Croton Society Update

Croton Bitch

Member
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30/06/09
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21
I have no desire to entertain all of the talk and opinions that I have just read on the forum.

As the past secretary and treasurer of the Croton Society Inc., all of the paperwork has been put into motion and the Croton Society Inc. no longer exists. After several folks thought they would step up to the plate (and Brenda you were one of them), they changed their minds. The forum is not the Society and we have gotten positive emails back from the membership supporting our decision to dissolve.

At this time, you can start up a Croton Club for the forum, but remember that 95% of the current (Society) members do not frequent the forum. We will still support you in your new endeavors.

As far as the funds remaining, we will be putting out a final newsletter and calendar as previously relayed to the membership. We will also refund monies to those new members who have only been with the society for the past 6 months, as well as members who paid dues in advance. The remaining money will be distributed as a donation to selected Botanical Gardens.

If you need any additional clarification, you can always call me at 813-968-9689 after 10AM.
Connie
 
Since I was called out specifically, I'd like to clarify. I didn't change my mind. I agreed to serve on the board as the forum mod after Rick Leitner expressed interest in the presidency. Once he opted out, that was that.
I don't intend to start a new croton group. My last ditch offer was to keep the society afloat while we worked through this rough patch. Seems pointless to start a new group after the dissolving of the society.
I will just continue supporting this forum (whatever Dean chooses to call it now :rolleyes:)
 
Since I was called out specifically, I'd like to clarify. I didn't change my mind. I agreed to serve on the board as the forum mod after Rick Leitner expressed interest in the presidency. Once he opted out, that was that.
I don't intend to start a new croton group. My last ditch offer was to keep the society afloat while we worked through this rough patch. Seems pointless to start a new group after the dissolving of the society.
I will just continue supporting this forum (whatever Dean chooses to call it now :rolleyes:)

Well,

The forum/wiki will remain as always - as a place for plant people, societies, nurseries, etc. to use as they wish. The Croton section was originally set up at the request of TikiRick with the blessings of Lee, and attempted to support the Croton Society in any way they requested.

If/when the Croton Society is officially disbanded, then I assume the forum section will need to be renamed, and the Wiki pages referring to the Croton Society will need to be deleted/changed. And without anyone to provide direction, I guess those decisions will fall on me.

However, I would prefer to have a person, or committee, to provide some direction or feedback, since I am not as big a CrotonHead as most here, and also far removed geographically from "ground zero." So, I would propose trying to keep some loosely held together group - whatever that would look like. Perhaps just 3 or 5 people, with no titles - just an odd number of people that could vote on any direction that the Croton presence here might take. And through time, with the possibility of more participating, perhaps it could rise again as some "official" organization of some kind. But until then, it might be nice to have something, even if just a name, and 3 "Directors" with very little to actually do.
 
It seems like this forum is where all the active Croton Heads are so if there are specific questions and no Officers or Board of Directors, why not just run a poll to answer a question? Want a new name? Run a thread and ask for suggestions then a poll thread to vote on it. Want to have a sale or CRA? run a poll and vote. Everything would be in the open, people could participate in poll votes as much or as little as they want and Dean could rely on a poll vote if he has a question on how to handle a certain defugalty or conundrum.
 
I would like to suggest a name "THE INTERNATIONAL CROTON FORUM" or "THE INTERNATIONAL CROTON CLUB FORUM." CROTON FORUM for short. In other words, change Society to Forum. We can't use Inc. because at this time it is not incorporated.
 
This whole unfortunate situation is sad. As one, I don't have all the answers and just as guilty as everyone else for not maybe contributing more.

Jerry,
I wish things you have suggested could be so easy. But, with the same 8-10 people that are on this forum and the lack of input from the hundreds of others, were talking a tiny, tiny group to come up with decissions, offer ideas and direct any "group". And, in my eyes, that's really sad.

Next weekend, there will be several croton enthusiast that will come to my sale and this subject is bound to come up and be the center of conversation and maybe, some new ideas will hatch from it. I don't know. Garden tours are still bound to come together, food logistics can be a simple matter and croton plants will somehow, someway still get into the hands of others. So, we'll see.....

And to Lee, Connie and Ray, thank-you for all you have done over the years. Sincerly.
Jeff
 
It seems like this forum is where all the active Croton Heads are so if there are specific questions and no Officers or Board of Directors, why not just run a poll to answer a question? Want a new name? Run a thread and ask for suggestions then a poll thread to vote on it. Want to have a sale or CRA? run a poll and vote. Everything would be in the open, people could participate in poll votes as much or as little as they want and Dean could rely on a poll vote if he has a question on how to handle a certain defugalty or conundrum.
Sort of what I had in mind. But in that case, it is still up to me to decide on what or if, and the wording or options, in a poll. And people that have no interests in crotons would be able to vote. IMO, a loose 'band of three/five' to cast a vote for the very few issues that are likely to arise, may be "cleaner." And they could always vote to bump any issue to a larger poll or open discussion if desired.

And it of course it would be nice to mass mail the present membership with an invitation and welcome to check what you all having going on here.
 
Stay away from the use of Club, as it is used on the other Crotom forum if it is still around. Maybe on the order of "The Croton Social Group".
 
Jeff,
Society membership lists were posted. I am replying because you used the word 'hundreds' and well, that's not the case.
I want to post some interesting stats. At last published count, there were 101 members. I recognized 21 society member names on the list that I have known to have posted on this site. There certainly are more as I am a newbie and many view and never post.
101 former members **former used as the society is dissolved now
5 former members outside the US
7 former members residing in a state outside FL
89 former members inside FL
Only 26 of 101 former members overall did not publish an email address , meaning if members had known about this site via emails, or in newsletters, we'd be better off today. I don't know about everyone else, but if I publish my email address, I am welcoming email/online activity that I am active in. No one was informed. As Dean stated, this site was officially sanctioned but not advertised.
I've always thought of us as International but based on the stats, the society in its former state was not that. That needs to change IMO. The web is the only way to reach out. This forum is helping break that barrier.
Just a little food for thought...broken down in numbers.

Scott,
Good call on the club. You know what, why the heck not keep it a society? Call it Online Croton Society! OCS
 
I think Online Croton Society is great - says it all. Or we can put a few suggested names up for a vote.

I am willing to make the Croton Encyclopedia the Online Croton Society Encyclopedia, along with any other articles, etc. that are on the wiki. In other words, a dedicated section as there is now for the Croton Society - I could just change the name and tweak the info and mission around. And IMO, it would be nice to have an unofficial free membership to the OCS as a way to get in touch via email to those primarily interested in any croton information that may be forthcoming from what ever happens. And if anyone gets ambitious, a simple quarterly newsletter just to keep some semblance of an organization, could be published in the dedicated wiki section as well.
 
You're right. I don't think using Croton Society within the name should be an infringement upon an about to be disbanded and defunct Croton Society, Inc. I hope that it won't cause any hard feelings, particularly since it seems most of the contributors to the forum are members of The Croton Society Inc. as well.

I like the name Online Croton Society very much. It is short and sweet and to the point. However, I will probably continue to refer to it as The Croton Forum.
 
I will hope that in the final Croton Society newsletter that is to be mailed soon this forum will be advertised. One of the goals of the society was to keep the rare plants from being lost forever. If that goal is to hold true this forum must be acknowledged in that final letter.
 
You're right. I don't think using Croton Society within the name should be an infringement upon an about to be disbanded and defunct Croton Society, Inc. I hope that it won't cause any hard feelings, particularly since it seems most of the contributors to the forum are members of The Croton Society Inc. as well.

I like the name Online Croton Society very much. It is short and sweet and to the point. However, I will probably continue to refer to it as The Croton Forum.
I would suggest that a forum is just a part of any Society. A Society can have a forum, a newsletter, an online resource like the Croton Encyclopedia, a yearly meeting, etc. In other words, I would hope the new "whatever it turns out to be," ends up more than just the forum.

I would further suggest that it may be proper to check and see if there is any problem with using that name. Even though I don't see anyone having a monopoly on the term "Society," I certainly think any measures should be taken to avoid any "hard feelings" if that is an issue. I have been removed from any of the discussions and decisions, so I was unaware of any. Having any lingering disputes certainly wouldn't help the cause.
 
I would suggest that a forum is just a part of any Society. A Society can have a forum, a newsletter, an online resource like the Croton Encyclopedia, a yearly meeting, etc. In other words, I would hope the new "whatever it turns out to be," ends up more than just the forum.

I would further suggest that it may be proper to check and see if there is any problem with using that name. Even though I don't see anyone having a monopoly on the term "Society," I certainly think any measures should be taken to avoid any "hard feelings" if that is an issue. I have been removed from any of the discussions and decisions, so I was unaware of any. Having any lingering disputes certainly wouldn't help the cause.

Dean....your first paragraph has great merit and strength. The more avenues and commutication, the better. AND, that's if, and when there's ever a Croton Society in the future.
 
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