The WMC remains in good financial condition following a successful autumn conference in Boise. The change in the dues structure last year to an annual fee of $20 (still very low compared to most professional societies) is allowing us to maintain greater stability compared to the highs and lows of our former two-year payment policy. But, of course, we all need to send in that $20. The Council also needs your help in recruiting new members. Besides the new ideas and information resources that new members bring to the Council, the extra revenue helps keep the outfit solvent and keeps the annual dues low.
Where does the money from dues and conferences go? Some examples of our anticipated expenses from the 1999 budget illustrate the costs of doing business as the Watershed Management Council: the proceedings of the Boise conference will cost about $6,000 to print and mail to attendees, the Networker costs about $2,000 per issue to print and mail, liability insurance is $2,000 per year, administrative services cost about $6,000 per year, etc. So, it is obviously not cheap to run a small organization. Any ideas about containing our costs, recruiting more members, and raising funds from other sources would be greatly appreciated. We wish to welcome Terry Kaplan-Henry as the new Treasurer for 1999-2000.