Memphis in May Funding (2022)
In response to the concerns over funding for the Fire House 5 Memphis in May Championship Cooking Team ("BBQfest"), I have prepared the following response for your consideration.
First, I have been on two teams for around 20+ years; IAFF 1784 Fire House 5 (3rd place in Beef 2021), and what was formerly the 3 Alarm Smokers, now Sowsed by Noon (2nd place in Ribs 2021).
I managed our Fire House 5 team for the 15 years I was in office. I assisted with the budgeting, and the logistics of putting the event together for our membership.
When I left office this past October, I forwarded an email to the Fire House 5 Team, and the officers of 1784 outlining what needed to be done moving forward, and prepared a shared spreadsheet with all the significant budgeting and logistics information.
I said that to say, it is my intention to actively participate next year with the team that I have paid fees to for the time I have been in office. However, I will continue to assist the Fire House 5 team any way I can.
With that being said, I haven't completely agreed with the funding mechanism for BBQfest. It was how it had been done as far back as I can remember though. It wasn't really broke, so it wasn't ever really fixed.
There are essentially two budgets for IAFF 1784, the main operating budget that runs the day-to-day operations of the Local, and a budget that comes from non-dues money that pays for anything "extra."
It's not that the primary operating budget "can't" fund BBQfest; it can. It just has to be included in the budget and approved by the members. There should be a PR line in both budgets that it could come from.
If placed in the operating budget, how is the money divided up so as to properly fund BBQfest?
There is a "pot" of anticipated revenue from dues money that is divided up into any number of line items. Some are fixed, such as for rent, salaries, leased equipment, etc. And some are moving targets, such as mileage, postage, legal fees, arbitration expenses, and so forth.
The Secretary / Treasurer presents a balanced budget each year to the Executive Board, then the membership for approval. The new budget begins 10/1, and runs through the following 9/30. With moving targets though, it has to be a best estimate based on past trends and future expectations.
It's not exact, and it can't be. But it has to be a reasonable projection.
What happens if we budget $100,000 for attorney fees and end up spending $125,000? There has to be a mechanism for adjustments. Likewise, if we budget $19,000 for BBQ and end up spending $20,000, there has to be a mechanism to accommodate that.
I believe the question is "Do we want to keep BBQfest" more so than "how we fund it." And that will be up to the members at the January regular membership meeting, if brought up for consideration.
As I understand it, and I stand to be corrected, is how I would approach it this year:
There should be around $10,000 budgeted in what I will call the "Reserve PR line." There should also be a around $8,000 in unbudgeted revenue in the operating budget. Those two together covers almost the entire anticipated expense of the 2022 BBQfest.
That would allow time for other fundraising such as potential sponsorships. The BBQ could reasonably raise $2000 by smoking and selling Easter hams.
Those are just a couple of options. And I have more suggestions.
The primary purpose of BBQfest was really two-fold; one, it gave something back to the membership where we could all get together and have a good time, and two, it was a great PR tool.
We send out invitations to all area State Representatives, State Senators, the Mayor(s) and City Council, and many other dignitaries and special guests. There are probably over 100-150 special invitations that are sent out each year.
Many of these guests are able to come by, visit socially with the firefighters, and get a chance to meet & greet outside of the normal course and scope of legislation and funding.
- A primary funding source needs to be identified within the budgets (see above).
- A motion be made at the 12/21 regular monthly membership meeting to amend the budget(s). A quorum will need to be present in order for there to be any official transaction of business.
- Since it is over $400, it would need to go back to the Executive Board in January for a recommendation.
- That recommendation would be brought before the membership in January to be voted on.
- If we are going to use BBQfest for political PR, then a reasonable amount should be appropriated from our Political Action Fund to help offset the expenses related to such. That can be done through Executive Board action.
