ABC Membership dues

[John]

Most club members have not paid dues to remain club members thru 2007.  It happens every year, even though the last Bulletin said dues are due by December 31st and a membership form was included.  Quite a few used the from and sent their dues.  Some of those were already paid thru 2007, so I applied the money to 2008 and beyond.  You may pay for two years in advance.
I have updated the Breeders Directory so that only those that are current, with their membership, are listed.    
If you are a former member and would like to rejoin for 2007 or plan to join for the first time please use the membership form and send it along with your check to our new Secretary, Michael Muenks.  Membership forms can be downloaded and printed from our website and there is a link to the website near the bottom of this page.
Please keep in mind this ABC Forum and our website are funded by the club.  Both club members and non-members benefit from them.  We don\'t ask for donations (we do accept them though), but if you can afford the $10 per year for membership you will help support the site and forum, plus get quarterly Bulletins.  No, the club isn\'t hurting financially.  Yes, we would like you to join to keep it that way and to help spread the word about the best breed of chickens in the world.

[Guest]

\\
Hey John,
Just a reminder, Lots of folks don\'t renew until after january mostly due to holiday bills, fuel bills etc.

We never renew until the end of february, at \"tax Christmas\", that is the time ew have \"extra cash\" to spend on things we want rather than nescessities.

I think that a \"grace period\", should be put into effect for the first quarter, or else make it truly a yearly membership by coming due one year from when it is paid, then you don\'t offend folks for paying their dues when it is convineant for them, rather  than for you.
 
just a thought

[John]

make it truly a yearly membership by coming due one year from when it is paid

Isn\'t that the way it is?  With this club it has always been an annual membership from January 1st thru December 31st, so dues have to be paid before January 1st to get a full year of membership.  The Constitution actually says dues are payable on the 1st, but we don\'t mail on the Holiday.
I print extra Bulletins so that new members that join late in the year still get 4 Bulletins for their money.  If I can\'t send them all the Bulletins for that year I apply their dues to the following year.
We could change the fiscal year, for memberships, to July 1st thru June 31st.  That would take an amendment change to be voted on in the fall of 2008 if proposed.  It would cause several other changes though that are also hinged on the present fiscal year and don\'t know that it would be worth it.
Comments?

[Guest]

Howdy to All and Happy New Year!

Could a clause/amendment be added similar to the one used by the American Marans Club?

To wit, \"Membership renewal fees will be due on January 1st of the expiration year and must be received by March 1st for a member to remain in good standing. \"

Just my $0.02, Greg

[Mike Gilbert]

The secretary has enough to do without having to keep track of memberships expiring throughout the year.   Bottom line, the cost isn\'t prohibitive, so dues should be paid on time.
And the secretary should not have to remind anyone more than once.   I belong to several other clubs, and that\'s the way it is with the others as well.

[John]

Could a clause/amendment be added

Yes, Greg, within the guidelines of the Constitution/Bylaws.
The reminder that memberships expire on December 31st was in all the quarterly Bulletins throughout the year, with an extra special notice and membership form included in the one that was mailed before December 1st.   Members don\'t have to wait until December to pay according to the Constitution.  Dues can be paid anytime during the year in any month and at any time during that month that a member has the time and money to do so.  I know your membership is current.  
A few years ago we even made it possible for folks to pay for up to two years in advance, which many have done.
I wouldn\'t be in favor of a grace period, knowing that the dues can be paid at any ones leisure up to two years in advance.  
The club has always been a democratic one and will continue to be according to those guidelines I mentioned, but people have to pay that $8, $10 or $15 to have a vote.
By the way, we have had two Lifetime memberships paid this past year.  One was $200 for an Individual and the other $300 for a Family!

[bantamhill]

I\'m just coming to grips with the job I was elected to and I have no idea how to respond. Changing the club fiscal year is an idea that has pros and cons to it as does the grace period. Ask me in a few months and I am sure I will have an opinion about the grace period . . . curently I would bow to the experience of the previous secretaries.

Michael

[Guest]

Well here are a few comments, at the risk of being unpopular.

the first One being that Old dogs don\'t like change.
I know first hand,  beacuse I don\'t want to change, and probably wont.
My own personal habit I developed, that works well for me,  is to make what i call \"friviolus\" purchases from \"extra cash\", like tax returns,  any and all magizine club or other recuring membership I have are paid usualy in march, including Poultry Press, APA dues, ABC dues, AAA.

The second reason is the static I recieve at every show I go to trying to recruit new memberships for our club.
They can have the nicest Ameraucanas, even from well recognized breeders, and even top the show..but if the show is in september or october, not one will commit to paying that measly $10.00 to join, knowing they have to pay it again in january..quite franlky it has been the biggest stumbling block i have had to face in trying to recruit new members..while it is not much cash, just try and justify someone into parting with it when they are uncertain as to what they \"get\" for their buck. it is no easy feat!
I think if you poll the membership as well as the past due membership, you will find many have faced sumular results in attempting to gain new members.
Now with the tried and true members, it may not bother them, but recruting new members is a whole differant ball of wax. then hanging on to them....
well, you see there needs to be some wiggle room in there to keep them going. you have to make them feel important and welcome, as well as valued as members, so maybe not be so quick to kick them back out the door, once then have finly nosed their way in.

[John]

knowing they have to pay it again in January..

Some that join near the end of the year will let me know they want their membership to start on January 1st.  They just write a note on the membership from to that effect.  That hasn\'t been a problem for me as Secretary and is an easy thing to do.
If I can\'t send them all the Bulletins for that year, and they join near the end of the year, I start their membership on January 1st.
I don\'t think we do much, as a club, to solicite new members.  We are fortunate to have many members that continue their memberships year after year (even though some hardy ever pay until after January 1st), a dozen or two members pay well in advance and each year new folks join.  Some of those new ones will continue with the club, but many don\'t.  It is nothing new...just the way it goes.  Over all the club continues to grow.    

[Guest]

John...It is too late for me now, but if someone paid let\'s say in February for more than the amount...let say maybe $25.00 for a family and then next February paid another $25.00 would I be considered late during the last February?  I am also one of those Adult Christmasers that wait for Uncle Samta to bring me my Christmas present.  So I\'m thinking if I pay a little extra maybe I wouldn\'t be considered late.  If not I\'ll do what I do for my home insurance membership dues and Sam Warehouse pay when I have the money and toss the renewal notice out.  At least in these instances if we don\'t pay we don\'t have late fees, folks.  Yea!

[John]

Yes, if I understand the question correctly.
Dues are set by the Board of Directors, so paying extra is considered a donation and some do that from time to time.
Membership is from January 1st thru December 31st according to the Constitution/Bylaws.  The Secretary/Treasurer isn\'t given any discretion that I\'ve found in the Constitution/Bylaws and I think it would just be putting extra work on that person that already has plenty to do, if we made an amendment.  You can always pay for up to two years in advance, so if members would do that when they have the money there would be no reason to have a lapse in their membership.  We also have lifetime memberships available, so you only have to pay once!
No matter when you pay you will still get all the Bulletins from that year provided we don\'t run out of the extras that are printed.  We print extras knowing first time members will join sometime during the year and that quite a few members let their memberships lapse before renewing each year.