<CORSA Chapters> Corsa Dues Increase - long

Sat Feb 14 22:44:29 EST 2009

I did not intend to say much,  but to understand, once must see the whole picture, and even as long as this is, it does not state everything. And I also know that no matter what I say, here on the VV forum,  I will not likely change anyone's mind.

Expenses have been trimmed over the last five years.  While the post office unexpected raised CORSA's periodical mailing rate 15% while lowering the big guys rates,  we found other areas to save money.  Inflation has run around 3% a year for the last 5 years.  CORSA expenses have only risen 2.5% for the entire 5 years.    We have been working hard to keep expenses in check.

Revenue on the other hand has decreased 9%.  Mostly in lower membership numbers.

The board did NOT want to raise dues. That includes the ones who voted to do so.  Our choices were slim to none.  In restropect, it could readily be argued that we should have raised dues jan 1, 2008 -- but we are members too,  and did not want to raise dues. 

Ads ?  If someone can find them -- contact us.  They are not beating down the door.  Don't tell us to try so and so or that company -- go get the ad -- we don't have funds to pay a person to solicit ads.  We are primarily a volunteer organization.  Family and that paying job come first.
Worse,  ads  barely pay for the cost of printing them.  We raise the rates to produce some profit, but that will also likely mean fewer advertisers or less frequent ads from some.  We may have already lost one.  The Communique would need to be mostly Ads like Hemmings News to make Ads be a real money maker.  

Reducing the number of Communiques has more issues than just printing -- To start - Ad revenue would be halved -- half as many issues.  Classified, already reduced by on-line classifieds,  were need more lead time.  So would chapters wanting to publish their upcoming events -- better have your plans ready to print by February if you want anybody to know about it and to attend in  May.  Not much pre- notice for those interested in traveling.  
And how many pages ?  same as today?  fewer stories ?   I would surely miss all stories Dave Newell and other Corvair Historians have in store for us in 2009 and 2010.  

The Communique is a club magazine -- geared towards 10 years of Corvair production and the Enthusiasts who love those wonderful machines.  Some general vendors could be interested,  but most are not.  too small a market that are reachable through more general channels like Hemmings Classic Car.

Is the dues increase a short term solution?   define short term.   The short term aspect is to keep the boat afloat.  The drain on finances was becomming to great. The finance coimmittees planning sheet indicates that it should last through 2012 maybe longer.  That is, of course, CORSA sits on it hands and does nothing else.     

The Board is not content to sit on our hands.

We are really pleased with M&PS (Mike and Harry).  But, at the same time, we know we need to check other companies. So we will.  
We are starting a new program to try and contact members who elect not to renew to 1) find out why  and 2) see if there is a way to convince them to stay a member.
We are looking at other advertisers,  if we can find them,  it will help some.
We will continue looking at options to reduce expenses -- Reducing the number of Communique was discussed amongst the board over a year ago as were some other "radical" ideas.  One option included a quarterly Communique with online only versions in-between.  Not exactly great service to those without good internet service,  but it was/is an option.  More cost effective may be the bi-monthly option. Both have other problems.  The monthly magazine has a timiliness value to it as well as the content.   The issues were raised again in March and July.

Benefit list was published by Scott Morehead in the Communique recently.  Chapters use the insurance every time they meet, have a show or a moving event.  Thankfully they rarely need to make a claim.  Would your local chapter numbers decrease from 100 to 40 if CORSA mandated membership?  would a local chapter be able to afford to exist without CORSA support (insurance, event rules, other chapter's events? ) 

You can help -- if you want to try.
There is NO requirement that an individual chapter cannot , on it own,  mandate CORSA membership. Several chapters do, today, mandate it.  They allow new members, x meetings before joining.  Bring it up at your meeting.  The mandate does not need to come from above (from CORSA).  some chapters existed BEFORE CORSA existed.  Others enticed to be CORSA chapters because of the lack of a mandate.

Recruit a member or two yourself.  3 or 4 is better.   We may not be having this discussion if the membership numbers were still over 5,000.
Ask why your new chapter members have not joined the National club.   The Chapters are the introduction to the Corvair family. Why are we, as chapter and CORSA members, not introducing new chapter members to CORSA?
VV is another one of those doors to the Corvair family.  How many on this list (or sister forums), after several years of participating, are still not a member of CORSA?  of any local chapter?    (Corvair Center is sponsored by a chapter San Diego i believe,  VV by CORSA)

Are we planning for fewer members -- we must because that has been the trend (we are trying different things to reverse that trend but until it occurs.....)     The choices are not any easier than the dues increase -- reduce the Communique (feels like a dues increase)  or ask for more volunteers to do things that we currently contract for (mainling renewal forms, for instance)  .  

I have spent the last 3 months playing out different what-ifs to the point where it has affected my work (the thing that allows me to have a hobby, not good)   I have not found a magic wand that will solve the worlds problems.  The Ideas are great, many have been tried before,  many will be tried again.   

Regardless of the nay-sayers.   I think CORSA will continue,  as a viable, strong organization for many more years to come.   Why?  because CORSA does have a good core of volunteers -- much like you local chapter has a good core of volunteers.  I personnally thank every CORSA chairperson, and CORSA committee person,  who have and continue to work hard to make CORSA better.  There are many out there,  many are not listed in the Communique. And I suspect many do not monitor this list.  

I'm headed back to lurker mode.   When VV goes "political", even CORSA political,  it tends to get too "water cooler" for me.

Oh -- The value of the Club -- IS the other members and contact with those members.  IT took me a few years to really appreciate the value but close friends in my local chapter and distant friends who I never knew before  have all helped me more in the 11 years than I could ever pay for or says thanks enough.  Education about the car,  help when stranded (once 500 miles from home), introduction to auto-x (addicted now)  and just the great commarderie is worth a lot more than the Dues I pay every year.  Then I get the Communique, with a great historical artical by Dave Newell.    Life is good.

tim mahler
central division director
current CORSA president,  did not vote per by-laws.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: BobHelt at aol.com 
  To: PatioMatt at aol.com ; virtualvairs at corvair.org 
  Cc: corsabod at corvair.org ; jco99 at cox.net 
  Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 10:22 AM
  Subject: Re: [Corsabod] <VV> Corsa Dues Increase

  In a message dated 2/14/2009 8:50:51 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time, PatioMatt at aol.com writes:
    COLD HARD FACT   IMO!    If you cannot  afford $45...  12 CENTS per 
    day....you cannot afford a collector car.....   

  Well, in my opinion it simply is not a matter of being able to afford $45. Most of us have the money. We could afford to pay even more if looked at on a purely financial basis. The real problem is one of relative worth and perception of value being received.

  Look at it this way. Each one of us has some unknown cutoff point for acceptance of a dues increase. As the dues go higher, fewer of the members, or potential members, will perceive that it is "worth it" to be a member. Is there a minimum number of members that is going to be required to keep CORSA a viable entity? What will we do when the membership drops to 4000? 3000? 2000? Will we just keep on raising the dues and forcing the total membership down, down and down? The membership trajectory points the way!

  CORSA really does need a long term plan to keep it viable.
  Regards,
  Bob Helt

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