Melanie Sonntag elected NCRA president

[Bill Parsons]

To view the NCRA election results, go to http://www.ncraonline.org/

Melanie Sonntag won the election for president.

A bylaws amendment to do away with requiring an endorsing member for enrolling new members was passed.

A bylaws amendment to allow videographers to join as full members was defeated.

Bill

[Debbie Turner]

M.A.,

You are so right that the "hijacking" began years ago. I haven't looked up when this Golden came on board, but I firmly believe that the "hijacking" began shortly after he came on board.

Boot camp came into being. A Golden forte.

When did letters to the editor to JCR stop?

An honest I-don't-know-the answer-to-this question: Where can we find the membership numbers year by year? Are they available? Or is that something that is unavailable to us? Why is Golden there? Did he have ANY connection at all to shorthand reporters before this position was offered/accepted?

I will never accuse folks who remain part of NCRA as part of any "great conspiracy." I have stayed silent for years and years. I have done that because I have great respect for my fellow reporters and their well-considered decisions that guide both their personal and professional lives.

"Just a thought," M.A.

Debbie, DGR (lol!)

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Hi, Debbie! You know, I've been rolling this around and around in my head today ... stay or go ... stay or go. My b/f knows more than ANYONE how much I struggle with things sometimes. We've sat and discussed the pros and cons of the MtR for hours. I can see good and excellent points on both sides, and I'd like to think I give credit for that to the people who say those points.

So we were out shopping today, and I just asked him. "Baby, what should I do here? What's YOUR opinion?" So let me preface this by saying if you think back on the most inflammatory rant you've ever seen flung at NCRA, Dick's there with ya on that. He's never felt the NCRA was working for reporters, only for reporting firms, and he's even suggested it should be called the NCRFOA (firm owners association).

Anyway, when I asked him the question, he said, "Do you in any way, shape or form get any benefit at all from having those letters after your name?" And I said, "Yes, because all my clients are court reporting firms, and those letters are very important and would mean something to my potential clients." And he said, "Then don't give them up."

Re: Mark Golden, Executive Director and CEO of the National Court Reporters Association ... on the one hand, he's seen as the last great hope to pull NCRA out of the sh**can, as my dad used to say. On the other hand, he's despised by a handful of reporters who see the actions of NCRA under his guidance as trickery and deception. But, as was pointed out way back in this thread, an embarrassingly small percentage of NCRA member reporters know what's happening anyway, as reflected in the online voting numbers. And even those who half-heartedly check in to the NCRA Forum from time to time have that "It's just one issue" attitude.

M.A.

[Judy]

I beg to differ with YOU on one issue, MA. You have done an excellent job at promoting yourself. I'd say there's not an agency that you are doing business with or will do business with that isn't hiring you based upon YOUR reputation, not that reputation that NCRA gave you with the string of initials.

Maybe that might be different for a reporter just starting out, needing that CRR title. But not for you.

[Judy]

Unfortunately though, Monti, if we remain united with NCRA, we'll fall even faster. Not only that, we'll be the ones funding our own fall.

I said last week I'd like to see if the Board had a change of heart, if they really were listening (like they've been saying for the last month or so) and I'd remain civil until I heard otherwise. Well, yesterday I read the new President's message on the NCRA website. My mind was made up before I even got to the halfway point. It's just heartbreaking.

[Quyen]

Judy, would you please post a link to the new president's message that you're referring to. Thanks.

[Judy]

Here you go, Quyen.

http://www.ncraonline.org/NCRA/president/default.htm.

BTW, how do you pronounce your name?

[Quyen]

Thanks for the link, Judy! Going to read it now.

It's pronounced like "when" or "wen." :)

[Matthew]

The speech really should have just plain and simply said, "NCRA needs money. Our membership numbers are falling. If we want to remain the strong association we've worked to become, we need to start certifying all methods and allowing them to become members so the money can start flowing in."

What this President and board needs to understand is even if it came to the point where they do certifying ER/DAR/Mask, who's to say they would even want to be part of the NCRA, obtain any certification through the NCRA, and fork over yearly dues. They have their own crackerjack associations.

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Yes, Matthew, they do. And if NCRA becomes the take-all-comers association it wishes to be, machine reporters will NOT. I believe in an umbrella association ... just not hijacked from within NCRA.

M.A.