This is a letter from Ericka and with her permission I have posted it here for all to see and anyone to add their thoughts and suggestions to.




Subject: Wigger Fall Luau - 9/14/02


>Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2002 14:47:06 -0500


>


>Well, after getting a consensus over the bonfire last weekend, we've set the


>date for the fall luau. It will be Sat, Sept 14. We'll do the usual once


>again - Wigger buys the meat, everyone else bring a dish and have a great


>time! Hopefully someone will have another grill we can use for the meat.


>


>As for a swap meet, I don't know that we'll have a formal event going, but


>if you have gear to sell bring it! Or you can reply to everyone on this


>e-mail with anything you have or anything you need.


>


>I'll also be collecting the dues for the 2003 season, so have your checkbook


>or cash with you. As for the amount of dues, that's something I'd like some


>feedback on. Since this summer actually had wind on the weekends we didn't


>have Wigger, I've been asked to see if we can somehow reserve more weekends


>in July and August, maybe all of them. The good news is that we might be


>able to do that next year, since we have about $400 in our bank account now


>(from all those members who paid late). The bad news is that we wouldn't be


>able to continue to reserve that many weekends in future years with our


>current membership and dues. So I need to know what direction YOU want to


>go with this.


>


>Here's some info on Wigger finances to help explain the situation. We


>currently have 43 memberships, paying $30 each. Of course, there's no


>guarantee that all members will renew, so I would only count on maybe 40


>renewed members to bring in $1,200. In order to reserve every weekend from


>mid-May through the end of Sept, continue funding luau meat and pay for


>mailings and other expenses, the cost would come to about $1,500.


>


>One of the suggestions I've gotten that I'm planning to go ahead and


>implement for 2003 is a two-tiered dues system. I've talked to "the


>regulars" who are always at the lake and they've suggested a higher dues


>amount for themselves since they get so much benefit from it. I haven't set


>a specific amount yet, but I'm considering $50. Everyone else will remain


>at $30 for the 2003 season.


>


>The part that I would like some feedback on is what to do for the 2004


>season. Of course, if we grow our membership this may not be an issue.


>Unfortunately, though, we can't count on that. So, if we raised the basic


>dues from $30 to $35 and continue with the 2-tier system, with 40 total


>members we would bring in $1,475. This would give us just about enough


>money to reserve every weekend of the summer, if that's what we want to do.


>I need to know what YOU think about this whole issue so that I can do what


>the entire group wants.


>


>I see three points of view here and I'd like to know where everyone stands


>so that we can make a plan. Here are the viewpoints:


>1. I don't ever come out to the lake in the heat of July and August anyway


>(especially since there's rarely much wind), so I don't really want to raise


>the dues to reserve more weekends then. Just leave maybe one weekend open


>in July and one in August and leave the dues at $30.


>2. Raising the basic dues $5 to reserve every weekend is worth it to have


>the flexibility of going out to the lake just in case it IS windy on those


>weekends. I'm in favor of reserving every weekend we can.


>3. I never seem to be able to get out to the lake anyway. I've been


>considering not renewing and raising the dues could make me drop out of the


>group entirely.


>


>If I don't get a really good response to raise the basic dues, I plan on


>keeping them at $30 for 2004 and just reserving as many weekends as I can


>with the money we'll have.


>


>Sorry for the length of this e-mail, but it's the best way I know to make


>sure I'm doing what the group wants. YOU have some responsibility here,


>too.


>


>Hope to see you all at the luau!