| Volume 40 Issue 10 | June 2001 |
| Volume 40 Issue 10 | June 2001 |
As many of you have heard, the NMRA is contemplating a major dues increase. The reasons for this are many. Some of them go back to poor business decisions made in the 70's. As an example of this, how many of us got a life membership for $100 or $160? While I don't fault anybody for taking advantage of that opportunity, that's one of the things hurting the NMRA right now.
Other problems are more recent, including over-optimistic revenue projections, failure to complete money-raising projects on time (such as the Heritage Cars, or the upcoming Porter book), and just plain poor money management. Bottom line is, a dues increase is coming, possibly to as much as $48 a year. It was *the* major item of discussion at the recent Region board meeting. The NMRA National Trustees are putting the finishing touches on a Long-Range Plan that I hope to share with you soon. This plan should put the NMRA national organization on a sound financial and organizational footing for the first time in many, many years.
Given the projected dues increase, there has been a lot of debate going on in various corners regarding the relevance of the NMRA. It is hardly the only game in town, with all the clubs, magazines, historical societies, N-Trak, and other opportunities we have. There are many who claim that the NMRA has, in fact, outlived its usefulness and should quietly go by the wayside.
I do not believe that the NMRA has outlived its usefulness. We may need to rethink the relative importance of its various functions, however.
The NMRA is not a competitor with Model Railroader, the SIGs, or the Historical Societies. You aren't a competitor unless you provide substantially the same product as somebody else. The NMRA provides a unique product that nobody else does on a national basis.
There is still a need for a central standardization organization to ensure that the manufacturers (and the rest of us) continue to have the ability to run each others' equipment on each others' layouts. Witness DCC. How many years did we have multiple (incompatible) command control systems before DCC? I promise you, eventually, there will be another instance like this that will require the guidance that Stan Ames and the rest of the DCC people gave us.
Standards, however, is no longer the NMRA's primary product, as it was in its formative years. It is simply a valuable public service.
I feel that the NMRA is, at this point, largely a social organization. The primary benefits are derived from participation. If you don't participate, you are unlikely to get your money's worth from your dues. The same is true from any organization that charges dues. How many of us continue to pay dues at the local railroad club, or Elks lodge, or whatever, and then refuse or neglect to participate? How many keep up their memberships, just to have the choice to participate?
As an example, Division 3 has nearly 200 on the rolls, with about 30 of those who participate on a regular basis, and another 30 who show up a few times a year. Of the remaining 140, some simply don't want to make the long drive, others have different priorities, and some are still mad about slights (real or imagined) that happened years ago. The division leadership can't control any of that - we just try to provide a good quality program, and let people know where and when we'll be meeting. If a problem develops that we're aware of, we try to correct it. We cannot be held accountable for faults of previous boards, but we will try to correct problems if they still exist.
If you're not participating, why not? Well, if you aren't provided the information to allow you to participate, such as a meeting schedule, the organization is at fault. However, only to a point. If you haven't tried to contact them, you have to share the blame. With hundreds of people in a division, and thousands in a region, the membership has to let the leadership know if there's a problem. We don't know if you don't tell us. If you don't know who to contact, I believe the names and phone numbers of the Region trustees are in the Bulletin. In the last resort, contact National - they can point you in the right direction. You're looking at four phone calls, worst case.
The regions and divisions are providing services, but they aren't free. For those regions and divisions like ours who aren't collecting dues, you pay for the services through a head tax at a convention, or by helping at the local train show, or through some other means to earn the money to pay for the printing and postage of the newsletters.
Sometimes, others are earning for you the right to receive that free (or less-expensive-than-it-could-be) region and division newsletter, by doing your stint at that train show. Very often, they are the same people who dedicate their spare time to arrange for meeting places, edit newsletters, get guest speakers in, and organize conventions. I know that those people are getting their money's worth out of their membership dollar, because they are also there to enjoy the fruits of their labors.
As with many organizations, those people represent about 10 percent of the total membership. We do it gladly, because the friends we have made in the NMRA we wouldn't give up for anything. We do it because we know that we have some very dedicated (underpaid) people down in Chattanooga who will do their best to help us, whether it be by tracking down an errant membership renewal or searching for data in the library on an obscure prototype. We do it because (for the most part) it's fun and satisfying.
Be grateful for that ten percent of the region or division that does these things: if they weren't there, the dues question wouldn't even come up because there wouldn't be an NMRA.
I didn't mean for this to go on quite as long as it did. In re-reading this, some parts of it may sound like I'm a little irritated. I am, frequently. The NMRA isn't just a monthly magazine - it's a club - one that numbers among its members some very accomplished modelers who will share their knowledge with you; one that provides nearly unlimited opportunities for fun and learning. It frustrates me that many members don't seem to understand that, or take advantage of those opportunities.
As with all clubs, if you don't participate, you're not going to get a good value. You need to make that decision to participate or not. Take your time - we'll be there with the coffee on and the throttle in hand.
Happy Modeling!
Ray
© 2001 Division 3, MCR, NMRA