Category 1:   There are reporters who are effectively just discovering ethics.  They’re looking around at the problems NCRA is experiencing and suddenly saying, “We need to put ethics first!”

Category 2:   There are reporters who have lived – and continue to live – a life of ethics.

At this critical moment in NCRA’s history, and on the always critical issue of contracting, we need to listen to the reporters in Category 2.

Shirley Houston is one of those people that we need to listen to.

So, without further ado, here’s a recent post by Shirley:

“Please know that I am not wanting to remain neutral on the contracting issue.

“I am against NCRA not speaking up AGAINST CONTRACTING.

“Contracting first has almost destroyed our profession and now it is destroying our association. Many reporters want contracting to end that are having to work for the contractors to make a living. They cannot even sign a petition because the contracting firms might not hire them for the next  job.*

“I do believe the multicopy case specific cases are ethical so long as all sides are charged the same and treated the same. I have had many friends that have had to sell their firms to contracting firms. Luckily, I did not have to do that because money has never meant as much to me as ethics.

“In the early 70s, NCRA was probably 9,000 members. We decided to get an executive director. We then hired our executive director in 1974 and we probably were about 11,000 members at that time. We added continuing education which was a wonderful addition.

“No one could have cared more about NCRA in these years than I have and almost everyone that knows me will tell you that. That is why I am so distressed that NCRA is not backing the state associations as they should be. I have always believed in belonging to all associations — local, state and national. Each one holds a special place in our legislative endeavors which to me is the main purpose of each association — to keep us in business and to be certain we keep our profession ethical.

“Our Executive Director is new and is following the orders of our officers and directors.** I do hope the Executive Board will again meet and go back to caring about its members like it has in the past.

“I want to say I belong to an association I can be proud of, and if it is true what I am hearing right now, then I can’t say I am proud of NCRA at this time.

“I would urge each member that signed a petition to not jump ship but to stay in there so you can vote the officers and directors out of office that will not fight contracting.***

“Each officer should have to state their opinion on contracting before they are voted on this year. Then you can make your decision of who to vote for.

“It will take about three years of solid effort to eliminate the association of the officers or directors that do not want to follow the guidelines of the majority. ****

“I have seen our association when it was less than 10,000 and finally grew to around 35,000. We are now reaching the bottom to where we are even going to be able to afford an Executive Director.

“Please let’s join together and continue to fight contracting. It is not good for the individual reporter, small business owners or the legal profession. Thanks for listening.”

“Shirley Houston, CSR, RPR, CLVS, Fellow”

WAKE UP, NCRA!
Frank N. Sense