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<DIV><FONT size=2>between the membership dues, sanction fees, NATS participation
fees ($40 per member per event they fly in!) advertising in Model Aviation and
income from the DVD, credit card program and such... there's really no excuse
for the AMA to have a financial problem ever. THEN add all the
donations....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I see no problem with the NATS on thier own running at a
deficit and Membership dues supporting that event. Thats part of the
original purpose of the AMA... to organize and hold the annual national
competitions.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I do see a problem when the NATS use contestant/volunteer
judging and lot of volunbteer labor and still can't break even on $40 per
contestant... Clubs MAKE A PROFIT on contests when charging $20 per
entrant.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Someone is doing something wrong somewhere. Thats the
only possible explaination for the NATS comming out $25k in the red. And
raising entry fees won't cure it. Its sounding to me like its time for an
audit.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=JAStebbins@worldnet.att.net
href="mailto:JAStebbins@worldnet.att.net">Jerry Stebbins</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">Discussion -NSRCA</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 01, 2007 5:26 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NSRCA-discussion] Muncie's
reason to exist</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tony,I do know, and as voiced by others around at
the time, that Muncie was defined, justified and implemented as a common
location to hold AMA NATS Events. Whatever else it did, or could do, was
secondary. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That being the case, why isn't the real question
"How do we expand all the NATS and cover any associated
expenses".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We have heard these same old complaints
about the NATS for many years, and yet the EC seems to let them
fester, rather than solving them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I also have heard threats that if "it" don't get
fixed then the NATS will go away. I have news for that position-if AMA takes
that road--they will go away since they could not stand a large
</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Membership reduction. They could quickly be
replaced by a new viable "service the membership" organization holding all the
NATS! Maybe that is what they want?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Wonder what the Greater Muncie CoC would have to
say about that?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The cost deficit I have heard has always been
expressed based upon Membership $. What about the large $s given to AMA every
year by donations/bequests, and what about Event fees? How about all the
revenue taken in from the family members and contestants on
shirts/caps/whatever, and at the Museum? Don't they all provide
additional resources, or are new tasks/jobs created to absorb them. Maybe
the answer is to reduce overall AMA growth/costs. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The majority of facilities/support items
(tents,tables,trailers,chairs,etc.) used to support the NATS are already
sunk costs-with typical periodic maintenance or replacement
costs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What is it that "doesn't get done" for the time
when a few staff support the NATS, rather than their "normal"
jobs?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It would be interesting to hear a
candid position of each Member of the EC, to see what they actually
think</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>the role of AMA at Muncie is.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It sounds like they may have in mind a totally
different mission for Muncie than was originally defined. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Looks like that would be a good project for AMA
Members from each AMA District to find out. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In any case it smells like AMA
is moving away from a "service the Membership" mentality, and
towards a "do more-different/create more" growth business mentality, using
complaints/costs as a justification.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jerry</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> </FONT></DIV>
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