<VV> Corsa Dues Increase

[Bill Hubbell]

Dues increase or not, it is past time for CORSA to make some changes.  We
are just too small of a "niche" market (and getting smaller every year) to
survive on our own forever.  We should be looking into forming some sort of
alliance with other "Chevy" groups (Chevy Lovers, etc.) or with AACA, or
some such thing.  We need to research all options for managing our club and
not continue to assume that only Harry and Mike can do this job.  We need to
look at options to cut costs, including reducing the frequency of publishing
the Communique (hey - even the well-established newspapers across the
country are dealing with the high cost of publishing vs on-line issues).  We
DO need to update our logo and image to be more appealing to the younger
folk.

However, as long as we have a "business as usual" attitude among the
governing body (B.O.D.), we will continue to see this organization slowly
bleed itself to death.  A dues increase now, whatever amount, will solve
nothing in the long run unless other measures are also taken.

Bill Hubbell

-----Original Message-----
From: AeroNed at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 12:17 AM
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Corsa Dues Increase

I don't like the dues increase, but what else can we do?
 
CORSA is bleeding financially. At the current rate CORSA will be gone in a  
matter of years. The best solution would be to increase membership. The BOD
has 
 tried that with giving away free "Corvair Basics" packages. We are still 
loosing  members faster than we are gaining new ones. Requiring members of
local 
chapters  to be members of CORSA sounds like a good idea. However, based on
my 
own data,  we could end up actually loosing more members than we gain. I've 
hear several  CORSA members say that they would quit both CORSA and the
local 
if "forced" to  join both. Corvair people are just too independent, not that

there's anything  wrong with that.
 
OK so we should cut costs, just what should we cut? Publishing the  
Communique only four times a year would save money. Printing few pages or
using  
cheaper paper would also save money. We could get volunteers to do the work
of  
Harry and Mike, but struggle to get members to run for the BOD, and trust me

that's an easier job. Maybe we could get rid of the insurance. How many
chapters  
actually use that for meeting or events? Well, none of those appeal to me.
 
So, what the big deal if CORSA goes under. Most members only see the  
Communique as the only benefit of CORSA. Most of the "Corvair fun" is had by
and  at 
the local level. Well, first off, VV will go away or change to some yahoo  
group. The number of local events will be reduced because that insurance
(that  
no one uses) won't be there. The sharing of Corvair ideas and events would
be  
more difficult. Sure there's the Internet and it would still be used.
Believe 
it  or not, but not every Corvair owner (or current CORSA member) is
on-line. 
Some  may argue that if CORSA goes under, another club would replace it. How

would  that club not face the same problems that CORSA is facing?
 
I think this discussion is good. I know that this director is learning  
stuff. I'm also like to put a plug in for candidates for the CORSA board. In
the  
past, there have been very few folks willing to run (how do you think I got

elected?). I can say that my term has been eye opening. I would recommend it
to  
everyone. Of course you have to be a CORSA member to run, but then all of
you 
 already are, right?
 
Ned