On January first, I began serving as your Dakota Division Director.  I want to thank Kent Olson KA0LDG for the serving as our Division Director, Vice Director and North Dakota Section Manager.  He has been a great role model for me as I learned the ropes as your 2016-2017 Vice Director. The past eleven days have gone by quickly as 2018 Vice Director Lynn Nelson and me prepare for next week’s ARRL Board of Directors meeting in Connecticut.  I have completed my review of the motions being proposed to date, which have been posted to the Division web site so you can form your own opinions.
The first motion is submitted by Central Division Director Carlson.  He is proposing changes to the Code of Conduct that make it clear that a director can share their public vote and share their opinions with members.  Left intact is the original author’s spirit that board members must at all times always act with dignity and integrity, both inside and outside of Board meetings, reflecting the ARRL’s high standards for ethical behavior and professionalism.  I support the motion because I hope the updated language will clarify what the document is and is not.  I signed the board's code of conduct and have no problem following it.  I feel I can freely share my opinions with my fellow directors and have my opinion heard at board meeting proceedings.  Once the vote has been tallied, it is my obligation, in a public setting, to present the board's decision, not my own.  The board and all the ARRL staff and volunteers need to present a unified voice when we speak in public or with government officials.  Once the ARRL Board of Directors establishes a formal position on a topic, the failure to proceed forward with that unified public opinion is a disservice to the members and a detriment to the hobby.
The next set of motions are from the Executive Committee.  Delta Division Director Norris (and the entire committee) put forth significant time to assemble these proposed changes to the Articles of Association and Bylaws.  I support all the changes proposed except for EC-6 and EC-12.  I am working with the authors to understand the full meaning of the proposed changes before I put my support behind EC-6 and EC-12.  As you review the documents and formulate your own options, I encourage Dakota Division members to submit their feedback to me.
Hudson Division Director Lisenco has submitted a series of motions for discussion.  I agree with motion #5 yet disagree with other motions to give board officers (President, Vice Presidents and Treasurer) voting privilege equivalent to a director.  I am open to hearing Dakota Division member feedback on Director Lisenco’s motions.
I was not a participant in the censure of Dick Norton.  Vice Directors did not participate in the discussion nor have a vote.  I hope the 2017 board has put the matter to rest and the 2018 board will focus on how do we get more people into the hobby, increase league membership and strengthen our relationships with the FCC, ITU, local public safety officers, and non-governmental agencies like the Red Cross.
I do not expect unanimous consent on all motions being proposed.  However, I do expect that we will treat each other with respect, have honest discussions and achieve consensus on matters that will benefit ARRL members, the amateur radio community (home and abroad) and the hobby we all enjoy.
Thank you for the choosing me as your representative for the Dakota Division for the ARRL Board of Directors.  I look forward to the opportunity to serve you.
73 Happy New Year,
Matt Holden K0BBC
Director, Dakota Division
Important Links:

Board meeting agenda and motions, Hamfest calendar, division leadership contact information http://www.arrldakota.org/documents.html
ARRL By-Laws http://www.arrl.org/arrl-by-laws
ARRL Articles of Association http://www.arrl.org/arrl-articles-of-association
​

The votes are in, and the ballots have been tallied at ARRL
Headquarters in contested Director and Vice Director elections.

In a two-way race to fill the Dakota Division Director's chair being
vacated by Kent Olson, KA0LDG, the Division's members have elected
Matt Holden, K0BBC, of Bloomington, Minnesota. Holden, the current
Vice Director, received 698 votes, while Dean Summers, N0ND, of
Dickinson, North Dakota, got 345 votes. Holden had been appointed as
Vice Director in February 2016 after former Director Greg Widin,
K0GW, became ARRL First Vice President. Olson announced earlier this
year that he would not seek another term.

In a four-way race for the Vice Director's chair that Holden will
vacate, the winner was Lynn Nelson, W0ND, of Minot, North Dakota.
Nelson earned 427 votes; Tom Karnauskas, N0UW, of Owatonna,
Minnesota, received 338 votes; Chris Stallkamp, KI0D, of Selby,
South Dakota got 175 votes; and Jay Maynard, K5ZC, of Fairmont,
Minnesota, picked up 93 votes. Nelson is North Dakota Section
Manager, while Stallkamp is South Dakota Section Manager.

​The Ethics and Elections Committee established the eligibility of
all candidates and declared all unopposed candidates elected for
3-year terms starting January 1, 2018.

Many individuals have loved ones in Puerto Rico and they are
understandably hopeful that Amateur Radio operators can relay messages
to them. As a result, some are contacting amateurs with requests to
pass message traffic to the island.

At the same time, individual amateurs and clubs have reported that
local press representatives have contacted them to request information
about Amateur Radio involvement in Puerto Rico. This is likely to
increase as word spreads in the national media about our activities.

For inquiries from the public, ARRL advises that these individuals
should be informed that amateurs traveling to the island to support
the American Red Cross effort will be tasked with handling outbound
traffic only. With that in mind, members of the public should access
the American Red Cross Safe and Well System online at
https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php. Status information
from friends and relatives in Puerto Rico will be entered into the
system as it arrives from amateurs stationed there.

For press inquiries, please ask reporters to contact ARRL directly at
newsmedia@arrl.org.  A system has been established at ARRL
Headquarters to respond to press inquiries in a timely and accurate
manner.

ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, will be the guest speaker at the North Dakota State Convention and hamfest which will be held on Saturday September 30th, in West Fargo, ND.  Specifically, Ed will be discussing RFI problems and fixes.  Following that during the ARRL Fourm, you'll get a chance to visit with the Director and Vice Director candidates.  Hope to see you there!

ARRL HQ has announced 2 candidates for Director and 4 candidates for Vice Director have approved by the Ethics and Elections Committee:

NAME                      CALL       OFFICE
    
Matt Holden           K0BBC    Director          
Dean Summers      N0ND     Director
 
Tom Karnauskas    N0UW    Vice-Director      
Jay Maynard            K5ZC      Vice-Director     
Lynn Nelson            W0ND    Vice-Director    
Chris Stallkamp      KI0D       Vice-Director

Ballots will be sent, by post office mail, to all Dakota Division members (as of September 10th) no later than October 1st.
​The deadline to return ballots is Friday November 17th.

Greetings Dakota Division amateurs;

As some of you know, I recently retired after 36 years in the military.
Since then, I have taken a new job in Fargo with a company as a
corporate pilot.  With this change of careers, it means my schedule is
no longer in my control, and I have made the decision to not run for
another term as your ARRL Dakota Division Director.  This has been a
very difficult decision and one I wish I didn't need to make, but I feel
I cannot represent our division as I should.

If you have any interest in either the Director or Vice Director
position, I encourage you to check page 83 of the August edition of QST
(2017) for details.  There are a couple of deadlines to note:  August
11th, 2017 for requesting an official nominating package, and August
18th, 2017 for submission of that package.  Please consult QST for all
the specifics.

It has been an great honor and a privilege to represent the amateurs of
MN, ND, & SD since 2010 as both a Vice Director and most recently your
Director.  We might be the smallest ARRL division in population, but I
believe we're the largest in pride and support of our great hobby.

I thank each and every one of you for your support and friendship!  I
will continue as your director until Jan 2018 (when the current term
expires), and if you have any questions, please email me or call.

73!

Kent
KAØLDG

The Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club's hamfest this year was another success.  The weather couldn't have been better to get out and scrounge for deals, sell some stuff, or just chat with other hams.  The chili was cooking and excellent as usual!  Attendance was up even if there were fewer sellers this year, but everyone was having a good time.  Hats off to another good time in Brainerd!

Bob, WØLAW & Matt, KØBBC  at the ARRL booth.

The Maple Grove Amateur Radio Club hosted another fun hamfest.  Midwinter Madness as it is known was held in Buffalo, MN at the usual location.  A lot of hams selling & buying which keep the venue hopping throughout the morning as well as visitors to the ARRL table made the time go fast.  Food was once again good with cinnamon rolls being sold to hungry hams out on the floor.  With the great weather we've been having, perhaps the hamfest name should be changed to the "Spring Solstice" since there wasn't a snowflake to be found again this year ;-)  Thanks again to the Maple Grove ARC for another great event.  I forgot to take pictures to post, so you'll have to take my word for it.