PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE / Robert Ashley III

September / October 2010

Verify the integrity of your league account,
not just the balance

The new season is upon us, which means it is time for all of us to plan and prepare for our winter leagues. Hopefully, that has included a review of last season of what went well, what didn’t go so well, and how to improve upon those things.

As an active league secretary going into my 21st consecutive season, I have always commiserated with my fellowsecretary-treasurers on the things that have to be done throughout the course of the year. This past season also marked my second consecutive as league president that became an eye-opening experience when performing my duties as outlined in USBC Rule 102c. So my first column as your association president will be directed primarily towards league presidents and how vital their role is.

USBC Rule 102c(6) states that you, as president, must personally verify the league’s bank balance monthly. My experiences last season told me it is not enough to just verify the balance; the integrity of the league account also needs to be verified.

You are probably asking what it means to verify the integrity of your account. There are any number of metrics that can be used. To give you an idea, I put forth the following questions based on my own experiences:

• Are you, as president, receiving statements and other financial correspondence directly from your financial institution? Rule 102c(3), which requires you to arrange to have an account set up in a recognized banking institution, was amended at this year’s convention to further stipulate that the statements be sent directly to the president.
• Is correspondence from your financial institution received in a timely manner? Do statements arrive in the mail within seven days of the date published on the statement itself? Are you receiving returned checks within 10 days of the date of deposit? Does your financial institution offer statements via electronic mail, or “e-statements,” which allow you to verify the account even sooner? It is vital that you review that statement in a timely manner each and every month to ensure all transactions are listed and immediately investigate when an expected deposit is missing.
• Does your financial institution provide the opportunity to earn interest on funds in your account? Most leagues require prepayment of the final two or three weeks of the schedule, and there are always people who pay far in advance, some the entire season. The funds will sit in the account for several months, so make that work in the league’s favor.
• Do you have immediate access to disburse your funds, through a checking account or getting a bank draft upon visiting your local branch, when it comes time to submit USBC certification fees and added membership cards throughout the year? Fees for initial certification and added cards must come from the league account, not an officer’s personal bank account, and in a timely manner—30 days from the league start date or when a new member bowls his/her first series. Furthermore, depositing league funds into a personal account is a violation of USBC Rule 17b(4), regardless of the reason.

Were you able to answer “Yes” to all the questions? If you could not, then reviewing the integrity of your vehicle for banking may be in order. Take the time now to review your account parameters and explore all possible options to ensure it is working in your league’s favor.

As president, you are charged with ensuring that the best interests of the league are met. Be proactive. Get those required committees appointed quickly, and make sure they understand their responsibilities so they can hit the ground running. Talk with your secretary-treasurer on a regular basis to ensure his/her duties are understood, especially when it comes to the finances for which you are ultimately responsible. This is especially important for new secretary-treasurers who may feel overwhelmed. Get in touch with your NCAUSBCA lane representative if you have any questions; we are here to help.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. In closing, I wish you all a prosperous 2010-2011 bowling season. May you strike out often and be spared of any splits.