President's Perspective

President s PERSPECTIVE AMA organization determine direction organization takes take part process Well election over received votes opponent guess means have another term always hesitate say winner AMA election person votes has job after election Rich Hanson opponent District X Vice President does great job representing members district am sure will continue huge asset Executive Council As years am disturbed fact few AMA members actually voted Only about 12% membership voted year typical turnout AMA election big differences between nonprofit association for-profit business posing association members can control nonprofit association through ballot box Dont like candidates run Like lot people have served Executive Council over years ran office because unhappy what saw lack leadership association must admit view little different once other side fence yet can make differencebut willing step up plate AMA organization determine direction organization takes take part process short version dont vote dont bit ** vote dont like outcome bit ** constructively disturbing phenomenon has emerged lately am finding happens far often would ever have imagined amazes learn often clubs finding themselves victims some form scam seems vary treasurer running off Tahiti club funds Contest Director takes items purchased club prizes uses personally heard instance same individual managed get elected treasurer ran off treasury three separate clubs believe less year threat real think couldnt happen club think again has happened situations person ran off assets old friend club members should have seen through scam isn t nearly common reaction discovery cant believe Ive known so-and-so 20 years must another explanation Unfortunately other explanation doesnt appear very often protect yourself Its easy can happen very fast First consider having club treasurer well anyone else has access treasury bonded fairly expensive worth expense treasury measured thousands dollars Whether its good idea require least two signatures checks am member club has pretty good system have person responsible collecting money mostly dues another person doing accounting writing checks Its perfect does provide some level checks balances no pun intended Establishment audit committee another method have seen used good idea would probably able detect problem quickly enough prevent losses However may prevent problem creating fear detection get feeling fraud doesnt happen often cases clubs have same treasurer years often new treasurer takes over heard story someone got up club meeting pointed out treasurer office too long security risk treasurer willingly stepped down club elected new treasurer guess what happened Its tough world out careful Till next month Dave Brown AMA President dbrown@dbproductscom March 1999 7