First the $650 is a "for the next twelve months,
then the fee goes back up to $1000 in March or April of 2008".
Second AHA dues (the ones that the $650/$1000
replace) are currently $45 a year not $65.
Based on the above if you use the "normal"
deal, then a lifetime membership pays in advance for a little more than 22
years. Therefore to compare "apples to apples" a lifetime membership for
AERC would / should cost between $1400-1500.
If you use the "blue-light special" numbers then
you are still looking at about a 14 year payout or $900-1000
dollars.
AHA puts the lifetime membership dues in special
accounts (forgive me there is a proper accounting name for them but I slept in
my own bed last night not an Holiday Inn), and I believe only uses the interest
or maybe some portion of the principal for operating funds. If AERC were
to allow / offer a Lifetime membership, they would be wise to do the
same.
I really like the idea of Lifetime memberships, one
additional thought I would have, is to "prorate" the amount based on number of
"consecutive" years already paid. AERC has many people who would benefit
greatly from a lifetime membership, who have already paid way more than what
*might* be charged, and do not have the life expectancy left to make the
membership feasible. I am *not* saying that someone who has already paid
dues for say 20 years should automatically get a free lifetime membership, but
maybe they should only have to pay 50%?
Before any decision is made, there should be a
whole lot of numbers "crunched" and many people's opinions given (just like Jan
has asked for). I am sure that other people will have knowledge about the
Lifetime memberships from other breed / equestrian
organizations.
Eric Rueter Rueter Consulting, Inc. Eric@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 865.988.4134(W) 865.599.3594(C) 865.986.5966(H)
