The STAA WEB site is now running.
It needs more content and more information about the STAA and each of the member associations. That includes us, the SATCS. Our committee will need to draft a suitable “about us” section for the national site.
STAA WEB Site
Positions Vacant
The STAA is seeking a new editor for The Exchange. If you would like to take on this role, contact a committee member. Contact details are listed on the Contact page of this WEB site.
The SATCS is seeking an STAA representative to help our President on the national committee. The job is not arduous but is important role in the ongoing development of the telephone collecting community. Contact George - his details are listed on the Contact page of this WEB site.
STAA Progress
Feedback From The Committee
As members of the STAA committee, George Psorakis (President) and Jack O’Brien (Editor) both represent the SATCS and report back on the progress of committee meetings. To that end, here is a summary of recent discussions.
Mission Statement (Aim)
A draft mission statement has been proposed:
The Aim of the STAA is to support its member associations by providing infrastructure, resources and services so that they may fulfil their own stated aims and to promote communications between its members so that a knowledge of the history of telecommunications and sound reaches the widest possible audience.
Structure of the STAA
The STAA is to be a federal association (a registered Australian body) whose members are the existing telephone clubs. The STAA does not have individual members.
Membership Fees
Each club retains its own members and a fee per member is paid to the STAA to cover services provided such as the Journal and insurance. As was stated in the last edition of The Exchange, a two tiered fee structure will be available - one that includes a printed copy of The Exchange and one that includes an electronic copy. The “electronic membership” will be cheaper because there is no printing or postage cost.
Constitution
A draft constitution has been produced and approved by the STAA committee. It has now been made available to the general membership for review and comment. If you have not already done so, please read it and voice any concerns you have.
The draft constitution is based on a South Australian template but, as discussed during STAA committee meetings, the association can be registered in any state and thereafter become a Registered Australian Body under ASIC jurisdiction. This is the path we are taking to become a national body.
The draft constitution can be downloaded here. You will need to enter the STAA member only section user name and password.
Once everyone is happy with the constitution, formal registration of the STAA will begin.
To Come
There is plenty to do yet but one significant issue is membership recruitment. There is a lot of talk about aging members and the demise of telephone collecting but in my view such talk is a self fulfilling prophecy. There are telephone collectors on Facebook and other social media platforms - we need to reach out and accept that some of them collect iPhones.