President’s Message for December

            This has been a very challenging year, to say the least. We have all watched TV news as the economies of countries all over the world went into recession. LCS has had its own financial downturn, which the Board of Directors addressed by downsizing the LCS payroll and increasing dues by 100 pesos per person per year. These actions resulted in petitions of recall being circulated by some disgruntled members and a subsequent recall motion was made and voted on at the extraordinary membership meeting on December 11,2008. Thanks to the support of the overwhelming majority of LCS members, all three of the board members on the petitions were retained.
            The current Board, which took office in January 2008, included the first Senior Director of Finance LCS had in more than 18 months. When the previous one resigned early in 2006 no replacement was appointed for the remainder of his two-year term. Very soon in 2008 steps were taken to improve LCS finances. A new process for collecting and securing daily receipts into a locked box was inaugurated in February. Controls were also tightened on discretionary spending and unbudgeted spending was frozen. Having approximately $200,000 pesos in unpaid advertising invoices from the 2008 directory, the Board decided that all 2009 directory advertisers would have to be fully paid ahead of the print date. Following the advice of our Mexican accountant, we put a stop to collection of IVA from directory advertisers, made arrangements with Mexican authorities to resolve this issue from years past and LCS is now fully in compliance with Mexican law.
            We created extra fundraising efforts and activities, such as the quilt raffle which netted over $11,000 pesos for the library at the Craft Fair and began chagring for non-LCS groups using facilities for regular meetings and special events.  Netting record revenues from the July Fiesta with 100 fewer attendees was an accomplishment for all the volunteers involved to take pride in.
            We established and filled key positions long needed at LCS: Terry Vidal started work December 1st in the new Office Administrator position, bringing over 20 years of experience working at non-profits and an aptitude for computers and database management. The first Public Relations Committee LCS has had in a long time was created, headed by PR Director Sandy Feldmann.  An all-volunteer library was achieved under the leadership of the new library committee, which includes several retired library professionals who freely share their experience. The first LCS Audit Committee ever was recruited and has begun their work. We expanded member value-added services including the Wi-Fi hotspot, the online bulletin board and the ability to join LCS or renew membership online from anywhere in the world using Paypal.
            Could we have done some things better? Of course!  In hindsight we should have specifically reported to members that budgeted revenues, especially membership dues and sales in various areas were falling short of projections.  We also should have taken drastic action to reduce monthly expenses much earlier in the year.  We were guilty of the very human hope that we could all be spared having to impose such draconian measures. Downsizing the LCS payroll was something none of us wished to do, that we agonized over, since it involved doing away with the jobs of people we knew needed to make a living. By September, the Board was forced to admit that we could no longer delay in taking these painful but necessary steps, not if we were to meet our obligations to the membership as LCS Board members. The fact remains that LCS would be in a better financial position today had we made and implemented these decisions earlier.  We have learned from our mistakes that we should face facts sooner and more bravely. We are now publishing current and past monthly financial reports and minutes of the monthly board meetings on the LCS website for the first time in history.
            The entire Board of Directors is committed to effectively communicating where LCS stands to you, the LCS members.  Divided as LCS members have been for the past few months, we will all suffer and LCS as an organization will suffer most of all if this division continues.  I hope we will all join in pulling in the same direction from now on because together we can all move forward to meet the challenges of the next year, whatever they may be.

~ Nancy Creevan, President ~

Library and Video News
           
            Volunteers from the library met on December 6th for an appreciation and training luncheon.  Several procedures were reviewed, ideas shared, and a great meal served by Chuck Giles.
            The Book Selection Committee is meeting to decide on which books our library needs to purchase.  We have had offers of people driving to the US who will be happy to return with books.  We are also looking into using local vendors for those times when we are looking for an expedited delivery.
            The library computer system is in the process of being networked.  This will allow us to directly input new books into our catalog.  We will also be able to check donations in a much smoother process as well as keep a closer check on overdue books.
            Please check the LCS website for a listing of new books and use our online renewal to renews your books at lcsonlinerenewals@yahoo.com.  List your name, barcode # on the back of your LCS card, the barcode # of the book , author and the title.

Only LCS members may check out books & videos.
The Library needs volunteers as we get busier!
Join LCS and volunteer!

Blood Pressure Clinic needs Volunteers
Have some free time?  About 2 hours a week? The Clinic is seeking trained medical people as volunteers for Monday and Friday mornings. We also need a few people willing to be “on call” when our regular volunteers are unavailable This is a great service and is  a terrific way to get involved and meet new people. Contact Sue Griffin at 766-0421, or email at suestegriffin@gmail.com.

February Fundraiser     Needs a leader!  A general fundraiser scheduled for February 14th, Valentine’s Day, needs an organizer who has run a major special event and who can help make this a success!  We have helpers and committee chairs who have already volunteered, now we need a leader to pull it all together!  More helpers too are needed.  Please contact Mary Ann Waite at 766-1436 or email mawaite7815@yahoo.com.  Thanks!!

Film Aficianados - at 2 PM in the Sala
January 8th - Young @ Heart - Newsweek Magazine called it “Exhilarating!”...sends you out of the theatre transformed.
January 22 - BLACK - From India one of the best films ever, a version of the “Miracle Worker”. Back by popular demand.
January 29 - to be announced