Re: who is AERC

[jlong@mti.net (Joe Long)]

On Thu, 10 Dec 1998 07:24:33 PST, "Nancy Mitts" <mitts_n@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>I usually avoid "me too" posts, but I am also concerned by the us/them
>attitude. I am even more concerned that more thought & effort is going 
>into finding ways to circumvent the rules (and undermine AERC) than in 
>looking for ways to make it work. 

I don't think anyone is trying to undermine the AERC.  However, when
the AERC imposes unnecessary burdens on ride managers in its efforts
to increase its own revenue, the ride managers must look for ways to
survive or the rides will disappear.

One more time, the AERC is "us" -- and I've been a Lifetime Member for
20 years, a past President, and served on the Board for 14 years.
That does not mean that I blindly accept all Board decisions as right,
or that I must keep silent and not object when they are wrong.

I'll make a positive suggestion for how to "make it work:"  cut the
non-member fee for LD rides between 25 and 49 miles to five dollars,
and for rides shorter than 25 miles to zero.  A very reasonable
compromise that will quickly defuse the most serious problems IMO.  I
know that is a solution that I could live with as a ride manager,
despite my personal dislike for non-member fees.

>I am looking forward to the ride 
>season & hope to encourage new riders to join AERC instead of 
>instructing them how to avoid it. A larger membership base would make it 
>feasible to consider lowering the individual membership to get more in 
>line with other organizations, but the non-member fee should stay.

I believe the best way to encourage new riders to join AERC is to
encourage them first to begin participating in the sport and then to
offer them positive reasons to join, rather than trying to force them
to pay an extra share up front.  Is it not better that people join
because they want to belong to and support the organization, rather
than being forced to join to avoid excessive fees?

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
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