RA-AUS 2015 General Meeting

[rhysmcc]

I think Andy pointed out earlier in the year (or late last year) that charging extra for the Mag would be the same as putting up the fees and then offering a rebate for those who didn't want the Mag. I would tend to agree and believe the rebate option would have cost us more to administer then an "opt-in" method being proposed.

 

I doubt I'd be renewing my membership if there is another increase of fees this year.

 

 

[Chird65]

I personally like an electronic format.

 

For those that have limited internet speed I am guessing that you have real slow mail as well. The option is there to purchase the magazine and it costs less than my fast broadband per month.

 

I have looked at living away from major centres and all those extra costs are what have stopped me so far. I feel for you but wonder what the alternative could have been!

 

 

[turboplanner]

I understand that no "Resolutions" have been made since October and those have been reported. I also understand that a number of "Decisions" have been made but not reported explicitly. What the difference is between a "Resolution" and a "Decision" is I can only guess but I don't think we will find it in the ACT Incorporated Associations Act.A magazine is a good place to report board and association business but the news cycle is over in 24hours. The proper place for decisions is on the website where we can see what was proposed, those for and against and the final resolution (decision taken) in the matter. It would also be nice if the action sheet was posted to see if anything is being done with these resolutions eg "Set up a Constitution review panel" agreed - progress? None, the (then) board decided that it was all too difficult.

As you point out Col if no resolutions have been made since October the Association has been in suspension since then, and that should be of great concern to members.

 

Maybe the board members have been busily making decisions, and these will all show up as resolutions very soon, and count for something , or maybe the wheel has turned back to 2010. Either way it's not a very good look.

 

 

[DonRamsay]

Another resolution (or is it just a decision). RAA has decided to reduce the value to me of my membership by withdrawing my magazine from midyear without a rebate.

Col, the value of your membership was reduced some time (years) ago when mal administration resulted in a few years of losses reducing reserves and threatening insolvency within 3 or so years.

This current Board is working hard and has eliminated the likelihood of insolvency but has not yet achieved the structural changes to costs that are necessary to get a respectable level of membership service and lower costs and improved value. But, that work is happening and the new CEO is showing real talent for getting value for every dollar of members funds expended. The cost reductions from not printing and mailing out so many magazines is being absorbed in deficit reduction for now. I'm not particularly happy about that but am prepared to wear it in the short term.

 

Some of the improvement work, particularly the total redesign a recoding of IT systems will take, I would estimate, another 12 months. There will be a substantial capital expenditure required but the feasibility work is showing a very good return and fast payback both in cost reduction and functionality and service improvement. It will produce a much more attractive cost structure. It then becomes a question of policy as to whether the cost savings result in real reduction in fees or additional member valued services.

 

If the board was being honest it would have formulated and talked about a strategic plan and if more income was required it would have asked for an increase in the fee but offer a rebate to members who decide not the get a paid magazine delivered.

I guess "honest" in this context means frank and more transparent after all, none on the Board will benefit financially from the magazine cost reduction exercise. But, we do elect the Board to make these strategic decisions and if you are not happy you can let your Reps know and ask them to explain there thinking. And there is always the last resort of the ballot paper. I was under the impression that the Board had made their intentions clear on what would happen with the cost savings from printing and distribution.

A couple of other aspects of going digital should be remembered. You still have much the same composition of content costs and you get a vastly broader distribution over the net with no additional distribution costs. We need more people getting in to recreational aviation if we are to be able to sell our aircraft and hangars when the inevitable day comes when we have to hang up our wings.

 

RAA is an effective monopoly. In the exercise of that monopoly power it should be more communicative, more consultative and have some commitment to the membership.

With the advent of the RPL, RAAus is no longer a monopoly. It has not had a monopoly on Trikes either. But, nobody, particularly Mick Monck, is arguing that RAAus has the right balance on Comms with the members. Definitely a work in progress. To me, the digital magazine is a step in the right direction and offers the benefit of information that is more current and offers a timely right of reply.

 

 

[coljones]

Col,SNIP

SNIP

 

SNIP

 

right of reply.

Don, we really do need you back on The Board.

 

 

[coljones]

Rhys,I've asked the Secretary to advise me of the status of reporting of Board Resolutions in accordance with the Constitution and he has undertaken to respond.

Don

And???

 

 

[rhysmcc]

And???

I've also asked a board member to follow it up but haven't heard anything yet. They have posted a new motion recently but it's just been tacked on to old motions without a date, very easy to miss (was pointed out by a board member though on this forum).

 

 

[DonRamsay]

And???

Tony King was at the Clifton flyin and I reminded him that we need the Resolutions on the website brought up to date. I reminded him that there was a General Meeting on at Cessnock in early May and that if not resolved by then there would be pointed questions.

Not an excuse but they lack a user friendly content management system for their website. As you know the website is being re-written to be the front end of their revised Pulse database.

 

Unfortunately, more work in progress without the results yet that we all want to see.