Davenport 2012

[Chris Haynes]

I received a notice stating that after this year the Davenport Fall meet will no longer be an AMCA National meet. The meet will be held as always but without AMCA Judging. It seems the boys in the Blackhawk Chapter are tired of the AMCA grabbing the lions share of the meets proceeds.

[fillibuster]

I received a notice stating that after this year the Davenport Fall meet will no longer be an AMCA National meet. The meet will be held as always but without AMCA Judging. It seems the boys in the Blackhawk Chapter are tired of the AMCA grabbing the lions share of the meets proceeds.

just asking, did your notice mention the "tired....lions share.... proceeds"? or was it just a notice of judges duties at Davenport next year?

[Chris Haynes]

It won't be a National meet. Therefore no judging. Also the Blackhawk chapter will have to provide their own insurance which has aways been provided by the National.

[RichO]

Regional meets vs. National meets

A Regional meet is still insured by the AMCA but you don't have National judging and you don't have to forward 50% of your vendor space monies. Even a National meet chapter keeps any parking fees, gate donations, and any concession monies. Fort Sutter had a regional meet for 18 years before starting the National meet at Dixon which has been going for some 11 years now. Some of Davenports changes have to do with their chapters new manager and politics. I've read his thoughts as expressed in their newsletter. Regional or National really doesn't matter except you can't be judged under the National system. Dixon has thought about the same change. The judging system seems to be self destructing and not worth the bother plus the chapter can retain more of it's funding which seems to bled away when given to the National. Money isn't davenports issue. They have plenty in the bank and more than cover expenses for a non-profit chapter as we do.

[Chris Haynes]

Subject: 2012 meet

What follows is a bit of background on a subject that is likely to be a subject of some discussion at the upcoming meet.

Beginning late last fall the members of the Chief Blackhawk Chapter began discussing the future of the fall meet. In early 2011 a number of folks agreed to meet as a committee apart from the monthly meetings and, if memory serves correctly, they met no less than three times to debate the merits of their views. At the Chapter meeting in May the committee reported and recommended the Chapter continue to do the Fall meet and for the meet be a regional meet for 2012. A motion was made and seconded to this effect and the membership in attendance voted in the affirmative. So the 2012 meet on Labor Day weekend will be an AMCA regional meet, not an AMCA National meet.

The AMCA National Meet Coordinator was notified of the decision by the Chapter in early August and the program for the 2011 Fall National will include a brief note informing the vendors and visitors of the change for 2012.

If you have any questions about this please contact me.

If you are questioned about this please point the questioner to me.

Thank you,
Charles E. Finney
President
Chief Blackhawk Chapter

[LouieMCman]

With problems at Davenport and Eustis....maybe there will not be ANY national meets in the near future. Sounds like the board has some work to do to secure the future of national meets and road runs.....

[chicagohen]

Louie,

I suspect that Davenport and Eustis are two different issue. I don't think Davenport has anything to do with sharing money with the National. given your non-profit status, a glut of money in the chapter treasury is a headache. Chief Blackhawk was always been very philanthropic while also giving the National it's due. I suspect it may be about the judging. The system is a total mess right now. We've had internal discussions in Chesapeake to go the local meet route soley due to the judging and that was before the latest disaster. We actual cut our own throats when we went to the two day meet format that we were criticized for. When we had Sunday judging, there would only be 12-15 bikes to handle. Now we approach 60 at times with the bulk being classes 5, 6 and 7, most of which are non-US makes. We simply have a hard time finding enough qualified judges for these classes and feel the National needs to address this if they want to keep expanding. If we ever give up national status it will be because of judging and not because of sharing the money.

When I was on the National BOD, it used to drive me crazy that we spent the large part of our meetings listening to Peter Heinz waxing and waning on judging issues. I don't think to this day more than 5% of the membership regularly participates in judging but it IMHO still seems to be driving the club. Further, I feel Kevin and Robin should get an apology from the National and be asked if they would be willing to come back.

As far as Eustis goes, I was never enamoured with that location. If Sunshine can work out the vending issues with the county, it seems like the new facility will be much better.

Steve Ciccalone

[duffeycycles]

a shower at sunshine will be worth it.Each Blackhawk that voted could have different reasons.Davenport meet: be forewarned the weather will be mid 80s for highs upper 60s for lows partly cloudy!

[T. Cotten]

The judging system seems to be self destructing and not worth the bother....

Does this mean an eleventh-hour reprieve for History?
Halleluya!

.....Cotten

[Ross]

It will 35 years since we started going to Davenport. It has and always will be my favorite weekend of the year.Regional, national, glee club...call it what you will, I will attend until I cannot walk. Keep up the good work you Blackhawk boys.

[sswaney]

[QUOTE=chicagohen;112696]Louie,

I suspect that Davenport and Eustis are two different issue. I don't think Davenport has anything to do with sharing money with the National. given your non-profit status, a glut of money in the chapter treasury is a headache. Chief Blackhawk was always been very philanthropic while also giving the National it's due. I suspect it may be about the judging.

I have heard the statement in reference to non profit status previously, how/why is it headache to have a surplus in a Chapter treasury?

[LouieMCman]

Different issues but the same result..no longer a national meet was my point.

[chicagohen]

SS, due to required IRS reporting as a non-profit, big chapter bank accounts are a problem. We can't appear to be making money. This is a very simple explanation.

[redfred84]

Steve,
None of our money is big compared to yours!
RF.
Go West Young Man

[sswaney]

Chicagohen

Hmmm, that is quite different from what we have been told here in the Omaha Chapter. My understanding is as long as the funds are being used strictly for chapter use a surplus is a good thing.

From Wikipedia
"While Not-for-profit organizations are able to earn a profit, more accurately termed a surplus, such earnings must be retained by the organization for its self-preservation, expansion, or plans.[3] NPOs have controlling members or boards. Many have paid staff including management, while others employ unpaid volunteers and even executives who work without compensation.[4]

Profit is not the primary goal of an NPO, but because an NPO can legally and ethically trade at a profit, the term Not-for-profit is often considered more appropriate than Non-profit. The extent to which an NPO can generate income may be constrained, or the use of that income may be restricted. Nonprofits therefore are funded typically by donations (which may be tax deductible) from the private or public sector, and are typically exempt from income and property taxation. Some NPOs may internalize profit in the form of comparatively good wages or benefits."