Re: Entrance Fees

["James Purchase" <jpurch@interlog.com>]

David (and everyone else for that matter):

The subject is entrance fees and whether there should be any.

Let's stick the the "subject at hand" and _not_ get mired in a pointless
discussion on the merits/demerits of either the AGA or its management. This
is _not_ the forum for that sort of discussion and I want _everyone_ to
remember that. If you cannot discuss the issue of an Aquascaping
Contest/Showcase/Festival without airing some personal animosity against the
AGA, then please do us all a favour and send me your "unsubscribe" request,
now. I did not set this up to give anyone a personal soapbox.

I don't wish to seem heavy handed or dictatorial, but this conversation must
be directed if it is to get anywhere. I have attempted to allow everyone a
free hand in introducing topics and I have encouraged the participation of
everyone. However, negative comments get us _nowhere_ and I'm not the sort
of person to listen to them silently for long. Please accept that fact in
the spirit with which it is shared.

Getting back to the subject(s) at hand, the following points must be
understood and accepted by everyone:

1. At this point in time, we DON'T have the official support/endorsement of
the AGA.
2. At this point in time, we DON'T know what the costs associated with
pulling off an International Show/Competition will be. We SUSPECT that the
costs will be minimal, due to the Web based nature of the event, but that
has not been confirmed, and indeed cannot be confirmed, as our "organizing"
is not yet complete.
3. At this point in time, I can foresee that there will be SOME costs
associated with the event, costs which are going to have to be covered in
SOME way. The main costs I forsee will be for mailing and the up front costs
for CD-ROM's should we choose to have Erik put all submissions in that
format. However, there might be others that cannot / will not be forseen now
or that cannot  / will not be absorbed by "volunteers".
4. The proposal which we are putting together for submission to the AGA must
be viable, both financially and otherwise, with or without AGA financial
input. I have no intention of going to that body or any other, cap in hand,
looking for a hand-out.

We cannot _assume_ that our financial worries will be over should the AGA
endorse this project. We should concentrate on ensuring that we set this up
in such a way that any potenital costs will be covered - either through our
own pockets as the organizers or thru the setting of modest entrance fees.
As I have said, I'd love to see us be able to do this without such fees due
to the fact that _any_ fees might discourage at least _some_ people from
entering.

However, I am not naive enough to think that we should proceed any further
while working under the assumption that some "Good Fairy" is going to
magically appear somewhere down the road with a sack of gold tucked under
her wings. I would hate to see this thing fall apart three quarters of the
way through because no-one was willing to pay to send out announcement
letters through the mail or courrier a package of submissions across the
country for scanning because there was no money in the kitty to do so (nor
even any kitty at all).

I also think it would be presumptuous of us to expect Erik to front the
money for CD-ROM's of the submissions if we elect to have those made for
release/sale to the general public once this is over. And who do you think
pays for the hard drive space and the Internet access which will be required
to host this on the Internet in the first place?

Likewise, I don't want us to jettison good ideas which could make this
something special and really worthwhile just because they would cost a bit
of money an/or might discourage some tight fisted souls from entering. I
don't think my suggestion of $5.00 per submission could be considered
"gouging". Perhaps my suggested cost is too low - this is something we have
to look at - we should attempt to find some point of balance between what we
might need and what we might get. Where any excess should go, should that
blessed event come to pass, is also an issue which should be discussed.

I would gladly consent to keep it myself, if you don't think it should be
handed to some non-profit organization which benefits the aquarium hobby.
Civil servants are not _that_ well paid, I can assure you <g>.

I am not so much concerned with making this so "warm and fuzzy and friendly"
that we neglect reality.

James Purchase
Toronto