> If ordinary beekeepers are unhappy with the way 
> things are, if they feel under represented in some 
> way to whomever they feel under represented 
> then who has to change?

Please excuse such detailed discussion of NY, it is hoped that universal
truths are expressed here, and that the experience in NY, USA can serve as a
cautionary tale to others

Those who claim to represent a group are the parties obligated to make an
effort to find out what the group wants.
The members of the group should not have to chase after those making the
grandiose claims.

ESHPA should start with small simple changes, and work on finding a way to
at least represent its own current dues-paying membership first.  Take baby
steps.

The recent elimination of proxy voting made voting absolutely impossible for
those who could not attend a weekday meeting held in some one-Starbucks
town. ESHPA should replace proxies with some other way to vote "by mail".
Once ESHPA can claim to at least represent is own membership of a paltry few
hundred dues-paying members, THEN they can think about approaching
beekeepers statewide, and starting to truly represent all the beekeepers of
the state, dues-paying or not.

After all ESHPA is the only organization in NY that presumes to claim that
it has been "Promoting the Interests of New York State Beekeepers Since
1867".

You see, most people read the claim above as "Promoting the Interests of ALL
New York State Beekeepers".  Perhaps this is not the intent of ESHPA. If so,
then all that needs to change is the letterhead, the website masthead, and
the newsletter masthead.

And I'm deeply sorry to have mixed up Woody with Arlo.  
At least I did not confuse Woody with Buzz Lightyear!

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