[CQ-Contest] Re: [YCCC] Proposed QST changes, Hit 'em where it Hurts $$$

[Scott A. Lehman N9AG]

I wonder if the ARRL has ever considered moving its
operations from Connecticut, the most expensive place
to live in the US to somewhere else?  A site with a lower
cost of living would make the salaries much more
competitive. The initial cost of the move would be
high, but I'd bet some well-to-do ham in the midwest
has a building that is in need of occupancy.

A thought.

73, Scott N9AG

----- Original Message -----
From: Barry <w2up at mindspring.com>
To: K5MA <k5ma at capecod.net>; <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2002 16:55
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Re: [YCCC] Proposed QST changes, Hit 'em where it
Hurts $$$


>
> Jan,
> You state below:
>    What almost none of those opposing the proposed action have
>    addressed is how does ARRL cope with declining membership,
>    declining advertising revenue, and deficit financing?
>
> For most businesses, the largest expense is payroll and associated
> benefits.  With declining membership and revenue, perhaps staffing
> needs to be trimmed? Nobody likes to hear that, especially in a fraternal
> organization like the ARRL, but business is business and survival is the
> goal.
>
> I don't pretend to know anything about the inner business workings of
> the League, or who does what in finance.  Perhaps a consultant should
> be hired to assess the financial health of the League, and make non-
> biased recommendations on how to increase the bottom line, rather
> than having a group of part-time directors vote a political issue?
>
> 73,
> Barry W2UP
>
> On 12 Jan 2002 K5MA wrote:
>
> >
> > Bob:
> >
> > I can understand your frustration regarding the cost cutting measures
the
> > ARRL Board of Directors will consider this coming weekend at the ARRL
> > National Convention.  As you have heard on the reflectors, one of the
cost
> > cutting measures under consideration is a modest reduction in the number
of
> > pages in QST each month.  One of the items in QST that is being
considered
> > for elimination, because of the page reduction, is contest results.
> >
> > Ever since this proposal was made public, there has been a significant
> > amount of e-mail both to ARRL and on the various reflectors in
opposition to
> > the proposal.  I have read some of it, but not all.  What almost none of
> > those opposing the proposed action have addressed is how does ARRL cope
with
> > declining membership, declining advertising revenue, and deficit
financing?
> > There are approximately 120 employees of ARRL in Newington (and a few in
the
> > Washington DC office), all of whom are paid salaries, although
significantly
> > less than what they would make doing the same or similar jobs in the
private
> > sector.  I am one of those employees.  In addition to maintaining staff
in
> > Newington and DC, the ARRL has the expenses of maintaining its
facilities,
> > W1AW, costs of mail, printing costs, .... in a nutshell, the costs of
doing
> > business.
> >
> > Just recently, ARRL has created and filled a new position, that of chief
> > fund raiser (can't recall her correct title, but that's the general
idea).
> > This new employee will be charged with solicitation of bequests and
> > donations, in much the same way that similar positions act at other
> > non-profit institutions, particularly schools and universities.  It is
hoped
> > by the Board and all employees that aggressive voluntary funding
> > solicitation will offset some of the funding sources currently in
decline.
> >
> > ARRL has been deficit funded in 2001.  If the Board does not accept the
idea
> > of cutting back the expenditures on QST and other proposed cost cutting
> > measures at the upcoming Board meeting, then the only other choice they
will
> > have is to deficit finance expenditures for 2002.  Any organization can
only
> > engage in deficit financing for so long, before debts exceed assets, and
it
> > goes out of business.
> >
> > It would be helpful for ARRL members to understand the financial
pressures a
> > non-profit, membership based organization like ARRL is under.  I agree
that
> > reducing the content of QST is, perhaps, not the best option.  As
proposed,
> > the elimination or reduction of contest results from QST will not be
well
> > accepted by the contest community.  I would be terribly disappointed
myself
> > if the Board votes to solve its financing problems in this way.  But,
> > something has to give to accommodate the reduced membership based income
and
> > advertising income.  In addition, significant efforts are being made now
to
> > increase funding, as I alluded to above.  It is NOT helpful for ARRL
members
> > to propose nasty tricks such as you have proposed to show their
displeasure
> > with the situation.  It would be much more helpful, if you, and the many
> > other members who feel as you do, to encourage new hams to become ARRL
> > members.  It would be helpful if you would encourage more people to
become
> > amateurs, go through the process of attending radio club meetings, take
the
> > license exam training courses, etc.  These are the kinds of activities
that
> > will, in the long run, help to save amateur radio and our national
> > organization.
> >
> > I would encourage you to look carefully into how ARRL works and how it
funds
> > its membership based activities.  Simply reacting negatively to proposed
> > funding actions and services reductions without fully understanding the
> > issues driving these considerations does a disservice to yourself and
the
> > amateur radio community.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Jan Carman, K5MA
> > Book Team Manager
> > ARRL
> > Newington, CT
> >
> > Home:  k5ma at capecod.net
> > Work:  k5ma at arrl.org
> >
> <snip>--
> Barry Kutner, W2UP              Internet: w2up at mindspring.com
> Newtown, PA                     Frankford Radio Club
>
>
>
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>
>


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