Nov/Dec IHMSA News - Comments

[260 Striker]

Just read "The New Silhouetter" column in the Nov/Dec issue and have a couple of comments. I need to say I look forward to reading the whole paper and really enjoy the information from Ken but he struck a nerve on one issue. Several times he used the term "mainstream gun rags" or just "mainstream rags". Now I don't work for any of the current gun magazines so I don't have a personal torch to carry but I fear if I did work for one of the gun magazines I would be highly offended to have my periodical called a "rag". We need to promote our sport and win friends with the people who publish the current gun magazines in hopes they will provide favorable comments about IHMSA and silhouette shooting in general. I'm sure (or hope) that Ken did not mean to use these terms in a derogatory manner but that is what came across to me.

His article also stated our recent decline in components and powder was possibly due to a demand issue. I agree there is a demand but if the products were flowing in a normal manner they would at least be showing up on dealer and chain store shelves. Demand does not equate to supply and if the manufacturers are producing as much as they say they are, then where are the products going? Here in OH my local dealer has access to five major U.S. distributors and they are NOT receiving many of the products that people are being accused of hoarding. I don't know how to hoard something if it is not available. Oh well, I will just chalk this comment to a difference of opinion. I really appreciate Ken's column and his desire to share valuable information with the rest of us.

Later in the paper, our President mentioned the costs of printing and mailing score cards. As a match director in the 90s, all MDs were required to mail in the score cards to HQ along with match fees. The requirement to mail in score cards was later removed so when you think about it, why do we even need to use "official" score cards printed by HQ at our matches? I previously suggested on this forum that some "universal" type score card be developed to cover all the categories and classes and placed on the IHMSA website so it could be downloaded and printed by each MD. Several other members responded and one actually sent me some samples that would work very well for our local matches. Of course that was prior to our new Practical Hunter classes. I know this would place additional expenses at the club level but I think the costs could be better absorbed at the club level and save printing and mailing costs for HQ. I then went to the Treasurer's Report in this issue and could not even find any expenses associated with printing score cards. Maybe that cost is buried in some other category. I did see where IHMSA spent almost $1500 in mailing but don't have a clue how much of that was for score cards.

These are NOT complaints and I hope my comments are not taken in a negative way since I very much want our sport to prosper and grow in the future.

[Richard Pickering]

Regarding costs: In my email to Lorene I mentioned posting rules via pdf file. We have a rules section on the forum. Place the updated rules there and let members print them off. While it was mentioned that some members do not have internet access, surely a buddy or match director could print a few copies and have them available during matches. Rule changes could be posted via the file. A review of the file keeps most of us current. Lorene and Nancy have been discussing this approach. Richard

[19 Turkeys]

The problem is much more serious than that. Please review the following:

December 31 (Year) Cash on Hand

2008 $104,134
2009 $ 86,281
2010 $ 65,270
2011 $ 38,642
2012 $ 34,763

Cash on hand has declined every year since 2008. As of June 30, 2013 it was down to $29,996, a drop of $4,767, per the Secretary/Treasurer’s Report in the November/December 2013 issue of The IHMSA News

This is very disturbing for this reason: The first 6 months of the year reflect income from the International Championship. Expenses do not show up until the second half of the year. The organization will loose money on this year's Internationals just like it has for the past several years. (Note: income for this year's Internationals was around $6,000. Target setters historically are paid $5,000 in Fort Stockton. Then, there is the expense of trophies, etc.)

I have brought this to the attention of our Secretary/Treasurer. Personally, I see no way out of this financial morass without some serious cost cutting at Headquarters (Lorene's salary), the paper & the Internationals. The organization cannot continue to fund loosing operations.

Steve W.

[35isit]

The problem is much more serious than that. Please review the following:

December 31 (Year) Cash on Hand

2008 $104,134
2009 $ 86,281
2010 $ 65,270
2011 $ 38,642
2012 $ 34,763

Cash on hand has declined every year since 2008. As of June 30, 2013 it was down to $29,996, a drop of $4,767, per the Secretary/Treasurer’s Report in the November/December 2013 issue of The IHMSA News

This is very disturbing for this reason: The first 6 months of the year reflect income from the International Championship. Expenses do not show up until the second half of the year. The organization will loose money on this year's Internationals just like it has for the past several years. (Note: income for this year's Internationals was around $6,000. Target setters historically are paid $5,000 in Fort Stockton. Then, there is the expense of trophies, etc.)

I have brought this to the attention of our Secretary/Treasurer. Personally, I see no way out of this financial morass without some serious cost cutting at Headquarters (Lorene's salary), the paper & the Internationals. The organization cannot continue to fund loosing operations.

Steve W.

I agree with Steve. There are many things that need to be cut. (Note: income for this year's Internationals was around $6,000. Target setters historically are paid $5,000 in Fort Stockton. Then, there is the expense of trophies, etc.) If this statement is correct, we should not be having the Internationals. I know this is a strong statement. Steve's statements does not include all the free entries and the expenses paid by IHMSA to the officers and directors and others to attend the Internationals. Yet we still can not get enough people there to hold the yearly meetings to run the organization.

I personally feel if the organization had plenty of money in it's accounts and the International's firing line was full from the first to last relay we wouldn't be having this discussion.

[19 Turkeys]

I personally feel if the organization had plenty of money in it's accounts and the International's firing line was full from the first to last relay we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Greg,

You are right on the money! Years ago I asked that the Internationals be split out on its own ledger with a simple 1 liner "Profit from Internationals" on the general ledger. Profit would have been a positive number and losses a negative number. That was to happen but did not. Given the current structure of the financial statement, it is difficult to determine if the Internationals makes or looses money. I looked at the 2012 International in OKC, and from what I can desipher, it lost money. There should not be a 2014 match unless the Board has a foolproof way to ensure profitability.

Steve W.

PS: Members need to have a serious discussion with their state and regional directors ASAP. Sorry, but Nancy's cost cutting discussion in her latest column will not forestall significant losses in my opinion unless those cuts equal $10 to 15,000.

[19 Turkeys]

OK, the membership needs informed about IHMSA's financial situation. So, I have sent the following Letter to the Editor to Lorene today. We'll see if it gets published. So, here it is for your action. PLEASE contact your region director & demand action!

Dear Lorene:

Few follow IHMSA’s financial health. However, having been in banking and real estate finance for 25 years I do.

It is time that the membership begins an open and honest discussion about the future and direction of IHMSA in an attempt to save the sport that we all love. Having dedicated 29 years to the sport, run Headquarters West and edited the IHMSA News for several years and been a match director for over a decade I am not willing to see the sport wither on the vine.

It is no secret that our membership numbers have declined dramatically over the years. That decline has had a negative impact on the financial health of the organization. The following illustrates that rather dramatically.

December 31 (Year) Cash on Hand

2008 $104,134
2009 $ 86,281
2010 $ 65,270
2011 $ 38,642
2012 $ 34,763

Cash on hand has declined every year since 2008. As of June 30, 2013 it was down to $29,996, a drop of $4,767, per the Secretary/Treasurer’s Report in the November/December 2013 issue of The IHMSA News. And it is painfully obvious that this trend will not turn around without some very tough decisions.

Unless the Board of Directors begins to seriously consider solutions, IHMSA will not survive. Based on historical losses, they have about 2 years to resolve this problem or dissolve the corporation. I urge each member to begin the discussion to solve this problem.

Steve W.

[TEFREY]

Where would one find copies of the annual financial statements? I looked in the news for the last couple of years and could only find January through June. Being a beancounter by trade, I'd like to see where the trends are before offering an opinion.

[19 Turkeys]

Where would one find copies of the annual financial statements? I looked in the news for the last couple of years and could only find January through June. Being a beancounter by trade, I'd like to see where the trends are before offering an opinion.

Check the March issue of each year. They are there.

Steve W.

[19 Turkeys]

I would like to see how many actual members there are now vs 2008 for justification of Lorene's salary. If there are 20% less for example shouldn't the salary be adjusted accordingly? That is what they have done where I work to supervisors who's departments have been downsized. Do we really still need a full time person in this position now?

Craig,

There are now less than 1000 annual members based on the number of copies of the IHMSA News being mailed (928 paid distribution) In the Nov/Dec issue there is the required publication notice. Just read that and you can see our decline. Check your Nov/Dec 2008 issue for comparison. Easily figured out.

Steve W.
PS: only 40 new members signed up the first 6 months of 2013 per the financials.

[260 Striker]

Gosh fellas, all I suggested is having electronic score cards we could download from the IHMSA website and then later tried to see how much money that would save us. I believe in taking baby steps. Guess it doesn't matter much since nothing will probably change anyway. Keep the money saving ideas coming. Maybe someone will stumble onto them by accident and we can start making a profit each year.

Another question (I'm asking for trouble here) - Sounds like the Internationals in OK were efficiently run and had a fair turn out. Did that match make money or at least break even?