Let’s start with some basic facts: we owe the Town of Dalhousie $24,000. We are not making any excuses and the debt will be paid back before the ice is ready in Dalhousie.
However, we are disappointed with how the Town of Dalhousie has handled the matter. We have been clear with them that while the debt being carried over is obviously larger than we would like, they will get paid. Simply making public statements before sitting down with the parties involved is not constructive. We've also had a difficult time setting up a meeting with the Town to discuss minor billing issues since May. That said, the responsibility still clearly rest at our feet.
The 2018-19 season was an extremely difficult one for the Minor Hockey Association. The issue with the Campbellton user fees (more on that soon) had a significant impact. It affected revenues from tournaments and we lost more kids than anticipated due to the ordeal. We also had a clear lack of volunteers which means many people had to wear multiple hats, dramatically increasing the chances of things falling through the cracks. We also had a number of unpaid registrations that clearly affected the bottom line.
At the end of the day, we understand that we need to improve and that’s our sole intention. No one on this council is happy about it but we are all willing to step up to the challenges ahead.
As a mandate for the season ahead, we are working hard to:
- Improve our financial reporting and budgeting, so we can better forecast and avoid unexpected expenses
- Cut any unnecessary expenses
- Look for new fundraising avenues
- Improve efficiency and processes for every aspect of our operation
- Provide our coaches with better resources and tools to improve development
- Increase the number of volunteers to make all the above a reality
If you think you have ideas and would like to volunteer to help us achieve these goals, do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Restigouche North Minor Hockey Association council
