From: phil@miracle.com (Phil Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Mensa national versus local, New York City
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 92 00:12:00 EDT
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:
>
>GLAAM manages to print and distribute thousands of copies of a 32 - 40
>page newsletter every month with available funds.
>
>The newsletter money from American Mensa is supposed to be enough to
>publish a calendar of local events and mail it out first class, period.
>Financing anything more is up to the local group.  I suggest you start by
>applying for a 2nd class permit, as we did.  Then consider taking on some
>advertising for additional revenue, as we do.

Jerry, you had better check your facts here.  I am under the impression that
GLAAM suplements it's newsletter through contributions from the members of
it's group.  I've seen the GLAAM newsletter, and it's impressive.  But there
is _NO_ way they can produce it on the budget given by national.

I'm LocSec of Boston, so I'm very familiar with the costs of producing the
newsletter.  Yes... we have a 2nd class permit.  Our newsletter is 32 pages
printed on 8 1/2 x 11, folded in half = 16 sides.  We print about 1200 copies
of the newsletter.  If you get good prices, you could get it
printed at about 3 cents a side.  3 x 16 x 1200 = $384.  Second class mail
costs about 19 cents x 1200 = $228.  A total cost of $612.

Our national subsidy was just over $1700 for the QUARTER.  $612 x 3 = $1836.
For a *LOSS* of over $100 a quarter.

Can you explain how GLAAM produces a newsletter twice our size, with two-color
glossy covers for *LESS* then we do?  And you should note that 2nd class postage
for a 8 1/2 x 11 newsletter is HIGHER than that for a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 newsletter.

And Boston is the 6th largest chapter in the country.  Imagine a small group
that doesn't have enough bulk to qualify for a 2nd class permit, having to
mail it out 1st class.
>
>American Mensa is what holds the local groups together as a national, and
>international, organization.  The books are open to inspection.  I doubt
>they waste much.  How much would it cost to move the main office, hire new
>staff and train them?  How long would the difference in rent take to cover
>that expense?  What about hidden expenses and economies? (New York is a
>major metropolitan area.  Moving to East Podunk might save on rent but
>double the cost of obtaining office supplies).

Books open to inspection: I get a copy of the Mensa financial statment.  It's
as vague as they come.  There are no details.

Moving: costs would be a few thousand dollars, probably the savings would
be paid back in two or three months.

New Staff: It's basically simple clerical work.  The real Mensa part of running
Mensa is done by the AMC.  And it would not matter where the office is.

Office Supplies: Have you ever heard of mail order??  Office supplies would
probably cost much less in East Podunk.  If not order them from the a national catalog. Rent would be lower.  Salaries would be lower.
>
>Maybe.  It's not a simple matter and there's more to consider than the
>obvious raw numbers.

If billion dollar corparations can move their headquarters, I'd say that Mensa
could do it also.
>

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| Phil Hill                     | "All you people in TV land,           |
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