This is an interesting subject.

Let me start by saying thank you to Rick Timmins for his well thought out and clearly stated article voicing his opinions.

This is not a new topic as many may remember it had been suggested by Westen a few times previously.

While Westen might not believe it, the topic was discussed at length numerous times at board meetings but we always come to the same 2 roadblocks.

1) How would be pay for this position and
2) How could we pay for an employee when we aren’t paying anyone else.

Now Rick discussed his ideas on item #1 above and as I discussed with Rick when he first approached me with the idea, I told him this is going to be a hard sell to the membership.

While there were sure to be many people who have no issue with paying an assessment, I believe that the majority of the membership simply couldn’t afford or be unwilling to basically triple the membership fees. I also feared that doing something like this could cause a huge drop in membership which is the exact thing we are trying to prevent.

The second subject may be even a sticker one.
As recruiter of the year for the past 2 years and a board member for the past 10, I personally have spent thousands of hours and a ton of my own funds, promoting the club.
I have offered free chips, set up at numerous coin and other hobby shows and done everything I can think of to promote the hobby and the club.

With that being said, should I have Been paid for my efforts?
What about the editors who spent months on the magazine, the treasurer who among other things files our conplicated tax forms, or the many other people who donate hundreds of hours a year to the club?
It’s a slippery slope for sure and one I don’t have an answer to.

Now I don’t want anyone to believe I am dismissing the idea.
I like a lot of what Rick wrote and being a hood friend of RT, I know he is a person who truly loves the hobby and wants to see the club succeed.

Maybe there is a way to get someone part time to do the job as a test.
Maybe even make an offer on commission?

I encourage all members to post their opinions on the survey.

If nothing comes of this, at least we will have a majority of the memberships opinion and although I know how a few vocal posters feel, Rick and I would really love to see how he rest of the members do.

Thanks again for listening.