sleeri
Senior Member
Just curious, how many people voted on this topic at the business meeting?
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irish02bk
Senior Member
is the $30 tax deductable, :laugh:
a1t2o
Senior Member
I don't like the idea of being forced to pay a fee or drive to the cities in order to retain my same benefits. I live in st peter and the only meeting in my area that I know of in the entire two years I have been a part of this community will be taking place next month. My question is this, how is this fair? I would like to attend meetings but just cannot justify the cost to get to the north metro. Without the classifieds I think this forum will lose a lot of value. And this will soon become apparant in the site traffic after the change.
so are you going to go to the meeting next month that is minutes from you?
And follow up question to the Bods. When is this change going to take place?
And follow up question to the Bods. When is this change going to take place?
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I have read the changes that are underway and it does sound interesting. I also like that the school-child attitudes are or have been discouraged and done away with.
Membership or access to speaking with others that are also involved in the hobby is always a benefit. It always helps to speak with others to gain insight or alternative opinions on topics.
The only reason I dropped out from attending meetings was the consistent cold-shoulder I received from most people that attended. I used to work at one of the LFS's and helped many people in the hobby, both members to TCMAS and non-members as well. I thought it was a little strange to get that type of treatment when most people knew or know who I am.
I would like to hope this was included in the changes for the better.
Membership or access to speaking with others that are also involved in the hobby is always a benefit. It always helps to speak with others to gain insight or alternative opinions on topics.
The only reason I dropped out from attending meetings was the consistent cold-shoulder I received from most people that attended. I used to work at one of the LFS's and helped many people in the hobby, both members to TCMAS and non-members as well. I thought it was a little strange to get that type of treatment when most people knew or know who I am.
I would like to hope this was included in the changes for the better.
acharpenter
Pitas' Pita
Lifetime Member
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[[[[[edited - we don't have any position on that, we are a 501(c)(3) if that helps. (from patent)]]]]]]]
IIRC around 35-40
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:swear: :swear: Go to a meeting or pay $30/yr ($2.50/mos, less than a kid meal :brick
and done with it. Just think it's as a donation to our club.
Look at the positive ways, where can you find a membership that cheap? I think all my reefing educations and great deal on reef related equipments/livestock worth more than that. Besides, who's gonna help you out when you have trouble with your tank?
And here is what bugging me, why no one speak up when you got good deal on classified forum, but always complaint about paying a fragment of cost to our club. I'm sick of it. If you don't like it, you don't belong to our club or any club. Remember, NOTHING FOR FREE:look:
and done with it. Just think it's as a donation to our club.Look at the positive ways, where can you find a membership that cheap? I think all my reefing educations and great deal on reef related equipments/livestock worth more than that. Besides, who's gonna help you out when you have trouble with your tank?
And here is what bugging me, why no one speak up when you got good deal on classified forum, but always complaint about paying a fragment of cost to our club. I'm sick of it. If you don't like it, you don't belong to our club or any club. Remember, NOTHING FOR FREE:look:
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Bingo!
sleeri
Senior Member
Are we sure the club membership is tax deductible? Is this a 501c3? Also, you can only deduct in excess of value received. Access to the classifieds has a value, so not sure the entire $30 would be deductible.
Then host your own meeting and become a lifetime member.
This is not true. Over the past couple of years there have been quite a few meetings in the South metro. I had one myself a little over a year ago. You need to remember, this is the TWIN CITIES Marine Aquarium Society. People outside of the Twin Cities are more than welcome to be members, but If most of the members live in the greater Metro area, it is not benneficial to have a meeting so far out of the area. This has been argued before.
I'm sure there are plenty of people in your neck of the woods that wood like to have a meeting close to them. If you host one, you will be set for life.
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speaking from an outside point of view here i bought my first saltwater aquarium thru your non members classifieds and still browse them.
i live in IOWA and drove to the west side of chaska for my tank. and completely closing off the classifieds will have a negative impact on your clubs traffic. i understand a member probably was unhappy that a NOOB beat them to a good deal that they didnt see right away or? or maybee someone got stoodup on a deal buy a new person that backed out at the last minute!
having a members only classifieds and a non members benifits both sides, from other clubs that im part of i have seen members just get better deals when bartering. really what do you have to offer a new person that doesent know all of you? you have your articles and such that i can read without interaction with another member and get info or i could call SWE for info but the chance at a good deal or something that the stores dont have is what draws people in to want more.
buts thats my 2 cents.
we have the greater iowa reef society down here.
i understand its up to your membership to make changes but you will see in time weather it was the right thing to do.
i live in IOWA and drove to the west side of chaska for my tank. and completely closing off the classifieds will have a negative impact on your clubs traffic. i understand a member probably was unhappy that a NOOB beat them to a good deal that they didnt see right away or? or maybee someone got stoodup on a deal buy a new person that backed out at the last minute!
having a members only classifieds and a non members benifits both sides, from other clubs that im part of i have seen members just get better deals when bartering. really what do you have to offer a new person that doesent know all of you? you have your articles and such that i can read without interaction with another member and get info or i could call SWE for info but the chance at a good deal or something that the stores dont have is what draws people in to want more.
buts thats my 2 cents.
we have the greater iowa reef society down here.
i understand its up to your membership to make changes but you will see in time weather it was the right thing to do.
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Those that just trade in the classifieds are really not adding that much to the club. It may sound harsh, but if you live way far away, and all you want is to find stuff for a few purchases, TCMAS may not be for you and if this change causes that group of people to leave, they may not be missed anyway.
Matt D.
TCMAS Free Thinker
There was a meeting in Owatonna in October. One of the first meetings I was at was in Burnsville, about 3 years ago. Two years ago another in Burnsville, although it was the night of the major snow storm.
The majority of members are in the Twin Cities and you are not, you don't want to drive up here for meetings but it sounds as if you would make the trip if you were buying or selling something. That is what TCMAS is trying to stop, the something for nothing aspect of people lurking, in it only for themselves and not giving back. Prove that you are a dedicated member and you'll get access to the classifieds, simple as that. Time is money, money is time. Put in the time to attend a meeting, or donate to the club.
kieffer_5
Senior Member
I just think if you can't afford to pay $30 or for gas to get to a meeting then you shouldn't even be in the classified section anyway. Just stop complaining this is the best club I've ever been apart of by far an I don't live close to most of the meeting but I find a way. The bod is doing a great thing trying to get people more involved in the CLUB... People need to remember its a club before a forum
SmnParish
Senior Member
See, I'm fine with these changes and will cope; but what bugs me is this: why do some people feel they need to ensure everyone gets the full club experience? So what if some people join just for the classifieds, cant you just be happy that you are getting the full experience and not try and force it on everyone else? Maybe there is a solid reason for this, but the way I see it, why not live and let live?
a1t2o
Senior Member
I just think that this rule is a bad idea for the club because it excludes new people. It makes this club exclusive and makes me feel like since I am not a "member" then I am not important. What incentive is there for people to become members if we act like newcomers are unwelcome.
How does this make newcomers feel or even be unwelcome? New people are encouraged to join all the time. We want them to come in, learn about things, go to a meeting to get more involved. If TCMAS was just a classifieds section, there would be no TCMAS. Like any other club, membership is beneficial to both the individual and the club.
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