The issue is about whether AOPA needs to fund future membership liabilities – ie the 3,4 and 5 year membership. Several directors want to put the whole 5 year income into the month it is received and then spend it. A bit like what HIH did.
Why does this matter? Well using their ingenious accounting method makes the AOPA books look respectable when the actual situation is that AOPA’s finance are fairly sick
and need a concerted effort by all board members to fix up the problems.
I was the only accountant on the board and whilst I had the valued support of some board members, including Andrew Kerans, I was facing a daily smear campaign regarding the veracity of the financial reports. Who would want to continue as Treasurer under these circumstances?
There are some bizarre defences running around like AOPA has always been broke so what’s the problem, and the best of all – when a member pays 5 years in advance there is no obligation to provide any services whatsoever for the 5 years!
This nonsense is a typical foible of voluntary organisations. AOPA members need to elect board members who have had some modicum of experience in the corporate world or at the very least, understand how to read a balance sheet and elementary financial reporting.
I have pestered the board to obtain an independent expert opinion but the two directors concerned have fought against this.
Notwithstanding this AOPA needs to be viable and strong and the support of GA. Otherwise what else do we have?
So the past 18 months on the AOPA board hasn’t been the most pleasant experience & I am happy to be out of it. I am busy fighting an expected demonisation campaign and will probably set up a web site to deal with these issues.
Cheers
Russell Kelly (ex Treasurer AOPA)