Proposed by law changs

[Georgeinva]

If the club has excess money, lower the dues. Then the individual members can donate the reduction to charity if they want.

[henwin]

If the club has excess money, lower the dues. Then the individual members can donate the reduction to charity if they want.

Now there's an idea I hadn't thought of....... well done!

[Dan]

If the club has excess money, lower the dues. Then the individual members can donate the reduction to charity if they want.

Now there's an idea I hadn't thought of....... well done!

almost like we were a non-profit organization or something

having a process and limitations for donations from the club to charities would certainly be good, but an outright ban on it seems excessive

[T.Wesley]

having a process and limitations for donations from the club to charities would certainly be good, but an outright ban on it seems excessive

This kind of thing is so personal it almost has to be binary. How can you get 450 people to agree on one thing? When it comes to money, you need to have near-unanimous agreement or people get real pissy real quick.

--chiba

[JSWillis]

If the club has 'excessive" reserves, a point not necessarily conceded, then the club should use the money for one of the club's stated purposes for being a club. The website and the by-laws state the purposes of the club. The bylaws express 5 purposes of the club - not one includes or can reasonably be read to include charity, religion, or political purposes. Safety, touring, social outlets, are enumerated purposes (as well as two others).

Why not use the "excess" money to put on a safety day at one of the local tracks or to put on club-sponsored social events such as picnics or to pay for speakers (ADV type tourers) to address the stated purpose of promoting touring. The last two might make the meetings and events more interesting. Use the club's excess to discount (not necessarily fully cover) more interesting and useful events. Arguably the club members such as JVB, Chiba, George from BUA, and others already do a great job at the maintenance purpose.

Was/were the proposed amendments to the bylaws presented at last month's meeting in accordance with the bylaws? Will there be at least a month between proposal and vote?

The bylaw change is not needed as supporting charities, religious pursuits, and political agendas are not stated purposes of the club.

In the previous discussions of this issue over the years, didn't Elsie, in her role as Treasurer, state the IRS rules prohibit the club from supporting charities (e.g., because the particular section the club operates under 501 is a social club and not a religious, charitiable, non-profit)? I am asking not stating a fact - I seem to remember something along this line -that engaging in charitable pursuits might risk the club's 501 status and that the club would have to change its status with the IRS.

Steve

[BMWGirl]

Steve - that is exactly what we are trying to do. That's why we bought the GS911 tool and computer to help club members with issues and to help identify problems. We're also going to pay for someone to attend a safety class later this fall. We do feel like the CLUB money should stay with the CLUB! We are a "Social" club and not a charitable organization.

Thanks for the note and you're right about the bylaw changes which is why we are not voting on them yet. We will post a date soon.

[ChaseH]

We spend excess funds on Coors light, which is subsequently used to water the locals. No one else drinks it.

[kjackson]

We spend excess funds on Coors light, which is subsequently used to water the locals. No one else drinks it.

I just spit a little soup on my screen. Too funny, that just made my day. Well done!

[JSWillis]

Tina,

Spending Club money for the benefit of a single member of the club is not what I meant and is arguably improper under the IRS rules for 501 organizations. In the context of Safety, how is the Club membership going to benefit in a manner that is significantly different from what the Club would receive without spending the money?

Was this decision taken up by the BoD and posted in the minutes? Was it relayed to the membership for at least their information? Arguably this is a type of action the membership should have an opportunity to fully discuss - with advance notice. If it was put out in advance, I missed it and if so my apologies for raising the point. For example, one can readily see how purchasing a GS911 enures to the membership generally - although not to all members. It is less clear that spending money to train a single member enures to the Club's general benefit and it does not take much in the way of thought to see why little or no real benefit will enure to the Club.

Steve

Steve - that is exactly what we are trying to do. That's why we bought the GS911 tool and computer to help club members with issues and to help identify problems. We're also going to pay for someone to attend a safety class later this fall. We do feel like the CLUB money should stay with the CLUB! We are a "Social" club and not a charitable organization.

Thanks for the note and you're right about the bylaw changes which is why we are not voting on them yet. We will post a date soon.

[kjackson]

... We're also going to pay for someONE to attend a safety class later this fall. ...

I knew this was going to cause trouble, but I just pretended I didn't see it...

Steve's as usual is right on the mark.

[Maria V]

... We're also going to pay for someONE to attend a safety class later this fall. ...

I knew this was going to cause trouble, but I just pretended I didn't see it...

Steve's as usual is right on the mark.

Allow Tina to clarify her remark, all. It is intended as an incentive to have people register for the safety class...

[henwin]

... We're also going to pay for someONE to attend a safety class later this fall. ...

I knew this was going to cause trouble, but I just pretended I didn't see it...
Steve's as usual is right on the mark.

I have to agree on all counts. Who is the person? Why are they getting special treatment? Who authorized this? Was the membership consulted? (Answer: NO) What kind of safety class? For what reason?

Seems to me this goes far beyond the scope of what I'm asking for........ and that any changes to the bylaws must include something that prevents this kind of super select treatment for one individual, since it appears to be charity of some type or another.

[Maria V]

Here is the plan - you will see there is no big secret or ill intent on the part of the board.
Club sponsors a safety class. All who sign up and attend, and complete the class, are eligible for a random drawing to have the club reimburse the expense. We feel this promotes the objective of promoting safety.
Members will be advised of the incentive up front. Random drawing for reimbursement. No super select treatment, even playing field for everyone.

[kjackson]

Here is the plan - you will see there is no big secret or ill intent on the part of the board.
Club sponsors a safety class. All who sign up and attend, and complete the class, are eligible for a random drawing to have the club reimburse the expense. We feel this promotes the objective of promoting safety.
Members will be advised of the incentive up front. Random drawing for reimbursement. No super select treatment, even playing field for everyone.

That's why I pretended to not see it. I knew there had to be a reasonable explanation. I didn't mean to appear that I was jumping on any band wagon or anything.

Thanks.

[Maria V]

Here is the plan - you will see there is no big secret or ill intent on the part of the board.
Club sponsors a safety class. All who sign up and attend, and complete the class, are eligible for a random drawing to have the club reimburse the expense. We feel this promotes the objective of promoting safety.
Members will be advised of the incentive up front. Random drawing for reimbursement. No super select treatment, even playing field for everyone.

That's why I pretended to not see it. I knew there had to be a reasonable explanation. I didn't mean to appear that I was jumping on any band wagon or anything.

Thanks.

Not taken that way.
So much for that surprise announcement.