I would like to thank the membership for all the kind notes and encouragement over the past couple of years!  By working together the current membership is now at 2067.  Please continue to send your renewal to me on first notice, renew for 3 years if able, and report a change of address in a timely manner.  This all saves the MTA time and money.  Call, text, or email me to check your membership status. Looking forward to seeing you at the winter meeting in January, no Texas this year.  Jo

Understanding the Cost of Membership

Each year, we take a close look at what it costs to provide the services and benefits our members enjoy. Transparency is important to us, and we want every member to understand how their dues are used and how costs are changing.

Membership Trends  Membership is on the climb! In 2023, our organization served 2,564 members. In 2024, membership decreased to 2,065—a drop of about 19.5%. Majority of decline was due to members not being current and that has been cleaned up. Since then, we are consistently increasing numbers and we now have a handle on current members. While our total expenses also decreased slightly, the reduction in membership meant that the cost per member increased from $33.73 in 2023 to $39.38 in 2024.

Do you wonder where Your Membership Dollars Go? Our expenses fall into two main categories: Newsletter Costs and Operating Costs.

1. Newsletter Costs This includes printing, design, layout, and postage for both our primary newsletter and the Trappers Post.

• 2023: $67,405· 2024: $63,313

We saw savings in printing and mailing, but postage and coordination expenses rose due to increased handling and distribution costs.

2. Operating Costs These cover the essential activities that keep our organization running—secretarial and treasury work, website upkeep, meetings, insurance, and tax preparation.

• 2023: $19,087· 2024: $18,013

Overall, operating expenses decreased slightly. Some areas, such as website upkeep, were lower in 2024 and this is due to upgrading our website to a new platform, while others (like meeting and insurance costs) rose modestly.

Why the Cost per Member Increased

Even though total spending went down by about 6%, the sharp decline in membership meant that costs were spread over fewer members. This naturally results in a higher per-member cost, even with careful budgeting and cost control.

Looking Ahead We remain committed to managing our resources responsibly. Our goals for the coming year include:

• Continuing to reduce printing and mailing costs by improving efficiency and exploring digital options.
• Strengthening membership recruitment and retention to spread costs more evenly.
• Maintaining the quality of our publications, meetings, and member services.

Your membership and continued support make it possible for us to represent and meet our mission more effectively. Thank you for standing with us and helping us keep our organization strong.

Membership Committee: Brenda, Bert, Ken, Jo and Brian