As the number of views of a particular thread last week suggests, many of you followed a conflict on the forum.

I'd like to revisit the rules and our expectations. Mike Otto and I own this forum and we expect the rules to be followed, by all members...everyone.

As a refresher, here are the rules:

All posts and discussions should be done as if you were talking to respected family or friends. Any post that appears to management (owners and/or moderators) to not be in keeping with its standards will be deleted and the maker banned from the Forum. This includes any post that could be seen as mean spirited or offensive and/or directed toward any individual(s) or any post with dirty words, or containing comments of a sexual, religious, racial, or political nature or not deemed to be in "good taste". The use of any personal contact information such as E-mail address(s) or use of Private Messages must follow the same standards.

If you wouldn't say it to your Mother, don't say it to us. Better yet, if you wouldn't say it to MY mother, don't say it on the forum.

The Pond Boss website moderators have been hand-selected. I have broken bread with each and I know each of them quite well. They are highly qualified.

If your words are moderated, it is because they don't fall within the guidelines/rules/expectations I have set.
The moderators have my full support and complete discretion to moderate any thread, or to delete it, if they choose. If you are moderated, I've asked them to offer a simple explanation as to why, but most of the time, people know why they are moderated.

Support the moderators.

Most of the time, on something that's "grey", they'll discuss it among themselves and make a unified decision. They cover each other's backs.
That's the way I have chosen it to be and I expect each member to respect the moderators.
I expect family-friendly harmony among members and I want each and everyone here to realize this website is about ponds, land, stewardship and helping an extended family.
I appreciate your respect and dedication to keeping this forum on target and inbounds.

Glad you are here.

I absolutely love counter-opinions or other lines of thought, compared to the standard fare of consensus. That's one way new ideas are shared and helps keep the forum fresh. If someone has an opinion counter to the mainstream or any other member, I expect people to be respectful, both ways, as the discussion flows. On occasion, a post is just plain incorrect, and the moderators see it, and will correct it.

Further,I expect everyone here to encourage the members, welcome the new members, and to do everything they can to promote, assist, and help Pond Boss, from a business standpoint as well as add to its credibility. This is a total team effort.

We’ve worked hard to develop a friendly place where ideas can be exchanged. The forum also needs to assist the business of Pond Boss, whether you are a magazine subscriber or not. That’s the capitalist in us, that’s the businessman in us. People who come to the forum need to be encouraged to subscribe to the magazine. I expect that and now I’ve voiced it.

Magazine subscriptions and advertisers drive the economy of Pond Boss. Without that, everything Pond Boss goes away. I expect members of the forum to promote subscriptions to people. It’s the least we can do to help…the very least. This forum is a vehicle that costs money, every day. We are graciously thankful a good number of forum members recognize we are a business, and are willing to subscribe to the magazine and/or contribute to help offset the costs of maintaining the forum. We deeply appreciate those members who understand and then take action to help keep the forum rolling.

The last thing I want to offer is clarity of the mission. Pond Boss’ mission is to spread the word and to help people become better stewards of their land and water. The passion I feel about that transcends the fact that the forum isn't a money-maker…I think the intrinsic value of the Pond Boss family and its vast knowledge and experience create the main value for that…as long as we convey it in a respectful and harmonious way.

So, my decision is to require every member to abide by the same rules and respect the moderators as they do what I ask them to do.
Thanks,
Bob Lusk


Last edited by Bob Lusk; 12/05/17 01:59 PM.

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