Gene Klodzen
12-10-2002, 10:09 PM
The following was received from Doug Cowan by NAWCC NEWS, and is posted for your information:
--------------------------------------------------
The Council is going to beat its record for getting minutes approved and published, or die in the attempt.
The following is a very abbreviated account of the decisions taken during the Dec. 7 and 8 Council meeting.
---Marketing Director Jim Bland presented an overview of his approach to membership growth. He reported current activities such as an 8 month series of helpful letters to new members in order to get them to understand and use all of the benefits of NAWCC membership, so that they will not drop out after a year. He urged that we approve marketing initiatives that are time
and money efficient, rather than to chase myriad small (even though good) ideas. he defined a powerful idea as one that is easy to implement, self sustaining once started, and expandable. He is forming a team with the Membership and Publicity Committee for building membership task teams on a carefully prioritized basis. He envisions the NAWCC identifying and developing a pool of potential members. Becoming the voice of the horological industry to end consumers and collectors is one of the goals of his work. In response to his question regarding boundaries beyond which he should not go, Council responded that for control purposes he should consider Bylaws limitations and $ availability, but that conceptually he should be think ing beyond those current limits. Otherwise, Council encouraged Jim to proceed in the direction he outlined.
--- The Treasurer, David Wood reported that cash management was running very positively, with the expectation that the Association would not need to end up with a negative cash year end (March 31) result, as had been predicted by the 2002-3 budget. In addition, except for our "mortgage" which is safely covered by liquid assets, there is virtually no debt owed, a strong improvement over last year. The point was made that continuing decline in membership would result in a deficit budget next fiscal year. Later in the
meeting a deficit cash flow was in fact approved by Council in the budget for 2003-4.
-- John Hubby, Merger Task Force Chairman presented a number of alternative ways to restructure the current two corporation (NAWCC/NWCM) in two states (NY/PA) status into one PA corporation. After considering the pros and cons of several approaches, Council supported one option and asked the Chairman of the Museum Trustees to consider it also, since both Boards must agree.
The favorite idea involves dissolving the NY corporation (NAWCC) into the existing PA one (NCWM). There would be unitary management (one management structure) of all functions. The elements of our organization would be
integrated, not semi autonomous. The single resulting board would have full fiduciary responsibility. The Board composition could be composed of partly elected and partly appointed people. There are pros and cons to every option
, including the option of doing nothing. These will be expanded upon by the Merger Task Force as this develops.
----Two new Chapters were approved: #184 is the East Central Indiana Chapter and #185 is the Internet Horology Chapter.
--- Council authorized a nil cost baseline study of the real estate value of our properties: A spare lot, a small home on a partial lot adjoining the Museum, the School of Horology and the HQ/ Museum Complex. This, if achieved will give us a baseline for knowing whether our real estate holdings are serving as investment vehicles or not.
--- The NAWCC Seminar was renamed the Ward Francillon Time Symposium, sponsored by the NAWCC. This honors Ward's tireless work to make that annual event an important part of our educational work.
--- Council asked for additional financial information concerning National Convention plans. Council has not been seeing enough fixed cost contract information at early stages of Convention approval.
--- A Bylaws addition will be submitted to the membership in the February Ballot. It seeks approval for the use of proxy votes FOR MAJOR CORPORATE CHANGES ONLY. That is, mergers or dissolution. Reason for that is such changes require a vote of the membership at the Regular Annual Meeting or a Special Meeting for the purpose. Annual meeting attendance about 100
people is felt to not be an adequate measure of member judgment for such momentous decisions. Proxies allow all members to vote.
--- Council approved a formal time at the end of Council meetings for attendees not on Council to have the floor for comments, suggestions, or
questions. This was tried on both days of this Council meeting and was successful to the people who traveled a long way to attend as visitors and
to the Council listening to their thoughts.
Not every item is mentioned here, but these are the most interesting topics.
Sincerely, Doug Cowan DCowan@nawcc.org
Gene Klodzen
#127702
Washington DC Chapter 12
--------------------------------------------------
The Council is going to beat its record for getting minutes approved and published, or die in the attempt.
The following is a very abbreviated account of the decisions taken during the Dec. 7 and 8 Council meeting.
---Marketing Director Jim Bland presented an overview of his approach to membership growth. He reported current activities such as an 8 month series of helpful letters to new members in order to get them to understand and use all of the benefits of NAWCC membership, so that they will not drop out after a year. He urged that we approve marketing initiatives that are time
and money efficient, rather than to chase myriad small (even though good) ideas. he defined a powerful idea as one that is easy to implement, self sustaining once started, and expandable. He is forming a team with the Membership and Publicity Committee for building membership task teams on a carefully prioritized basis. He envisions the NAWCC identifying and developing a pool of potential members. Becoming the voice of the horological industry to end consumers and collectors is one of the goals of his work. In response to his question regarding boundaries beyond which he should not go, Council responded that for control purposes he should consider Bylaws limitations and $ availability, but that conceptually he should be think ing beyond those current limits. Otherwise, Council encouraged Jim to proceed in the direction he outlined.
--- The Treasurer, David Wood reported that cash management was running very positively, with the expectation that the Association would not need to end up with a negative cash year end (March 31) result, as had been predicted by the 2002-3 budget. In addition, except for our "mortgage" which is safely covered by liquid assets, there is virtually no debt owed, a strong improvement over last year. The point was made that continuing decline in membership would result in a deficit budget next fiscal year. Later in the
meeting a deficit cash flow was in fact approved by Council in the budget for 2003-4.
-- John Hubby, Merger Task Force Chairman presented a number of alternative ways to restructure the current two corporation (NAWCC/NWCM) in two states (NY/PA) status into one PA corporation. After considering the pros and cons of several approaches, Council supported one option and asked the Chairman of the Museum Trustees to consider it also, since both Boards must agree.
The favorite idea involves dissolving the NY corporation (NAWCC) into the existing PA one (NCWM). There would be unitary management (one management structure) of all functions. The elements of our organization would be
integrated, not semi autonomous. The single resulting board would have full fiduciary responsibility. The Board composition could be composed of partly elected and partly appointed people. There are pros and cons to every option
, including the option of doing nothing. These will be expanded upon by the Merger Task Force as this develops.
----Two new Chapters were approved: #184 is the East Central Indiana Chapter and #185 is the Internet Horology Chapter.
--- Council authorized a nil cost baseline study of the real estate value of our properties: A spare lot, a small home on a partial lot adjoining the Museum, the School of Horology and the HQ/ Museum Complex. This, if achieved will give us a baseline for knowing whether our real estate holdings are serving as investment vehicles or not.
--- The NAWCC Seminar was renamed the Ward Francillon Time Symposium, sponsored by the NAWCC. This honors Ward's tireless work to make that annual event an important part of our educational work.
--- Council asked for additional financial information concerning National Convention plans. Council has not been seeing enough fixed cost contract information at early stages of Convention approval.
--- A Bylaws addition will be submitted to the membership in the February Ballot. It seeks approval for the use of proxy votes FOR MAJOR CORPORATE CHANGES ONLY. That is, mergers or dissolution. Reason for that is such changes require a vote of the membership at the Regular Annual Meeting or a Special Meeting for the purpose. Annual meeting attendance about 100
people is felt to not be an adequate measure of member judgment for such momentous decisions. Proxies allow all members to vote.
--- Council approved a formal time at the end of Council meetings for attendees not on Council to have the floor for comments, suggestions, or
questions. This was tried on both days of this Council meeting and was successful to the people who traveled a long way to attend as visitors and
to the Council listening to their thoughts.
Not every item is mentioned here, but these are the most interesting topics.
Sincerely, Doug Cowan DCowan@nawcc.org
Gene Klodzen
#127702
Washington DC Chapter 12