The PPA, lets talk numbers vs results. - Page 6

sobefuddled · #51 11-09-2007, 01:32 PM

Really? Bryan passes you back to Randy. I'm a paid member. I needed a name of someone capable of speaking about the legislation out there at both the local and national levels to pass on to a reputable and popular Boston Talk show Host. I need to answer the man. What do I say? Well, there's the PPA. If you contact them maybe someone will help you? If they aren't too busy moving their offices....

TheEngineer · #52 11-09-2007, 01:50 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Really? Bryan passes you back to Randy. I'm a paid member. I needed a name of someone capable of speaking about the legislation out there at both the local and national levels to pass on to a reputable and popular Boston Talk show Host. I need to answer the man. What do I say? Well, there's the PPA. If you contact them maybe someone will help you? If they aren't too busy moving their offices....

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're taking me way out of context. I was addressing doing all D$D mentioned right now. Your issue is different. PPA agreed to do the effort in Mass. Bryan didn't pass anyone back to Randy...he was sending it where it belonged. He was not aware that it there was an unanswered email out there. Randy owes a response.

DeadMoneyDad · #53 11-09-2007, 01:51 PM

[ QUOTE ]

They are doing both. I've certainly let them know I want them to be active on the grassroots, and they've progressed strongly in that area, IMO. My point was that there's a point where doing one thing distracts from the other thing. John Pappas just got on a few months ago and Bryan just hired on a few weeks ago. They are currently moving from San Francisco to D.C. As their grassroots efforts and their member outreach prior to this were [censored], there is a huge ramp-up required. If they try to do too much at once, it will crash and burn...badly. D$D said himself that they're doing as much they can, to the point of seeming overwhelmed.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not trying to pick a fight and this maybe my last post on this subject. (I can hear the cheers already! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img])

But NO.

On Sept 2, the PPA posted the job of grassroots director. John said the plan was to hire this person with-in three weeks. He also explained all the other things he had to do in that same time frame. I knew then at least 1/2 were not going to get the attention they truly deserved.

I looked at the situation and offered to do anything to help, even opening sorting resumes and sceheduling interviews, on even a volunteer basis. This lead to the infamous "pulling a Chenney running the selection process and picking yourself" joke.

His plate was and is overflowing, as is Brayn's. Even the plans for the delayed hiring are likely off by a factor of at least twice the need. I know the PPA isn't some over funded gold plated organization with mahogony board rooms, run by people taking 3 hour martini lunches. I've sat in John's office. I also have a good idea of the office he traded in for the one he has. John is Aces with me.

[ QUOTE ]
Let's let them complete the move to D.C., get John Pappas fully situated, and get the legislative goals done while we can (after all, we're done there if the GOP gets a chamber in '08). This is not the prior PPA administration -- these guys are proactive. Grassroots will ramp up at the appropriate time, which will be soon.

Also, to be clear, I don't mean "grassroots" to be the same as "member services". Bryan is on board and is fully engaged to address this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lets be honest even the proposed position is really two jobs, and the pay being offered is less than nessecary to fill one of them properly.

The job as outlined is basically to run a world class grassroots to built from scratch in 1/2 the time normally required on a budget that requires that person to not only do it on a shoe string budget, but raise enough money to not only pay for anything they need but to be a major profit center paying not only for themselves but a couple of other future positions in next years budget.

Every minute that gets delayed makes that job harder and not only puts that person behind the curve it puts the ability for the organization to go from defense and catch up to playing offense.

Nothing major is going to happen between Thanksgiving and the New Year so you are looking at January 7th realistically.

I'm done beating my head on the keyboard.

I'm going to go play poker....

D$D

TheEngineer · #54 11-09-2007, 01:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

They are doing both. I've certainly let them know I want them to be active on the grassroots, and they've progressed strongly in that area, IMO. My point was that there's a point where doing one thing distracts from the other thing. John Pappas just got on a few months ago and Bryan just hired on a few weeks ago. They are currently moving from San Francisco to D.C. As their grassroots efforts and their member outreach prior to this were [censored], there is a huge ramp-up required. If they try to do too much at once, it will crash and burn...badly. D$D said himself that they're doing as much they can, to the point of seeming overwhelmed.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not trying to pick a fight and this maybe my last post on this subject. (I can hear the cheers already! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img])

But NO.

On Sept 2, the PPA posted the job of grassroots director. John said the plan was to hire this person with-in three weeks. He also explained all the other things he had to do in that same time frame. I knew then at least 1/2 were not going to get the attention they truly deserved.

I looked at the situation and offered to do anything to help, even opening sorting resumes and sceheduling interviews, on even a volunteer basis. This lead to the infamous "pulling a Chenney running the selection process and picking yourself" joke.

His plate was and is overflowing, as is Brayn's. Even the plans for the delayed hiring are likely off by a factor of at least twice the need. I know the PPA isn't some over funded gold plated organization with mahogony board rooms, run by people taking 3 hour martini lunches. I've sat in John's office. I also have a good idea of the office he traded in for the one he has. John is Aces with me.

[ QUOTE ]
Let's let them complete the move to D.C., get John Pappas fully situated, and get the legislative goals done while we can (after all, we're done there if the GOP gets a chamber in '08). This is not the prior PPA administration -- these guys are proactive. Grassroots will ramp up at the appropriate time, which will be soon.

Also, to be clear, I don't mean "grassroots" to be the same as "member services". Bryan is on board and is fully engaged to address this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lets be honest even the proposed position is really two jobs, and the pay being offered is less than nessecary to fill one of them properly.

The job as outlined is basically to run a world class grassroots to built from scratch in 1/2 the time normally required on a budget that requires that person to not only do it on a shoe string budget, but raise enough money to not only pay for anything they need but to be a major profit center paying not only for themselves but a couple of other future positions in next years budget.

Every minute that gets delayed makes that job harder and not only puts that person behind the curve it puts the ability for the organization to go from defense and catch up to playing offense.

Nothing major is going to happen between Thanksgiving and the New Year so you are looking at January 7th realistically.

I'm done beating my head on the keyboard.

I'm going to go play poker....

D$D

[/ QUOTE ]

You didn't disagree with anything I wrote. PPA will fill the Grassroots Director position at the appropriate time with the appropriate candidate.

sobefuddled · #55 11-09-2007, 02:10 PM

I copied Bryan in a post directed to Randy. It was a courtesy because it involved a PR request. It went to the person it BELONGED to in the first place. He has yet to respond. Engineer I hear you defending an organization that needs change. FAST. D$D is right on the button with his criticism. Everything that needs to be done can be done with the resources at hand. There is "perfect" and there is "the best that is possible right now." Using volunteers wisely falls in the latter category. That is not happening.

DeadMoneyDad · #56 11-09-2007, 02:11 PM

[ QUOTE ]

You didn't disagree with anything I wrote. PPA will fill the Grassroots Director position at the appropriate time with the appropriate candidate.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hardly.

D$D

TheEngineer · #57 11-09-2007, 02:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I copied Bryan in a post directed to Randy. It was a courtesy because it involved a PR request. It went to the person it BELONGED to in the first place. He has yet to respond. Engineer I hear you defending an organization that needs change. FAST. D$D is right on the button with his criticism. Everything that needs to be done can be done with the resources at hand. There is "perfect" and there is "the best that is possible right now." Using volunteers wisely falls in the latter category. That is not happening.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not defending them. I'm sharing with you the thought process behind the decisions that have been made. Did you tell Bryan you were not being responded to in a timely manner? If so, forwarding would not have been appropriate. If not, it was, I guess.

I just sent Randy an email as well, asking him to reply to you.

sobefuddled · #58 11-09-2007, 02:28 PM

The e-mail was sent to both Randy and Brian on Wednesday morning at 9:05 AM. That means that Randy received the e-mail from me, and from Bryan probably at 2 different e-mail addresses. Randy also received a request from me at this site to let me know whether or not he received my e-mail so that I could resend it to him from a second e-mail address if necessary.
No Response.
That is a very basic problem. I'm glad I copied Bryan. At least I know for a fact that Randy must have received the e-mail.

adanthar · #59 11-09-2007, 02:38 PM

seriously, this whole thread strikes me as a giant game of shoot the messenger.

I probably don't agree with any of you politically, but what DMD is saying strikes me as inherently correct.

TheEngineer · #60 11-09-2007, 02:40 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The e-mail was sent to both Randy and Brian on Wednesday morning at 9:05 AM. That means that Randy received the e-mail from me, and from Bryan probably at 2 different e-mail addresses. Randy also received a request from me at this site to let me know whether or not he received my e-mail so that I could resend it to him from a second e-mail address if necessary.
No Response.
That is a very basic problem. I'm glad I copied Bryan. At least I know for a fact that Randy must have received the e-mail.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the clarification, and I'm sorry you didn't get a reply in a timely manner.

However, I'm not sure the failure of an unpaid PPA volunteer to reply to your email in a timely manner means the PPA must immediately restructure. After all, it's not like you told Bryan you hadn't received a reply and that you needed action. Now that I know, I'll mention it to John Pappas at our 2 pm phone call and we'll see what can be done. I do appreciate your offer to help.