CYC Home
October 12, 2009
The CYC Board of Directors voted unanimously on Monday, Oct. 12, to leave intact restrictions on weeknight racing. The board also approved a 2010 budget that will require no dues increase and will make only minor adjustments in race fees.
The decision to make no changes in rules that limit non-members to one guest-year of weeknight racing followed lengthy deliberations over two months by the board. Proponents of relaxing the restrictions have argued that doing so would increase participation, while the other side believes the restrictions add to the value of CYC membership.
"We should leave it the way it is, but come up with ways each of our fleets could build membership," said Jerry Diercks, fleet captain race. "It needs to happen soon."
The board considered but abandoned several alternatives, including eliminating the restriction and adding to guest fees, and extending the one-year guest period to two years. Another proposal called for applying guest fee premiums to initiation fees.
The consensus was, however, that a year is enough, and that CYC initiation fees, at $275 for S2 members, are already very low and even those fees are heavily discounted during the annual winter membership promotion period.
The board considered comment submitted by several people, including Staff Commodore Jim Lyle. He argued that letting non-members race more for higher fees moves the club toward the notion that "CYC is simply something you buy."
"As you move toward a fee-based model there could be a trend away from feeling ownership in the club," Lyle said. "Ownership is important. It was the key to the success of the Heart of CYC campaign."
While leaving 2010 dues at current levels, the budget for next year also accounts for slight changes in race fees that will match package rates to the number of races in each package. That relationship has become skewed over the years as packages and fees have changed. Overall, the change is expected to result in a slight increase in race revenue to the club.
The 2010 budget projects operating expenses of $343,500, including a $20,000 set-aside for a potential Leschi clubhouse or accrual fund and $5,000 for the junior program. Projected gross income is $362,700, providing a net surplus of nearly $20,000.
"In the current economic climate, we obviously have to be fiscally careful and responsible," said Treasurer Remmert Wolters.