Merger Information:

Hi Everyone,

If you are visiting this site you must be looking for Concerned Motorcycle Riders of Ohio. Just to let you know as of December 31st 2008 we have merged with ABATE of OHIO. The two organizations worked for most of last year to make this merger a reality. ABATE of Ohio has an office in Columbus and a full time Legislative officer so we are now in an even better position to protect your right to ride than when we were CMRO as a stand alone organization. After much deliberation both organizations decided that we could work out anything standing in the way of the merger and both benefit by becoming one stronger team.

The region directors from ABATE of Ohio and CMRO met in early December to work out the geography of the new regions and who would take the director positions for those regions. The feedback I got about that meeting was very positive. If you are a current CMRO member your membership will transfer to ABATE of Ohio and you will start receiving their (now our) newsletter telling you were your region meetings will be. If you are not happy with the region you belong to you can request to be moved to any region you desire.

This change was made with the intent to do the best for the CMRO members and for motorcycling in Ohio. You can go to ABATE’s website at www.abate.com or call them 800-252-4537. You will still see many of the same board members that you are used to seeing at events for CMRO working now with ABATE of Ohio and we will still be putting on some of the events you have come to look forward to every year. We hope that everyone will pitch in and support us with/as ABATE of Ohio.

 I would like to also take this opportunity to thank everyone for intrusting me with all of the board positions that I have undertaken over the last several years. I learned a lot and I met a lot of great people. I plan to sit back and let others do the work now and maybe actually go to some events just to have fun!!! Thank you as well to the great state board that I had the privilege of working with over the last few years. You guys were great and good luck!!! P. L. & H. Maggie

Maggie Kimble

General Secretary, Membership Secretary

Formerly Concerned Motorcycle Riders of Ohio

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Dear Concerned Member of C.M.R.O.

My name is Timothy J. Kilko. I currently hold the position of Region one coordinator. Some of you have heard stories of a merger of C.M.R.O. with A.B.A.T.E. of Ohio. So I’m writing this letter to inform you of the details and progress. And to inform you of my views and opinions of the merger.
As some of you know Dale Williams and Margaret Kimble are stepping down from the state board as of the first of the year. This is leaving these positions open with no one “that I know” willing or able to take over these jobs. If this happens I don’t think we can legally keep running and will be forced to close down.
It is very important that we have a voice in government to protect our rights and help our community! If C.M.R.O. is closed we lose this.
If this happens we all could join other groups but those of us who are members of C.M.R.O. would have to reinvest.
A.B.A.T.E. of Ohio is willing to have our organization merge with them to keep our voices strong. One point they agreed to was that all life members would transfer without charge. Current yearly members would transfer with their current anniversary date.
One of the points that are under contention is the current and proposed regions. Most of our regions are currently unmanned by A.B.A.T.E. so there would be no change of leadership until the next elections. The leadership of the counties and regions with overlapping coordinators could be worked out with a compromise within the leadership.
I’ve enclosed maps of the regions with the current and proposed changes. Some of the names will change but the personal can stay the same. This will give you an idea of how some things could be restructured.
I don’t know just how C.M.R.O. started, I’ve asked some members and I get different answers from different people. But they all tell me we broke away from A.B.A.T.E. and started off on our own.
Why it happened I may never know but in our organizations current state I think that we should take this opportunity to conceder this merger, heal wounds and move on.
It’s not “in my opinion” going to change our (region one) that much. Our name will change to thirteen and we will pick up two counties. Thirteen loses one of there counties and pick up our three. And by the way they’re fantastic members out there.
Another point is how our bylaws are structured. If you would like to review these contact me they are both available.
The point I wish to make is that in all growth comes change, and not all change is bad. We do not have to join A.B.A.T.E. but on our current course we’ll have to close C.M.R.O. down. And that stops all of our events. By merging with A.B.A.T.E. we’ll be able to keep most if not all of our events in our counties, and keeping our voice heard.
This is not a situation that the state board or the regions can put in place; according to our bylaws we need a two third vote from all members to make a transition.
On November 8, A.B.A.T.E. and C.M.R.O. will meet at the state office of A.B.A.T.E. in Columbus to continue the negotiations of the merger, I don’t know if their offices are large enough to accommodate a large group for this meeting but I need your voice.
And now I would like to ask all of you to state your opinion on the proposed merger and reply in the form of a vote. Simply put, yes let’s merge or no, let’s try to continue on our own. This must be expedited to insure your voice is heard.
I’m asking you to take time out of your busy day to answer this most important question. So please send your opinion to C.M.R.O. Vote
P.O. Box 5217
Eastlake Ohio 44095
as soon as you can I’ll be tabulating votes on Oct. 31 so I can prepare our wishes for the Nov. meeting.
I can be contacted at ( newgeezer@peoplepc.com ) or
440-478-4742
Thank you for your time.

Timothy J. (Geezer) Kilko
State Director's Report
by Dale Williams

C.M.R.O.:
On August 3rd at noon, we had our State Board Meeting in Wooster. The Board Meeting went well. There were all the county region's represented and all the remaining board members were present. Then, at 2:00, A.B.A.T.E. of Ohio, Inc. met with all of us in C.M.R.O. There was Hairy George Nitzsky, Government Affairs and State Executive Director, Jim Elgin, C.E.O. for A.B.A.T.E. of Ohio, Inc., and some of their people to discuss a merger between A.B.A.T.E. and C.M.R.O. Together representing motorcyclist's rights in Ohio and with the two organizations becoming one, we are looking at well over three thousand voting members.

The main topic was what about the existing regions, which after some ideas were put out there, the best one would probably be keeping our regions intact and restructuring their regions to accomodate us. So, basically, all that would probably happen in a name change for about two years, ABATE/CMRO, and maybe dropping CMRO after that to just ABATE of Ohio, Inc.

Nothing is written in stone, and Jim Elgin and myself are always open to discussions. So, Please, if you have any input, write it down and send it to P.O. Box 1430, Painesville, OH 44077, or you can call the State phone number, 800-964-2676. We would appreciate your ideas as members and will take all into consideration.

Thank you for all your willingness to support motorcyclist rights.

Freedom of Choice
Dale H. Williams
State Executive Director

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General Secretary & Membership Secretary Report
by Maggie Kimble

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well and enjoying summer. I am busy but still finding time to get some great rides in I have not been able to go on any actual runs this year. Life keeps getting in the way but I've gone on some real nice rides on my own. Well onto this business. Dale Williams and I were able to meet with Tim Kilko and John Erickson and get the checking accounts for Region 1 and the state all switched over and into the proper hands and I'm happy to have that responsibility lifted off my shoulders.

I was not able to attend the ROW meeting for July but did review the minutes from the meeting. There is not a lot happening at the moment as Congress and Senate are on summer break. The ROW committee is still scheduling meetings with the individual Senators that are on the committee were the bill sits to try and make sure we have their support when the bill comes up for vote. That should happen in the fall when the Senate committees start to hold their regular sessions again.

We held our State board meeting on August 3rd. Our membership is down as well as attendance at our events. We still have several critical board positions that need to be filled. We also had our first meeting with the folks from ABATE of Ohio for a preliminary discussion on combining the two organizations. The idea is to combine our efforts and spread the workload out. We also would be combining our membership numbers and that would make us all stronger. I think both organizations are having some struggles and we could help each other.

The discussion is in its early stages and you should all have an opportunity to give your input at your membership meetings. Just remember if you are opposed to even considering the possibility then you better have some solutions to our difficulties (such as stepping up and filling a vacant position). Also please try to be open-minded. Any big venture such as melding two large groups means compromises have to be made and each side will have to be willing to make some changes. I hope you all will consider these things for the good of all motorcycling in Ohio. That's all folks.

P.L. & H. Maggie Kimble
General Secretary,
Membership Secretary,
Active Lobbyist!

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Legislative/Co-Coordinator Report

So everyone has heard about the ABATE/CMRO merger talks. I went to the State Board Meetings on August 3 as usual. After our Board Meeting, Hairy George and Jim Elgin of ABATE came to speak to us about possibly joining the two organizations. At this meeting, a lot of discussions took place regarding how things would turn up. The points I came away with are as follows:

We would be merged into ABATE.
Our treasury could not have more than $1,000. The rest goes to the State.
Our Regions could possibly be reconstructed.
Our Directors could possibly be replaced.

As far as I can see, I am still not sure that joining the two organizations would be in the best interests of CMRO. Some people, I have noticed, have been pushing this merger without thinking of the best interests of our groups. In my opinion, it should not be up solely to the Directors. Each member pays their dues. Each member has a right to their own vote. I know that Ed and I will push to make sure that happens. See you next time.

Jerri