Hello Gillermina, If possible can you e-mail a time frame of the agenda,Thanks ----- Original Message ----- From: Gillermina Martinez7 <[log in to unmask]> Date: Monday, July 28, 2008 4:23 pm Subject: Important Information concerning our Chapter To: [log in to unmask] > Good Afternoon Central Cal Chapter > > I would like to encourage as many as possible to attend the > meeting this > Friday August 1, 2008 > at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. > > In response to the email sent by the past president of WESTOP, Joy > Brittain, we will be discussing this issue in more detail at the > meeting. > "I also have asked several chapters to assist us with a cash > advance until > WESTOP can be on better financial standing."-Joy Brittain > if you did not get the original email, it is attached below. > > WESTOP is asking us, Cen Cal Chapter, to be one of the chapters > who helps > out. > I have been in contact with our past president who has been in contact > with our treasurer. > Let me assure you that the chapter does have the funds to make > this loan > to WESTOP, however > I will not approve such a loan with out having the chapter's > consent. > > Please don't forget to RSVP to Ricardo your attendance at this > meeting. > See you all soon. > > Thank you > -GUILLE > P.S. I have attached to this email the agenda, and the template > for the > committe reports. Don't forget to also download minutes already > sent by > Secretary: Norma. > Chairs: if you will not be in attendance at the Chapter meeting this > Friday. PLEASE send your update to me or have someone report for you. > Thank you all for your prompt response. > > Gillermina Martinez > Retention Counselor > STAAR Program > CSU, Bakersfield > 9001 Stockdale Hwy. > Bakersfield CA, 93311 > (661) 654.2281 > [log in to unmask] > > ----- Original Message ----- > > Hello members and friends of WESTOP, > I need you to be aware of some struggles WESTOP is facing since it > affects all of us. Last year I sent out an email stating our > funds > were very tight and I put the board on a restrictive budget until > the > end of the budget year. As you were made aware, although we have > been making a small profit on the previous year's conferences, it > still was not enough to cover the WESTOP budget. Instead of > adding > to the accounts, we had to withdraw from the accounts. Add on the > expense (close to $13,000/year) we had to pay for insurance and > the > overall expense of CVENT over the past few years in order to cover > all of WESTOP's needs. > > Now bring in the airline crisis for our Hawaii conference and we > have > a problem. Not only did we not have the amount of people expected > for the conference, but we also have people needing > reimbursements. > In order to keep WESTOP solid and keep our non-profit standing, we > had to pay the hotel and other vendors first. This wiped out our > maximizer account and left a very small amount in the checking > account We do not have enough funds (yet) to pay back all the > reimbursements. > > With this said, let me calm any major panic. We still have > approximately $12, 000 that needs to come in from institutions who > paid with a PO. We also have the chapters needing to reimburse > WESTOP > for CVENT and the trip to Palau. I also have asked several > chapters > to assist us with a cash advance until WESTOP can be on better > financial standing. Once the checks from the chapters and from the > PO's come in, we will be able to reimburse those people who still > need a reimbursement. > > To answer some questions people may have: > > 1. Since there was cut-off date for any reimbursements and the > airline crisis occurred after the cut-off date, why are people > still > getting a reimbursement? > > The WESTOP Board took a serious look at this and felt since the > crisis was due to unforeseen circumstances, we wanted to honor the > members and friends who had every intent on coming. That being > said, > we looked at other corporations and found they do not reimburse > for > anything after the cut-off date. The Board is seriously > considering > this type of policy and it will be discussed at the next Board > meeting. The Board wants to be fair to all, but it has fiduciary > responsibilities to the WESTOP corporation. > > 2. The WESTOP Board paid for tables at the COE Conference. If we > are in such tight measures, why are we doing this? > > For the past few years, the WESTOP Board felt it necessary to > support > COE in its mission. COE has accomplished great feats over these > past > years and it was important to show that support from this region. > We > can not buy a table this year, but when we are in better financial > stability, the WESTOP Board will continue to support COE in > assisting > all TRIO programs > > 3. Why are we paying so much for insurance and do we need it? > > Absolutely yes, We need to protect the corporation from any > potential > law-suits or misconduct. The insurance covers all of WESTOP which > means four states and two territories. It has never been able to > cover the other countries. WESTOP is in a catch-22 situation. We > were too big for the small companies and too small for the larger > companies. We cover four states with different laws in each > state. I > even called COE's insurance carrier and they were not able to > assist > us. I was charged with finding insurance that was similar to what > we > had, but less expensive. I did find such a company and now the > rates > are > $ 3500/year. This still does not help us with what we had to pay > previously. > > 4. The Board spent a lot for its trip to Palau. Why be so > frivolous > with its money? > > The Board felt it important to visit the Pacific Islands to get an > idea of what our colleagues have to face each day. Palau > Community > College was very gracious and took care of our meals. The > chapter > is paying for part of the trip and WESTOP did not spend any more > than > the typical amount of a Board meeting. What the Board took from > the > experience was so very important to understanding our western > neighbors. > > 5. We had a great amount in the maximizer. Where did it all go? > > WESTOP had to dip into its savings to pay for bills that came in > throughout the years. The biggest amount came from this year's > conference. Although we had people who did not come, we still had > to > pay for all the supplies, registration materials, food costs, etc. > > WESTOP did not get a reprieve due to the airline crisis. > > > 6. The conferences did not make enough to carry the budget? > > No. No conference for the past six years made enough to carry > WESTOP. Even with the membership dues, it still was not enough > for > the budget. WESTOP has been putting in its income column funds > hoped > to be received from grants and supporters. So far very little has > come in through this method. The Board has been getting ideas > from > several people who have given us good advise and our hope is we > can > make a difference this year. > > 8. What about the Phoenix Conference? Why don't we cancel it? > We have to sign our contracts three years in advance. If we > cancelled the conference now, WESTOP will go bankrupt with its > penalties and the funds to pay the penalties would be coming from > the > chapters since the chapters operate under the WESTOP corporation. > > 7. So where does that leave WESTOP? > > The Board will be meeting in Las Vegas in August. We will be > scrutinizing the budget and trying to find ways to build up the > checking and savings accounts. Hard decisions will be made > regarding > cancellation rules. You all can help and pay your membership > early > once that comes out. (The new board is in the process of an email > vote to fix this year's fees.) The conference chair, Susan Madrid- > Simon has been informed of the situation and she knows what has to > be > done. > > 8. Where does that leave my reimbursement? > Please be patient with us. As soon as the funds come in through > the > PO's and with the chapter assistance, you will all be reimbursed. > > We need to pull together in order to get to the other side of this > crisis. I know we can accomplish what ever needs to get done. We > have survived the past financial woes and we can do it again. > > If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate > to > contact any of the presidents. > > Thank you for your support. > > Joy Brittain, Past President > WESTOP > _______________________________________________ > Listserv mailing list > [log in to unmask] > http://westop.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/listserv > > >