PRESIDENT’S COLUMN – Continued
Increased Recruitment Cost Needs Funding
Due to our increased efforts to recruit applicants for Grand Jury service, the MCCGJA Outreach Committee exceeded the budgeted amount for FY 2015. The increased outreach generated 55 applicants vs. 35 the prior year. We want to continue holding Open Houses in more locations with the hope that we will reach a more diverse population and maintain application levels at those achieved for 2015-16. We also want to expand our newspaper coverage to promote the value of Grand Jury service.
Several possibilities have emerged for increased recruitment outreach funding. One is to solicit donations from other Marin County organizations that value the Grand Jury and would be willing to help the MCCGJA in its recruitment efforts.
Another possibility is a request for cost reimbursement from the Grand Jury budget. The training services provided by MCCGJA at no cost, saves the County over $3,180/year. We are asking for $1,300/year to cover our increased outreach expense.
Please Participate!
We have an energized group of Board members and Committee chairs. It is a very exciting time to be part of this group. There are so many changes taking place. I hope that more members will take an active role and participate in our discussions.
Stay Tuned!
Nadine A. Muller, President
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Membership is on a roll, can you believe over 100 dues paid members.
We are into new uncharted membership territory, 52 Life members have paid around $5900 in dues, nine years into the future, providing the Chapter with known income of about $600 per year. Not enough by far, but it is a start. But the bright star we need to follow is the 2012, 2013, 2014 &2015 grand Juries, they have collectively brought to the chapter, more than ½ of the Life members and more than ½ of the total chapter membership. We hope the 2016 jury to live up to that standard. Now we need your help – we need a member who is a renowned writer of “GRANT” requests as the chapter, if we are to properly address our new responsibilities need funds to do so. In my world, the word funds, stands for a lot of money. By the way if you know a former grand juror who is not a member of the chapter, why not give them a gift of membership in the chapter? Now there is an idea that should get legs.
