Re: MCM - Digest V1 #97

[Neil Frank <nfrank@mindspring.com>]

Welcome back Jack!

Your idea of the postcard is great. Nice text. I hope you can get it all
on. Please don't make the font size too small. Some of our members are over
50 and we don't want them to get a magnifier to read the text. If you have
to leave something off, you can drop the addresses... probably not so
important for a new member. One small editorial comment: you spelled one
word wrong -- "imporantly"

With your renewed enthusiasm, I shall get back to TAG... after I do my
taxes that is.

Neil

At 04:12 AM 4/8/99 -0700, you wrote:
>
>MCM - Digest          Thursday, April 8 1999          Volume 01 : Number 097
>
>
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1999 12:12:43 -0400 
>From: "O'leary, Jack" <joleary@col-col.com>
>Subject: RE: MCM -notification of membership
>
>       Hi, everyone!
>
>       I'm way behind on membership duties, and I haven't read a lot of my
>email over the last month or so.  I'm taking a weekend class, and opening a
>new office for my company (maybe a little overcommitted, eh?).
>
>       In reading some of the MCM correspondence, I understand that Bob is
>a little frustrated at what is happening with membership.  I understand that
>and regret any grief caused.  It is a little more work than I anticipated.
>I second what Neil has said regarding this issue; when TAG is issued
>regularly, it's easy to keep the "rhythm" going and the complaints are few.
>As I mentioned in a past MCM digest, I generally process all of the
>membership correspondence when I get a request for mailing labels, to ensure
>that all applicants get the very next TAG. Due to this practice, I have
>allowed a backlog to develop.  (We have gotten a good response to our
>renewal mailings, further adding to the backlog.)   Based on recent events,
>I will be reverting to a weekly schedule.
>
>       I'm taking the next few days off and planning to catch up on
>membership items, including responding to email.  Based on the feedback that
>we are getting from the membership, it seems that we really should send out
>a confirmatory package to each new/renewing member, and I will start doing
>it.  I intend to send out a postcard, as suggested, when each application is
>processed, with language something along the following lines:
>
>       Welcome to the AGA!     As a benefit of membership, you will recieve
>6 volumes of The Aquatic Gardener.  It is usually published on a bimonthly
>basis, but your first issue may be delayed depending on when your membership
>was received and on the frequency of publication.  The Editor may delay
>publication at his discretion in order to compile special issues or for
>other reasons.  The volunteers of the AGA appreciate your patience.
>
>       In the meantime, please visit our web page at ______________.  You
>may also want to order back issues of TAG from:  __________________.  Most
>imporantly, we welcome your participation!  You are encouraged to submit
>your own articles, photographs, drawings, or questions to the Editor, Neil
>Frank, at ________________.
>
>       I hope that this will all fit on a postcard, at a reasonable type
>size.
>
>       I suppose that a motion is in order, so I move that 
>
>       1.      The membership chair be authorized to send a "welcome"
>postcard, more or less as written above.
>
>       2.      The membership chair be authorized to incur printing costs
>to have them produced (estimated at $30 - $60).
>
>       As far as contacts go, I was intending to put our mailing addresses
>on the cards.  Is this OK?  (Not everyone has email).
>
>
>       Lastly, the membership database, as I recieved it, had expiration
>data expressed as dates (i.e. Jan 1999). Lately I have received some
>complaints that renewal notices are being sent out "early" (I thought that I
>was late with them!).  This is probably due to the practice of basing the
>expiration date on the calendar years from receipt of the application.  I'm
>thinking that renewal data should probable be expressed by the particular
>volume and number at which the membership expires, in order to allow for
>less regular publishing schedules, and to ensure that the member does indeed
>receive six issues per year.   What does everyone think?
>
>
>
>       - Jack O'Leary
>
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>
>End of MCM - Digest V1 #97
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>