new AGA dues, etc

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

On Sat, 4 Jan 2003, David VillaSunscape wrote:

> Other Financial Stuff -- the real problem with finances has been that
> we have not gotten any ad revenue from TAG, and it is expensive to put
> them out in their new version. Kathy Olson has picked up the ball on
> getting more advertisers, and getting them billed and payment from
> them. Also, I thought we had agreed to raise the annual membership
> fees -- it's still $15 on the webstie. When we do go to the higher
> fees that will help. Also, I think that it is taking a little time for
> people to realize that the new TAG is full color, and top quality. We
> still have a cushion in the bank, and I'm sure that things will turn
> around this year.

When you get back home, I think Kathy would like to know exactly HOW much
cushion we're talking about, as in dollars.  She tells me she is very
concerned with doing all the effort with the ads if we don't have a year
of runway to make all the ads work. 

> What I think we need is to put together a real live
> Convention Committee. This should consist of a Chairperson, and a
> person in charge of each "department" -- site selection, speakers,
> vendors/ads, reservations, auction, etc. There would be corresponding
> committee chairs at each local club for each convention. 

I guess I disagree with this.  That's a lot of personel involved, and it
seems costly to duplicate positions, especially as we don't have any to
start with.  I think the people in the local club should BE our national
group for the year.  Maybe there is one person who stays on year-to-year
as committee chair, but if we do this right, all they would need to do is
make sure the group for each year is doing their job right.

> * I really think that we have to pay the airfare for the keynote
> speaker.

Ah, I think I didn't communicate my original opinion correctly.  My beef
is I think *ALL* the speakers should be paid for, not just the keynote
speaker.  But I understand that we don't have enough cash for that, so I 
grudgingly accept it.

> * The finances problem should be for AGA
> itself. Until we get some track record I don't think we can look to
> local clubs to assume the risk. I like the idea of letting them have
> an auction of fish and other non-plant stuff whilst AGA has the silent
> auction.

If the local club doesn't share at least some of the burden financially,
then motivation is there for the local club to make the convention
succesful financially?  i.e. Charlene and Val had no motivation to do this
last year, and that's exactly what happened.  The attitude was "well, if 
you guys want to lose money, go ahead".

I am not saying the local club should pay for everything, but I think 
there should be clear benefits if it is succesful, and a certain risk if 
it is not. 


Everything else in the message I pretty much heartily agree with David!

  - Erik

-- 
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com

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