acmoc

ACMOC Membership Benefits

  • FREE quarterly magazine filled with content about antique Caterpillar machines
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$44 /year ELECTRONIC

$60 /year USA

$77 /year International

Budget and Elections

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10 years 6 months ago #92339 by old-iron-habit
It is quite apparent, at least to me that a big help to BB financials would be more paying members. Mistakes have been made in the past and probably will in the future, but its apparent to me that the board is trying to get past them. To anybody that is restoring, just fixing, or just trying to keep there old Cat running, a membership is the cheapest and may be the most valuable part you buy all year. Compared to parts, or even daily coffee, cost of a membership is a bargain. Many a business has closed because something was a penny cheaper down the road. We all missed them after they were gone. A few penny's each from a lot of folks make a huge difference. I do not like the idea of forced paid membership to use the forum because of the vast number of brainpower that do not own a machine but yet gladly offer good advice. I do urge more of us to take the little step and become dues paying members. I'm not smart enough to fix my relics with out this BBs help.
Roger

1937 Cat #11 tandem auto patrol,diesel, w/plow and wing, 6K506SP, 1937 RD 4 Ag Crawler RD5356, 1939 Cat 22 2F5429, 1952 Model 212 Grader 9T03427, 1953 2U D8 Dozer 2U20751, 1961 922A Rubber Tired Loader, 59A812, LeTouneau LS Cable Scraper, Cat/Lincoln 600 AMP Dual Welder, DW-21 Cat Scraper, DW-10 dump wagon/water wagon

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10 years 6 months ago #92551 by Old Magnet
Replied by Old Magnet on topic Budget and Elections
Well, several days have past and no additional dialogue has happened.
What we have here is a "Failure to Communicate"
I'm sure there are a few that wish this post would go away but it ain't going to happen.

In the corporate world a failure of its board to communicate with its shareholders normally results in a "vote of no confidence" and a request for resignation of its directors. That might be a little drastic for now but that's where its headed. Still, keep in mind that there is a current ballot out there and communication should be a consideration.

Getting back to business the latest financial report states the cash reserves are at $181k and at the current rate of deficit spending the club will be broke in about two years. With these reserves it is already below the stated $200k to launch another major model unless the collectors want to prepay the development.

The only other resources would be the liquidation of the approximate $500K model inventory.

The current membership (payed) is flat at about 3,000 and does not appear to be growing. If the membership is to grow the BOD's need to realize that the potential growth is through the BB which I understand to have about 14,000 registered. To realize this potential there needs to be more dialog from the directors and president on this 21st century media.

If the "back room boys" insist on following the current no BB communication mode my recommendation to those considering payed membership is to hold off on doing so until this request is acknowledged.
With the current requirement for ACMOC membership to obtain local membership this will have a significant impact as a wake up call. (although I can't see how the membership requirement can be inforced at the local level.)

This club, addicted to model sales for revenue, has got to pare itself down to a realistic operation. One option would be to provide a BB only membership, non mandetory, for those that wish to support it independant of the general club business. They can keep the magazine which is a dieing media anyway.

Enough for now, I'll bring up some history of the fractionated past membership at another time.

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10 years 6 months ago #92604 by ianoz
Replied by ianoz on topic Budget and Elections
Hey ,Old Magnet , Are you aware that the club has a rule in its Constitution that says something like "any member that says bad things about the club can be banned and removed from the membership" . The Club has already banned a high profile collector ,and a parts maker .
Hate to see the top forum help giver banned too .
So sit down and be a quiet good boy .
By the way , The forum Members area has been emptied .Not that there was a lot in there .Just some Board meeting Minutes and supplements to the magazine and some videos .
The club has a facebook page to you know .Latest post there is about the new Caterpillar flag the club has produced .
Last time I looked there were two comments on the flags post ..By the tone of both comments ,it sounded like the flags are not going to be a big seller .
August 23 at 6:57am · Like
Matt Ryan Great idea and I would love a few but....$145.00 for a flag??????? Is that a typo?
August 23 at 7:21am · Like
Lane Stamper Love to have one for my sixty,at $145 dollars i'll have to pass. I hope your right matt?
August 23 at 12:33pm · Like

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10 years 6 months ago #92606 by ianoz
Replied by ianoz on topic Budget and Elections
One question , If the models cost the club $200000 . Does that mean the Model Cat 20 on sale though the club store at $49 ,is going to make loss of over Thirty dollars on each one sold ?
Or did the club find a way of reducing the production costs .

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10 years 6 months ago #92607 by Old Magnet
Replied by Old Magnet on topic Budget and Elections
Hardly a case comparable to what went on with the Byron thing.
If stateing the facts and offering suggestions as a dues paying shareholder
is a banding offense than so be it and indicates I don't belong here anyway.
Thought you Aussies had more spirit than to fold so easily.

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10 years 6 months ago #92610 by Garlic Pete
Replied by Garlic Pete on topic Twenty.
The Twenty model is a different case. The Twenty was made by Norscot, not the Club. They offered us a deal on their remaining inventory of Twenty models at a very favorable cost. Our acquisition price was low enough that we are making a profit on those models by selling them at $49.00. This price point is competitive with what is being offered on the resale market for these models and also fits well with our marketing strategies. We were particularly attracted to this investment with Norscot because of the restored example which is on display at the Caterpillar Visitors' Center.

Ianoz, I'm a little disappointed by your comments about Old Magnet risking being banned. The type of spirited discussion, exchange of ideas and helpful suggestions which are being offered here are what we are hoping to encourage and continue, not trying to minimize. As Bumpus properly pointed out in another recent thread, the only risk of banning arises from violations of the rules of conduct on the forum, or violations of good decorum.

We want this bulletin board and the Club to remain a family friendly, positive environment. The discussions we are having here are educational and helpful for all and are being conducted in a positive, constructive manner.

I appreciate Old Magnet's generous sharing of his time, expertise and resources with us, his starting of this thread and his active participation in the discussion. He and I may not see eye to eye on all issues, but I respect and will defend his right to express his opinion, as I know he would for me. That goes for any other members or prospective members of the Club as well.

Pete.

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10 years 6 months ago #92612 by Old Magnet
Replied by Old Magnet on topic Budget and Elections
Post deleted by me.

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10 years 6 months ago #92613 by Garlic Pete
Replied by Garlic Pete on topic Banning.
Oh, oh, Old Magnet. I hope you aren't banning yourself now! ;-)

Pete.

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10 years 6 months ago #92614 by Old Magnet
Replied by Old Magnet on topic Budget and Elections
Well maybe, but I think you probably caught the message.

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10 years 6 months ago #92617 by tctractors
I do try to keep to the rules with all things in life, I used to post a good amount of Pictures on this Forum under the title of Bill Glenns Classic Plant, with Bills best wishes sought and approved, this was untill someone posted a negative script about the Tread, so it stopped but I still like to pop onto other treads as and when the chance pops up, sad to say although I was a Member of Chapter 2 for a good long time we ended up with the Boot in the Backside, there is no other way of Penning this fact in? so 330 members or their abouts formed our own simple Hobby Club that is going a Blinder with some great members and plenty of involvment within for its members, I cannot re-join the ACMOC as this would be putting my backside up for another Boot but I would be willing to pay a small charge to use the "Forum" the chance of a Chapter 2 ever making any headway in the U.K. within the next "Ice Age" would be an 8th Wonder, but I am thankfull for the kindness to come on this Forum as a Non Member and still be allowed to take part as like this.
tctractors

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