Fw: [Philmontmobileradioclub] Fw: A fairwell to Atlantic division members - it has been an honor to serve

[campbell john]

fyi below re friend of the Club and the community K3RF. - John W3MHZ

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From: Mark WA3QVU via groups.io <mrhinkel=veriz...@groups.io>

To: Main <ma...@philmontmobileradioclub.groups.io>; K3pdr <k3...@groups.io>

Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 09:00:23 PM EST

Subject: [Philmontmobileradioclub] Fw: A fairwell to Atlantic division members - it has been an honor to serve

Also post on Ria Jairam's FB page...

Sent from AOL on Android

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From: "ARRL Members Only Web site" <membe...@arrl.org>

To: "mrhi...@verizon.net" <mrhi...@verizon.net>

Cc:

Sent: Tue, Jan 27, 2026 at 5:08 PM

Subject: A fairwell to Atlantic division members - it has been an honor to serve

After serving for some 10 years or so after first being elected as your
Vice Director, I am disappointed to report that as of 5 PM today, I have
been informed that I will be declared ineligible to continue to hold
office as your Atlantic division director under the new massive ethics
bylaw voted into being last July by a vote of 10 to 5 directors on our
ARRL board. I wish to make clear I am not resigning, I am being removed
without my consent by the application of the new code of conduct rules
passed in July of 2025.

This should come as no surprise to members following the ongoing
struggle within our Board to impose compliance with the majority’s
sense of what ethical responsibilities each member of the board must
exhibit. By passage of the new bylaws, the rules now limit or prohibit
a director’s ability to advise his division of matter involving
important board decisions without advance permission. Per these rules
it now appears that anything of any importance is to be for the
boards’ eyes only. Our league is not in competition with other
businesses - we have traditionally been supportive of all other amateur
radio endeavors. That history has evolved now.

Over the last several years, League followers have seen the struggle of
what members have labeled as the transparency party verses the
confidentiality party as a shorthand for the governance divide which has
plagued the ARRL.

The majority of our Directors, sometimes referred to as the Shadow
Board by commentators and League followers, has decided that the
governance of our League is not something the members need to concern
themselves with. Our League was founded as a representative democracy
- which until recently was clearly stated on the League’s website -
wherein the members of a given division elect those directors to
represent their interest primarily in our membership based non-profit
institution.

Our League members’ values should be paramount. Elected directors’
primary duty is to the members. Directors obligation to the members
never has been and cannot be inconsistent to their statutory duty to
members. Unfortunately, now the majority of the board’s directors have
chosen to prioritize a director’s obligation to a corporate entity in
degradation of a director's obligations to the League’s members.

Before the vote to enact a sweeping, ambiguous ethics code
incorporating over 100 pages of requirements by reference, I was
provided with only 12 minutes to question our corporate lawyer on what I
was told was her approval of and assistance in drafting the changes.
That turned out be misinformation according to answers she provided me.
The lawyer admitted she was not asked to opine on the legality of the
new bylaws, but only whether it was legal to pass the bylaws. While it
was permissible to pass the new bylaws, they are still contrary to the
state statutes defining a director cannot be removed except by the
members of his division.

I was also pleasantly surprised when the corporate lawyer admitted that
a director’s duty was, at least, 50% owed to the best interest of the
members, not 100% to the corporation as argued by the appointed ethics
rules committee of directors orchestrating the officious intermeddling
resulting in the new Bylaw 18 and Bylaw(s) 42/46.

The sweeping changes created by the passage of the new bylaws permits
these bylaws to be weaponize to remove directors who are in the minority
on any issue. You will notice that most directors voting, when role
call voting is allowed, is typically a 10 to 5 majority vote in favor of
restricting information from members as confidential unless released in
writing by the President or CEO. Confidentiality is sometimes
necessary, but usually most thing which ARRL does is not. Absent special
circumstances, basic information and policy decision details and plans
for the future should be available to our members. Of, by and for the
radio amateur was founder Maxim’s motto.

Based upon the promises and obligations I have made to you, I regret I
cannot in good conscience sign the new director’s oath of
confidentiality that is now demanded by the new bylaws. My
interpretation of the new rules and required confidentiality agreement
and that of other lawyers I have consulted, contradicts with my
obligations under Connecticut law to you. I recommend members read the
entirety of the different, contradictory promises a director must agree
to and decide for yourself whether they are in the best interest of
members.

For a comprehensive and scholarly legal analysis of these
issues, search for the white paper reviews drafted by a past director
and a past chairman of the Ethics and Election Committee, attorney Fred
Hopengarten, K1VR. They had been circulated widely. They point out the
absurdity of the new rules. Other nationally recognized non-profit
lawyers who are League members agree as well.

Our past 1st Vice President, also an attorney, Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF,
drafted an eloquent critic of the downward turn in League politics as
his final report to the board January 2024. Mike’s report is worth
reading and foretells of the issues we face now. It is not available at
our League website but also made it out into the wild.

I regret that I cannot execute a statement which I know to be
ill-advised, violative of my obligations to you and contrary to my
duties under the applicable law governing a membership based
corporation.

I urge you to support our Vice Director Marty Newingham AG3I who likely
will assume the position of Director now. He has my confidence and I
know he has your best interest in mind. It has been a true honor to
represent you all as your Atlantic division director. I continue my
support of Amateur Radio- always.

73, and I will see you on the radio.

Bob Famiglio, K3RF

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ARRL Atlantic Division
Director: Robert B Famiglio, K3RF
k3...@arrl.org
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[Dennis DeMarco]

The League has been out of control for years. There’s so much secrecy among the Board members on how the club is run. That’s why their membership is falling. I was a member for years, but never again.

Dennis KA3QOT

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