and will provide us a direct communication link to those registered to keep them current with events as they unfold over the summer.

The PC will provide regular updates on a weekly basis. Future updates will be shorter and will focus on:

1. Activities since the last communication
2. Actions and issue currently being worked on
3. Key Milestones and/or decisions taken over the past week.

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please direct to the web site listed above. Click contact us and your message will get directed to the committee.
Please pass the word, get your fellow patroller's involved, register on this web site.
Regards, The Patroller's Committee