A good turnout was at the Needs Committee on September 17. The focus of the meeting was on our headquarters space. Some background: monthly rent for our headquarters (1,013 square feet in the Samuel Building) is $ 1,500 - including the base rent and our share of the common operating expenses for the building. Our current lease expires at the end of April, 2010.

We are currently studying options for the party ranging from expanding the current office space to eliminating it, and operating as a virtual office located on your computer in cyberspace.

 

Two things stand out. First, the rent accounts for about 3/4 of our on-going month-to-month expenditures. The party's finances are strapped (what else is new in this economy?), yet we must come up with nearly $2,000 each month to cover the rent, phones, postage and office supplies (for such as the Gadfly) just to keep going.

Secondly, we make very little use of the headquarters. The Ad-Dems, Janes, and Latino Initiative meet once a month. The Executive Committee meets one night a month. The officers usually meet one night a week. We are thus using the office for meetings eight or nine evenings, and maybe two or three Saturdays a month. Regular daytime office hours are not kept, but currently we have a volunteer coming in one day a week. Use will grow next year as campaigns make use of our space and it will be busy day and night.

Our current location has many advantages: a well-known location, adjacent to a freeway interchange, lots of parking, wired for up to 16 phone lines, fast food restaurants nearby, bus service, and convenient to the people who do volunteer for the party.

Over the years, the population of the county has moved north and east. Today, half of the Democrats in Adams County live north of a line along 102nd Avenue. Likewise, half of the Democrats live east of a line along York Street. Would an office closer to that area be more central to Democrats who do not now volunteer to help us at headquarters?

Right now, given the cost for rent and the shaky financial status of the party, the Executive Committee has some hard decisions to make in the next few months. Ideas on how to keep headquarters active should be brought forward. Perhaps there are Democrats who are not working who would like to get together as a small group at headquarters? They would not even need to be involved in party activities so long as they establish a Democratic Party presence and are willing to help walk-in or phone contacts.

If you have any comments on the future of our headquarters, please contact Marty or one of the other officers. You may also want to attend the next committee meeting which will be at 6:30 p.m. on October 15th at headquarters.