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Operating Expenses Based on the club's experience with the Jones Cottage, the RMC Board of Directors developed an annual operating budget for the basecamp. Total operating costs are $7,325. The RMC board initially explored the idea of funding the additional costs via a permanent endowment. However, information gathered by the Feasibility Committee showed that this was too great a fundraising goal for the club. Instead, the club proposes to fund the operating costs through an increase in camps fees and dues. To study whether an increase in fees and dues was feasible, the club assigned a committee in the fall of 2004, to develop recommendations. The committee found that both camps fees and dues were significantly lower than other, similar organizations in New England. The RMC Board believes that there is ample leeway in these areas to fund the additional operation costs.
Annual maintenance is not foreseen to be a job that is too great for the RMC to handle. The club's ongoing experience with the Jones Cottage supports this expectation and, of course, the club already maintains its two cabins and two shelters. A volunteer or a person paid a few hundred dollars a year as caretaker should be equal to the task of identifying maintenance needs and supervising repairs.
The club anticipates a fundraising campaign with a goal of $300,000. With 7 estimates that average $262,000, the club anticipates using the difference to fund a permanent, capital expense fund, to be spent as needed in years hence, to accomplish major repairs. In the interim, this fund would accrue interest.
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