<CORSA Chapters> Re: Corsa Membership, fees - long discussion paper

[Flat6Vair]

No.  CORSA is not raising fees.  but got your attention didn't it?

Have you been watching VV?   Joel cross posted to this forum once.  But
there were a lot of other comments on membership, and indirectly, fees.   I
posted a short reply,  and informed everyone, time permitting,  i would post
to the CORSA Chapter list any additional thoughts -- after all,  it is a
chapter issue,  not VV topic.  The club officers are the leaders amongst us.

Re-read Tony Vizyak column in the Feb communique.  Membership went down
again -- aging population, i suspect.  Plus, I am sure that like every other
place,  insurance costs are skyrocketing.

2 issues arose on VV -- how to get more members  and 100% membership.  the
first is tough, we all have been struggling with it for years.  the latter,
is easier to take a stand so I'll start there.

My Summary -- Should CORSA require 100% membership in all Chapters.   One
post suggested if 100% CORSA membership for chapters is required,  then 100%
CORSA members should belong to a local.  Lots of comments went back and
forth.  from losing local members being a good thing to losing the local
members was a bad thing. Many posts stated that CORSA dues are not
significant in the scheme of things (restoration is expensive).

My thoughts:  100% CORSA membership in my chapter would be great.  It just
won't happen without losing those members.  Most have retired from CORSA and
are members of the local because of the fellowship.  The local newsletter
lets them know what is happening with their local friends.  I rarely see
some unless I go visit them as they are unable to travel far.
CORSA NC does have a nice model for those wanting to implement mandatory
membership.  Basically a 1 year internship in the local club before CORSA
membership is required.   Other clubs offer special rates depening on what
the member signs up for during a car show.  Cool icentive to join.  <SCCA
does the same in that respect;  SCCA also requires 100% local, national
membership>
Changing to a 100% membership requirement, now,  would cause many members to
quite,  especially locally.  May make it more difficult to recruit new
members, and would lead to chapters modifying their bylaws/practices, to
grandfather their charter members to by-pass the rule.

Based on Tony's column,  I surmise that the BoD is considering changing the
current flat filing fee to one based on the number of non-CORSA members.
This is a nice compromise for the topic at hand.  IF a club wants to avoid
the filing fee,  it will strive or require 100% CORSA membership.  The club
that just misses <or misses a member who they thought was a CORSA member,
but that member lost his renewal form for CORSA; a factoid>  the 100%
requirement by 1 or 2 members  isn't penalized as much as the club with only
50% membership.
    A per member fee also re-imburses CORSA for the many fixed costs
associated with running an organization such a CORSA and its many
chapters -- insurance, management fees, publishing costs <not printing costs
which is variable>  etc.  These costs should be spread amongst all members
of chapters that benefit from them -- Specifically insurance.  <all
chapters, and officers are covered by CORSA.  Don't know the numbers,
didn't realize how much CORSA does for the local chapters until these issues
are raised,  we need to ask more questions,  answers are always forthcoming>
    I do not support requiring 100% membership in CORSA for all chapter
members.  I like my charter members, one of whom is the past editor, past
CORSA memeber, who i dearly respect, another is a widower of a former
member -- fellowship members.  Requiring 100% local chapter membership of
all CORSA members doesn't help those 5+ hours away from a local chapter.  4
hours is close enough <Grin,  have members who travel that far today,
regularly>  Besides, if i don't support 100% corsa membership,  requiring
100% local membership doesn't make any sense.

Additional Comments?

I am presuming CORSA BoD also monitors this list.  This discussion, if
continued,  should remain on this list.  It is Chapter and CORSA politics
afterall.   VV should be strictly about cars, IMO.

-- oh  increasing membership -- My target is the 40-50 age groups,  the next
generation of collectors that have the time and energy to do club things.
Young people,  18-30,  would be great,  but they have so many interests to
distract them,  plus fewer finances -- especially if they are just starting
a family.  The 40-50 group will sustain CORSA for the next 10-20 years,
then the currnet 20-30 yr olds will be 40-50 and ready to lead us for the
next 10-20 years.   Now.  what do us 40-50 year old guys want from the club?
Currently, for me, that means moving events -- funkhanas, auto-x, etc.
Rallys are next.  Tours can be very fun.  Large gathering of Vair folk at a
general auto show is usually lots of fun too <otherwise I'm bored>  and the
great glue for all this?  FOOD <GGGGGG>

Tim Mahler
PCCA, Secretary,  past president, current Editor






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