What's Next?

John Katko, FOWL's founder and President for life has officially abdicated his position. He does so with the best intentions. Nonetheless, we are left without any clear transition plans. There is no process in place to succeed him. With the holidays quickly approaching, I doubt that any immediate action will be taken. I suggest that plans be made to call concerned members together in mid-January. Alice has, again, graciously agreed to host and accommodate a meeting similar to the picnic planning meeting of last summer. In the mean time, This blog would be an excellent place to propose agenda items, discuss concerns and provide opinions. The following is the text of John's most recent communication;

Hello all, I'm hoping that at least some of the group of people receiving this email will have some discussion about where and when an idea session concerning the future of FOWL (if there is to be one) can occur. Each person on this list has some resources and/or skills that would really benefit FOWL and make it a much more effective organization, from artistry to science knowledge to community involvement to understanding and interacting with government activities to organizing volunteer efforts to a hundred other gifts. If you know of anyone that should be included in this process I would be glad to add her/his name and email address. I am of the opinion that my "benevolent dictatorship" of FOWL (as Kathleen so sweetly puts it), while allowing a certain quick-footedness and strong direction, has stymied the group and held it back in many ways. I know that so many of our members and participants have a lot to offer, and hope some of them will take the opportunity to make FOWL their own, so to speak. One of the current most important resources for this development is the availability of people who can guide discussion in a positive and constructive way. My hope, then, is that an agreed meeting time and place be developed through communication among this group of people, so that I can put this as an announcement in the upcoming, probably very brief, newsletter (which I very much hope to have completed by the beginning of December at the latest). Unless advised otherwise, I think it would be proper to thus include any of FOWL's interested members in this process. I am not now planning on attending any such meeting; I feel it is important to remove myself from the discussion of FOWL's future and the decisions that are thereby reached since I won't be the main force behind it any longer. I would be delighted to consult with people who have questions and ideas if they choose. I hope not to lose all contact with FOWL activities; I especially love the educational aspects of wetlands natural history and would be delighted to provide what resources I have in this area in whatever way my circumstances allow. It would be extremely sad for me to witness the end of FOWL. After 18 years it has become a very important part of what I am. My experience with this effort has been trying, joyous, fulfilling, energizing, character-building, and full of companionship and humble gratitude and acknowledgment of the commitment and spirited intent of others. I do think of FOWL as more of a tribe than a formal organization (though it might be good to alter that) - of like-minded people who can come together to support a common passion without succumbing to the tragedy of amplified differences. One of the most consistent points that I got as feedback from the FOWL picnics is how much so many of the participants enjoyed the company of the others. After the initial responses - many of which expressed ideas about 501(c)3 status for FOWL, there has been little if any activity towards planning its next incarnation. I hope that people will communicate and let me know about any meeting time and place that is decided upon.

John