What money? On Plywood? The indoor range still has heating problems the past VP "Bob" was working on before the BOD tried to screw the contractor and it came close to going to court! Hence the VP was forced out, but I'm sure you already knew about that.
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Time for some changes at Ames
- Thread starter bsquiral
- Start date
What money? On Plywood? The indoor range still has heating problems the past VP "Bob" was working on before the BOD tried to screw the contractor and it came close to going to court! Hence the VP was forced out, but I'm sure you already knew about that.
boilermaker
NES Member
I would recommend someone needs to try to find an honest guy on the BOD to find out what the club has for bank accounts now. Then the membership should demand to see a current statement for each one of those accounts. Without that, you don't know how deep the hole is. The club will likely have to hire an accountant to determine a rough guess of what should be there for cash and therefore how much, if any, is missing. The accountant can sort of do a rough guess for relatively cheaply or you can go the forensic accounting route which is very expensive but is something you could proceed with legal action should it come to that. I have seen a misappropriation of funds before at a club that I belong to, and I would have to imagine it actually happens at alot of clubs. I am the Treasurer at that club now and amazed at how much cash passes through us. We have very detailed reporting now and an accountant for the club too. It is not cheap but everyone knows where the money is and how much is taken in and how much is spent, to the penny. Good luck guys, you have a long road ahead.
It is too late for this club! Ira and Tim have embezzeled all the money and refuse an audit of the books. Simple math shows the money has been misappropriated for years. The members should have acted when this was brought to light a few years ago. Tax returns for non profits are public information and available on line. For instance insurance went from 27k to 8k in 1 year! Tim has been PAID for his "Legal" services for years! 12k to 18k a year in improvements and the members were assesed for the gate project?!! How about 8k for food, those are some expensive frozen meatballs and dy old bread!
boilermaker
NES Member
Can you please provide a link to these? Apparently my Google-Fu is weak, I searched in Mass and can only find the Annual Report which only lists officers. I can't find anything else.
This reminds me a lot of the Goal/Yacino situation..... Everything is hidden and there is no accounting of where the money has gone.....![[thinking]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/010.gif "Thinking [thinking]")
It's far, far worse than that, at least GOAL wasn't so corrupt that the members weren't allowed to change things by voting.
This scenario here with Ames would be like if the pulse dial crew at the old GOAL said "Oh. we're not having a BOD election this year, it's postponed."
-Mike
icyclefar
NES Member
It appears that the last reported IRS form 990 filed was for 2008.
You can find it here:
http://foundationcenter.org
Further searching seem to indicate that the "non profit" status was revoked for failure to file for 3 years. (presumably 09', 10', 11')
FWIW - Not sure if the accuracy of this "on-line" information can be relied upon
There are other sites out there, some of which are fee based and may have better information.
boilermaker
NES Member
+1 for posting a link. If their"non profit" status is indeed revoked that is teribble as your tax rates are different. So now you would owe penalties on that higher rate too.
I feel bad for the members of Ames that their leadership has let them down but it shows that you need to be involved with your club, to ask questions, and stick after it until you get an answer.
I feel bad for the members of Ames that their leadership has let them down but it shows that you need to be involved with your club, to ask questions, and stick after it until you get an answer.
fencer
NES Member
The problem is if you asked to many questions they kicked you out
boilermaker
NES Member
Wow. Bad news.
The site he was reffering to is www.guidestar.com I found some real disturbing stuff on there and have shared this info with people through PM. I'm not a wizz on the computer.
A few years ago this all was known and a lot of familiar faces dissapeared from the club. Some left, some were pressured. This was when I left I wished the membership was stronger to stand up for the club at that time. I bet a lot of people would rejoin under "New Management" I have joined my local club, but I'm saving up for Holbrook. Fencer I agree with you most of the people I knew that welcomed me as a new member were very active in the Club, that is why they left.
He's "postponing" it indefinitely because he knows he will get the boot if there ever was an election taking place.
If it's good enough for Obama, it should be good enough for Ames...
I'm not a member of Ames, but I had looked into it in the past when looking for a club to join in the area (Braintree and Taunton are now on my short list... just waiting to find an SR9c in stock someplace to force me to make up my mind), so I don't have a dog in this fight, but I did find the following in the September 2012 Newsletter on the Ames Rifle and Pistol Club website:
This is at the top of the second page of this link: http://www.amesriflepistolclub.com/site/docs/2012- 09 Newsletter.pdf
I wish the membership the best of luck with sorting all this stuff out. It's a shame that all this is going on... I hear that the facilities are quite nice, and I'm sure that the current state of affairs is having an effect on the ability to attract new membership. Good luck.
-Bill
The BOD re-wrote history in the above mentioned news letter. People have previous news letters and minutes to the contrary. This is just smoke and mirrors about elections, they NEVER happen. The BOD was apponted by the president, ask they will tell you. Ask how often or even when they have been up for election. Follow the money. Follow the money. Follow the money. That is where you will find corruption. Unless something can be done to get those 2 Crooks out of there the Club is fukt.
Garys
NES Member
There was no election for President scheduled. The election was for Secretary and three members of the BOD. The problem is larger than that because it's unclear, at least to me, when the current officers were elected. It's unclear if any of them, other than the President and Treasurer have served full terms.
I think there is a lot more that will come to light. What I would suggest is that you and every other member of Ames come to next Monday's meeting. There is no way that this is going to get settled at one meeting, it will take continuous pressure to get the entire story out.
Bring your old newsletters and long standing knowledge of Club activity to the meeting and speak up! You have to save your club and have your voice heard. The "membership" have been "mushrooms" too long. Kept in the dark and feed bullsh!t, for too long! Face the facts and save your club.
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The election NEVER took place. Who are the New BOD members? Who ran? Who was opposed?
Garys
NES Member
If you're talking about the election on Sept. 10, it absolutely took place, although it was poorly run. I don't think that they expected that it would HAVE to be held, but it was. Sadly, there was no opposition to the slate of candidates presented by the "election committee".
You were there? Where and when did it take place?
Also, do you know if they took minutes of the meeting?
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