Re: Convention, Texas, and responsibilities

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

On Thu, 23 Jan 2003, Dorothy Reimer wrote:

>     Where is TCA? Sorry I don't know.

TCA is the Texas Cichlid Association.  Nice dedicated group of folks
there, and based out of the Dallas-FtWorth area.  They also have FOTAS,
the Federation of Texas Aquarium Societies, which holds an annual
convention (I think last year that was sponsored by the TCA).  And lots
off their members are also involved with the ACA, so they've been involved
in running conventions.  These are all organizations that Houston *should* 
have been involved with but wasn't.  So in that sense, we'd get a totally 
different (and hopefully larger) crowd!

> Larry sounds like an active person with some good ideas.

Larry straddles two different organizations, so he has contacts with both.  
He's been on several collecting trips in places like Mexico, and has
written for the BB.  He was the guest speaker on the ACA chat room last
Tuesday, and spoke about aquatic plants!  He could probably speak on
cichlids to the AGA. :)

The thing that's cool is that Larry's not the only one with big ideas
there.  They've got Tim Cincotta, Bailin Shaw, and a bunch of other
people.  Even Luis from Houston has joined their group.  Check their
website at http://www.aquatic-plants.org It's very nicely done.

> I would like to see it somewhere else than Texas again
> but would not like to see not have a convention so would go there again.  It
> is not in the same city so would get some different ideas.

Thanks for checking in Dorothy!  When I'm talking with these guys, it's 
good to have a feel for what the entire board thinks.

>     I think that if we had our silent plant auction and they have a regular
> auction that this would be a good slit of profits.

This would probably work for them.  In fact, they'd probably get way more 
profits than the AGA would, because they could arrange a positively huge 
auction.  The Cleveland group, as Mike Meadows mentioned, could not get a 
large auction together and would not make much profit at all.

Like I've said several times now, I'm really starting to think we should
make this a straight 50/50 for everything.  The AGA can loan the club
money for the expenses, but when the smoke clears, it would look like
this:

        income (registrations + both auctions + raffles but not AGA memberships)
        - all convention expenses (hotel + speakers + equipment + tours + PR)
        = Net profit or loss

Half Net profit or loss to AGA (plus repayment of loan), Half to local
club (minus repayment of loan).

Registration is open to either AGA or local club members.  This 
allows people who just want to check out the convention locally to 
get in $20 cheaper.  Non-members must either join the local club or 
the AGA.  Both clubs keep their respective membership income (but that's 
the ONLY area where money is siphoned off the overall income).

The problem with the system we have right now is that the only thing the
local club is encouraged to do is have a big auction of their own, and 
they have no responsibility in the costs.  What I am proposing will 
encourage both the AGA and local club to have a profitable convention, a 
great plant auction, and a great live auction.  And Larry just confirmed 
that this is what the ACA does, which gives me more confidence in its 
feasibility.

We could always adjust this from 50/50 to 60/40 or 75/25 in negotiations 
with the local club.  But I feel it's very important for the local club to 
have some share in the success or failure of the event.

  - Erik

-- 
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com

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