[HCoop-Discuss] Request for voluntary donations

[Adam Chlipala]

Here's an update on donation offers from members so far:

Number of members: 9
Total amount: $193.80
Mean donation: $21.53
Minimum: $13.80
Maximum: $50
Median: $20
Part of deficit not yet covered: $1626.70

Adam Chlipala wrote:
> HCoop has been around for a while, and our current financial records 
> trail back to before we were even an official legal entity.  Somewhere 
> along the line between then and now, our records on the HCoop portal 
> have gotten out of sync with the balance of our bank account.  The 
> difference between the two stands at $1820.50 now, when we consider 
> negative balances of members who left while still owing money, before we 
> instituted our current policy of freezing member accounts shortly before 
> they reach the point where this could happen.
>
> It seems prudent to get the two figures in line before proceeding much 
> further.  We don't really have any methods available to us for finding 
> the root reasons for the discrepancy, though, so I'm proposing that we 
> find some subset of members who will voluntarily pledge extra amounts 
> out of their balances to cover the difference.
>
> Please remember that HCoop has never yet had a single paid staff member 
> performing any service, including managing our financial records.  I've 
> done this particular task without pay since 2002, and I'm kind of proud 
> that the discrepancy isn't even worse, for 6 years of operation. ;-)  I 
> can't think of any way in which a suspicious member could construe the 
> situation as a crafty attempt by me to turn a personal profit, but let 
> me know if you have an objection along those lines, and I can try to 
> explain why there's nothing to worry about.
>
> It's worth stating explicitly that our bookkeeping system has recently 
> changed significantly, based on discussion on the hcoop-sysadmin list, 
> so there is good reason to expect that, once we get things squared away 
> now, we'll be in good shape from there on.
>
> So, again, I am asking members for donations that will together cover 
> the $1820.50.  Donations are purely voluntary.  People who make 
> donations now will receive no preferential treatment or other benefits 
> later, and no one is expected to donate.  There is no need to worry 
> about not getting enough donations to cover the deficit, because I can 
> make up the difference from my personal balance.  (Though it's kind of 
> sad if I end up providing both my time and my money, to make up for 
> other members' unwillingness to participate in keeping our finances in 
> order over the years.)
>
> As I write this message, we have 132 HCoop members.  That means that 
> $13.80 from each member would cover the deficit.  Anyone considering 
> donating should assume that nowhere near a majority of members will 
> donate, so that the even contribution required to cover everything will 
> be higher in reality.
>
> If you are up for donating, please e-mail me (adamc at hcoop.net) a short 
> note giving your HCoop username and the amount you want to donate, to be 
> deducted from your HCoop balance.  Thanks in advance to everyone who 
> does this!
>
> Below I've included a copy of a summary of the financial situation that 
> I sent to the hcoop-sysadmin list on September 6th.
>
> BALANCES:
> Wells Fargo: 8067.20
> PayPal: 37.98
> Checkout (payments not yet transferred to our bank account): 38.60
> SUM: 8143.78
>
> PORTAL SAYS WE HAVE:
> Co-op balance: 911.06
> Active member balances: 9053.22
> SUM: 9964.28
>
> DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AMOUNTS:
> Deficit: 1820.50
> Negative balances of members who left without paying up: 314.31
> Remaining: 1506.19
>