CSAA may change name to 'The Monitoring Association'

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Central Station Alarm Association may be renamed “The Monitoring Association,” if CSAA members approve the name change in a June 7 vote.

"The world is changing. Historically, central stations monitored electronic systems that detect burglar and life safety events. We now have a technology-based environment where just about anything can be connected, and thus monitored. ...�The proposed new name accommodates the expanding monitoring community," Jay Hauhn, CSAA's executive director, told�Security Systems News�in an email interview.

Ralph Sevinor, president of Wayne Alarm Systems and CSAA member, told Security Systems News he supports the name change.

“'Central station' is generally a term used to define an area where trains congregate and meet,” Sevinor said.

“From a consumer or AHJ standpoint there is little understandability of the term and it's primarily a [security] industry term. By changing the name to something that is more generally understood, it helps so many segments in understanding the core mission of the association.”

The name change is one of several proposed bylaw changes that CSAA members will vote on during a CSAA general membership meeting at the ESX show, which is scheduled to take place here June 7-10. CSAA recently notified members of the vote.

"About six months ago, CSAA's Executive Committee established an ad-hoc committee to propose a suggested new name. The committee, chaired by Stanley Oppenheim, proposed 'The Monitoring Association,'"�Hauhn said.

The board at CSAA was specifically looking for a name that could last for years to come, wouldn't be too restrictive and would be clear in what the organization does, Stanley Oppenheim, president of Affiliated Monitoring, told SSN. “The name 'The Monitoring Association' ... simply told the tale—directly and with clarity—and fit the requirements that were imposed upon the committee," he said.

“That being said, we fully recognize that change is difficult, and that the new name will take some getting used to ... if approved," Oppenheim said.

Teresa Gonzalez, president of UCC and CSAA Board Member, said, "At the CSAA long range planning meeting earlier this year there was discussion surrounding creating new value and relevancy for CSAA current and prospective members. The idea of a new name came up in order to bring the association in step with changes in the industry."

Jim McMullen, president and COO of COPS Monitoring, said that what the association is doing is even more important than its name. "There's a new energy at the CSAA focused on moving the association forward by advancing the professional monitoring industry through education, advocacy and public safety relationships," he said.�

Another proposed change is to the association's Article 4 bylaw. If approved, CSAA membership would be divided into “voting” and “non-voting” categories. Currently, the association has six different categories for members. If the change is approved, voting companies would have monitoring centers approved by FM, UL, or ETL. Non-voting members would be non-listed monitoring companies, associate members, international members and consultant members.

Another possible change to the Article 4 bylaw would allow the member committee to decide if an acquired member company can keep its compliance with the association. Currently, membership is not transferable. Membership is suspended until the buying company reapplies.

The CSAA members will also consider changing the association's “purpose” to its “mission,” and instituting a new mission statement. The new statement would be: “The mission of the association is to advance the professional monitoring industry through education, advocacy and public safety relationships,” according to the CSAA notification.