Duties of the District Secretary/Treasurer

Often, the secretary/treasurer spot is the entry-level position in the district leadership scheme. The secretary/treasurer is typically responsible for:

• Meeting registrations;
• Attendance records and reports;
• Name badges;
• Financial statements, reports, and the districts' treasury;

Secretary/treasurers are also responsible for hotel or restaurant arrangements for meetings. This includes selecting menus, giving guarantees and paying the tab. Arrangements for audio/visual equipment may be the responsibility of the secretary/treasurer or the program chair.

Checks and reservations for district meetings are usually mailed to the secretary/treasurer. He/she should prepare name badges in advance of each meeting. (Remember to make them legible and large enough to read!) A supply of badges is available from PMA Headquarters on request.

Reporting

The secretary/treasurer is required to send a district meeting report evaluating the meeting and covering attendance to PMA Headquarters following each meeting. This information serves as a useful guide for other districts considering similar programs, allowing you to benefit from another district's success while avoiding potential mistakes.

In addition, an attendance report covering both members and non-members who attended the meeting is due after each meeting. Attendance reports help the Association track member participation at the district level and non-member attendance so staff can follow-up on prospects in a timely and effective manner. Timing is a very important feature in selling memberships.

Revenue Generation

Districts have found that a treasury may be built in several different ways:

1. The cost of the district meeting should cover all expenses for the meeting plus enough to pay for the speaker's dinner, gratuities, and a slight override. Non-members are often charged an extra $10 or more than members.
2. Some districts sell their own refreshments. This is done by selling drink tickets at a slightly higher fee than charged by the hotel. Remember to allow for hotel bar charges when setting your price. Drink tickets are available from PMA upon request.
   Other districts purchase their own liquor from the state and then pay the hotel or restaurant a corkage charge.
3. Suppliers' Nights have become one of the largest "money-makers" for many districts. A modest exhibitor's fee can usually cover exhibit hall expenses and related costs with a substantial surplus left over.
4. A substantial premium charge is appropriate for non-members. In fact, it's encouraged!