The Aurora Barnstormers R/C Club

July 2009 - Aurora Barnstormers RC Club State of the Union

This year we have had changes with the Aurora Barnstormers RC club. We have transitioned from the Fox Valley Park District to the Kane County Forest Preserve District. The actual change in sponsorship from the Fox Valley Park District happened over two years ago, about the time we had to start paying for the room at the Prisco Center. We were not ever officially told of the changes however earlier this year during conversations with both organizations it was confirmed that the change was made. Each organization blamed the other for initiating the change and no clear explanation was given for the change. Reading between the lines, I believe the Fox Valley Park District does not want to be a sponsor of clubs of any kind and because we were on Forest Preserve land it was easy to move us to the county.

Keep in mind, in the beginning, the Fox Valley Park District had a hand shake agreement with the Kane County Forest Preserve District to allow the Aurora Barnstormers RC club to have our flying field. This was 20+ years ago and the hand shake was never any more official then that. The Kane County Forest Preserve District was in its infancy and the Fox Valley Park District was also a small entity and in its infancy also. Things were done with a hand shake. Several of our founding members were friends with the management of the park district and the hand shake deal was good enough to allow us the have our field. Over the years both organizations got bigger and bigger, which meant more rules and lawyers and more complexity. Both the Fox Valley Park District and the Kane County Forest Preserve District are big business today, overseeing millions of dollars of property. When the Barnstormers are compared to soccer or dog people or baseball or equestrian or for that mater almost any other activity we are insignificant, we are far down on the list of important concerns of the Kane County Forest Preserve District.

This year we have had the wettest spring on record and the wetness has continued well into summer. We had water in the pits and part of the field, which has occurred in the past and will probably occur again in the future. The water may seem worse than in past years because the field next to us was changed from farming to wet land. This happened 3-4 years ago and has standing water all year, but even when the field was farmed we had wet conditions from time to time.

Several years ago when we first thought we might be pushed off on to the Kane County Forest Preserve District, the then president and I met with the forest preserve people. The Kane County Forest Preserve District told us it does not have their “Comprehensive Master Plan” complete yet so for now “we are safe” right where we are. That statement has come from them every year since; it’s not a good answer, but it is all we can have. There was a brief discussion several years ago, by one of there planners, regarding our thoughts on moving the field to the west. Our official position was we probably would not object, but we would need details before we could even comment. Since then there has been no discussion about moving. They put a trail across the area that was discussed so moving the field west might be much more difficult. If we were asked to move anywhere we would lose one flying season and most if not all of our bank account to the reconstruction of a field.

Our total annual income is between $1500 on the low end to $3000 on the high end, (25 members@ $60 to 50 members@ $60). This is based on the last 10 or so years. It is obvious that kind of money will NOT buy much of the moving and reconstruction costs. Remember we pay around $2000 a year for mowing the grass, depending on the weather and number of cuttings. When we are down on members (like this year) we barely have enough money to pay for the mowing and have to go into our reserve from past years when we had more members.

So what is our future? We need to keep a low profile, DON’T do anything that would bring adverse attention to the Barnstormers, continue to allow the board of directors to have conversations with the Kane County Forest Preserve District regarding our future, deal with the unusually wet field, don’t rock the boat and have us all fall out. A VERY IMPORTANT thing to remember about the Kane County Forest Preserve District is the reason for their being: “they are to purchase land, return it to its natural state and to preserve it forever”. Anything else is of NO importance (which includes RC flying). In recent years pressure from the public has changed that line of thinking very little but there have been some moves toward recreation to placate the public pressure.

One last item, we have received some complaints from a small number of members regarding the field conditions, the members that complained did not show up for the work party we had a week or so ago to the spread the gravel on the road, and I doubt to more then one meeting a year. We must ALL remember paying $60 dues does not give any member the right to demand anything from the club it allows the member to fly at our field under the conditions we have. No more no less. Members can’t demand changes or tell us that we (the board) should do this or why don’t we do that. The $60 dues does however give the members the right to come to meetings and be heard, to come out and work at the field for the betterment of all, to fly, and to follow the rules the membership has set down. Sending email complaining is unacceptable, only being at a meeting and voicing ones opinion, and making a motion, is acceptable.

Our recent Fun Fly was spoiled because of the high wind. Even with that, there was a good turn out and the field was absolutely beautiful. The trimming was done and the road was very nice with its new coat of gravel. The grass was mowed very short, including the parking and pits. All in all, the field was as good as it has ever been, we should be very happy with what we have.