[Ansteorra] A Serious Question Raised By The B.O.D.

Tue Feb 5 09:38:39 PST 2002

I agree with Sir Burke on this. for the past few months another list I an on
has been discussing this topic at length via the B.O.D.'s suggestion.  I
would like to add. For those who do not know what the B.O.D. is It is The
Board of Directors for the Society. in laymans terms they handle much of the
Mundane running of the Society and it's administrative corporate needs so
that we can play this game.

Currently they need your suggestions and comments to fix what can become a
serious problem for our Society as a whole if a solution is not found. I ask
you all to take a few minutes of your time to take a look at the B.O.D.
proposal. and send in your comments. They will be read and considered your
Opinions very much count on this issue.

This is an Issue that effects each and every one of us. If you ever wanted a
say on how much your membership should be. what you get with your
membership. What subscriptions your should get with your membership. Had an
Idea to help with Society costs this is your Opportunity to do so. This is
your Opportunity to be heard.

So please voice your Opinion to the B.O.D. go Visit the website and Post
your Comments and Suggestion to the Board.

for those who had missed it the website address is"
http://www.sca.org/BOD/announcements/membershiprestructure.html

In service
Lady Simone Maurian ui' Dunlaingh
simone at elfsea.net

> The following was posted to the western regional list.  I have confirmed
> that it is also on the SCA website.
> http://www.sca.org/BOD/announcements/membershiprestructure.html
>
> The BOD is asking for our input on this proposal.  I can not stress how
> important this is to our helping the BOD shape the future of the SCA.  If
> you do not comment on this to the BOD you have NO CAUSE to complain if you
> don't like the results.
> Sir Burke
>
> >FROM THE BOD
> >
> >Greetings to the Membership of the Society for Creative Anachronism from
> >the Board of Directors:
> >We come before you for consultation concerning the issue of a possible
> >membership rate increase for the SCA.
> >The SCA's membership rates have not changed since 1994. During the
> >intervening years, many of the costs associated with operations of the
> >Society have increased. For example, rents, printing, postage, and paper
> >expenses are up, and this trend is likely to continue. Our insurance
costs
> >will rise by 17% in 2002. The stipend for newsletter production was
raised
> >14% three years ago with no corresponding increase in revenue; the
postage
> >portion of the stipend has been increased several times in response to
> >increases in postage rates. (Note that stipends are intended to cover the
> >costs of producing and mailing a two-ounce, simple newsletter, produced
> >largely with volunteer labor. Kingdoms that desire a fancier or larger
> >publication, or want to have the binding done professionally, need to
> >raise funds to cover the increased costs of those improvements.) The
> >Directors and officers have done their best to hold down the expenses
they
> >can directly control, often by donating the expenses involved in
> >performing their duties, but that is a small percentage of the budget,
and
> >of course items like those mentioned above are to a large degree outside
> >of our control. Membership numbers have not kept pace with these
increases
> >in costs, especially sustaining memberships, as can be seen from the fact
> >that, while membership numbers are up, membership revenue is down.
> >Membership fees are the Corporation's primary source of revenue. The
> >number of paid members of the Society has remained fairly constant over
> >the past several years. It is easy to see that when revenue remains
> >constant and expenses increase, the financial picture is not good.
> >Following is a summary of revenue and expenses for the past five years
> >(all figures below rounded to nearest dollar; % change compares 1997 to
2001):
> >REVENUE19971998199920002001% chg
> >Number of Members23,81423,83223,80224,40024,988+ 5%
> >(includes all membership categories; annual average)
> >Membership Revenue$790,246$621,768$744,279$761,633$750,701- 5%
> >Other revenue$145,932$104,462$94,277$98,606$87,741- 40%
> >(includes Stock Clerk income, interest and dividends, TI advertising
revenue)
> >TOTAL REVENUE$936,178$726,230$838,556$860,240$838,442- 10%
> >EXPENSES19971998199920002001% chg
> >Kingdom Newsletters$187,409$189,421$213,750$209,789$198,985+ 6%
> >Staff Salaries$172,693$194,087$219,253$201,695$221,680+ 28%
> >(includes cost of benefits and payroll taxes)
> >Corp Office Expenses$143,437$115,817$141,355$134,165$155,835+ 9%
> >Meetings/conferences$36,996$44,566$46,625$37,176$42,822+ 10%
> >Board member expenses$4,230$1,644$2,625$841$355- 92%
> >Officer expenses$18,610$9,717$12,195$10,671$13,747- 26%
> >Other Expenses$267,794$265,971$255,808$257,638$206,230- 23%
> >(includes stock clerk costs, insurance, professional services, other
> >publications, and capital expenditures)
> >TOTAL EXPENSES$831,168$812,222$891,611$851,976$839,654+ 1%
> >NET INCOME(LOSS)$105,010($85,992)($53,055)$8,264($1,212)
> >2001's final revenue figures are skewed because of a very generous,
> >one-time, unbudgeted donation of $40,000, which was earmarked by the
donor
> >for a specific purpose (so it is not general revenue). The 2002 budget
> >projects a loss of approximately $66,000. Despite the budget shortfalls
> >over three of the past five years, this is not an emergency situation. At
> >present there is enough money to cover our subscription liability and the
> >Society's immediate expenses. But, looking into the future, clearly that
> >situation will not continue forever. The Board is strongly of the opinion
> >that an adjustment is needed to cover increases in operating expenses
that
> >will inevitably occur in the coming years. It is our feeling that a
single
> >increase designed to last several years is preferable to smaller, more
> >frequent increases, though we are open to argument on that point.
> >As Directors, we have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the
> >corporation has resources adequate to continue its operations. To that
> >end, the Board of several years ago instituted the Non-Member Surcharge
> >(NMS), which allowed the accumulation of an operating reserve. Once that
> >reserve was established, the Board repealed the NMS. That operating
> >reserve, which was fueled by the NMS, has been funding budget shortfalls
> >at the Corporate level for some years now. It would not be financially
> >prudent to spend all of the operating reserve with no plan to replace
> >those funds.
> >We ask that members consider the following suggestions on how to increase
> >revenues so that expenses can be met into the future. We realize that
> >these suggestions are by no means the only options available. Please send
> >us your comments on these options and your alternative suggestions. The
> >Board is seeking a consensus from the membership on how to proceed. At
> >present no decisions have been made - except that something must be done.
> >We request and highly encourage your suggestions and assistance. Note
that
> >International memberships are not specifically addressed here. Those
rates
> >may need to increase proportionately to any other rate increases that
occur.
> >OPTION 1 - Tournaments Illuminated optional
> >Basic Membership: $35/year 3rd class; $42/year 1st class (Drachenwald and
> >Ealdormere available 1st class only). Includes member's own Kingdom
newsletter.
> >Dependent membership: $15/year (with a family cap of $70/year) -
available
> >only to immediate family members of a Basic member
> >Tournaments Illuminated: $10/year.
> >Additional publications, including any additional Kingdom newsletters and
> >Compleat Anachronist (per publication): $10/year 3rd class; $17/year 1st
class
> >Board Proceedings: $17/year (available 1st class only; includes Board
> >meeting minutes and Society Seneschal's report)
> >OPTION 2 - all publications optional
> >Basic membership: $25/year
> >Dependent membership: $15/year (family cap of $60/year) - available only
> >to immediate family members of a Basic member
> >Publications, including all kingdom newsletters and Compleat Anachronist
> >(per publication): $10/year 3rd class; $17/year 1st class (Drachenwald
and
> >Ealdormere available 1st class only).
> >Tournaments Illuminated: $10/year
> >Board Proceedings: $17/year (available 1st class only; includes Board
> >meeting minutes and Society Seneschal's report)
> >Alternate option for Board proceedings in both Options 1 and 2: Board
> >meeting minutes posted to the SCA web site. In this case the option to
> >subscribe to the Proceedings would be dropped. The Society Seneschal's
> >report would be dropped.
> >Under either of the above options the membership categories would be
> >reduced to two: Basic and Dependent (aka Family).
> >OPTION 3 - A general increase in the price of membership.
> >Membership categories and included publications would remain the same as
> >they are today. The price of each type of membership would increase by $5
> >to $10.
> >OPTION 4 - A significant increase in the number of paid Society members.
> >We are NOT suggesting "pay to play". We would be very interested in
> >suggestions for ways to encourage more of our participants to become paid
> >members of the Society. Obviously, with more paid members to share the
> >costs, each member's share of those costs is reduced.
> >OTHER OPTIONS
> >Other options that have been discussed include reinstating the Non-Member
> >Surcharge, or designating a percentage of the gate from each event to go
> >to the Corporation. Undoubtedly there are many, many other possibilities
> >that have not yet been brought to the table.
> >Again, the Board asks for your comments and suggestions. "Unbundling" the
> >publications from membership and/or increasing the cost of memberships
are
> >undoubtedly not the only options. There may well be other answers.
Nothing
> >will be done until after input from the members and Kingdoms is received
> >and carefully considered. The membership will be kept informed on the
> >status of this endeavor.
> >Please send your comments no later than June 15, 2002 to:
> >Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
> >PO Box 360789
> >Milpitas CA 95036-0789
> >Or electronically to: comments at sca.org
> >Sincerely yours,
> >The SCA, Inc. Board of Directors
> --
>
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