Gene Klodzen
07-19-2001, 10:53 AM
Dear Chapters, Committees and Members.
I'll be posting several messages during the next few days. Please email
me with comments or questions. I will try to answer all that are intended
to be helpful. And please post some of these or discuss them at your
Chapter meetings and in the newsletters you write.
This message reports on a business plan which will be further stated and
explained in NAWCC communications. It is this plan which emerged from
and influenced the July Council meeting.
The plan, in simplest terms:
1. In the intermediate term, raise the value of membership and raise
endowment funds.(0-3 years)
2. In the short term, raise revenue to avoid loss of services if current
negative trends continue. (1 year)
3. Also in the short term, prevent operating expenses from increasing
past membership dues.(6 months)
4. In the longer term, challenge and respond to the questions: "What is
our Associations purpose, and are we governing it in the best way we
can?" ( recommendations in 6 months- actions steps to follow).
Background: We as an organization are being affected by several negative
trends. That is not an excuse, just
a statement of reality. Economic slowdown with job uncertainty, a strong
US dollar, the loss of members due to
age induced illness and reduced ability to travel and collecting
interest, draining of collectable items to internet auctions,competing
internet hobby sites and general loss of interest in "joining" among
upcoming generations is changing our environment.
In that situation you study what services are more attractive coming from
us than from other sources and you strive to supply them! It's a market
competition now, and we dont know enough to make major changes. For
example, we have little idea of how to better serve our 50+% of
membership whose sole contact with us is receiving our publications.
We will discover these things.
Meanwhile Council intends to manage well what we have-- the whole family,
without putting priorities on one part of
our organization or one segment of our membership.
DUES INCREASES are very undesirable and risky. However trends in
membership clearly indicate red ink in
2002 and 2003 if we do not take that risk. Council Members enacted that
in future years, dues increases have to
be eliminated, by controlling costs or reducing services beyond what has
already been done. This is painful, since cost savings without service
reductions is what kept our cost to members of about $45 achievable this
last fiscal year.
And so, with much reluctance, the following dues were approved:
US membership renewals $50 per year effective Jan. 1, 2002
New US memberships $60 the first year, then back to $50- effective later
this year.
Renewal for members who've lapsed for more than 120 days- a $10 renewal
charge, effective late this year.
Life memberships- $1500 effective immediately.
International members currently paying $55-- no increase pending further
study of actual costs to service these members.
Museum and Library endowment funds will need to grow. The principal in
these funds is not spendable- only the interest. We are very poorly fixed
in this regard relative to normal practise.
Please read the detailed reports published in NAWCC_NEWS by 2nd. VP John
Hubby. They are filled with items and ideas. The new Council is working
hard and will succeed in manageing this Association successfully, with
the
work of all of our employees, volunteers and the support of you members.
Respectfully, Doug Cowan, President, Dojec@cs.com
__________________________________________________ ______________
[This message has been edited by Gene Klodzen (edited 08-09-2001).]
I'll be posting several messages during the next few days. Please email
me with comments or questions. I will try to answer all that are intended
to be helpful. And please post some of these or discuss them at your
Chapter meetings and in the newsletters you write.
This message reports on a business plan which will be further stated and
explained in NAWCC communications. It is this plan which emerged from
and influenced the July Council meeting.
The plan, in simplest terms:
1. In the intermediate term, raise the value of membership and raise
endowment funds.(0-3 years)
2. In the short term, raise revenue to avoid loss of services if current
negative trends continue. (1 year)
3. Also in the short term, prevent operating expenses from increasing
past membership dues.(6 months)
4. In the longer term, challenge and respond to the questions: "What is
our Associations purpose, and are we governing it in the best way we
can?" ( recommendations in 6 months- actions steps to follow).
Background: We as an organization are being affected by several negative
trends. That is not an excuse, just
a statement of reality. Economic slowdown with job uncertainty, a strong
US dollar, the loss of members due to
age induced illness and reduced ability to travel and collecting
interest, draining of collectable items to internet auctions,competing
internet hobby sites and general loss of interest in "joining" among
upcoming generations is changing our environment.
In that situation you study what services are more attractive coming from
us than from other sources and you strive to supply them! It's a market
competition now, and we dont know enough to make major changes. For
example, we have little idea of how to better serve our 50+% of
membership whose sole contact with us is receiving our publications.
We will discover these things.
Meanwhile Council intends to manage well what we have-- the whole family,
without putting priorities on one part of
our organization or one segment of our membership.
DUES INCREASES are very undesirable and risky. However trends in
membership clearly indicate red ink in
2002 and 2003 if we do not take that risk. Council Members enacted that
in future years, dues increases have to
be eliminated, by controlling costs or reducing services beyond what has
already been done. This is painful, since cost savings without service
reductions is what kept our cost to members of about $45 achievable this
last fiscal year.
And so, with much reluctance, the following dues were approved:
US membership renewals $50 per year effective Jan. 1, 2002
New US memberships $60 the first year, then back to $50- effective later
this year.
Renewal for members who've lapsed for more than 120 days- a $10 renewal
charge, effective late this year.
Life memberships- $1500 effective immediately.
International members currently paying $55-- no increase pending further
study of actual costs to service these members.
Museum and Library endowment funds will need to grow. The principal in
these funds is not spendable- only the interest. We are very poorly fixed
in this regard relative to normal practise.
Please read the detailed reports published in NAWCC_NEWS by 2nd. VP John
Hubby. They are filled with items and ideas. The new Council is working
hard and will succeed in manageing this Association successfully, with
the
work of all of our employees, volunteers and the support of you members.
Respectfully, Doug Cowan, President, Dojec@cs.com
__________________________________________________ ______________
[This message has been edited by Gene Klodzen (edited 08-09-2001).]