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From: Bob Bush <Webmaster@IUFOMRC.org>
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 12:21:05 -0700
Fwd Date: Mon, 01 Feb 1999 10:50:33 -0500
Subject: Response To Concerns Over IUFOMRC In Roswell


[Non-Subscriber Post]

This posting is submitted at the request of the IUFOMRC:

RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING THE INTERNATIONAL UFO
MUSEUM AND RESEARCH CENTER (IUFOMRC) IN ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO

Recently, several letters, ads, articles, etc. have
surfaced on the net and in print, concerning the IUFOMRC.
This response is a one-time and one-time only effort. Any
additional letters, ads, articles, etc. will not be
addressed.

On September 28, 1998, the Museum hired an Office Coordinator,
with Board approval. The decision to hire a new Director was put
on the back burner until the business end of running the Museum
could be organized. The Museum, recognized locally as a mom and
pop organization, wanted to change its image into a
professionally run organization. The Board recognized the need
to instill policies and procedures in preparation for continued
growth and the potential need for additional staff.

The new Office Coordinator’s credentials include, but are
not limited to, the following:

* BA in Sociology from Loyola-Marymount University in Los
Angeles, California.
* MA in Human Resources Development from Webster University
in St. Louis, Missouri.
* MA in Human Resources Management from Webster University
in St. Louis, Missouri.
* MA in Computer Resources Management from Webster
University in St. Louis, Missouri.

At no time has the Office Coordinator been addressed as the
Director, Acting Director, or Interim Director. In fact, when
approached with the idea of possibly working into the Director
position, the Office Coordinator let the co- founders know she
was not interested.

Everyone at the Museum pitches in when needed, to perform the
duties of a Director.

On October 28, 1998, one employee was terminated; severance pay
was given.

One volunteer was asked to sever all ties with the museum. This
particular volunteer had been asked to leave on two previous
occasions, and at no time was ever a paid employee.

These two departures were not the decision of one individual.
The decision to terminate the employee and to sever ties with
the volunteer was unanimously voted on by an Executive
Committee. This committee included the three co-founders and a
Board representative as well as other staff members.

On November 4, 1998, the agreement with our then webmaster was
terminated (with severance pay). This termination was due to the
fact that the webmaster carried out a directive from the
volunteer who was no longer associated with the Museum and did
so without notifying the Museum.

At this time, the Museum had also learned that the website
domain was actually registered to the webmaster instead of to
the Museum. This was unacceptable, as we were paying her to
maintain the Museum’s website, not her own. The Museum would
have corrected this problem whether or not the webmaster was to
be terminated.

In changing the domain name, proper procedure was followed.
There is nothing unethical or deceptive about this procedure.
You simply request a form, fill it out, notarize it, and send it
in. Internic either approves the change or not. In our case,
Internic approved the change.

In addition, the Museum is now facing a lawsuit that could have
been avoided had the webmaster followed through with her
assigned responsibility of notifying the Museum when
questionable material was about to be placed on the net.

The decision to terminate this webmaster and hire a new one, was
once again an Executive Committee’s decision.

The Museum made a verbal request of the webmaster, for a listing
of copyrighted material to include the dates of the copyright.
She was informed that any copyrighted material, that was not a
"work for hire", would be taken off the website.

No list was ever received.

Yes, we currently have two websites. However, the general public
is not aware of this. The old site has been left up while the
new site is under construction. As soon as we are ready to make
the switch to the new site, anyone calling up iufomrc.com will
either get a message containing our new address, or will simply
receive the new site.

As for the former Director, in her resignation letter to the
Board dated August 18, 1998, she states that her resignation,
effective August 20, 1998, was due to her new assignment with
the Ronald McDonald House in Lubbock, Texas.

As for "heavy-handed" or "Gestapo" tactics at the museum:

* It is the Museum’s policy to have the Office Coordinator open
and appropriately disburse the mail. This policy applies to all
mail received at the Museum unless it is stamped "Personal and
Confidential."

* It is the policy of the Museum that all matters concerning
personnel issues, overheard conversations, or any information
gained not be disclosed to others, inside or outside, the
Museum.

* As far as looking through everyone’s hard drives and e-mail,
this is not true. Not only is this statement ridiculous, but
there’s not enough time in a day for this kind of policing of
the staff.

* One researcher, visiting the library, was asked to leave by
one of the Museum’s co-founders. This co-founder was well within
rights, as the researcher was involving herself in personnel
issues, which were none of her concern.

Other allegations:

* Based on the current level of information being issued
over the net, should other ufologists choose to not visit
the world’s largest and most complete UFO library, it’s
their loss.

* What other professional would develop a product for a
client worth $300,000.00 and then settle for a mere $200.00
a month as compensation?

* The current Office Coordinator makes almost 50% less income
than at her previous position.

* It does not take a ufologist to manage the Museum offices.
However, knowledge of the Roswell Incident and other data
pertaining to UFO’s in general, has increased tremendously since
starting at the Museum.

In summary:

The Museum is doing fine and attendance is still high. There
were 185,713 visitors through the Museum in 1998. On an average,
we had 357 visitors per day. We also averaged visitors from 25
states and 5 countries per day.

The library project is moving right along, and we should be
announcing our grand opening early in the spring. Mr. George
Fawcett, one of the Museum’s benefactors, is scheduled to be
here in February and will be our guest lecturer on Saturday
night, February 13th. Mr. Sabo, one of our other benefactors,
recently sent us a sizeable donation, earmarked for the new
library.

As for those who want to continue trying to smear the names of
those associated with the Museum and who wish to continue making
allegations: life is, fortunately or unfortunately, all about
choices. Your choice is unfortunate.

The choice to believe or not to believe, is fortunately, our
right.

To reiterate, no further response will be forthcoming from the
IUFOMRC.