Gauging Interest: Moving Forward......

Discussion in 'General Subaru Discussion' started by tangledupinblu, Mar 19, 2007.

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  1. WRX1
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    WRX1 _ Staff Member

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    That was on the old site, and we don't talk about that.


    As for the membership fee, as of now, it will be $10 to buy the membership cards. Those cards will allow you to get the discounts at the dealship and other vendors. The vendors have ask us to do it. The club is not the only one that is looking to do this. The club has been approched by the dealerships asking us to provide membership cards so that they know they are giving the discount to the members, not ever random that walks in and says they are part of MNS. The clubcards will also give you the privilage to vote. Like I have stated a bazillion times before, it is way easier to bitch about something, then to actually help out and get it done. We had a meeting a couple of weeks ago, and we are having anotherone on the 24th. All these things have been discussed and nobody complained.

    The site will always be free to the public. That will never change. The cards will be a way of showing commitment to the club. A way to make a donation to help get things funded. I know that I am tired up using my personal money to fund things, and have to wait till people pay up to get my cash back. The site does not run for free. As it is, the next step for us is going to a VPS. Cheap places like dream host won't even touch us. And it is not a band-width problem, so don't flood my pm box with some great new idea. As of now, the site cost is around $300 a year, and the next step up to VPS is going to bump us up to $30+ a month plus vbulletin. Again, the site will be free to everyone, but there is still a cost to keep this site (and other things) running.

    Russ
     
  2. Bullwinkle
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    Bullwinkle Well-Known Member

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    Great post. I'd just like to reiterate the two bolded pieces above, as they should assuage both Brian and Sneefy's concerns.
     
  3. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    I say add an insert that shows top donaters.. h aha that will sort out the ones who say they will pay to help and those who actually do.. me included ;)

    I have seen many other sites that give a line in the name box that shows contributing member etc...
     
  4. piddster
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    piddster Lone Wolf

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    I'm sick of people crying about a measly ten dollar membership fee so you can continue to get parts at a discount. I've saved a ton already at MTKA and do not mind paying a little bit to ensure that. Can anyone walk into Sam's Club (not the liquor branch) and get their discount without first getting a membership?

    We spend thousands on parts we don't need and few bucks, which is optional btw, to ensure the future of the site and start a real club causes all this hubb-bub. Sheesh, I spent over $10 on one pack of zip ties the other day. I use electrical tape thats $8 a roll. Three gallons of petrol. You get the idea.


    If I was Russ, I'd be excited to not have to keep the site going out of pocket.
     
  5. carl
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    carl Well-Known Member

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    agreed 100%.
     
  6. Bradimus
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    Bradimus New Member

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    So when and how can we start donating?
     
  7. readymix
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    readymix ...Lest ye be trod upon... Staff Member

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    April 24th there will be a meeting, and I believe WRX1 might have the cards by then. So, after April 24th.
     
  8. WRX1
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    WRX1 _ Staff Member

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    Once the club cards come it and hopefully I will have them in my hands at the next meeting on the 24th. As for a donation button, it is in the works. I have some updates the need to be installed, and some other site related things that once I get some time to work on will be implemented.

    Russ
     
  9. SubeN'Siren
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    SubeN'Siren Well-Known Member

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    I don't know...how about stating it how it is...you pay you're $50, and you are listed as a contributing member.

    Active can be taken a number of ways.

    In all likelyhood I will never be an "active" member, because 9 out of 10 times, events have schedules that conflict with my work...you'll never see me at firestone on friday nights because I work 2:45-11:15 pm.

    Anyway, I like the site, but don't know if it's worth paying to see guys talk about each other's wormholes or whatever.:biggrin:
     
  10. idget
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    idget Want to pokéman? PM ShortytheFirefighter Staff Member

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    please see post 137
     
  11. sneefy
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    sneefy Well-Known Member

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    The post referenced clears up confusion. If the fee is just for the membership card, that makes sense. No issue there. I would have no problem donating ten bucks to the site and get a membership card with it that offers discounts.

    If the fee were to access the site, or pay for events that you may not attend, that would not be good. But, now we know that the fees would not go towards this. Events should also be alacarte.

    Point is, the fees should be completely optional. Making any of the fees mandatory is the wrong way to go. If you don't want to pay the 10 bucks, you get no discounts. No problem, maybe you don't need the card or the discounts. If you want to attend an event, you pay what is required.

    I think that is pretty clear at this point. Thanks to Russ for clearing up any confusion.
    I reiterate that simply accepting donations for hosting expenses, etc. is also a good idea. Don't be ashamed to say that you accept donations!
     
  12. Bullwinkle
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    Bullwinkle Well-Known Member

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    Yes. The club has already decided to go this exact route. See post's above.
     
  13. EtchyLives
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    EtchyLives Well-Known Member

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    Events cost money to set up. Deposits, renting equipment, buying food, etc. A good event will run into the thousands of dollars in up front costs. The membership dues are a way to pay for those upfront costs without a single member or group of members putting their own personal cash on the line and hoping that all the people that said they were going to show up actually do show up. And pay.

    Other non-internet based clubs run the same way (membership cost + event costs) because it limits the financial liability. If the club intends to put on bigger and better events then the members need to be prepared to make that happen by ponying up the 3-gallons worth of gas money.

    $10 is a very small sum to pay in order for the opportunity of bigger events (ie track days) to occur.
     
  14. nm+
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    nm+ Professional Hypocrite

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    I perhaps a bit to new to comment that seriously but:

    $10 is not an issue for me. Its lunch at Chipotle (if they give me a lot of meat and I tip). What i would worry about is where that money goes. Should this take effect, I'd want full accounting of where that money goes. Its not really a lot of money, but questions about money start drama and the best way to avoid this drama is to never have questions in the first place.
     
  15. readymix
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    readymix ...Lest ye be trod upon... Staff Member

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    That's what hte treasurer is for.
     
  16. nm+
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    nm+ Professional Hypocrite

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    Thats what a treasurer can be for.
    Half the time though in smaller clubs its some meaningless position where someone prints out a bank statment at the end of the year.
     
  17. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    as far as I am concerned the first $1000 could go to Russ and whomever has been paying out of their own wallets so we can all come here...
     
  18. mlgez
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    mlgez Well-Known Member

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    I believe most of that has been covered by the shirts and stickers.
     
  19. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    yeah was just making a point.. all these people pissing and moaning about paying some $$$$ and wanting penny by penny reports... whatever...

    go work for the government and find where all the money is... that would be more productive as a whole...

    I plan on setting side some decent cash... maybe not till after the house is done, but until then I am willing to throw some cash to the club too... when I start my new venture I would love to throw some more to the club, as the way I see it if you hav a busness and you make money selling parts on this site you should pay an annual fee to advertise... $100??? $120/yr which equals $10 a mnth for advertising which you can make back in one sale!!!! most other sites do it...
     
  20. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    ^^^ waiting more flaming from cheap asses
     
  21. WRX1
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    WRX1 _ Staff Member

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    Again, this is things that need to be taken care of in the meetings. That is why we have them. The meetings are in place so the members can have their say in how the rules will be written. Once the positions are set and the rules are in place it will be done. Any crying about what happens after that time will go on mostly def ears. These meetings are to get the member questions and concerns out of the way before the elections take place.

    Woohoo, I am gettin paid.

    Seriously, the club pays me back, so it is not all my cash. It is usually just alot easier for me to use my personal CC to pay for hosting and vbulletin and just pull the cash from paypal afterwards.

    Russ
     
  22. nm+
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    nm+ Professional Hypocrite

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    My concern is less where the money goes, but more avoiding the inevitable drama of "so-and-so is wasting our money."
    I don't care about membership fees. What I do care about is that everyone realizes the pros and cons of this and are able to mitigate the cons as much as possible.
    Money always brings drama if not well thought out. Thats all I'm saying.
     
  23. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    I get ya.. and agree...... just so far there has been too much whining around here lately...
     
  24. sneefy
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    sneefy Well-Known Member

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    Well, that's kinda my point. Separate costs. I have no trouble paying $10 for a membership card. I'm not going to pay 50 bucks a year so I can finance events that I may not go to. Just don't lump everything into one fee, is my point.

    Plan events well, collect money before it happens. Especially if deposits are involved, and don't give refunds if people back out. Make people commit if they say they'll be there. I know full well what it's like extracting money from people. I was the treasurer for the top choir back in college. We'd have choir shirts and stuff made up and it was like pulling teeth to get people to pay up for them. No pay, no play. But, the shirts were a separate cost. We paid choir dues as well.

    ToasterBoy has a good point about advertising. I'd put up with banner ads like Nabisco has. It'd be a good way for the site to make back it's hosting costs real fast. I'm sure it would be nice if Russ didn't have to use his personal monies for anything related to this site, even temporarily.
     
  25. sneefy
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    sneefy Well-Known Member

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    I'd like to point out that this is not whining. This is a basic responsibility to the members of the club.

    Any organization that requires fees, takes donations, etc. has a responsibility to its members to make it's books available for any member to view. If people are willing to spend money on an organization they believe in, they have every right to know where that money is going.

    There is nothing whiny, cheap-ass or bitchy about wanting to know that your dues are being used properly and to their full potential.
     
  26. tangledupinblu
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    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

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    Sounds like a legitimate request to me. As long as everyone knows that this is not to be "on the forum", or "pay to post". Your $10 will be assisting paying for MNSubaru events, banners, etc.

    It sucks that so many missed the last meeting discussing the forward movement of the active/involved majority of MNSubaru. Many things were put out on the table and discussed.

    I encourage everyone interested in being involved to attend the next meet in a couple weeks when the actual "cards" are expected to arrive. ALL questions about this topic should be thoroughly discussed/answered at Identifix!:biggrin:
     
  27. 02blubru
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    02blubru Well-Known Member

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    this 10 dollar card I am all for. I just have one questions

    does it expire?
     
  28. tangledupinblu
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    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

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    IIRC...Card costs $10/year. The details are still in the works. But, the idea was that you would have the card for 1 year for $10. Then on the $10 purchase of your 2nd year for the card, a sticker or something would be added to the card to show that you paid for 2009. This way we wouldn't have to throw away the cards and purchase new ones EVERY year, just every few years.:biggrin:
     
  29. sneefy
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    sneefy Well-Known Member

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    Josh, can you please remind us when? Thanks, man.

    No "search, n00b" crap, please. :biggrin:
     
  30. tangledupinblu
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    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

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    No problem!:biggrin:

    Pulled from the calender:
    Event April 24th, 2008 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM

    At Identifix (again)
    2714 Patton Road
    Roseville MN 55113


    Use the reminder feature on the calender! I will be working that evening, so I will not be there. But everyone that can make it should!:)
     
  31. 02blubru
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    02blubru Well-Known Member

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    maybe and event sticky or an announcement should be made for it so we all know when and where and stuff
     
  32. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    I also vote that we have a minimum post count to be able to post a for sale thread... sick of guys signing up to whore their stuff.. my 0.02c that's what craigslist is for.. I guess you can see it either way but man...
     
  33. tangledupinblu
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    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

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    Bill, quit being a newb!! On the forums page at the bottom, there is a section that not only shows upcoming b-days and events, but also has a link to the calender with an event summary.


    ...NEWB!:biggrin:

    If you desperately need me to, I can bump the thread for the meet daily to remind ya! Lol.


    I also agree with you Nate!
     
  34. sneefy
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    sneefy Well-Known Member

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    Word. Add that the seller has to have been a member for a minimum amount of time. Otherwise people will just post randomly to up their count.

    <<<--- oldest member on the page so far.:biggrin:
     
  35. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    technically NOT... seeing as I got my wrx in 03/04 I signed up back then but somewhere during the site issues and hosting issues etc... the earlier dates got lost.. I think... ha ha ha... thats my story and I am sticking to it
     
  36. sneefy
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    sneefy Well-Known Member

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    Well, if you're going to get technical, this is my second account as well. I simply lost track of the first after a period of non-use. I had a '99 RS that I bought from WOTBoy in 2001. :cool: :biggrin: ;)
     
  37. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    dang it you win.. I didnt move here till 02... ha ha ha
     
  38. sneefy
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    sneefy Well-Known Member

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    Winn4r! (You can check my username on Nabisco for proof. Jan 2002/14628)

    I miss my RS. It was totaled in fall of 2004. That was a sad day. :emo: I especially liked it because, at that time, nobody knew what it was. The cop at the accident scene said to me, "What is this thing? A Neon?"

    I winced inside. :mad: :eek4: :roll:
     
  39. WRX1
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    WRX1 _ Staff Member

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    Also, this first card will be good till dec of 2009, so it will be good for more than 1 year. This will help everyone transition to their new rolls and let the vendors transition. We can not expect everything to go 100% smooth from the start. I don't think there is 1 person in this group of over 1600 people who has been in this position of starting a car club from the ground up. Having to fabricate every single piece of the group, from dues, to rules, to events, to club positions. If there is, please lets us know.

    Like what has been stated many times before, these meetings are in place and needed to get all these little issues out into the open. If you want to be a active member in the club, you do what you can do to make it to the meetings. If you want to be in one of the official positions in the club, you need to be in these meetings. If these meetings don't take place, or we have next to nothing for a turnout, the club can't move forward. It is the members that drive the club and if you want the club to move forward and grow, you need to go to these meetings to voice your concerns. We are trying to lay the foundation to make things easier in the future and we need everyone help to work out the details.

    Russ
     
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