2013 Tennessee Gold Festival??????

[Tn Guy]

so who decided that it should be changed for KIDS DAY to  "Tennessee Gold Festival"

i dont recall any Voting on this at the meetings? or seen where it was brought up here.....

2013 Tennessee Gold Festival sounds like a rip off money maker name...

it has always been KIDS DAY because its for the KIDS, now it sounds like a money making event,

i guess the Kids dont rank high enough to have a day for them....

[Chuck Pharis]

Sorry, you just don't get it. First this is NOT a $$$ making event. Many told us that they did not come the past few years as they did not have any Kids. If you read the posting above, this is open to anyone and everyone.
This is not only for Kids, it is for adults too. I came up with the name as ran it through our chapter Officers and the members at one of our meetings. Everyone thought is was a good idea.
We can't please everyone. The day we stop thinking about our Kids, will be that day our GPAA chapter will close down.
Chuck

[Tn Guy]

well the title "Tennessee Gold Festival"  left the kids out.  but it dont matter what anybody thinks YOU are the King of the chapter 

[Chuck Pharis]

You and everyone know that Kids are always welcome at all of our events!
I will sure (from your suggestion) to add Kids to our flyer and to all tv and newspaper ads.
Chuck (The King)

[jeff howard]

sometimes i think tn guy is really tn gal, you know with all that monthly mood swing. lol

[Tn Guy]

sometimes i think tn guy is really tn gal, you know with all that monthly mood swing. lol

say what you want i dont care,  i get all kinds of PM's and emails from people here  because they know i will post it here. ive heard people say they dont want to post a complaint here because they feel they will get a target on there back by chuck like i do. i dont care if there is something i want to say i say it, alot of the stuff i post here is copied  from emathats where the "King" remark came from they had called him a "dictator wannabe" and i was kinda trying to be nice and just said king LOL. i dont care a bit to have a target on my back if chuck is after me he is leaving other people alone.

[Chuck Pharis]

Please remember, this is a GPAA website. The home GPAA office reads it daily. All we ask is that there is no slander and 4 letter words posted here. Kids read this forum all the time so we need to show some respect for them. There are many forums for non prospecting related comments elswhere. Please take them there.
When comments from anyone are edited or deleted they simply do not belong on this forum.
Live with it!
We reserve the right to edit or delete any rude comments made here. 99% of the forum topics remain as posted. All the chapter officers are notified when comments are deleted.   
The Forum Administrators.

[mikepayne]

Why does Tn Guy hang around here if he does not like things? Come on dude Chuck works hard to make this happen. This may be the best chapter of the gpaa. Allot of people visit this forum. Thanks Chuck

[Chuck Pharis]

Thanks, everyone has their opinion so unless someone posts slander this forum it is open to everyone.
Chuck

[sysbee]

Why does Tn Guy hang around here if he does not like things? Come on dude Chuck works hard to make this happen. This may be the best chapter of the gpaa. Allot of people visit this forum. Thanks Chuck
[/quote

Why does he hang around prob. Cause he was here before most folks were around before the whole gold show yehoos came around. Or maybe that he has been camping at coker creek for many years and when u belong to a club that has certain rules and guidelines to follow and when a member has felt there not being met why not say something. Thats like says ive lived in my house for 8 years and the farm behind me want to sell there land to a group of folks that want to start a racing track should my neighbors and I just move cause we dont like the noise or the fact of screaming cars late at nite???...hmmmm naw...so to ask tnguy to just leave cause he does not like the way some officals have taken care of some issues. He has a opinion and its heard (sometimes a little harsh) and the way things are going were not the ways of the past and if they continue its only goung to get worse

[Chuck Pharis]

Sysbee, Your comment is a perfect reason for new blood in the chapter. So far, not one person has stepped up to run for any of the 4 chapter offices available in our Coker Creek chapter. We ask every year and no one "new" runs for office. We welcome anyone to run for any office if you want change. And I do not mean "Obama change" 
Also a new GPAA chapter can be opened in the state with new Officers or a non GPAA prospecting club could start. It is a free country. Our GPAA chapter has rules we have to follow like it or not. No one forces anyone to join, be a member or to re-new their membership. $79.99 for a new membership through our chapter is a great deal but might not be for everyone.
There are 16 chapters in Calif, 6 in Ariz, and many in other states. We have one large chapter in Tennessee and another one just starting up between Nashvile and Memphis. The GPAA would love to have a new chapter north of Knoxville or somewhere else in TN, GA or NC where the local members can have a choice.
If many have complaints about how our chapter is run, get together and elect new chapter Officers and do something locally to make change. That is why we have the election process.
How many times do we have to BEG for GPAA members to run for their local chapter office??? 

After the June chapter elections we will recommend the following for our monthly meeting (on July 17). Any GPAA member may talk to the group about what improvements could be made. The chapter officers will listen to anyone. Comments, complaints, gripes and any suggestions may be made. The officers will meet as a group after the meeting and talk about everyones issues. If they do not go against the GPAA By Laws and chapter rules we (or our new chapter elected officers) will ask the membership to vote on them. We want all chapter members to be happy and to think that they have a "say" in what happens at our chapter. Complaints are being made on other websites about how our chapter is being run. Why not bring them to our July meeting and let our members and Officers hear them. Here is your chance, take advantage of it! Anyone may addrress the chapter at our July meeting as long as it is not slander or 4 letter words. 

The following comment is made to anyone who is unhappy with how our chapter is currnetly being run:
If you don't show up to our meetings with your comments and complaints, please stop bashing our chapter and some of it's officers. We can't "guess" at what your complaints might be? Come to our meetings, and SPEAK UP! Tell US!
Comments welcome.
Thank you,
Chuck 

[Bones]

Well said Chuck. Don't complain if you don't vote!

[Tn Guy]

Well said Chuck. Don't complain if you don't vote!

ive been to the meetings and nobody wants the position so nobody wants to run so you cant vote if there isnt an opponent.. i am usually at most all the meetings (except last year after i lost dad i missed a few taking care of things here) other than that im there, i dont say much there because all the "sheep" are there and when somebody speaks up they get treated like outcast after that.     

[Chuck Pharis]

I do not remember anyone ever been treated like an "outcast" in the past 3 years at any of the meetings I attended. I must have missed those meetings. We will try again to get comments at our July meeting. I don't know what else we can do but ASK our members to show up and voice their complaints. I know there are some complaints but not one member has ever stepped up to me at a chapter meeting and told me why they are unhappy with how the chapter is being run. We just ask that the comments not be posted on other websites but voiced directly to our chapter Officers at our meetings. How do we know what might be wrong if we don't hear it from our members??  We are not mind readers?
We do not wish to do this at the June Gold Festival because there could be so many non GPAA members and their Familys there and that is not the time for it. This needs to be discussed at a regular GPAA meeting, not a Gold festival, but if anyone wants to talk with our chapter Officers away from the Festival on June 15, we will gladly hear your complaints. Just ask after lunch and we will be "all ears".
Other than begging to hear your issues I don't know what else we can do but our jobs.
We receive so many "thank you's for a job well done" from so many members.
Tell us what we are doing wrong and we will discuss it. By the way, we have had a record number of new members plus renewing members, sign up through our chapter this year. Thank you all for your support.
I am now done talking about this during my vacation in England. 
Chuck
 

[MTaylor]

Treated like an outcast. That would be me. The very first time my wife and I came to a meeting we were not there 10 minutes and heard the state director (at that time) downing and slandering my place of 28 years of employment to another GPAA member. With statements that were not true by the way. My wife and I both asked you personally Chuck about membership information and we were ignored twice. You even acted a little agravated that we asked. There's a couple of other things that occured as well. At the time I shrugged it off because you were in fact very busy and it seemed everyone had a question for you. But the fact is we certainly felt like outcast with our first visit. This is the first time I've logged on in a while so I just now got your private message. I will certainly talk with you on the phone or face to face anytime you want about anything you want to talk about. You have my phone number and email address and you've had it since the second day of the dredging ban. Al has my phone number and email. I've actually talked to Al a couple of times. He didn't say it, and I'm not speaking for him but I think he's even torn by the way things are going. Kinda stuck in the middle.
Your not mind readers but you don't have to be. If people can't read the post and see what the concerns are then they will never see.
Why won't anyone speak their mind? Like Tn Guy said. It's frowned upon! I've got an inbox full of email from folks that are not happy. They don't want to be outed because they feel they will be shunned.
Why doesn't anyone want to run for president?
Wanted: Ship Captain. Must have experience and love the ocean. Must be neat and well mannered. Must be experienced navigator. Send resume to "The Titanic"    It's like giving away a dead horse. It's 16 hands, great bloodline and doesn't eat much but it's still dead. Now I'm logging out and going back to my cave. Please don't draw me back out. By the way Chuck if I were in England on vacation I wouldn't be posting either.

[mikepayne]

I think the reason no one else runs for pres. is because they don't want the hassle. Again good job Chuck you can't please everyone. Anyone got a better plan? Then challenge Chuck. I assure you no one will work for our cause as hard as Chuck will. Those private post you talk about, don't be scared talk your mind. Too bash Chuck for the work he does for our cause is crazy. I will say no more one this thanks Chuck

[hillbillygold]

No resolution will ever satisfy 100%..... but as a group we should work together to move forward. If we tear ourselves apart from the inside it just makes it easier for the ones on the outside to break us down. Dissatisfaction should not be met with repercussion.... but addressed and tried to be resolved for the majority and best interest of the group. I have not been a member long but I have to say I have been treated by all the members that I have got to be around quite well. Not once have I felt unwelcomed or treated badly. In fact I have had a great time at all the meetings and enjoyed myself very much at the April outing. I have learned a lot from everyone that I have had contact with. Not that I would want any of the positions (don't have the time for that sort of commitment) but I do have respect for the ones that are doing what they can for our group and will do anything I can to help move us forward. I am involved in the judicial system with my job so I have access to a lot of legal advice and lots of time for research if that is any help.


 It only takes one vote to win..... if you have the time to commit and think you can handle the job better put your name in there

[Chuck Pharis]

Great comments everyone.
We will move forward as a group in a positive direction 
Out relic hunting again today in England. It can't get any better than this! No rain and boiling hot at 48 degrees! 
Chuck

[MTaylor]

 So if 80% is treated ok then don't address the 20% treated like crap? I say since everyone is so happy we need to call the State and tell them to implement the draft. I'll make the call Monday if you like. By the way, I was in a gym for a little over 8 hours yesterday with some of the top decision makers from TDEC, Forestry, State Parks, TVA and TWRA. (TEMA FEMA Homeland Security and others were there also) and some of you have no clue as far as the who why where and when.

[jeff howard]

blah blah blah. if you don't have the nerve to man up and change thing's, then put a sock in it. chuck, al and the task force are doing all they can at this time. you guy's think pissing everyone off is the way to go but you are mistaken. if you go and stir them up to much they could cut us off at the knees. then you can't go back and try to reason with them because you showed your ass. if your hob knobbin with the decision maker's then show us what your made of and run for office.

[Tn Guy]

if your hob knobbin with the decision maker's then show us what your made of and run for office.

MTaylor already MORE than once OFFERED his help and was shot down and told to "wait and see"  thats gotten us far hasnt it?

[jeff howard]

go ahead and handle things your way. then when all prospecting is banned we can have someone to blame. i won't blame our task force because they are handling things with kid gloves. thats how you handle difficult political situations. i think you drive a truck tn guy, so do i, 27 yrs of putting up with bad attitudes. but i treat my suppliers with respect and guess what? they may not like me but i'm alway's first to be loaded. even if i'm late, they stop loading other trucks and load mine. thats how the task force is handling this situation. our hobby contributes very little money to the twra so we don't have much leverage. so kill 'em with kindness and respect or you can kiss it all good bye. but go ahead, do it your way.

[MTaylor]

Once again we have someone that don't know what they are talking about. TWRA is so far down the food chain its almost funny they are mentioned. But they do put up a good smoke screen. And by the way your not the keeper of the sock. I think I know some folks that are more qualified than you to tell me how to handle political situations.

[jeff howard]

as i said,  MAN UP SIR!

[MTaylor]

If you want to explain exactly what your talking about I'll try to accomodate you. Everything you've posted about in this thread has been hashed out on many different threads on this forum and others. Maybe you should read all of them for further education. Again I would urge you to get familiar with all the issues regarding this so your are not ignorant of the situation. And when you say blah blah blah to my post is that what you were refering to when you said you treat people with respect? Your post, ideas, and assumptions have me a little confused. hob knobbin  really!  You should also edit your post in case some of the kids are reading this. You know, just to show how respectful you are.

[jeff howard]

fair enough. all i'm saying is to stop bashing the people that are trying to work on this matter unless your going to step up and do it yourself. pretty self  say's it all.

[jeff howard]

pretty much says it all, not self.

[Chuck Pharis]

Hmmmm I heard a saying from someone many years ago. "Why can't we all just get along"?
Why don't we all just calm down and get together and get something positive done.
The bickering on this forum is moving many in the wrong direction and away from prospecting. 
No one is stopping anyone else from contacting the state and doing what you believe is the correct thing to improve and get all prospecting back in Tennessee. When we said "wait and see' we were simply waiting for a response from TDEC to our draft counter offer. If anyone has a better idea go for it! All I see is a lot of talk and complaining and little action.
At least the Task Force "did something". When we asked for a general meeting last year and your comments, only 12 prospectors showed up? I wonder how many will show up at our July meeting with your complaints and comments?
 I am going back out relic hunting in England with my head phones on so I can't hear anymore of this.
CP

[sysbee]

You guys think you have it bad I have a house full of young girls over here for a sleep over from my daughters b-day party. But i did get a new toy today put my new sluice in the highbanker to see how it catches gold works rather well!! This guy who makes them is on to something here

[sysbee]

And to be honest and I'm a dredger it has been against the law not just tennessee but any waters in the us since 1972 to use a dredge does not matter what state your in to bring foreign material into the stream is a no no. To move material from the stream through a dredge and place it 5 ft away is a no no. Unless you anyway..No body has stopped dredging in Tennessee they just brought it to the light that it was being done. And just like human nature if you see a problem you nip it in the bud before it has time to grow. And the state does not want to see 50 people in one area every weekend I don't blame them either, when it was a few guys here and there it was over looked very normal now as for me ill be dredging, sluicing, and gold panning as normal under federal and state guidelines of course so lets move on a bit. Going to miss the meeting this month ill do my best to make it in June if chuck has a opponent ill come and watch the election not much on crowds especially when ur talking 125+ people lol. So ill see ya'll in July for sure! For my 2 trip minimum to tellico.

[Chuck Pharis]

sysbee, you (or anyone else) can always take out chapter officers to the side and say anything you want if you do not want to address the group at any meeting.
All it took was a few idiot dredgers to bring all of this to the States attention. It happened last year and now we are in same boat that many other states are in. Also the distress that happened at the Doc Rogers area was photographed by the state and shown to us at a Task Force meeting. We can't hide the stupid things some prospectors do but often we clean up after them. I personally and the GPAA have been blamed for this current issue. I was not in the state when both issues happened but some GPAA members were. We need to self Police our own waterways.
The blame should be over and moving forward should happen now. Yes it is hard to recover but let's all join together and fight for our rights.