[QCWA] Convention Expense

Mon Nov 21 15:43:53 EST 2011

Fellow 25 yr and + Hams:

	I was privileged to attend the 2011 Convention with my wife. I had
been a candidate for Director until family circumstances required my
attention. Attendance was less than encouraging from my observation on
Friday at the programs ( which were excellent).

	My XYL and I have had no small amount of experience planning and the
seeing though conventions of 100-300 men and women. As a past Grand Master
of Cryptic Masons, I participated in every aspect of these events at many
and varied locations for over a decade. From the planning to implementation
, it was my responsibility. Any financial loss fell to ME and my committee
because it was ME that signed the contracts with the hotels

	 I attended the Board of Directors meeting and learned about the
finances of QCWA directly. 

	I am astounded to see how it is possible to LOSE 21 THOUSAND DOLLARS
!! Room commitments and meal expenses have minimums with a cut off date that
determines the cost. The Friday buffet, which I paid for , was $41.00.. It
was not a $41 meal !! Attendance projections must be made on the examination
of attendance trends over the past 3-6 years. 

	A cost cutting motion ( presented by a Past President) was passed, I
believe, to stop reimbursement of elected officers to attend the
Conventions. 

	Look at the financial statements of the operating account over the
last 10 years and observe the trend. You will be able to make a reasonable
forecast based on COLD, HARD NUMBERS ! Printing of the Journal is only one
part of the equation, the  candidates for Office Manager have salary demands
and expenses for editorial work to prepare the Journal for printing also
must be considered.

 	It is time that cost cutting measures be implemented, from the TOP
-DOWN, just like we have done in our personal lives. That is fiscal
responsibility. Convention that are losing tens of thousands of dollars need
to be rethought and re-designed to be a break even event. My dues are paid
as a life member, but how many members are at the mercy of dues increases to
meet shortfalls ?? At a loss of $21 THOUSAND DOLLARS, how many times can the
organization 's treasury remain solvent?? 

	Ask questions and expect answers ! 

Steve  WF2S

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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:52:14 -0500
From: VE3JX <ve3jx at sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: [QCWA] Associate Membership
To: "QCWA Reflector" <QCWA at mailman.qth.net>
Message-ID: <BLU0-SMTP49B55840016F6E6BD99C9D83CB0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

Greetings all,

I have some news that bears on our discussion of the financial health of
QCWA.

Last week, I was perusing the QCWA website when I noticed that two Director
positions were marked "vacant".  One further examination, one of the
vacancies was quickly identified as Tony Hirsch W8RSH.  The listing of the
Finance Standing Committee also revealed that the Chair was now vacant.

Since we've been talking financial health and methods to improve that of
QCWA, it was a shock to see the individual involved in overseeing QCWA's
financial house felt it necessary to resign.  I thought maybe it was health
concerns that drove him to quit.

I contacted Tony and found his health is okay.  He did go on to tell me why
he resigned in some detail, and his concerns re: QCWA finances.

One of his laments was that "the QCWA corporate fund asset value has fallen
from about $200k to $60k".  He felt this was due to inaction in implementing
needed dues increases in a timely way.  Of interest to us is recent Board
deliberations with respect to paying a bill which is not rightfully ours.

Apparently, the Rhode Island Convention lost money, to the tune of over
$21K.  It appears that there were minimum room/nights and food orders not
met, due to the lower than expected attendance.  By all accounts, the
Convention was a great time for all that were able to attend.  However, when
it was all over, it appears that 'Skip' Swenson WB6VVA was stuck with the
bill for the above amount and paid it out of his own pocket.

What has upset Tony is that the Board of Directors wants to reimburse this
expense, they feeling that "it would not be a good thing to stick Skip
Swenson with the $21k shortfall."  Tony feels that it is NOT the
responsibility of QCWA National to cover this debt.  The members' money
should not be used arbitrarily in this way, especially since QCWA seems to
be in a budgetary deficit condition.  (In my view, this would set a
dangerous precedent where QCWA National becomes responsible for all future
convention deficits.)

The 2012 Reno Convention contract has him worried as well.  It appears that
there may be a commitment for too many room/nights in it.

So, now you know the latest.  Personally, I do not get a warm & cozy feeling
when I see QCWA's top financial advisor "bail out".  (Tony says that he
continues to be a QCWA member and very interested in QCWA affairs.)

Cheers,

Dave Hayes VE3JX
QCWA Lifer

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Dave Heil" <k8mn at frontiernet.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2011 8:08 PM
To: "QCWA Reflector" <QCWA at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [QCWA] Associate Membership

> Before I became a Novice ham in 1963, I asked my mentor, Andy Timberlake
> W8MN (SK) of Hinton, West Virginia about the QCWA stickers he stuck on
> his outgoing QSL cards.  His explanation about the collegiality between
> old time radio amateurs who had been licensed for more than 25 years
> intrigued me.  I vowed that I'd become a member *just as soon as I
> qualified*.  I did so in 1988 while operating as J52US in Guinea-Bissau.
>  A year or so later when I was down the coast as 9L1US from Sierra
> Leone, I became a life member of QCWA.  I firmly oppose allowing
> associate membership.  I don't care if chapters wish to invite
> non-members as guests to their gatherings but those visitors are not
> members of QCWA.
>
> There is no shortage of potentials members.  We have more license radio
> amateurs than at any time in the history of amateur radio.  In the
> meantime, if we to revert to a magazine with matte covers and no color,
> I can live with that.  Government has to cut costs, American families
> have had to cut costs.  QCWA can do the same in the interests of
> preserving the organization.
>
> 73,
>
> Dave Heil K8MN
> Cameron, WV
>
>
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End of QCWA Digest, Vol 91, Issue 14
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