Who's votes for policies that negatively affect AHS finances?

Political discussion with no malice intended follows.

You have been warned.
===========================


Open letter to the Executive Board of Directors and the membership of
the AHS.

Those that insist and those that decide that redundant and/or outdated
and/or mostly useless information such as that contained in the Yearbook
and Directory continue to be published annually, are today, and will be
more so in the future, a financial challenge to the AHS.

The proposed 32% increase in dues, from $19 to $25 annually, speaks for
itself. We will lose some members over this proposed increase in cost.
Has the board researched what the expected loss of membership will be?
Would someone, preferably an AHS Board member, explain the dynamics
behind this need for increased revenue? (In spite of the fact that the
publishing cost of the AHS Journal has actually decreased). Does the
Board of Directors believe an increase in dues will actually increase
membership? Will the AHS reach more people with this change?

The newly created "Sharing Circle", where donated, directed funds can be
spent anywhere the board decides, is a violation of the trust members
have put in the AHS. Wonder if the lifetime membership fund will be a
part of this "Sharing Circle"? Directed funds should stay directed. If
funds are wanted for a "Sharing Circle" fund, than a "Sharing Circle"
fund drive should be started and donations solicited. Borrowing money
from other funds is a dangerous path.  We will lose track of which
pocket our money is in and our money will most likely end up in a pocket
with a hole.

How much lost income will our Board of Directors allow the Convention
Auction to suffer before admitting that the new restrictions placed on
auction plants are in fact anti-hosta, anti-AHS, and anti-common sense?
It is absurd for the AHS to turn down donated hostas that AHS members
have traveled hundreds, even thousands of miles to donate and to
purchase at the AHS Convention Auction.

Is the suggested raising of dues supposed to make up this lost income?

Does the history of the AHS suggest we are in need of major changes in
the way we do things?

I don't think it does.

What then, is the driving force behind the major policies that have been
adopted recently by the Board of the AHS?

The AHS seems to be in an era of rules, rule making and control. Is the
AHS a wild bull that needs taming? Are we a rowdy crew that needs
lessons in how to get in line and straighten up our act?

Are we in need of a strong arm to deliver us through the coming
predicted hosta apocalypse? ( you know, the one these rules pre-empt)

I have a dog that leaves his mark on a tire of every car that parks in
our driveway.

I've almost got him figured out.

Next I will work on people.

There's my 2.64 cents worth. (32% increase)

Dan Nelson
Bridgeville DE
zone 7
SussexTreeInc@ce.net


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