VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Why not change VCCA membership to Calendar year?

Wouldn't it be better for all VCCA-members and the club secretary to adjust the membership period to the annual year?? It must be much easier for most oldies to remember to send the next payment before end of the year.

The main part of the car clubs here in Norway use the annual year. When you start as member you get all previous issues (in one shipment) that year after you have paid the first fee. Thereafter the membership is running, and very easy to remember and renew for next year.

Another point: It must be easier and comparatively faster to send all collections to old members in one go, and the budget also really must be easier to plan in March when the board already knows the income from the members that year.

Thanks for the juke box, Bill.

Lovely, old music while we are reading and writing on the chat. YEAAAAHHHH! Chevrolet songs also wanted!!!

I understand the desire to keep things simple for the membership by having all memberships expire on an annual basis. But that is only part of the story.

The VCCA formerly had all memberships on a calendar year basis. It created several problems. 1. Either needed to prorate the first year or have people feel that they paid for a full year without receiving the full year membership. Pro-rating created much more work for the membership secretary 2. If not pro-rated sending the issues of the G&D to make up the full year was much more costly and time consuming. 3. Handling 8000 plus memberships in a couple of months was a monumental job. Sending that many reminders (don't suggest not sending reminders as it has proved to result in much fewer renewals) at one time takes a bunch of time.

The membership secretary job when only 700+ memberships are renewed each month takes enough time. If you can find anyone to spend nearly all their waking time for two-three months on handling memberships and renewals then maybe the Board will reconsider.

Our Region also handles memberships on an annual basis but it is 80-100 people not 8000. Totally different animal.

We understand it will be an overwhelming task if there is no computer assistance/database available. But it must be possible to find a practical and economical solution in some time. Lots of companies and other clubs are doing this once a year. Hmmmmm. :confused:

If the Board and members generally feel this is not a good idea, or not the time for doing it or too difficult change the present system, let's leave it there. We have no problems being a VCCA-region, (except for the deliveries of G&Ds,) but we could not handle and serve our 450 members the best way without a database these days.

I think it is a great idea! As a Board Member I mentioned this to the Board in an e-mail, in another related topic but it did not get too much of a warm reception. I agree it is so much easier to plan the year's budget. As Chip pointed out it would involve many logistics.

John Mahoney
BOD Atlantic Northeast Area 11

I agree it is an idea that has merit.

However, considering the likelihood of it "passing" under the (current) circumstances, I think it would be best left to the "future." It should NOT be overlooked that the curretnly utilized method/system does in fact "work."

Further, In my mind, it currently isn't a "battle" that could be won. Consequently not a "battle" worth waging. More important to concentrate on other matters. IMHO.....

Bill.

Bill,
this could save the club money and also earn money. We would have the entire years dues in an account earning interest at the same time. The G&D would serve as a reminder and there would be no need to mail out reminders. It would have to be researched, because this extra workload would have a cost to perform.

John

I agree that a membership database and other related computer functions are goals for the future. Support of these and other improved member benefits should be brought to the attention of our Board Members. Only with a coordinated and comprehensive plan will these possible changes be supported and successfully implimented. Get on Board or off the train?

My question is would we be solveing one problem and creating another problem?
Grant it would be a readjustment for the membership, and the accounting system.

It also will create a problem with new memberships and for those that let their membership lapse when someone joins anytime during the current year what will be their dues, will it be calculated (pro-rated) just for the remainder of the year, or will they have to pay a full year for just a portion of the year and have another year's dues due on January 1st? or Dec. 31st whichever it is.

Are all the discussions and promotions to convince the BOD to make these readjustments, then the implementaion of the changes required going be worth the effort to accomplish that kind of a changeover?

I doubt it....(just my humble opinion)

Mr Mack,


This is a valid point, but keep in mind other clubs such as the AACA operate under the suggested system,and it seems to work fine.
John

Thanks John, and I am familar with AACA and they have quite a different outlook and organization than VCCA, I prefer VCCA.

There is no doubt that changing the membership system will need time and money. Certainly, after checking all important arguments, it must be decided if this system is a better way of running VCCA, exclusively and not other clubs. We did not know the club had a calendar year system before. When and why did VCCA change that?

There are no difficulties with any members after paying the first annual fee. The "old" members pay before end of the year and get all issues next year, until they decide to leave, with nothing "lost".

All new members are paying full too, but to compensate the "missing" part of the year, they get that year's issues (all before the month they join) in one shipment after payment is received by VCCA. Normally not a problem for any side.

Anyway we hope the future club officers will be able to run the club in the best way for all implicated by getting more needed computing support. And then we are not specially thinking of the possible change to a calendar system. The advantages should be notisable for the members too, specially in a club of VCCA-size. Many VCCA-members are very competent and eager users of the chat page, as well as great restorers. If the system allows it, they can easily revise their own member page and roster without revision of the information inside the web page.

May be a heavier use of computer work could be implemented within range of the next 4 years, it will be a great gift :grin: to the 50th Anniversary and to all Chevy-lovers in (and outside) VCCA. Planning, raising money and installing during the next few years should certainly be possible to combine with the vital task of still running the business "as usual".

Would it be possible to get companies to check and advise the club on a small-profit basis how to handle the questions technically and economically right?

We think these questions must be evaluated during long and good thinking both in the board and among the members, certainly not rushing for a quick solution in any direction. Four years to go, folks!

Mr Mack,


I am a little puzzled by your post, the AACA's aim and purpose is the same as ours "restoration and preservation" As an active member of both clubs I really have not seen this different outlook that you mentioned, or did I ask anyone if they preferred one over the other, but it is nice that you offered your opinion of which you prefer. Regardless even if they were a model airplane club what would that have to with anything if we were only looking to see how they address problems with their dues collection?

I guess I should have been clearer with my post, the only reason I mentioned the AACA is that besides having the same aim and purpose they have been more than willing in the past to help the VCCA when asked to share experiences both good and bad. Many members were not aware that when the VCCA was constructing the "new" Judging Manual we had several communications with the powers to be in AACA who were both very supportive and informative with us, even gave a green light to copy anything we would like. I am pretty sure they could give us some insight on how they might have addressed some of the problems that were mentioned.
John

I am also a member of both the AACA and VCCA. There are indeed similarities as well as differences as it should be. Though the focus of both is the restoration and preservation of antique vehicles and they both will willingly share experiences freely with each other, as will most other antique vehicle clubs that I am familiar with, the organizations are different as it should be. For some reason many VCCA members take umbridge whenever the AACA is mentioned and will automatically put on the blinders. Therefore it is often best not to refer to the AACA to VCCA people.

Another double click. Sorry, the computer goes to the shop as soon as the shipping box arrives.

I really didn't think it would ruffle many feathers because I indicated ,on a VCCA site, that I preferred VCCA to AACA, that is just the way it is. I suppose if I had much of a desire to preserve, restore and drive cars other than a Chevrolet, I might be a candidate for AACA. No offense!

Chip Sweet, try soaking your mouse trigger finger in MMO or spray some WD-40 in the mouse, no telling what will happen to your computer if you take it to a computer shop!

Sad but true! The way some people act you would swear we were bike gangs fighting over turf. The strange part is I only encountered this from VCCA members, but very seldom the other way. I have wondered about this for years.
Sad....It is not religion, only a hobby, but if it were we would both be in the same sect

But I would like to keep it on track, it was only to point out that other similar organizations structure their dues on an annual basis, and seem to have worked out all of the reasons as to why some say it can't be done.

I think it is great idea, and why does it have to be January 1? It was pointed out that there are a lot reasons that would be a bad time of year , so it could be May 1 or whatever... Again we don't have to duplicate exactly things from other groups, just selected ideas.

John

Let's find out the advantages and disadvantages about calendar or running year. By now VCCA has been run under both systems, as far as I understand. Somebody could go back in the files to see why the calendar system was changed to running some years ago. It should not be difficult to find the positive and negative comments regarding each system.

If there still are/will be different better reasons for running the club the present way in the future, let it so be. Changing system without really gaining better service and easier running of the club is not the thing to do. :(

As to the database and more computer power: Check the needs first and then use the next years to get more machinery and needed updates to the benefit for all, both officers and members.

John 348:
Get a life.....YOU are the one, are trying to make a sect out of a hobby..so you enjoy The AACA, fine....

Mr Mack,
I knew if anyone could get a topic off track again it would be you. I only pointed out to you that your reply had nothing to do with the topic at hand. I think you are out of place to tell me to get a life.For years you are the one commenting on everything you can on this site even if you have no clue about the topic. I still recall the ZL-1 thread a few years ago with all of the pearls of wisdom that were offered there.

Again I will explain to you my post had nothing to do with what I enjoy or not enjoy, or who is better or not. It had to do with an organization that operates under the idea that this thread was based on that is all. I am not looking for an argument, as you seem to be.

Solan: If dues were collected in the manner outlined the data base within two months after the cutoff date. It would be much easier to manage, there would only be new entries

John

Here we go again, it seems like the fires just keep popping up again and again.

Hey Chipper, it seems I remember you mentioning your computer was a Dell. I am in the market for a new machine and have been considering a Dell but I keep getting negative responses. Have any suggestions?

DD

We think we already have made our points, and were not prepared the discussion should get heated. Sorry about that! We raised the question in order to get the best possible running of our own VCCA (not other clubs)in the future. We do not have all the answers and all comments for running VCCA the best way, but the calendar year is our own best solution. :)

If the experience from previous years clearly shows that the present system is the better one, let's leave it there. We do not want to stress this question more.

Anyway, we still feel there must be a way of improving the computer support and the club updated to the best working for all, both officers and members before 2011!

It is always appropriate to review the way things are done. Periodic checking to be sure that the process being used is still the best for the membership. Many of us have been convinced that more use of computers, internet, databases and the labor saving processes that they permit are in the best long term interest of the VCCA. So far the majority of the BOD does not agree. A major hurdle is the cost to get started. The more benefits that can be defined the easier it is to justify the expense. Eventually it will happen, the question is when?