The following opinions are mine alone and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the IJA board of directors.
: So, let me get this straight. Every year, about ten percent of the IJA's convention budget is devoted to travel and entertainment expenses.
Otherwise known as travel. As far as I know, it's all travel expenses. The normal accounting category into which travel is placed is generally called "Travel and Entertainment", but that's just the name of the category. Perhaps you'd like it if we renamed that to "Secrets and Embezzlements". (;-)
:We don't know who receives these, or how much they receive, it's a secret. However, the IJA board are among the beneficiaries.
It's travel expenses to the fest, mostly for: performers, employees and coordinators of major parts of the fest. Not the board (yet).
As far as I know, IJA board members have not been "beneficiaries" lately -- that is, they have not had their travel to the festival paid, although I think they should have it paid.
: The IJA board are the final authority who makes sure that the expenses are reasonable and are genuinely used for IJA business. They will admit that IJA expenses have been misused in the past.
Nice vague statement, Andrew. I heard a rumor that one person some years ago abused reimbursement of travel expenses. Does this condemn all board members for all time?
: At the last board meeting, the board voted that the details of expense payments should remain a secret.
You proposed that every single expenses payment should be revealed in detail. The board voted not to do that but to continue with its existing plan of getting financial information out.
:When asked why, not a single board member has bothered to respond.
The answer will be in the minutes when they are approved. Basically, it is because we are releasing financial information that we have and trying to make that info understandable. The accounting program that the IJA uses is not capable of putting out the sort of information you asked for in your proposals. Nor do we think it is necessary to put out that detail of information. But we are trying the get the relevant information out. I do not think it is necessary to detail individual travel expenses paid to every performer at the IJA fest.
I will tell you why I've not answered your question before. Because I've been too busy spending 30 hours a week trying to help the IJA recover from past problems. You are only one person and we are spending time trying to inform all IJA members. Oh, and I also have a regular job too that takes more than 40 hours a week, so I'm rather busy.
: Let me ask this one more time. Why does the IJA board feel the need to keep financial secrets from its members, particularly when they deal with expense payments made to the board members and their friends?
The board members and their friends? What makes you say that? Are you hinting at something. Please speak more definatively.
: Andrew
: who thinks that the IJA is too important to cut any slack for his friends
I think Andrew could use language that is more precise rather than attempt to accuse the IJA board of broad ills.
Martin