Assembly/Convention Accounting

by dontplaceliterature 32 Replies latest jw friends

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  dontplaceliterature

  @mythreesons,

  I'm inclined to agree with you about the legitimacy of the accounts. I just think it's really jacked up that they don't make this information readily available to the congregation.

  If the Assembly Overseer walked out on stage and said, "In connection with this Assembly, we have expenses in the amount of $10,000 - $3,000 of which is for real utility/supplies, $3,000 of which is for Circuit Overseer, District Overseer, and Traveling Bethel Speakers expenses, $2,000 of which will be transferred to the WWW, and $2,000 of which will be saved towards next years Assembly," the brothers and sisters would nod their heads and donate accordingly. I just think it's wrong that they aren't told going into the deal, that they are paying for all this extra crap.
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  dontplaceliterature

  @JW GoneBad,

  There were not Credit Card / Debit Card machines at my Assembly.

  I have a hard time believing that this actually happens, or at least that it is a permanant institution by The Branch. My gut says, some wacky Assembly Overseer tried that out on his own, or at the very most, The Branch wanted to try it out at a few Assembly locations.

  I would think the reaction to such a think would be repulsive. I would have been disgusted by it even before I "woke up".
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  stuckinamovement

  my three sons nailed it and is correct.

  They also include a capital replacement cost figured into the operational costs.

  The last business meeting I went to the expenses included:

  The DO apartment with expenses such as Rent, Electricity, Groceries, Satellite, INTERNET, cell phones for him and the Mrs.

  CO apartment with the same expenses + new mattresses

  CO medical procedure

  The cost to fly the bethel boy and his wife out for the weekend.

  A large assembly occupancy of 50-60K sq ft. and 800 people will cost operationally around $1200 a day. (disclaimer- only if everyone uses one paper towel)

  SIAM
• 

  Anony Mous

  As I mentioned in another thread - look into the mortgage practices of the WTBTS before you say it's 'a lot'. All ground and building expenses are mortgaged (through the WTBTS as bank + interest) and attempted payed back in 10 years. If that doesn't work (it almost never does first time around), the remains + late fees + interest is put in another 10 year loan (even if there is a few 1000 remaining) ad infinitum. Also, the CO housing costs money (some have really nice 32" TV's and they get refurnished every time the CO/DO changes) and the janitor couple living expenses (house, car, food, ...) is also included. A large ground and building like that costed a couple of million in the average US farmland market a decade ago and easily costs multiple 10's of million now since most of those areas have been urbanized.

  Also something I didn't mention yet but if you give real estate or other tangibles (fleets of cars, trucks, ...) for a local project what actually happens is the WTBTS accepts them with tax receipts and everything (good for you) as a donation to the World Wide Work but then includes the value in the mortgages back to the local project/congregation.
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  dontplaceliterature

  @stuckinamovement

  Thanks for confirming my gut instinct. I have always counted on you as a balanced voice of reason on this forum.

  Still, this information need to be available and fully disclosed to the Circuit. It would keep people like me from asking too many questions. I really have a hard time viewing the WTBTS as a bunch of money making schemers. In relation to other church's, they are quite modest.
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  clearpoison

  Well, the organisation owns the property and circuit is actually just renting it. It is up to the parties to agree what is the rental amount and what it is based on, it could be lump sum or based on as it seems on amount of participants (transactional cost). For some reason circuits are not operating regular procurement strategy where they would rfp some suitable premises and choose the best one based on cost/benefit calculation. It could be that organisations premises might win, if they price their services reasonably, but could also loose. But I don't see this happening very much at least.

  CP
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  The circuit isn't given the option of seeking another venue, clearpoison.

  It may be a separate corporate entity from Brooklyn but is is religiously within the same hierarchy and gets its marching orders from Bethel.

  The concept that they could even do such a thing would be like suggesting that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society could reasonably seek other sources of spiritual enlightenment than the Governing Body and its hierarchy of committees for the magazines they publish. After all, the GB isn't a part of the legal corporation that runs the factories.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP_9zH9Q44o
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  JW GoneBad

  dontplaceliterature: I have a hard time believing that this actually happens.

  There were not Credit Card / Debit Card machines at my Assembly.

  I would think the reaction to such a think would be repulsive. I would have been disgusted by it even before I "woke up".

  O.K. that settles it! I have a circuit assembly coming up soon. I'm taking some pics of this WT money making operation and posting them here for all to see. In my neck of the woods it takes place at both D.Conventions & C.A.s.
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  Sayswho

  • People and or Organizations with nothing to hide don't keep secrets...

  Sw
• 

  dontplaceliterature

  @JW GoneBad

  O.K. that settles it! I have a circuit assembly coming up soon. I'm taking some pics of this WT money making operation and posting them here for all to see.

  PLEASE DO!