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Dues update

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Has anyone seen a reason why the AAW dues were increased? This is part of an email that was sent and I think it is a bit lacking in justification.
Harvey, Good Morning,

The dues went up on April 1st. There wasn't a big announcement! When Phil gave the note to me after you called in, I wondered if you know of the change. Dues haven't gone up in three years, so I guess it was time....

Jane Charbonneau
American Association of Woodturners
222 Landmark Center
75 West 5th Street
St Paul, MN 55102
651-484-9094

What are your thoughts?
 
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I haven't talked with any board members recently, but I would guess that it reflects the increases we see in several areas i.e. material costs, printing costs, and especially postal charges. Regardless of what the reason was, the fact is that the small price increase is not a reflection of the significant increase in quality. Betty continues to raise the bar and as good as she has done in the past, she is always working to out do her previous standards with the journal.

While none of us enjoy price increases, when we consider what we spend on tools, wood etc for what is for most of us a hobby or part-time income, the increase of three dollars is a drop in the bucket.
 

Bill Boehme

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Has anyone seen a reason why the AAW dues were increased? This is part of an email that was sent and I think it is a bit lacking in justification.
Harvey, Good Morning,

The dues went up on April 1st. There wasn't a big announcement! When Phil gave the note to me after you called in, I wondered if you know of the change. Dues haven't gone up in three years, so I guess it was time....

Jane Charbonneau
American Association of Woodturners
222 Landmark Center
75 West 5th Street
St Paul, MN 55102
651-484-9094

What are your thoughts?

I feel like I am jumping into this in mid conversation based on the sentence, "When Phil gave the note to me after you called in ...". Is there some prior history about this in another thread? I am sort of confused about the "after you called in" part of the sentence.

Based only on what I don't know, the cost of everything is going up and the AAW can't freeze their membership costs without making cuts somewhere if operating expenses continue increasing. So, my take would be that the cost of membership has increased not necessarily as a result of more bang for your buck (although I do feel like that is happening), but mainly to avoid going the other way. I use the American Woodturner journal as a barometer of how well the organization is doing and evaluate it not only from a content point of view, but also its layout, graphic design, paper, and print quality. It has continually improved with every issue and the past several issues have really been impressive. I am pleased with what I see.
 

john lucas

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That and going from 4 to 6 issues a year. Seems like I remember this being discussed a year or so ago but I could be wrong. My brain doesn't work like it used to. Maybe it's because I haven't had a raise in a while. :)
 
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Dues

Caution: Rant Ahead!

I have gone back through the meeting minutes, and there is only one little blurb about raising the dues, but no indication of why. Just a motion, and a vote. Perhaps the minutes do not include all the conversation, but then, what else do they not include? There was no information about this, or an announcement that on a certain date, that the dues would be increasing. The original post included a response by email when a club treasurer had sent in what had been the cost of membership for a new member. Shouldn't the local chapters who seek out new members, and submit the membership information have been aware that the dues were increasing before they went up, not a month after the actual increase?

Secondly, as a chapter president for several years now, I have seen people leave the chapter because of financial hardships. We had a very talented, award winning segmented turner who made amazing museum quality pieces leave the club because he was out of work and felt is wasn't feasible for him to afford membership. Now consider that our club's charter requires that all members also be members of AAW, so the cost of membership is AAW dues plus club dues. Every little increase makes it harder.

I myself am fortunate to be gainfully employed. However, have not seen any pay increase in over 4 years because of government cutbacks. All my costs of living are steadily increasing but my income is not. How long can I continue on this path before having to make similar cuts.

Ultimately, the board of directors should not operate in secret. This decision affects every single member of this organization and should have been presented in the light of day with an explanation. I don't have an issue with paying a little bit more so long as I know why. I do however have an issue with just giving more money because someone says we need to.

Some things I noted in the minutes stuck out to me. The few that come to mind right off is do we really need to pay money so the journal pages can be coated with a UV protective coating(January minutes)? Is this really necessary? January 2012 minutes, towards the end, it was discussed how "how the national office could connect more with the local chapters". Secretly raising the dues without passing this on to chapter officers or disclosing this to the general membership before going into effect is not the line of thinking I would use to accomplish this goal. February minutes: Do we really need membership cards? I don't need anything more to carry around every day.... March minutes: did we the membership pay $500 for the directors and staff of AAW to be members of the CWA? Should those members pay for their own membership and not from business funds? December minutes I think show that the overall membership has gone up by about 3 percent so aren't they already getting more money as it is?

Whew. End rant...
 
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Bill Boehme

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.... the overall membership has gone up by about 3 percent so aren't they already getting more money as it is?...

Yes and obviously spending more too. The cost of the journal is one of the major expenses and the directory isn't cheap either. What's left after those expenses is a long way from a three percent increase in revenue.
 

john lucas

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Of course the cost of running the website I'm sure doesn't stay constant as well as the cost of the insurance for the clubs. Lots of increases I guess. As mentioned above the extra 2 issues of the Journal are worth the price of admission. There is also a new digital only publication called Woodturning fundamentals that comes out on the months inbetween the Journals. That probably doesn't cost much because all of on the staff are volunteers, which also goes for the board I might add.
 
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(Rant response)

The price increase was not done in secret. Far from it. It was announced months in advance (I believe in the Journal) before it went from four to six issues. As for those who have dropped membership. It is certainly unfortunate that some of your members lost their source of income, but I am quite certain their dropping their membership was due to a sudden loss of thousands of dollars in monthly income, not the extra five dollars a year of AAW membership dues. And while I commend your clubs approach to require AAW membership (and I wish our club did as well), the fact is that it doesn't have to be required if you see that as a hinderance for some of your members.

If the AAW covered the cost of CWA membership then perhaps that line item should be elliminated? But don't think for a second that the board members don't sacrafice a huge amount of time, money etc to supporting the on going needs of running the AAW. I have personally observed what they put into it on a daily basis, the time on the phone, on doing e-mails with 14,000 members around the world plus vendors etc is time they could be spending at the lathe or with family. CWA memberships dues are trival by comparision to what many of the board members give in their efforts to support the AAW.
 
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I guess I should have been more detailed in my first post. The cost of doing business goes up for everyone, I get that. But as the treasurer for the club it would have been nice, responsible, etc. for a notification, email, phone call, nudge in the ribs, about a cost increase. The first email was part of an email letting a club know they needed to send in addtional funds for a club member. Is this going to be the SOP of the AAW now? The increase is $5 dollars not $3, either way it's not about the increase I can deal with that personally, but I have to tell the members? Shouldn't that communication come from the AAW, why should I have to get up in front of the membership and defend the need for an increase, reasons that have not been explained to me. So what I should just make up something? I appreciate your thoughts on why an increase was needed but why an I not getting this from the organization? Is this not supposed to be a professionally run organization? I guess I need to send an email to our leaders, since we were told with past problems, they don't really follow the forum. I'm not happy with me or our club president having to be the bad guy at the next club meeting when we let our members know.
 
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Bill, I totally agree with you that we as club board members should not have to be the one giving bad news we are not responsible for. But I'm almost certain that Betty projected the increase would happen when the issues increased from 4 to 6.

In reference to this being a professionally run organization-not sure that is entirely true. There are a few officer workers, currator, and a CFO who are paid, but the vast majority of the work is done by a board and its advisors both of which are made up entirely of volunteers. Just look at the number of committees that organize events, charity work, exhibits, etc The people making those things happen for the membership are almost exclusively volunteers.
 
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My two cents: While the present BoD may not be spending $$ like drunken sailors, they are like our present politicians spending other people's money. I am sure that the BoD uses a lot of personal time on AAW business, but if they can't, then don't. Thanks for being a giving volunteer. However, I remember when the Journal was an elegant magazine compared to the rag it is now. I remember when the BoD and the Staff was always available to all the members, but that was before the "decapitation". Now, is there going to be a revolving door of Executive whatevers? I paid the increased membership fees last year against my better judgement but not again this year. I will "sit out" for a year or two to see if there is any further fallout. And this means I cannot be an officer in the club I helped start as some of our members will back any BoD at any time, requiring AAW membership to be a full general member in our Club. I have too many niggling health problems to even comment on future problems in woodturning. My best wishes to all of you, members or no, as I wish for a great future for the AAW!
 
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Caution: Rant Ahead!

I have gone back through the meeting minutes, and there is only one little blurb about raising the dues, but no indication of why. Just a motion, and a vote. Perhaps the minutes do not include all the conversation, but then, what else do they not include?

I've never been part of AAW decision making. As an Englishman I'm happy to join and leave you guys to make the decisions about your organisation, but whenever I have been on a committee I've always been under the impression that the committee's deliberations are private but its decisions are public. Is that why there's no conversation included? To publish minutes containing every spoken word of a meeting seems to me to be a pretty good way of stifling discussion. Who wants to stick their neck out if it might get the chop publicly?

Bob
 
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...But as the treasurer for the club it would have been nice, responsible, etc. for a notification, email, phone call, nudge in the ribs, about a cost increase... I'm not happy with me or our club president having to be the bad guy at the next club meeting when we let our members know.

The issue as I read it is that you and your chapter president have taken on the role of being AAW dues collectors when the AAW has not assigned you that task. If you did not check the current rates of membership prior to collecting dues then that is not the AAW's fault. (As I recall, the web registration showed the correct amount late last year - when I renewed.)

Just sayin'...
 
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The issue as I read it is that you and your chapter president have taken on the role of being AAW dues collectors when the AAW has not assigned you that task. If you did not check the current rates of membership prior to collecting dues then that is not the AAW's fault. (As I recall, the web registration showed the correct amount late last year - when I renewed.)

Just sayin'...

The "Issue" Owen is lack of communication. Period. Our club does collect dues and pays them as a service to our members, because we require AAW membership as part of our club membership. And if you "read" the email the cost went up April 1st 2012 not last year. I'm going to shut up now. I'm tired of this thread.
 
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My question is "Why isn't this whole thread moved to the AAW Information forum" where all those with an axe to grind about the AAW can grind away without people interested in reading / discussing turning having to read all the chest thumping "nothing is as good as I would do it if I were in charge" rants that show up in these types of threads?

Ed
 
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My question is "Why isn't this whole thread moved to the AAW Information forum" where all those with an axe to grind about the AAW can grind away without people interested in reading / discussing turning having to read all the chest thumping "nothing is as good as I would do it if I were in charge" rants that show up in these types of threads?

Ed

Thanks ED you are welcome to ask the thread be moved or deleted. I don't care. Dale Larson sent a kind response to me, which I will share with our club, so I don't disturb you further. Don't want any thumping, my axe only cuts wood and I have no desire to be in charge. I only want final decisions communicated to members and that has been done.
 
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The having to pay twice once the AAW & once to the local club is the main reason I haven't joined a club on top of that I'd have to drive 30 minutes each way to attend the club meetings at around $4 a gallon it ain't happening. If I was turning every day it would be different or even if I was working & had money coming in it would help. I can go to turning forums & the internet the library & other venues to get the info I need all free. I really do appreciate this forum though thank you.
 

john lucas

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Well our clubs (I belong to 3) don't add in the AAW membership. That in my opinion would make it too expensive. I drive 50 miles to one, 90 to another and my new local one is 15 miles away. Wouldn't miss the friendship for anything. Well worth the drive. I will admit I don't go to the far away much anymore but it's more of a late night driving thing than actual cost. I have trouble driving at night when I'm tired and after a long days work sometimes it's just not worth the risk.
I join the AAW on my own which is the way I really think it should be done.
 
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The having to pay twice once the AAW & once to the local club is the main reason I haven't joined a club on top of that I'd have to drive 30 minutes each way to attend the club meetings at around $4 a gallon it ain't happening. If I was turning every day it would be different or even if I was working & had money coming in it would help. I can go to turning forums & the internet the library & other venues to get the info I need all free. I really do appreciate this forum though thank you.

Bart, I understand that your finances don't allow you to take advantage of being active in a local chapter, perhaps some day that will change for you. Most local chapters are well worth the time and money invested, and like John said, most local chapters only require local membership, not AAW, too.

I did want to comment on the "free to you" part. The information "out there" has resulted from the efforts of others, some get paid for their contribution, some provide information just because they want to share. Like you, I thank all those woodturners whose efforts make it possible for you and others to learn woodturning for free.

And, I want to thank the 14,000+ woodturners who are members of the AAW. Your combined dues continue to help keep alive the opportunity for the field of woodturning to expand. Among other things, your money is used to produce a journal and to support the AAW website and this Forum.

The really great news is that the AAW membership continues to grow! Bart, I look forward to seeing your name in the membership directory some year.

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW
 

hockenbery

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The AAW created the local chapter network as a way for AAW to reach out to beginners and provide them exposure to training and education and something to fill the void between symposiums.

I view non AAW members as good and bad

The bad is they are freeloaders both at the local and national level.
Ineligible to hold club office or vote in AAW elections hurts the local club
Just as freeloaders make health care cost more the freeloaders make AAW dues cost more.

The good is these folks add to the treasury of the local club.
Provides a transition state at the clubs for new turners who may become AAW members.
Makes it easy for the local club to keep them off the demo platform and out of leadership.

I know some folks just don't have money. I see local clubs that never ask some folks for dues.
Others clubs that give dues to the cleanup crew and coffee makers.
I see some club s who pay AAW Membership dues for some members.

The AAW website, AAW local chapters only exist because of the paying members of AAW.
If you are not a member thank a member next time you see one.

Enjoy!
Al
 
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Bart, I understand that your finances don't allow you to take advantage of being active in a local chapter, perhaps some day that will change for you. Most local chapters are well worth the time and money invested, and like John said, most local chapters only require local membership, not AAW, too.

I did want to comment on the "free to you" part. The information "out there" has resulted from the efforts of others, some get paid for their contribution, some provide information just because they want to share. Like you, I thank all those woodturners whose efforts make it possible for you and others to learn woodturning for free.

And, I want to thank the 14,000+ woodturners who are members of the AAW. Your combined dues continue to help keep alive the opportunity for the field of woodturning to expand. Among other things, your money is used to produce a journal and to support the AAW website and this Forum.

The really great news is that the AAW membership continues to grow! Bart, I look forward to seeing your name in the membership directory some year.

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW

Thanks for your encouragement Betty.
 
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