Region One President’s Newsletter – January 2010
Published: January 31, 2010
By Franklin Sanders
Community Service Needs at 53rd International Rally
Janet Kendig, Chairman of the WBCCI Community Service Committee requests WBCCI Member help in meeting needs for assistance in the Gillette, WY community. In 2010, we are asked to donate food and “gently-used” children’s books. Food donations may be in kind, or checks; watch the Blue Beret for information about how money donations may be made. Please see if you have children’s books in reasonable condition which might be passed along by your children or grand-children to youngsters in Wyoming. Toiletries for the Abused Women’s Shelter would also be gratefully received.
If you are not going to the rally in Gillette, please ask friends who are going to bring your donations to the rally. Let’s show we care!
Florida East Coast Luncheon Defies the Weather!
Sixteen almost-thawed Caravanners gathered at the Palm Bay Golden Corral for a fun time among good friends. The smallish crowd, dominated by Cape Codders, had a wonderful time on the first day of seasonally warm and sunny weather in Florida in the New Year.
As in past years, members shared travel experiences, highlighted by John Fuller’s “This Is Your Life” recollection from the perspective of his very first Airstream.
Those unable to attend were missed and recalled fondly. Hope to see you Next year. Same Time. Same Place.
International Board of Trustees Mid-winter 2010 Meeting Report
The IBT Mid-winter Meeting & Rally was held in Rayne, LA from January 19-23, 2010. The Rally was hosted by WBCCI Region 6, and was attended by 116 member units. Region 1 was represented by Franklin Sanders, President; Russell Melocik, 1st VP; Dan Dureiko, 2nd VP; and Raymond Richard, Incoming 2nd VP. There was an extensive agenda, with reports presented by the chairmen of 24 Standing and Special Committees, and 29 motions presented for IBT consideration and action. The focus of the meeting was the tension between recent operating deficits, a proposal for an enhanced and redirected marketing program, and concerns about the merits of an increase in International Dues.
Committee Report Highlights:
Blue Beret: The online version of the Blue Beret has received favorable comment. Plans are underway to in-crease the color content of the online version, and to add links to advertiser websites.
Budget: The projected operating budget deficit for 2009-2010 has been reduced from $71,000 projected in July, 2009 to $62,000, despite approval of an initial $5,240 expenditure during the first year of the new marketing program (see below).
53rd International Rally: International President Tom Collier reported 620 members signed up for the International Rally in Gillette, WY. If you haven’t signed up yet, plan to join us. This will be a great Western Event! It is evident that President Collier will deliver a great rally, and in a more casual manner.
National/Special Event Rallies: Cape Cod MA Unit’s “Canadian Thanksgiving & Columbus Day Rally” was approved as a Special Events Rally by the International Executive Committee. The 2010 edition of the rally will take place October 7-11 in Provincetown, MA.
Marketing Special Committee: Fred Richardson, Chairman, presented an update of his persuasive report to the IBT last June, with plans for an enhanced marketing strategy, increased advertising space sales, interactive links from Blue Beret to advertiser websites, and improved membership promotional materials. His $5,240 budget request for the balance of 2009-2010 was approved; his request for approximately $15,000 in 2010-2011 was endorsed for inclusion that year’s budget.
Financial Advisory Board: This Special Committee was chaired by Franklin Sanders. The FAB reviewed the open budget, expense, dues and marketing issues arising from the June and July, 2009 IBT Meetings. The FAB strongly supported increasing marketing expenditures despite the deficit, and supported reductions of international and region officer expense budgets; most FAB members also supported a dues increase. The FAB’s discussions also resulted in introduction of several motions related to improved financial control and disclosures.
New Business:The IBT agenda included 29 motions; after consolidation of seven motions relating to Ethics & Grievance Committee procedures into one motion, 23 motions were considered. Here are the highlights of action taken:
- Approved charging a $103,280 loss from the 52nd International Rally in Madison, WI against the International Rally Fund. This was a necessary accounting transfer; nevertheless, the size of the loss led to discussion of the need for better control of rally commitments and improved periodic reporting on such rallies.
- Defeat of a motion to create a rolling fund for future Mid-winter IBT Meetings & Rallies. Most IBT members preferred that meeting costs be paid by Headquarters, with rallies to be for the account of the sponsoring region or unit.
- Approved a motion to require distribution of the prior year’s international rally financial reports prior to the Mid-winter IBT Meeting, with such reports to be on the agenda for discussion at the meeting.
- Approved a motion to require that each year’s operating budget include budgets for each pending international rally.
- Approved a motion to require (“GAAP”) financial statements with income statements and reconciliation of equity be prepared, such reports to include the results of headquarters activities and international rallies.
- Approved modification of the Model Unit Constitution to conform to last year’s change in the International Constitution facilitating appointment of an Affiliate Member of a unit to act as the Delegate for that unit to the International Delegates Meeting (including in the Model Unit Bylaws operative language in the WBCCI Constitution).
- Approved a 25% aggregate reduction in international officer travel allowances. (These allowances are in addition to reimbursement for travel to the Mid-winter IBT Meeting.)
- Approved a 10% reduction in region officer travel allowances. (These allowances are intended for travel within regions and are in addition to reimbursement for region president travel to the Mid-winter IBT Meeting.)
- Approved an increase in International Dues from $55 to $65 per year, effective July 1, 2010. This increase of $10 per year was adopted after a proposed increase of $20 per year failed to gain a majority of the votes of IBT members. The $10 increase was regarded as the minimum necessary to balance WBCCI budgets for the next few years.
- Defeated a motion to require unit voting at Delegates Meetings to be based upon the number of a unit’s members actually voting at Spring Business Meetings, rather than the total of regular members. Adoption of such a motion could have made it difficult to obtain quorums for the Delegates Meeting, and made it nearly impossible to achieve the necessary 2/3rds majority for constitutional amendments.
- Defeated a motion asking amendment of the WBCCI Constitution to require that the June and July IBT Meetings be held within the official dates of international rallies. The motion conflicted with other requirements of the constitution, as well as scheduled activities at the International Rally; moreover, it was recognized that rescheduling of the June IBT Meeting closer to the opening date of the International Rally had appropriately recognized the desire of members to be able to attend such meetings.
- Approved restatement of WBCCI Bylaws & Policy, Policy V, Disciplinary Procedures, and Appendix 11 (Checklist) to reflect changes in administrative procedures adopted by the Ethics & Grievance Committee in handling a recent spate of E&G complaints.
- Defeated a motion to expand the right to appeal grievance decisions to include reprimands, the least severe action permitted in respect of an grievance complaint. Inasmuch as reprimands are in the nature of warnings to discontinue inappropriate behavior, it did not seem appropriate to require the IBT to review such decisions.
- Supported a proposal to investigate reorganization of WBCCI to eliminate the International 3rd Vice President’s position and restructure the International Rally, so as to be conducted in connection with region rallies on a rotating basis; and a proposal to restructure and reduce the number of regions from twelve to seven in number. The proposal has been referred to the 2020 Longterm Planning Committee for report on the first proposal by the Mid-winter IBT Meeting in 2011, and on the second proposal by such meeting in 2012.