Have you seen the interactive club map on the FMDAC website?

[OutBack Duo]

The FMDAC has a new interactive club map to show where clubs are located around the country, it is pretty cool. It would be great if we could get all clubs listed on it so if someone wanted to join a club they would know where their nearest metal detecting club is. Check it out at http://www.fmdac.org/map/default.html

click on a marker to get the clubs information.

 

[bazinga]

All clubs will never be listed on it. Your club has to be an FMDAC member to be listed there. And a good number of clubs have no desire to pay money to the FMDAC to get basically nothing in return.

 

[OutBack Duo]

All clubs will never be listed on it. Your club has to be an FMDAC member to be listed there. And a good number of clubs have no desire to pay money to the FMDAC to get basically nothing in return.

don't they hold conventions/hunts and fight negative legislation? If nothing else it would help to grow the hobby and have a resource for new detectorists.

 

[bazinga]

All clubs will never be listed on it. Your club has to be an FMDAC member to be listed there. And a good number of clubs have no desire to pay money to the FMDAC to get basically nothing in return.

don't they hold conventions/hunts and fight negative legislation? If nothing else it would help to grow the hobby and have a resource for new detectorists.

They charge $5 per member of each club. As for conventions/hunts, they still charge you when you go to them. So it's pretty useless for us. I don't see anybody for our club heading out to New York for a convention/hunt when we have a 7day hunt held by another club just a couple hours to our south.

As for the fighting negative legislation, I can understand that. But our club doesn't have the resources to be paying $5 per member, and I bet a number of other clubs see it that way as well.

 

[OutBack Duo]

I think clubs could find a couple members to pay their $5 just so they can be listed on the map. There isn't a minimum amount of members to register a club is there? I think the map is a great idea for individuals that are new to detecting that want to join a club but don't know where there is one. It is also good publicity for the club and could bring new members to them.

 

[bazinga]

I think clubs could find a couple members to pay their $5 just so they can be listed on the map. There isn't a minimum amount of members to register a club is there? I think the map is a great idea for individuals that are new to detecting that want to join a club but don't know where there is one. It is also good publicity for the club and could bring new members to them.

The club has to pay $5 per member every year. It's not just $5 per club. If a club has 50 members, then the club needs to pay $250 per year.

If people in our area want to find our club, they just need to enter our city name and metal detecting club into any search engine. We are in the top 2 results on most search engines.

Most people that are into detecting casually have never even heard of the FMDAC.

 

[OutBack Duo]

I think if a club has 5 or 6 members that want to join the fmdac then the club is listed. I know in my club not everyone opts to be in the fmdac but the ones that do pay their $5 and the club sends in their information. That way the club gets listed on the map and only the members that want to be FMDAC members have to pay.

 

[bazinga]

I think if a club has 5 or 6 members that want to join the fmdac then the club is listed. I know in my club not everyone opts to be in the fmdac but the ones that do pay their $5 and the club sends in their information. That way the club gets listed on the map and only the members that want to be FMDAC members have to pay.

Well your club is doing it wrong. For the CLUB to be a member, they must pay the $5 for EVERY member in the club.

 

[OutBack Duo]

Well regardless how it all works, I am a member of the FMDAC and so is more than half of the club that I belong to. I think the FMDAC is good for the hobby, clubs and individuals who are interested in Metal Detecting.

 

[Mark S.]

Every member does not have to pay. There is a minimum of 5 membes to be listed as a member club.

As for not having the resources I don't follow that. Most clubs add $5 to the dues for those who want to be FMDAC members.
If $5 is the problem then I don't know what to say. The old whats in it for me and my big investment of $5! Many people pay $5 each for a fancy coffee drink several times each week. This is 5 whole bucks for a full year.

As for the convention/hunts. It seems to be standard with clubs that if a member wants to take part in the clubs hunt that they pay an entry fee.

Sorry. I don't follow your logic at all.

 

[bazinga]

Many people pay $5 each for a fancy coffee drink several times each week.

Sorry. I don't follow your logic at all.

 

[bazinga]

Every member does not have to pay. There is a minimum of 5 membes to be listed as a member club.

As for not having the resources I don't follow that. Most clubs add $5 to the dues for those who want to be FMDAC members.
If $5 is the problem then I don't know what to say. The old whats in it for me and my big investment of $5! Many people pay $5 each for a fancy coffee drink several times each week. This is 5 whole bucks for a full year.

As for the convention/hunts. It seems to be standard with clubs that if a member wants to take part in the clubs hunt that they pay an entry fee.

Sorry. I don't follow your logic at all.

Yes, your club needs a minimum of 5 members to be a MEMBER CLUB. That does not mean that if you have 50 members, you pay for 5 of them and you are an FMDAC member club. If I am wrong, please show me in the bylaws where I am incorrect.

Our club sees zero benefit in it. We do not want to ask our members for more money to pay dues to something that we would never use.

Yes, I am fully aware that if somebody wants to take part in a clubs hunt that they would have to pay an entry fee. I don't know where I said that they didn't. I simply stated that if any of our members wanted to go to one of these large treasure hunts, there is a seven day one just two hours south of us.

 

[OutBack Duo]

Metal Detector Dealers are not being added to this map, another greate idea!

 

[Nugget Hunter Smith]

Please read the By Laws again! Only 5 of the clubs members have to sign up for the club to be a FMDAC Club.
For that $5 per person the club receives 8 newsletter plus "Alerts" to issues that concern the metal detecting community.
Your club may be ok for now but what happens when your city, county or State wants to ban metal detecting? Can your membership put up a effective fight to stop it. If your club was a FMDAC Club then you would have thousands of voices in opposion to your ban and that makes a difference. The FMDAC, with the help of other groups, has stopped several bans in the past couple of years. They (FMDAC Members) have gotten parks reopened and have worked against/for some other legisalation that effects the metal detecting community.
$5 is nothing! How much change did you pick up in the park this week?

 

[bazinga]

Please read the By Laws again! Only 5 of the clubs members have to sign up for the club to be a FMDAC Club.
For that $5 per person the club receives 8 newsletter plus "Alerts" to issues that concern the metal detecting community.
Your club may be ok for now but what happens when your city, county or State wants to ban metal detecting? Can your membership put up a effective fight to stop it. If your club was a FMDAC Club then you would have thousands of voices in opposion to your ban and that makes a difference. The FMDAC, with the help of other groups, has stopped several bans in the past couple of years. They (FMDAC Members) have gotten parks reopened and have worked against/for some other legisalation that effects the metal detecting community.
$5 is nothing! How much change did you pick up in the park this week?

What parks have they gotten reopened? What kind of success have they had in cities such as Louisville?

I have found $0.00 in parks this week.

Please show me in the bylaws where it states ONLY 5 club members. You can say it all you want, but that doesn't make it true. Please show me the EXACT wording.

 

[Shambler]

Have to agree with Bazinga on this one. The fee structure is $10 for individuals not associated with a club and $5 if they are associated with a club where at least 5 members have contributed.

If what you're saying is correct, then why don't they just charge $25 for clubs? I could then spread it out amongst 25 members and it would be an easier sell.

I'm not aware of any legislation that was rescinded after passage, but I would certainly like some examples. It would change my opinion on the usefulness of being a paid member. For the most part the FMDAC brings non-constituents to the table for "pending" legislative votes. My politicians couldn't care less what someone thinks in some other state. For that reason, I think the best way to fight legislation is to do it within the city, county, or state where it's happening.

There are a number of ways to find middle-ground with the archies or parks people if you can smile at them when you're explaining it - it seems like the FMDAC fights a losing battle of all or nothing from afar.

 

[Nugget Hunter Smith]

"Have to agree with Bazinga on this one. The fee structure is $10 for individuals not associated with a club and $5 if they are associated with a club where at least 5 members have contributed."

You are correct an Independent Membership is $10 per year for someone not in a FMDAC associated club. You are also correct that the fee is $5 for a FMDAC Membership through a associated club, with a minimum of 5 members signing up to the FMDAC. As a former FMDAC Board Member (8 years (3 years as SW Chapter VP, 5 years as SW Chapter President)), I can state this as fact!

They would like all people who detects to sign up as members but some people are just to cheap to spend $5 for the help and advise the FMDAC provides, plus the promotion of your club and its events. Help with legal issues, if they arise, for your club and the members that signed up. If you are a member of a FMDAC club but did not see to pay the $5 fee because your to cheap to support YOUR HOBBY and you get into trouble with the law, your on your own. If you violate the law, your on your own, but if you did nothing wrong and you are a FMDAC member through your club or an Independent, the FMDAC would help in your defense.
5 people times $5 is $25 correct. Mailing out 8 newsletters (4 Chapter, 4 National plus membership cards) each year eats that money up real quick. What do you want for $5?

The FMDAC helped the MWAS club (Olathe, KS) in Overland Park, KS get a metal detecting ban removed and a permit system installed. Started working on the OP City in the summer of 2008 and permit system took effect in January 2009. The permit is free and good for 5 years. I personally drove that success story from the FMDAC side but with a lot of help from the local clubs members. Local MWAS Members attended 2 or 3 City Council meetings to help resolve this issue.
NYC banned metal detecting in 2008 in 2 parks that were previously open. The FMDAC was asked by the NY/NJ Task Force (metal detecting group) to help get these parks back open. We (FMDAC Members) started emailing and phoning the City Parks & Rec Dept and forced a meeting with the City and the NY/NJ Task Force. They backed off and reopened the parks to 2 days a week. This was a small victory and we are still working to get them opened for more days.
Through the efforts of the FMDAC members and others in the metal detecting community, we flooded the Clay County, FL Councilmans offices with emails and stopped a ban from being enacted in 2009. They stated at the end of the council meeting that they did not realize there was so many people that metal detected and to please stop emailing them.
Just a few examples of what people can do if alerted, determined and united.

Yes it is best that these issues are handled at the local level but when they (government officals) do not listen would it not be nice to be able to have thousands come to your aid from around the country. That is what the Federation is about, numbers, and the more numbers (members) we can throw at the officals the better. Is $5 or $10 really that much?

This organization has been around for 25 years and has had its ups and downs but it is still needed to unite us that love OUR HOBBY.

 

[OutBack Duo]

Very Well Said Nugget Hunter Smith!

 

[Shambler]

If you are a member of a FMDAC club but did not see to pay the $5 fee because your to cheap to support YOUR HOBBY and you get into trouble with the law, your on your own.

This is part of my problem with the organization. I have seen little from it that is presented in a professional manner worthy of legislative or judiciary intervention. You're the SW chapter president, and should I be a member, I would likely hold an expectation that where the hobby is concerned you acted with a high level of professionalism and with the utmost attention to detail. Is that what is delivered?

Having the FMDAC provide me personal legal counsel would be worth much more than $5 or $10, but if that counsel is to tell me to go hire a lawyer and send me outdated copies of the law, then I'm not interested. Have you ever heard of that happening?

I know for a fact state paid archaeologists and legislators read these forums on occasion and pass links to each other complaining about our gathering of historically significant artifacts. That unfortunately makes the "finds" sections of all forums fodder for laws that hurt the hobby. Why has the FMDAC not taken up that cause? Or, since many folks believe it's the "digging" that gets the hobby banned, what has the FMDAC done to ensure it's members use proper etiquette and technique? Do you have videos that members could watch?

I'm sorry, but it could be $.15 a member, and I still wouldn't see the value. I'm sure we can agree to disagree; right? Or am I still just a cheap skate that doesn't support my hobby?

 

[Nugget Hunter Smith]

"This is part of my problem with the organization." quote from Shambler.

Why would an organization come to your help if you are not a member? Will the NRA if your not a member?
When I was the SW Chapter President, I would say yes, I provided a high level of professionalism to my Chapter members. You can check with the Chapter members if you would like. I can not speak for the other Chapter Presidents, as we are/were all volunteers and the level of professionalism differed.

Are you a member of a club? Have you ever served as a club officer? It is not easy and you get very few thanks but it is a job that needs to be done.

They do not provide legal council (lawyers are way to expensive for an organization of a few thousand) but advise and support. They many provide some financial support depending on the situation.
I have not heard of them providing outdated laws in the past 8 years as an Officer. Can you tell me of a situation that you are referring to?

Why haven't they taken on the government on these issues? Because there is not enough people in the FMDAC to take on such large jobs. But with you and others joining they could.
They have helped in some issues like what I talked about in a previous post but they need more members (once again numbers and support from those numbers) to take on the big issues. It cost thousands or tens of thousands of dollars per month to hire lawyers and lobbyist, do you have a few to throw their way? Do you think that Overland Park, NYC or Clay County would have been stopped or changed without this organization?

Yes they do have information on proper digging techniques and videos that the clubs and Independents can borrow for meetings/viewings. You can be provided information but it is up to the individual to use that information. The manufacturers and magazines have provided proper digging techniques also. There are also videos on the internet for teaching purposes.

We can always agree to disagree but if you want to continue to enjoy the hobby we need to be united and the FMDAC does that on a national level like no other organization.
Is $5 or $10 to much for what they do provide? I myself thinks it is a great bargain.