Grassroots Meeting

February 6, 2009

To:       Chapter Officers and Region Directors

Re:       Grassroots Budget Meeting

From:   Gary Mahoney, CPD, FASPE, ASPE Secretary/Treasurer

The ASPE Grassroots budget meeting will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. central time in the ASPE Chicago office. All chapter officers and any other members of the Society are welcome to attend. As we did last year the meeting will be held via webcast.

If you plan to attend via webcast, please check off the box at the bottom of this letter and return it by Friday, February 27, 2009. An email will be sent to you with information on how to access the webcast.

For those who will attend at the ASPE Office please indicate that at the bottom of this letter and return it by Friday, February 27, 2009. An email will be sent to you with hotel information.

A draft budget for the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year has been prepared by the Finance Committee.  Before the Board finalizes it at its April, 2009 Board meeting, they would like to have as much membership input as possible. The Grassroots meeting is your opportunity to examine the proposed programs, projects and operations of the Society and give input to the Finance Committee. Every member who attendees this meeting will receive a copy of the overall budget. All of the details will be available for viewing during the meeting, (some expenses remain confidential, ie. staff compensation and PS&D magazine). The Chair of the Finance Committee, Gary Mahoney and its members (Julius Ballanco, president; Norman Parks, vp technical; David Anelli, region director liaison and Stanley Wolfson, executive director) will be available to explain all revenue projections and expense estimates just as it is done for the Board of Directors.

The Grassroots meeting has proved to be an invaluable resource for the Finance Committee. Following the Grassroots meeting, the Finance Committee will meet and prepare its final proposed budget for Board consideration.

The Grassroots budget meeting is not a Society funded event. Each attendee (or his/her chapter) is responsible for travel and sleeping accommodations. ASPE will supply the meeting room, budget material, breaks, drinks, snacks and lunch. In addition, staff will make arrangements for a sleeping room block at a nearby hotel for those that will need to stay over. Staff will notify each attendee regarding arrangements.

I urge you to consider attending.  To help us plan please indicate your attendance by completing the form on the following page.

If you would like to attend the meeting, please let one of your board members know. You can contact any of the people listed below.

We would love to have you attend this important fiscal meeting.