Ginny Altman
GSDCA President
771 Gramsie Road
Shoreview, MN 55126
ginialtman@aol.com


Dear Mrs. Altman:

Upon perusal of the letter sent to the membership citing the "explanations" for the decision that gives us another East Coast National, it was decided by our membership, to send a letter to you and the Board of Directors.

It was a pleasant and unexpected surprise for the Pacific NW to get the National in 2004, a first for this area in over 30 years.  However, the reality of the GSDCA National situation for those of us who support the National with quality entries, year in and year out is this: The exhibitors AND their dogs MUST be the SINGLE-HIGHEST priority when a site is under scrutiny for the membership's annual event.  As illustrated by last year's site, where many characteristics of the site were ENTIRELY unacceptable, it does not appear that the dogs and the exhibitors are the primary concern when it comes to this event:

• Flying into the area with a dog was extremely difficult if you had to make connections (west coast exhibitors).  Not having stalls which exposed our animals to a high degree of danger due to:
  • The lack of having a secure, climate controlled area to keep them
  • The noise the dogs, and exhibitors had to endure
  • The risk of disease due to such close quarters
• No where to exercise the animals during the day because it was 80+ degrees.
• The list could be longer, but we're sure you get the point.

Why have this Board of Directors allowed themselves to be boxed into a corner when it comes to making decisions regarding the future sites for this club's primary event fund-raiser?  It is our understanding from your letter and from discussions with people who attended the meeting; that after a long list of excuses were given as to why the GSDCA could not have a national at the other more acceptable sites, only two sites from the same state were formally presented for decision by the Board.  Neither were properly presented with a detailed cost comparison and breakdown, including a comparative list of pros and cons for each site.  Why was this decision not tabled until the chairperson provided a more comprehensive comparison of not only the two sites in North Carolina, but the sites in other areas of the country as well?  It is quite disconcerting to realize that the membership of this club, especially those who fly to attend and exhibit at the National, were not considered strongly enough in making a decision for a site that is not a major, continent-wide airline hub. Why was the Perry site not capitalized upon when it was available?  It was a site that was exceedingly well suited to our club's event.

In your letter to the membership, going back to the start of Mrs. Hokkanen's term as National Specialty Chairperson to make excuses for why North Carolina was the only state that had sites "available and suitable" for the 2005 National was very telling.  It appears to this membership body, that something had to be fed to the masses to try and get this poor decision past without too much fuss.   As a GSDCA member club comprised by a majority of GSDCA members, we strenuously object to the selection of this North Carolina site: its location and its lack of important site amenities such as: stalls, a hotel within an easy 10 minute drive, and a major airline (i.e.: Delta, United, Continental) hub airport within 1-1.5 hours drive of the site.  We feel these amenities should be the bare minimum for a site to even be considered.

The explanations for why previously used, great sites were not available to host this club's events, leads us to believe that the job of the site selection is obviously far to great a task for only one person to do. Therefore, we would like to make the following suggestions:

1. That no site will be considered unless it meets the above referenced items concerning stalls, hotels, and airports.
2. That Mrs. Hokkanen immediately step-down from the site selection position, and that this position be negated.  This "position" was not a board-voted upon position, and as such should not exist.  We strenuously request that the site-selection responsibility be reverted back to the National Chairperson, where it naturally should have remained upon Mrs. Nellis' approval as National Chairperson.  It is our opinion based upon the Daytona site, a difficult to get to Portland site (for the majority of the exhibiting membership) and now this North Carolina site, that Mrs. Hokkanen does not have pulse of the exhibiting membership's requirements.  It is a further observation that based upon this and the previous Board of Director's decisions, that there is too much power residing in her quarter.  This is leading to the GSDCA and its membership into being continually compromised by providing more reasons for less and less people and dogs attending GSDCA events.
3. That a Site Selection Committee is formed immediately, with the National Chairperson, Nancy Nellis and 2 or 3 actively exhibiting members? part of said committee responsible for future site selection.

Thank you in advance for you careful and serious consideration of these requests.

Respectfully submitted.

Delaine Thomson
President GSDC Pacific Northwest
 

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Delaine Thomson
President GSDC Pacific Northwest
 

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