<VV> 100% vs 0%

[Vairtec Corporation]

It is remarkable, to me, that so many people see the issue of CORSA 
membership at the local level as being a matter of "all or nothing."  
That is, they opine that we should impose a mandatory 100% membership 
requirement, period, finito, no wiggle room.

I have said for years that if such a policy were to be put in place, 
that it should be reciprocal -- CORSA members should be required to join 
a chapter.

As has been pointed out, the current situation dates waay back to 
CORSA's formation, and the recent debate is nothing new.  But these days 
when the debate arises I have a preference for a more nuanced solution.  
In my view, at the local level a Corvair club should choose to be a 
"chapter" of CORSA, an "affiliate" of CORSA, or an "associate" of CORSA.

A "chapter" is a local club that chooses to impose a mandatory 100% 
membership policy.  When a club does this, it then receives the various 
benefits that CORSA provides to chapters, things such as web site 
hosting on the CORSA server, ad space in the Communique, support for 
local events, and of course, the insurance coverage.

An "affiliate" is a local club that chooses to retain an open membership 
policy but pays a significant annual fee to CORSA in order to obtain the 
benefits that are otherwise accorded to chapters.

An "associate" is a local club that chooses to retain an open membership 
policy and chooses not to pay for benefits, and therefore does not 
receive those benefits.

You see, when a local club chooses not to impose a mandatory membership 
policy, I do not want to turn them out as if they are bums and slackers 
and cheapskates.  Rather, I wish to continue to promote cohesiveness in 
the hobby by continuing to embrace these clubs.  I am creating, in a 
sense, a hierarchy, but I think we can all agree that 100% membership is 
a worthwhile ambition, that clubs that do not impose such a policy but 
which contribute financially to CORSA should be welcomed, and that clubs 
that do neither are still comprised of people who love the same car as 
the rest of us.

Now, I think that the annual benefits fee for those clubs that choose to 
retain an open membership policy should be a significant number -- at 
least $250.  To keep the admin simple and straightforward, I would make 
this a flat fee for all such clubs, regardless of local membership 
numbers.  A club may choose not to spend the $250 a year, but on the 
question on affordability I think that if any local club cannot afford 
$250 a year for liability insurance, web hosting and the rest, then that 
is probably not a viable local club.  After all, you'd have to have 
fewer than five members for $250 to exceed the cost of each member's 
CORSA dues.

CORSA has, right now, about 120 local clubs and Special Interest 
Groups.  If, say, a third of them decide to impose a 100% CORSA 
membership policy, CORSA will likely gain members.  If another third of 
them choose to retain an open membership policy and pay a $250 annual 
fee for benefits, CORSA would take in $10,000.00 per year, the 
equivalent of about 200 members.  And if the final third of these clubs 
choose to retain an open membership policy and not pay for benefits, 
we've lost nothing.

Under my plan we are in effect providing zero CORSA support to the clubs 
in the latter group, but at least we are not telling a segment of our 
fellow hobbyists to pound salt.  Each local club can select its 
preference.  And I betcha that CORSA's bottom line would improve.

One last note:  Is my opinion worth any more than anyone else's?  Of 
course not.  But I think that I can lay claim to being "part of the 
solution" because I am a member of CORSA, I have served as an officer in 
my local club, I have served on CORSA committees, I have served as a 
CORSA director, and I have voted in CORSA's elections.

--Bob Marlow