<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue style='word-wrap: break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space'> <div class=Section1> I have averaged about 1.8 pianos a day for several years. Now it is slightly down after open heart surgery. I gave up a job which was 1/3 of my income a year ago because I just don’t work politics well. So, you who crunch numbers- I ain’t one of them what’s got benefits from some lucrative career, and any retirement at all, since slaves working in churches never got benefits until I got out of it full time.  So someone is talking about a whole lot of people making a whole lot more income than this guy, and YES lack of funds is affecting where I direct money.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I have said for years PTG is going to have to redefine itself or it won’t survive. Mostly said it to myself, because I have no political voice anywhere. But doing things the way they have always been done, and beating those who will not or cannot afford to keep doing things the same old ways isn’t going to fix any ills. Neither, in my opinion, is driving dues up to where people like simply don’t have funds to pay them. I will be darned glad to get social security in less than a year,  and will have to work till they put me in a medicare slum nursing home.  Probably I’m way out of line because I haven’t been reading every rant about this (these) issues. Sorry. But people are now arguing about things which will cause me to choose between dues, meds, and food.  I know my choices are limited.   <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “We need to get more members”    I did church choirs for 40 years. That was the going cry everywhere every year. But “we”  and “get” were really tough issues to rise above.  It doesn’t happen automatically and what seems to be happening right now surely doesn’t seem like it’s going to make PTG look like  a fun place to be for newbies.  No one asked my opinion- so I’ll quit. But the wars which seem to be going on right now, put me in a place where it affects my ability to survive.  It ceases, then, to be fun.<o:p></o:p> Sincerely<o:p></o:p> Leslie Bartlett<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of John Ross Sent: Friday, July 01, 2011 2:32 PM To: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">pianotech@ptg.org</st1:PersonName> Subject: Re: [pianotech] [OT] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> I would imagine that the amount of unemployment, and the downturn in the economy, is having an effect, on the registration.<o:p></o:p> <div> There just isn't the amount of disposable income around, as there was.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> This would also be in the equation of raising the dues.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Putting food on the table is a priority for a lot now.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I haven't seen any numbers.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> The established tuners are probably ok, but the others must be feeling the crunch.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I might be wrong, possibly all the piano owners are still working.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> John Ross<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Windsor</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Nova Scotia</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p> <div> <div> On 2011-07-01, at 4:19 PM, <a href="mailto:tnrwim@aol.com">tnrwim@aol.com</a> wrote:<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 3.0pt; margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> Less than half of our membership are full time technicians, check the surveys<o:p></o:p> </blockquote> </div> <div> Not only that, but our median age in almost 60. That means there are part time technicians for whom this profession is a second career, which they got into after retiring form another lucrative career, from which they are receiving retirement benefits. They belong the to PTG for a variety of reasons, but if the dues become more than they think justifies their benefits, they will drop their membership.  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I agree with Dale, a $100 increase in dues will drop our membership to below 3000, if not 2500. Yes, these will be the most dedicated members, but unfortunately, we can't afford such a drastic cut in income. <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> We need to come up with better ways to increase attendance at conventions, and increase membership. I've made some suggestions, but we need more input from more members. Someday, someone will come up with a magic solution, and we'll all say. "Now why didn't I think of that?" <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Wim<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> -----Original Message----- From: Dale Probst <<a href="mailto:dale@wardprobst.com">dale@wardprobst.com</a>> To: pianotech <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>> Sent: Fri, Jul 1, 2011 1:01 pm Subject: Re: [pianotech] [OT] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)<o:p></o:p> <div id="AOLMsgPart_1_8e7011e8-c793-4055-b55c-50fc1da24022"> <div> Less than half of our membership are full time technicians, check the surveys. I don't think you should underestimate the downside to raising dues 100%. I'm in favor of rational increases, I voted for and campaigned for every dues increase while on the board . I'm in favor of doing our best to close the gap without losing many of our valued members who have other professions. You are assuming less members and more money, will make this a "top notch organization". <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I don't buy it.. <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> DP<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Dale Probst RPT<o:p></o:p> Registered Piano Technician<o:p></o:p> Ward & Probst, Inc.<o:p></o:p> <a href="http://www.wardprobst.com/" target="_blank">www.wardprobst.com</a><o:p></o:p> <a href="mailto:dale@wardprobst.com">dale@wardprobst.com</a><o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> -----Original Message----- From: <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of Ryan Sowers Sent: Friday, July 01, 2011 1:39 PM To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)(OT)<o:p></o:p> Like our piano service businesses, when you raise your rates, you mostly lose the lowest level of your clientele and keep the bottom feeders out of range. I think most technicians underestimate what they can charge. I don't think we should underestimate members willingness to pay for a top notch organization. If you are a full time technician $450 a year is a drop in the bucket in your yearly expenses. Ryan Sowers <o:p></o:p> <div> On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 10:05 AM, Coleman, Jim <<a href="mailto:jcolem21@utk.edu">jcolem21@utk.edu</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p> <div vlink=purple link=blue> <div> <div> Alan & All,<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> About 3 years ago my report to Council stated that for PTG to be a dues based operation the dues would have to be around $350.  Since then the cost of doing everything has gone up.  In today’s dollars they would probably need to be $400-$450.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Personally I think that is where we should be (and it  would still be a bargin) but as Dale Probst has stated, we do not know what the fall-out would be in terms of losing members.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> See you in KC!<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div> Jim Coleman, Jr   RPT<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>   Staff Piano Technician<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>      <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:PlaceName></st1:place><o:p></o:p> </div> <div>      <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Knoxville</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">TN</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  (865) 748-0998<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> (602) 989-0005<o:p></o:p> </div> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </div> </div> -- Ryan Sowers, RPT <st1:place w:st="on">Puget Sound</st1:place> Chapter <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Olympia</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">WA</st1:State></st1:place> <a href="http://www.pianova.net/" target="_blank">www.pianova.net</a><o:p></o:p> </blockquote> </div> </div> </div> <o:p> </o:p> </div>  <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=1 width="100%" noshade color=gray align=center> </div> No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</a> Version: 10.0.1388 / Virus Database: 1516/3737 - Release Date: 07/01/11<o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>