Notice of Motion to Increase Membership Fee for 2013-2014 year
Posted by Kilcona Park Dog Club / in Events, Information /
Notice of Motion to Increase Membership Fee Starting in the 2013-2014 Year
In accordance with the By-Laws of Kilcona Park Dog Club Inc, the Board of Directors provides Notice of Motion to increase the club membership fee to $10.00. The proposed increase will take effect for the November 1, 2013 – October 31, 2014 membership year.
A discussion and vote on the motion to increase the membership fee will to take place at the club’s Annual General Meeting on Monday, November 19, 2011 at 7pm at Kilcona Park Alliance Church, 1977 Norris Rd, Winnipeg MB, next to the dog park.
The Board of Directors endorsed the fee increase on October 12, 2013 and asks the members to support the motion for the following reasons:
1. Financial Sustainability
To ensure that KPDC has sufficient funds to operate and carry out the goals and objectives of the organization, the club either needs to raise additional money, reduce expenses or hold off on funding park improvements.
KPDC’s membership fee has not been raised since the club was first established in 2004. Over the past 8 years inflation has significantly eroded the Canadian dollar and the $5 membership fee buys about 25% less than it did in 2003. Inflation will continue to erode the club’s purchasing power.
KPDC must maintain a contingency fund that includes a carryover from one Board to the next. The fund must be sufficient to cover the club’s recurring operating expenses, which include but are not limited to: domain registration and web hosting fees, post box rental, park fees and supplies for club events, Volunteer Board Development Training for current and future Boards, and Directors Liability insurance.
(Please note: This year the Board voted not to purchase Director Liability insurance because it would have depleted the club’s bank account. The decision to forego liability insurance creates a serious risk because, without it, individual Directors may be sued for actions they take while carrying out their duties on behalf of the membership.)
KPDC has begin funding special projects. These projects are discretionary; they can only proceed if the balance in the contingency fund is sufficient to cover foreseeable operating expenses, and the club has raised enough money – through sponsorship, events, gaming and grants – to fund them.
This year the Board has been successful in its fundraising efforts – so successful in fact that Corporate Sponsors contribute more to the club’s bottom line than club members do through membership fees. However there is no sure thing – no sponsorship or grant can be counted on and there are no guarantees that events and gaming revenues will generate enough revenue to cover ongoing operating expenses. Furthermore, there are no guarantees that future Boards will be willing to continue to do the lion’s share of fundraising.
2. Membership Card Processing and Handling Expenses
For the past 8 years, KPDC has been reliant on selling club memberships at the park. There were no benefits to membership that required a membership card.
However, with the introduction of the Corporate Sponsorship Program last spring, members began receiving significant financial benefits and KPDC needed to introduce membership cards and find a way to get cards out quickly and conveniently.
PetValu’s offer to sell, print and laminate cards and maintain a current membership database at the Reenders and Rivergrove locations has been very effective. In return, KPDC pays Pet Valu 20% of every membership sold to cover staff time, processing and handling; the club only receives $4.00 of each membership sold.
At the request of many of Kilcona’s dog owners, the Board has also explored using PayPal to process memberships. The technology offers people the convenience and flexibility of purchasing their memberships online but will also increase the cost of selling those memberships.
3. Value-Added Membership
The Corporate Sponsorship Program, introduced in April 2012, brought additional value to club membership, and membership has risen dramatically in the past 6 months.
Through discounts at sponsors and club events, many of our members have recovered their 2012 membership fee several times over – essentially paying no membership fee at all and even making a profit.
The Sponsorship Program will continue to grow and the benefits will continue to increase, as will the value. It is reasonable that members pay a higher membership fee for a card with benefits than a card without benefits.
Many of our members – new and old – have indicated that the current membership fee is ridiculously low. The Board agrees.
The proposed $5 fee increase will afford KPDC greater financial stability. The proposed fee remains affordable, while reflecting the added value that the new Corporate Sponsorship Program offers members, and bringing the financial contribution of members more in line with the financial contributions of Corporate Sponsors.
