FRONT SIGHT - uspsa

y Andy Holiar, L.:51'5A PRESIDENTl\surUSPSAMeeting of Changes!The August USPSA board meetingsaw several critical changes inthe way USPSA does business. I encourageyou to carefully read the entireminutes found elsewhere in thisFront Sight and on the web page (http://www.uspsa.org ). Activityfees, slots distribution, tournamentstandards, senior age limit, andsponsorship policies are all beingchanged for the better. This boardhas matured and has a firm grasp onthe issues facing USPSA. I applaudthe board for taking these steps tochange direction and try some newapproaches.Eric Knee - Junior CoordinatorEric is from Fort Wayne, Ind.,and has been a USP5A member formore than nine years. He worked asthe sales manager for SpringfieldArmory's Custom shop and for WeigandCustom, and now owns hisown business, Hired Gun Web Services,specializing in serving gun-relatedcompanies. Since 1995 he hasrebuilt and reaffiliated a club in Indianathat is building a five-bay pistolrange and has 20 regular weeklyshooters. Eric works hard and willbe a tremendous asset to USPSA andour Junior shooters.Budget Tops BoardAgendaThe most important issue addressedat the board meeting in Augustwas the budget. Each year inJanuary a tentative budget isadopted. At last January's meeting,it seemed apparent that an increasein membership dues was needed togenerate the revenue necessary tocover operating expenses for 1998.Between January and August, it becamemore and more clear that reve-nue would not cover 1998 expensesand cuts would have to be made inprograms. No dues or fee increaseswould come soon enough to have asignificant effect on the 1998 bottomline. In addition, the 1999 revenue/expensesituation would beeven worse unless revenue was increased.A dues increase would not solvethe immediate problem and itwould not generate the revenue necessaryto support our activitiesthrough 1999. That is because duesrevenue is accrued over the periodof the membership with Iife duesUNITED STATESPRACTICAL SHOOTINGOASSOCIATIONvspread out over a 40-year period. Nomatter how much USPSA raiseddues, we have to set aside some ofthe money to support those membershipsthroughout their terms.Raising activity fees combined witha reduction in program spendingwas the only answer.rm. VANDENBERG CUSTOMCOMPETITION • DEFENSE • LAW ENFORCEMENTvomeppr=irCUSTOM 1911's • HIGH CAPACITY AND SINGLE COUJAINEffective January 1, 1999, activityfees and classification fees will increase50 cents each to cover operatingexpenses. Those expenses aregoing to make a dramatic increase in1999 when the Gold Teams travel tothe World Shoot. This fee increase(the first increase ever in USPSAfees) will make the membershipdues increase considered last Januaryunnecessary.In considering the fees increase,the management and board cut programsfirst, looked at alternativesand consequences, then made themost reasonable decision theycould. The 1998 Match DirectorWorkshop was eliminated or delayeduntil 1999, In Touch will notbe published for the remainder of1998, a previously budgeted staffposition will not be filled, and somestaff training will be eliminated.With these cuts, 1998 has a muchbetter chance of coming out in theblack. The increased fees will alsoallow continued services to themembership in 1999 without runningexpenses in excess of revenues.Slots Distribution"It is the policy of the UnitedStates Practical Shooting Associationto host national championshipINSIDE USPSA continued on page 70.COMPLE7'E CUSTOM SEAVCE ON AR-15's870-1100-1187 SHOTGUNSOPS ANO LIMITED12430 Galveston Rd. B-18 Houston, Tx 77598Ph (281) 480-3180 Fx (281) 480-3224November/December 1998 • FRONT SIGHT 3