Tlca 30% bylaw

[Enigma]

We (the Coastal Cruisers) are currently having discussion about the TLCA bylaw that states we are allowed to have up to 30% non Toyota 4wd owning members in the club.
I personally have no issue with it, but am curious to see as what some of the other clubs have done in this regard.

[woooody]

It's there so that if you include Jeep guys, or Bronco guys, they can still be in the club. But remember that and ELIGIBLE TLCA club member must be a TLCA member. So if they own a toyota with a low range transfer case, they must be a TLCA member.

[Stumpalama]

Originally Posted by woooody

It's there so that if you include Jeep guys, or Bronco guys, they can still be in the club. But remember that and ELIGIBLE TLCA club member must be a TLCA member. So if they own a toyota with a low range transfer case, they must be a TLCA member.

I'm confused:
Ok I think I got it: If a member of your local TLCA chapter club owns a Toyota 4x4, he or she MUST be a member of the TLCA as well.
However, your local chapter club can be comprised of up to 30% non-Toyota owners and thus non-TLCA members.

Did I get that right? We discussed this a couple time when I was a Member of VI Cruisers and we were debating TLCA affiliation.

[REKCUT]

Stumpalama, your are correct. As a side note, I believe that officers must be Toyota owners.

[Volunteer]

Interesting I didn't know this but I wouldn't want it any other way. We're 100% Toyota owners and a current TLCA membership is required.

[wardfoto]

I think that this should be more along the lines of: if your club member owns a Toyota 4x4, then they must be T.L.C.A.
However, your club can also have members with other types of vehicles, that obviously would not be able to, or need to, join T.L.C.A.
However the number of those members should not exceed 30% of your total club membership. SO, not every member of your club must be T.L.C.A., but rather all members with a TOYOTA 4x4 must be members, and you can have up to 30% non- T.L.C.A. members(non Toyota owners) in your chapter.

Clear as mud, yet? hehehe

[Green Lantern]

FWIW, you can access the Bylaws on the TLCA website.

Specifically:
1. A goal or objective of the Chapter is to "Support the TLCA."
2. All Chapter members eligible to join TLCA must join and remain current members in TLCA.
3. Chapter rosters may not exceed 30 percent non-TLCA members and non-TLCA members may not be used in constituting a quorum.

Former Presidents of TLCA maintained a policy of "Don't Bird Dog the Chapters." That is, no one ever made the chapters prove that all eligible chapter members were TLCA members. IMO the past presidents were happy to have chapters participating and felt a friendly approach was more productive.

There are no other requirements upon the chapter officers in our bylaws.

Hope that helps,
Nick

Originally Posted by REKCUT

Stumpalama, your are correct. As a side note, I believe that officers must be Toyota owners.

[wardfoto]

As noted by Nick, no one has ever been hard nosed about the requirement. My post was just to relay how I have always understood that rule, as a member.
I did not wish to intimate that we as a club were being hard nosed about that rule.

[cruiser88]

We are exercising this right to use 30% non Toyota owners. Sometimes it difficult to get all Toyota owners together sometimes....but I did not know about the Toyota owners must be members. Good to know I will bring it up at the next meeting

[TRT2]

as I was on the by laws team who wrote this, everyone has effectively captured the essence.

All Toyota owners must join.

A chapter may have up to 30% non toyota members. (That is Jeeper Ron for PMC, the only non Toyota allowed to join and specifically detailed in our PMC By Laws. He simply would not go away.)

This clause is often confused to mean 30% of the Toyota members do not need to join. Incorrect.


but as noted, TLCA wants all chapters to have atonomy and be successful. The yearly Chapter in Good Standing form including a roster is all TLCA requires to confirm you have met the minimum requirements to remain a chapter.

[Rzeppa]

And to further muddy the waters, "What constitutes a Toyota?". Those of us who have been to events know what I mean. There might be a 40 bezel here or a Toyota part there, but a lot of these rigs are only a small fraction of what came out of a Toyota factory. Do we turn them away?

HECK NO!

We welcome them with open arms!

[canucksafari]

Seeing that Jeff's post was an issue he was helping clarify for our club - I'll put my 2 cents in.

Like Jeeper Ron, our club has a few members who do not own Toyota Land Cruisers (or any Toyota 4WD). Myself I have a couple Nissan Safaris (Y60 Patrols) - one was what i could afford and the other was too good of a deal to pass up. What all our club's non-TLC owners have in common is a love of the Toyota Land Cruiser. If I ever manage to get the Safari in my garaged cleaned up, registered and sold, I may be able to realize my dream of owning a Land Cruiser.

The way I see it - it is like the Amature Radio Club I belong to. I don't own an amature radio and I don't hold a license to operate one; but I am welcome into the club because I am interested in amature radio. As the rules stand, i can't belong to the TLCA. I accept that. If I could, I would gladly pay a TLCA membership - just so I could get the magazine. Every year I have purchased a calander and it is prominently displayed on our kitchen wall.

Some people like to focus on the letter of laws. I think any decent organization focuses on the intent of the laws - those are based on your mission statement.

[Romer]

I would also like to caveat that TLCA (and Rising Sun) is a family membership.

We have several families that wheel in our club. For example, My TLCA membership and my Rising Sun Membership covers my two daughters. We have others in the similar situation where the kids and/or spouse also wheel with the club.

Family members where half our volunteer base at Cruise Moab.

I think Kids and Spouses count relative to family, we have had brothers who had their own membership

[Rzeppa]

Originally Posted by canucksafari

Seeing that Jeff's post was an issue he was helping clarify for our club - I'll put my 2 cents in.

Like Jeeper Ron, our club has a few members who do not own Toyota Land Cruisers (or any Toyota 4WD). Myself I have a couple Nissan Safaris (Y60 Patrols) - one was what i could afford and the other was too good of a deal to pass up. What all our club's non-TLC owners have in common is a love of the Toyota Land Cruiser. If I ever manage to get the Safari in my garaged cleaned up, registered and sold, I may be able to realize my dream of owning a Land Cruiser.

The way I see it - it is like the Amature Radio Club I belong to. I don't own an amature radio and I don't hold a license to operate one; but I am welcome into the club because I am interested in amature radio. As the rules stand, i can't belong to the TLCA. I accept that. If I could, I would gladly pay a TLCA membership - just so I could get the magazine. Every year I have purchased a calander and it is prominently displayed on our kitchen wall.

Some people like to focus on the letter of laws. I think any decent organization focuses on the intent of the laws - those are based on your mission statement.

It is not so much *like* to focus on the letter as much as we *must* follow them. And we should honor their intent. If the letter doesn't make the intent clear we can change it.

We do have a process to change our bylaws.

And we do change them from time to time. For example, we changed them a few months ago to add an International Individual Representative (elected officer with full voting privileges) to represent the interests of TLCA members who live outside the USA. That is a plank of the platform from which I ran for President: recognise (notice the non-American spelling :-) that there is a whole Land Cruiser world outside the USA, and until now, our members who lived outside the USA did not have an advocate within the TLCA board.

So, we might consider changing the bylaws to allow anyone who was interested in Toyota 4x4s to join, rather than requiring ownership. You have an excellent point, and I will bring this before the board. Thanks and happy cruisin'!

[woooody]

Originally Posted by Rzeppa

It is not so much *like* to focus on the letter as much as we *must* follow them. And we should honor their intent. If the letter doesn't make the intent clear we can change it.

We do have a process to change our bylaws.

And we do change them from time to time. For example, we changed them a few months ago to add an International Individual Representative (elected officer with full voting privileges) to represent the interests of TLCA members who live outside the USA. That is a plank of the platform from which I ran for President: recognise (notice the non-American spelling :-) that there is a whole Land Cruiser world outside the USA, and until now, our members who lived outside the USA did not have an advocate within the TLCA board.

So, we might consider changing the bylaws to allow anyone who was interested in Toyota 4x4s to join, rather than requiring ownership. You have an excellent point, and I will bring this before the board. Thanks and happy cruisin'!

Be careful on this one. That rule is there to ensure that Members of TLCA's BOD are actual Toyota 4x4 owners, and not just some aggravater that chose to join. It is exclusive. So be it.

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by woooody

Be careful on this one. That rule is there to ensure that Members of TLCA's BOD are actual Toyota 4x4 owners, and not just some aggravater that chose to join. It is exclusive. So be it.

I can assure you that Toyota 4x4 ownership does not make you automatically not some aggravator.

[wussyPup]

Originally Posted by Enigma

We (the Coastal Cruisers) are currently having discussion about the TLCA bylaw that states we are allowed to have up to 30% non Toyota 4wd owning members in the club.
I personally have no issue with it, but am curious to see as what some of the other clubs have done in this regard.

We (VI Cruisers) only allow LC owners (includes LX450 and LX470, but excludes FJ Cruisers). Instead, I wish we required "LC enthusiast" since ownership is only temporary and enthusiasts may have to live a long time between Cruisers. I'd rather include people who are enthusiastic about LCs instead of those who happen to currently own one. I trust our membership to only vote in good people.

VI Cruisers isn't a TLCA chapter since most of our members have not joined TLCA. Membership: $10/year for VI Cruisers, compared to $51.67/year ($45 USD) for TLCA. Only a few of our members have ever attended an event hosted by a TLCA chapter so the TT subscription is our only tangible TLCA benefit.

-Steve

Happy Canada Day

[Bodean]

Why would you turn away FJ Cruisers. Heck, we don't turn anyone away. On another note, some of our Toyota owners aren't TLCA members and I'm not gonna run them off because of their decisions. They are my friends and wheelin buddies and that's enough for me.

Later,

[cruiser88]

We need to band together more now than ever because of the public lands we are losing everyday. You folks on the out west don't know how made you got it. As long as they are responsible ......we turn no one away

[Stumpalama]

Originally Posted by Bodean

Why would you turn away FJ Cruisers. Heck, we don't turn anyone away. On another note, some of our Toyota owners aren't TLCA members and I'm not gonna run them off because of their decisions. They are my friends and wheelin buddies and that's enough for me.

Later,

Why? Because when we formed the club, it's intent was a LAND CRUISER WHEELING club. By that, I mean not just Land Cruiser owners but those who would take their rigs out in the bush. Canada has the 15 year rule for vehicles and thus has quite a few deisel Prados and 80's and we get folks who would show up just to try to sell theirs. Our club is not a classified section of the news paper.
From the get-go we recognized that the success of our club is not based on how many members we have, but rather, the quality of the membership.
Some in the club hold on to the idea that to be a "success" we need lots of members. I disagree. I would rather have 6 members who will wheel and share their knowledge on LC's, than have 25 members who never show up for meetings or take their truck out wheeling.
I see many threads in the other club sections about chasing people for dues: not my idea of a good time.
Would I like mini-trucks and 4runners in the club? sure My best friend drives a runner and is a damn good guy... even wheels with others from our club... BUT he doesn't own a Land Cruiser.
Exclusivity is not a bad word.

Later-

[canucksafari]

Originally Posted by Stumpalama

Why? Because when we formed the club, it's intent was a LAND CRUISER WHEELING club. By that, I mean not just Land Cruiser owners but those who would take their rigs out in the bush. Canada has the 15 year rule for vehicles and thus has quite a few deisel Prados and 80's and we get folks who would show up just to try to sell theirs. Our club is not a classified section of the news paper.
From the get-go we recognized that the success of our club is not based on how many members we have, but rather, the quality of the membership.

I can agree with you on the issue of quality over quantity. However, what happens if you have a guy who loves LCs but for whatever reason can't afford one yet? Or what happens if one of your club members finds themselves having to sell their LC and won't be in the position to buy one for some time. Lately, we've seen a fair bit of selling because of job loss. I think that the quality is not tied to owning a TLC but the interest one shows in learning everything they can about LCs and the desire to have one. Whether they have a LC or not shouldn't change that.

[REKCUT]

Originally Posted by Bodean

Why would you turn away FJ Cruisers. Heck, we don't turn anyone away. On another note, some of our Toyota owners aren't TLCA members and I'm not gonna run them off because of their decisions. They are my friends and wheelin buddies and that's enough for me.

Later,

Then why is it in you by-laws if your not going to follow it?

COTTONLAND CRUISER ASSOCIATION
BY-LAWS
Revised: June 12, 2004
NAME

A. The name shall be CottonLand Cruiser Association, and also known as CLC.

PURPOSE AND AIMS

A. CLC shall be non-profit in character.

B. Bring together and promote the interest of four wheeling in Toyota 4X4's.

C. Protect as well as enjoy our country 's natural resources.

D. Preserve the Land Cruiser legend.

E. CLC fosters an environment of exploration and learning about your Toyota 4x4 vehicle and its capabilities through events ranging from off road adventures, mechanical maintenance days and the knowledge, expertise and experience gained from other members within the club.

MEMBERSHIP

A. REQUIREMENT:

1. Membership is open to owners of four-wheel drive vehicles manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation and to Associates (businesses).

2. Members are required to join and maintain membership in the Toyota Land Cruiser Association ( HYPERLINK "http://www.TLCA.org" BlueHost.com).

B. MEMBER DUES:

1. To retain an “active member” status, a person must maintain current paid-up membership through one of the following membership options:

a. Individual Membership dues per year in the amount determined by the BOD at the last BOD meeting of each preceding calendar year.

b. Additional individual Membership within same household (ie: significant other, son, daughter, etc. with their own vehicle) in the amount determined by the BOD at the last BOD meeting of each preceding calendar year.

c. Associate Member-sponsor or business- CLC Associate membership- in the amount determined by the BOD at the last BOD meeting of each preceding calendar year.

[66fj40x2]

Originally Posted by REKCUT

Then why is it in you by-laws if your not going to follow it?

Because TLCA requires it..... but it seems to me the local chapters do as they see fit as long as their within TLCA reporting requirements. TLCA is made up of it's local chapters and the chapters made up by the individual members. Those members and chapters can run their club as they see fit. I'd reckon if TLCA pushed the issue for all the clubs to require Toyota 4x4 owners to join TLCA many clubs would drop TLCA before their members. Once enough clubs drop TLCA the club members can drop TLCA......... That would tend to enhance TLCA's funding issues I'd think.

Thad I sure don't understand why this is such an issue with you but I don't forcing folks to join an organization is going to help it grow in a productive manner.

[Green Lantern]

What Mike says.
x2

Happy Trails! N

Originally Posted by 66fj40x2

Because TLCA requires it..... but it seems to me the local chapters do as they see fit as long as their within TLCA reporting requirements. TLCA is made up of it's local chapters and the chapters made up by the individual members. Those members and chapters can run their club as they see fit. I'd reckon if TLCA pushed the issue for all the clubs to require Toyota 4x4 owners to join TLCA many clubs would drop TLCA before their members. Once enough clubs drop TLCA the club members can drop TLCA......... That would tend to enhance TLCA's funding issues I'd think.

Thad I sure don't understand why this is such an issue with you but I don't think forcing folks to join an organization is going to help it grow in a productive manner.

[Bodean]

I'm with you Nick and Mike! We'll just keep on having fun and worry about the rules later!

[Romer]

We have a couple of members who are not TLCA members. They dont go to TLCA events, dont read TT. There isnt inything in it for them. They just want to belong to a local club for local wheeling and socializing.

We still have 71 members who are also TLCA members and we have done things to increase TLCA membership

1) Volunteers at CM get their TLCA membership paid
2) We donated $1000 to the tellico fund and said all current Club and TLCA members would be eligible to get a $10 raffle ticket for the truck.

The only other thjing we could do is tell them joing the TLCA or the club will drop them. Thats counter to the atmosphere we have in the club.

[REKCUT]

Originally Posted by 66fj40x2

Thad I sure don't understand why this is such an issue with you but I don't forcing folks to join an organization is going to help it grow in a productive manner.

Mike, its the hypocrisy of the issue that gets to me. No individual or club is forced to be a member of the TLCA. I dont understand why a club or group of people would want to call themselves a TLCA chapter if they are not willing to live up to the requirements. Its very simple. If you want to be part of a club then live up to the requirements. If your club wants to be a chapter then enforce the rules. Why would you want to associate yourself or your family with a organization you dont believe in. If your club doesn't agree with the requirements then why as a group are they still calling themselves a TLCA chapter.

One of the real issues that TLCA needs to work through is the apathy associated with its members and chapters towards the parent organization. There are barely enough clubs calling in to the monthly meetings to get any kind of issue voted on. Chapters and members want to be called TLCA members but it seems that very few want to do anything to further that membership.

I dont feel that forcing people to be members is a good way to grow the TLCA, but I do feel that making clubs think about why they are chapters would be good for the TLCA.

The TLCA would be better off with a smaller member base if those members were active and interested in improving the TLCA. Yes it would lose the magazine, and there would be wholesale changes, but you cant grow a quality membership without having a solid base to work with.

Just my thought Mike as to why it bothers me.

[REKCUT]

Recap. Members need to live by the rules or change the rules. I am not saying that requiring membership is the best way to proceed. I am saying that its the rule. If its not going to be followed then we should change the bylaws to reflect that on a TLCA level and a chapter level.

[Green Lantern]

I believe Thad's observations illustrate the problems facing TLCA right now. I appreciate your frustration and I think I can help you.

The reason TLCA has a participation problem is the fact that cruiserheads place much more priority on themselves and their local chapter than the national organization. Folks talk about themselves, their friends, and their local club long before they mention TLCA. Most of our members take fanatical pride in their independence.

So.... TLCA provides a national identity, a common ground that we all reference when we meet cruiserheads we don't know personally. There have always been differences between the chapters. TLCA created bylaws and SOPs so our meetings would run smoothly. TLCA bylaws are designed to facilitate communication and allow the Board of Directors to coordinate events and promote chapters. We only need rules if we think someone needs protection. If we treat folks with courtesy and respect.... we don't need any rules.

The bylaws are written exclusively for Toyota 4X4 owners. That doesn't mean TLCA is exclusive. Being a member doesn't make us better than anyone else. It just means we want TLCA to be a club of Toyota off road vehicles, not jeeps or hummers.

The bylaws reflect six reasons we exist. There is no requirement that everyone do all six. Any one of the following reasons qualifies you as a member of TLCA. All the rest of the requirements are just there to facilitate peaceful cooperation.

Article II, A-F
1) We're a non-profit, we ain't here to make money.
2) Promote four wheeling.
3) Preserve the history and character of the Land Cruiser.
4) Protect our country's resources.
5) Support our chapters.
6) Educate our folks to preserve our environment and wheeling areas.

I respect Thad and his comments. I firmly believe that TLCA was not designed to be center of our universe. TLCA is just a loose association of independent chapters and cruiserheads.

My two cents,
Happy Trails! N

Originally Posted by REKCUT

Mike, its the hypocrisy of the issue that gets to me. No individual or club is forced to be a member of the TLCA. I dont understand why a club or group of people would want to call themselves a TLCA chapter if they are not willing to live up to the requirements. Its very simple. If you want to be part of a club then live up to the requirements. If your club wants to be a chapter then enforce the rules. Why would you want to associate yourself or your family with a organization you dont believe in. If your club doesn't agree with the requirements then why as a group are they still calling themselves a TLCA chapter.

One of the real issues that TLCA needs to work through is the apathy associated with its members and chapters towards the parent organization. There are barely enough clubs calling in to the monthly meetings to get any kind of issue voted on. Chapters and members want to be called TLCA members but it seems that very few want to do anything to further that membership.

I dont feel that forcing people to be members is a good way to grow the TLCA, but I do feel that making clubs think about why they are chapters would be good for the TLCA.

The TLCA would be better off with a smaller member base if those members were active and interested in improving the TLCA. Yes it would lose the magazine, and there would be wholesale changes, but you cant grow a quality membership without having a solid base to work with.

Just my thought Mike as to why it bothers me.

[Rzeppa]

Originally Posted by REKCUT

I dont feel that forcing people to be members is a good way to grow the TLCA, but I do feel that making clubs think about why they are chapters would be good for the TLCA.

Well said Thad!

Hey, give me a call when you get a chance please? My number is in Toyota Trails.

Happy cruisin'!