Every year we try to improve the way we
collect money for tournaments and
reimburse drivers.
Here are some ideas came up with after some brainstorming
this summer. I appreciate any input that any of you have about this, especially
those parents who know about the problems we've had collecting money in time
to cut checks in the past.
1) Given the cost of gas, we suggest paying drivers
$75 for gas on
trips to
Dallas (more for longer trips)
2) From now on, debaters whose parents drive will pay NOTHING
for each
tournament, instead of half
(unless they only carry their own team--see below)
3) We can cut checks for fees and judging WITHOUT the stress of
collecting before each tournament, if we assess a ONETIME fee of $135
at the beginning of the year. Based on average judge & team fees,
that should cover THREE tournaments. When those funds are exhausted,
we can make another assessment, or rely on fund-raising to cover the
rest of the year.
4) We still pay for the hotel room when a parent drives, but if they
bring family members, the cost of an additional room will not be
reimbursed.
5) To insure better documentation and eliminate the need for hotel
checks to be cut before we leave on a tournament, drivers will cover
the payment for 2 hotel rooms (themselves and the equivalent of their
riders,) and their gas--which will be reimbursed upon returning,
provided the receipts are turned in. Mr. Normand will still make
reservations ahead of time for the entire group.
6) If a driver only brings one team (their own child and that child's
partner,) then we can only reimburse that driver for the amount paid
by the other debater. Which means, effectively, that the two families
split the cost of hotel and gas in half.
7) Under special circumstances, if a driver cannot cover the cost of
theirs and their riders' hotel room, plus gas, (especially for an
extended trip,) then we will make every effort to cut a check ahead of
time for that parent.
8) All the above changes eliminate the need for money to be turned in
two weeks in advance--however--if a debater has not turned in their
money to cover hotel and gas before they leave, they will be charged a
$10 late fee to discourage the habit.
Of course, when debaters compete in an exclusive round-robin or other
tournament that exceeds the average cost we figured into the beginning-
of-year assessment, then they will have to pay extra.
