Following is the summary that i provided to our Unit Executive in Ontario.
The Mid-winter IBT meeting is now over and the results will slowly make their way through the Club. I have watched the proceedings of the Seminar on Wednesday and Thursday and the IBT meeting today. Here are my observations, for what they are worth:
1) Rally Deficit: The $103k loss on Madison was excused as being the victim of high fuel prices and a plunging economy. No apparent lessons have been learned, as we still seem to be planning rallies for 1500 rigs.
2) The Motion to create another Rally Fund for the Mid-Winter IBT was soundly defeated. It just looked like another attempt at slight of hand accounting.
3) All the Motions on Financial Reporting were approved. This will hopefully open up the information on Club finances.
4) The Motion to reduce International Officer expenses was twice amended and ultimately approved as a 25% reduction from amounts in the Blue Book. The actual savings will be less than 25% because the EC has been under spending by about 16%.
5) The Motion to reduce Regional officers expenses by 10% passed.
6) The Motion to increase dues by $20 was amended to a $10 increase (after much discussion and some emotion). So, effective next fiscal year, International dues will be $65 US. Missing was discussion about how to live within our revenue - opposition to an increase was actually referred to as `whining, sniveling and simpering` by one PIP. IPP Larson wondered aloud why anyone who doesn`t think that they are getting good value for their $55 or $65 would continue to be a member (evidently it hasn`t ocurred to him that this may be a reason why the Club has over 1000 members a year who don`t renew). No doubt we will all find out how many will choose not to be a member next year. The issue isn`t about the dollar amount, its about confidence that our money is being well managed. We were also warned that $10 isn`t enough and we will have to revisit this next year.
7) Roy`s motion on meeting dates at the International rally was withdrawn after a verbal commitment for the next two rally leaders (1VP and 2VP) to make schedule changes.
The Motion to eliminate proportional voting was defeated. Good thing, as it would have eliminated the possibility of attaining a two thirds majority of members for needed future constitutional changes.
9) The series of Motions to amend and tighten the rules and confidentiality (secrecy) of the grievance process were consolidated and revised (we don`t know how) and then passed without discussion or objection.
10) Roy`s motion to allow an appeal of a sentence of probation was defeated on the premise that probation isn`t really a punishment, just a warning. BS - imposition of probation means that you have been found guilty of something.
11) Motion 26 to force a re-organization of WBCCI by reducing from 12 Regions to 7 and re-defining the International rally was instead replaced with a directive from the President to refer the issues to the 2020 Committee. 2020 is now asked to advise the IBT on a 2 phase approach, with recommendations on restructuring the International Rally and eliminating the 3VP position submitted to IBT by January 2011 and recommendations on reducing the number of Regions sent to IBT by January 2012. Since it isn`t a Motion, nothing binds anyone to a specific outcome or action.
12) One more - the Marketing Committee had its budget approved, which will add about $5k to this year`s deficit and about $15k next year. Lets hope that the increased revenue projections from advertisers and new members pan out.
While the body language in the room may have indicated differently, the sound track suggested to me that we have two camps in WBCCI - one that feels everything will be fine if we have more money; and one that feels the Club needs a major overhaul to face a different future. There were more of the former present in Rayne.
Cheers,
Kerry #5417
