Ive been able to attend a few cons in this sort of area so I'd like to share my thoughts
Can anyone offer an actual reason as to why we need a new 3 state Battalion and what, if anything, will change if we do?
Having a go-to person in charge for events I think will be the main benefit here. Last year at the Cleveland Gaming Classic, there were no staff members present (I was not staff at the time). Now, that group of people is quite competent to put on a booth themselves, so the booth was an overall success, but there were certainly times regular members were doing things that ideally would be done by an official staff member.
If I'm not mistaken,
Wayward Flood was responsible for emailing the con and organizing/checking us into our provided hotel rooms, he coordinated our setup on the actual day, he was the one who brought my exhibitor badge to me when I arrived, he was the one to make sure there were people at the booth first thing in the morning for con open, he stayed at the booth after everyone had left to make sure everything was put away properly, and he coordinated making sure we had a dinner plan and designated people to hold our spot in line at the restaurant. Throughout the weekend he was essentially doing the job of a staff member without the official title.
There may have also been things we didn't get to do as a community that weekend because there was no staff member. One of our members is a talented photographer, but we didn't manage to coordinate a photoshoot. If there were staff members closer to the convention geographically and in terms of its organization, extra touches like a photoshoot can be made. Otherwise, that responsibility falls to no one. It would also be made clearer who to go to if any issues arise. Without a staff member, communication can sometimes be poor. If there's no go-to person, one member might have information others do not, but not share it because it's not their designated role.
And I don't think banking on out-of-town staff members is a sustainable solution. There were a few members and even staff members who were planning on coming from a distance to CGC, but ultimately couldn't make it. What might have happened if "acting-staff" members like Flood were depending on those people for our appearance at CGC instead of assuming the responsibility? Having a staff member local to these events would certainly be a more sustainable way to put on many events. It would also be helpful for organizing meet-ups, not just booth appearances. I enjoyed visiting Cleveland last year for a crafting day organized by a non-staff member, for example.
Keeping track of assets would be a nice additional effect of a battalion. Just recently I was looking to borrow a backdrop for an event up here in Canada, and the very first person I asked was Flood, because I knew he played such a big role in CGC. He had returned some things to other staff members, but had no idea who actually had them at that moment as he isn't a staff member and doesn't have that information. I later learned that those resources had been moved around a bit since then, but it just goes to show that Flood was essentially acting as a staff member.
I know that this would add another layer of "paperwork" to the community. I'm also not sure how effective a 3-state battalion may be. I know that for at least Ohio, the more localized oversight of staff would be a welcome addition. Ultimately I suppose the question is; is the increased paperwork justified by the improved quality of booths, meet ups, and other organized events? It's hard to be certain.
There may be other ways to improve coordination and communication at events. If we take CGC as an example, perhaps the areas of improvement I talked about could all have been solved with a simple "WaywardFlood is in charge this weekend" in the primary event posting. That would make it clear to everyone who to report to, without the need for an additional election.
Really, I don't have a say in this discussion. But I thought it might be helpful to hear my perspective as a member who regularly attends events in this area.
