<VV> 100% vs 0%

[Mark Corbin]

I'd have to dispute the poster that said that the BoD was considering all
proposals. One proposal I made, which would, I feel, solve the question of
requiring 100% CORSA membership of local chapters, over a year ago has not
been implemented, despite TWO SIG's volunteering to be guinea pigs AND the
proposed system being a rousing success in at least one other national car
club that I know of.

That proposal was to have, on a strictly voluntary basis, CORSA collect the
local dues for them. It would work this way. CORSA and the local dues would
be pro-rated on a monthly scale, just for the initial dues collection. Then
dues collection could be standardized to a certain date (first of the
year?) instead of 12 times a year (monthly). Note that this pro-rating
would only be used in this first collection, and just so that each member's
local and CORSA dues collections can be coordinated to the same date,
whatever that may be. THEN CORSA would print, on ALL future printings of
membership apps and dues renewals, a list of all locals and SIG's that were
chapters, along with their dues. The renewal applicant would add the CORSA
dues along with any and/or all chapters he wanted to belong to, and send in
the combined amount. The prospective new member would receive, at the local
level, the same app, and do likewise. The local would NOT collect the dues.
Rather, the dues would be sent to CORSA, collected with all the other
members' dues, and CORSA would then send each chapter ONE check and a list
of their members. In this manner, one could NOT join a local without also
joining CORSA, and any chapter that so chose to handle their membership
this way would be relieved of having to collect dues every year. The result
would be chapters that would automatically be 100% CORSA members, PLUS the
locals would very possibly ADD dues-paying members from out of their area,
because anybody from anywhere could easily join their club. It's a win-win
system for both CORSA and the chapters.

But as I said, this system, proposed over a year ago, in which the CORSA
hierarchy promised would be implemented, has yet to be so. So I have to
disagree that the BoD has done all they could and considered everything,
when it's obvious to me that they are sitting on their hands on this one.

-Mark


> [Original Message]
> From: George Jones <65crownv8 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> 100% vs 0%
>
> Bob,
>
> What amazes me is that there are so many people who reap the rewards of
> CORSA association, yet feel they don't receive any benefit, and refuse to
> help foster the continuation of the organization.
>
> Personally, to me it's like finding out who your friends are... you always
> have a bunch of friends when life is good and you're handing out money (or
> Corvair parts, etc.), but when the chips are down and you need help
(money,
> help, or Corvair parts), it's amazing how few you really have.
>
> While I don't have a problem requiring the reciprocal agreement with CORSA
> members being required to join a local chapter, I would not support it if
> the requirement excludes the SIGs as chapters.
>
> I need to stop here or I will let my passion (disdain) show.
>
> George Jones
>
> On Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 7:33 PM, Vairtec Corporation
> <Vairtec at optonline.net>wrote:
>
> > 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
> >