<VV> CORSA book balancing

Tue Sep 7 16:38:32 EDT 2010

This is not a simple solution to a very difficult problem....

Despite what many think, the BoD has discussed 100% membership over several years. Chapters were asked for their members feeling on this notion. The idea was overwhelmingly rejected by several chapters. Several chapters, including some of the very large chapters, stated they would withdraw from CORSA rather than enforce the 100% membership.

So how would that benefit CORSA?
And how would CORSA enforce such a rule?
Perhaps CORSA could get volunteers to be the membership police at each chapter? We could give them brown shirts too.

If you think you have all the answers, or even just 2, run for the CORSA BoD. Most of the elections are nearly uncontested and you can get elected with very few votes. Then when you are on the inside you can tell us all how easy it is to change the course of the CORSA ship. I'm smart enough to not repeat unpleasant experiences.

Ned Madsen
Former CORSA VP

-----Original Message-----
From: Louis Armer <carmerjr at mindspring.com>
To: kaczmarek at charter.net
Cc: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Sent: Tue, Sep 7, 2010 1:53 pm
Subject: <VV> CORSA book balancing

Hank, You have presented the argument for 100% Corsa membership 
etter than I have ever read it. Yes, here we are another year passed 
ith no resolve to the ongoing problem. New President Jamie and the 
ew board have initiated some cost cutting to the budget but the 
nevitable answer is 100% Corsa membership PERIOD ! I was pleased to 
ear that the MCLN has some similar problems to Corsa but I do not 
ish budgetary problems on any fraternal club and wish all concerned 
ould understand how much more productive and creative boards would 
e if their major concern was not revenue or the lack there of.

huck Armer
00% Corsa backer
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 11:03 AM 9/7/2010, you wrote:
Mark---Trying to celebrate the one year anniversary of the flap over 
the dues increase?

Fine by me!

How does CORSA balance the books?

1. ALL CHAPTER MEMBERS PAY DUES TO CORSA---NOT GRANDFATHERED IN, 
EITHER YOU PAY THE DUES, OR YOU DON'T BELONG TO A CORSA CHAPTER.

There ARE groups of Corvair enthusiasts who don't belong to 
CORSA.  Don't want to pay dues to CORSA?  Don't expect to be a 
member of a CORSA Chapter.

Think of all the dues money NOT collected from non-CORSA paying 
chapter members over just the 21 years I was a member.   Time for 
these people to put up or carry their behinds someplace else.

  I DID, because I'm tired of paying more and constantly being asked 
 to pay more,  while others pay nothing.  Just makes my skin crawl.

This concept seems to shoot over the heads of our directors like a bullet.

2. UNLIKE THE GOVERNMENT----Look for and accomplish savings within 
the current budget, before jerking up the dues.  CORSA is not the 
only organization with this problem.

On the floor of the Marine Corps League National Convention last 
month, a budget was passed that had hidden in it a 3.00/year dues 
increase for non-life members.   When the motion to pass the dues 
increase failed on the floor, the organization now has a 30K 
shortfall for the next fiscal year.  (70,000 members---not 5-6,000).

  The North Carolina Paymaster suggested that instead of sending out 
 xeroxed rosters for the nearly 1400 local detachments to each 
 Department (State) every quarter (each state gets just their own 
 rosters), that the National HQ simply put each roster in PDF form 
 and e-mail them to the Department Adjutants, by his calculations 
 saving 9K per year in printing and mailing costs.   The National 
 Staff didn't want to hear it, and declared him out of order.

In much the same way several directors told me I was out of order a 
year ago for having the temerity to suggest that if you want to be a 
member of an organization, paying dues should NOT BE OPTIONAL.

Heck, even the "He-Man Girl Haters Club"  had dues!

3. The Board should request from each chapter a full roster of all 
members in that chapter, once all chapter members have paid their 
dues to CORSA and become members.

  Then decide by vote the number of dollars required as a  "Per 
 Capita Tax"  on all chapters.  3-4 dollars per member should do 
 it.  Times are hard, the club treasury is hard up, and every 
 chapter could have a small fundraiser to pay National for the 
 amount of the Tax, if they lack the funds in their treasury to 
 simply cut a check.

  I know you are familiar with the concept as it applies in our 
 common fraternal organization.

Also, as many organizations do, offer life memberships based on 
actuarial tables on lifespans.  Life membership money is invested 
for future needs of the club. And in some cases, part of  the 
dividends from the investments are repaid to the chapters as a rebate.

Where's the catch?  I don't think the board will ever do any of 
it.  They're deathly afraid of losing members who don't pay dues to CORSA.

  It's only logical to be afraid of members leaving who are paying 
 dues.  When THEY leave, it COSTS YOU.  When members leave a chapter 
 because  they refuse to ante up, and they've never paid CORSA dues 
 anyway, you lose NOTHING.

Our cars are becoming more popular. Prices are rising even though 
the antique car bubble broke a few years before the housing and 
stock market bubbles did.

CORSA offers some great benefits to its members.  The Directors 
should realize there is  a true value to those benefits, and when 
you are offering valuable services, it's only fair to expect payment 
in return for those services.  Nothing to be afraid of.

If you care to reply, please do so off the list.  I know Mark's 
trolling for an argument.  He got my reply.  I will not comment on 
any other responses to this topic on list.

Hank

---- Mark Corbin <airvair at earthlink.net> wrote:
 > I'm just curious, Hank. There are those who do and those who just complain.
 > The former at least have a plan, while the latter simply like to whine.
 > What is your plan for getting CORSA's books to balance?
 >
 > -Mark
 >
 > > [Original Message]
 > > From: henry kaczmarek <kaczmarek at charter.net>
 > > Subject: Re: <VV> Resale
 > >
 > > My sincere hope is that someday our Board will see the light and do some
 > > serious future financial planning that will keep the knee-jerk reaction
 > of
 > > raising dues every time the books don't balance in check, or requiring
 > all
 > > members of the organization's appendant bodies to pay their fair share.
 > > Don't wanna pay?  Don't get to play our game.  When I see that happening
 > > I'll renew my membership.   Nobody's complaining I'm not a CORSA member
 > > anymore, and neither am I.
 > >
 > > Hank
 > >
 >
 >

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