What Country is Southern Illinois

[David A. Nice]

Perhaps I should post this in "Jokes".

In January our Wisconsin Chapter was lucky enough to have Will Decker come up from Chicago to do his Structure Course. Since it was approved for Illinois CE we got the needed materials to allow Illinois inspectors to come here and do the course for CE. Only 2 came up from Illinois and only 1 passed the exam.

Since then we got a bill from the Illinois State Chapter (see attached). I am a bit confused as to why I got billed by the chapter, since the Illinois Education Administrator is distinct from any chapter. (Can you say co-mingling)?

The bill came in an envelope ($0.39 postage)with a one page invoice ("receipt" and another page explaining the "Illinois Continuing Education Event Procedures" (received after the fact).

I also received a follow up phone call from the sender to advise me that if we didn't pay it, no mare Illinois CE would be honored in the event we do another "Illinois approved" course here in Wisconsin.

I promised he would "get it", so I thought you guys might want to help me GIVE IT TO HIM!

I have a ton of things I could say about this. Nick asked me to post the pdf attachments so you could all help me out with this quandary

What to do, what to do ... sigh?

[Nick Gromicko]

David. Don't worry. We are taking up a collection. If 252 members will pledge to pitch in a penny each, we might be able to cover it. Just teasin' ya Ken.

[wforsyth]

I'm in! Come on people! Pull together! We CAN do this!!!

[tneumann]

I will spend .39 to mail .01.......just give me the go ahead...

[David A. Nice]

Just send you $0.01 or more (no more than $0.03 per member though)t o the Illinois State Chapter at the address on the invoice. Make sure to include info on what it is for. A copy of the invoice would do (if you can afford the extra sheet of paper).

Post here when you sent it so we can keep track.

[David A. Nice]

Of course it is true that no member should HAVE TO spend money out of his own pocket to do something for another member. It makes sense that a chapter should pay for the CE certificates, printing and postage out of proceeds for a chapter event. Since we had just one Illinois resident pass the exam, I thought a little professional courtesy might have been in order her.

I put my volunteer efforts (and occasionally) a few bucks out of my pocket, not because I HAVE TO, but because I GET TO.

I consider it a privilege to contribute to the betterment of other inspectors and the rewards far outweigh the cost. I value my time enough to know that i the situation was reversed, there is no way in God's little earth that I would ever send an invoice to anyone, anywhere, for any reason, for $2.52.

But then again ... that's just me!

Since this expenditure was not approved (in advance) by our board of directors, it will have to wait until our next board meeting to get authorization to pay it. Hopefully we will not accrue any interest, in the meantime. Maybe we could just take it out of PETTY cash (what a fitting term).

[Jae Williams]

"I also received a follow up phone call from the sender to advise me that if we didn't pay it, no mare Illinois CE would be honored in the event we do another "Illinois approved" course here in Wisconsin."

I find the "threat" just a little bit disconcerting...

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jwilliams4

"I also received a follow up phone call from the sender to advise me that if we didn't pay it, no mare Illinois CE would be honored in the event we do another "Illinois approved" course here in Wisconsin."

I find the "threat" just a little bit disconcerting...

Who paid for the phone call?

[Michael R. Boyett]

I spent 3 minutes reading this post and getting a chuckle out of it. I value my time at $110/hr so that works out to $5.50. Where should I send the invoice? Is the Waterloo, Ill address on the bill a good one?

[David A. Nice]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Who paid for the phone call?

I guess I will have to check and see when my invoice comes in to see if it came in on my toll free number.

[David A. Nice]

Originally Posted by jwilliams4

"I also received a follow up phone call from the sender to advise me that if we didn't pay it, no mare Illinois CE would be honored in the event we do another "Illinois approved" course here in Wisconsin."

I find the "threat" just a little bit disconcerting...

I don't have an issue with paying such costs in the future (should we do any other courses that also have Illinois approval). We can easily charge slightly more for Illinois participants to defray any additional expense. We did have to print out the exams, the answer keys and CE application forms as well, and spent extra time with the participants.

IMO, the best practice in such an unusual circumstance is to simply advise us of the policy and costs for future events. We don't go to an inspection and then send an invoice for something we didn't agree on in advance. I expect that we need to treat each other the same way.

I received a pdf copy of the exams, answer keys and CE application forms. For some reason the policy statement (that came with the invoice) was not included in the advance information.

Obviously the amount is small enough that it is hardly worth arguing about. By the same token it is hardly worth the time, paper, postage (and a phone call) to collect.

It is the thinking process that even put this in motion that concerns me. If you charge $110.00 an hour and spend 1 hour and 1 minute for a client, do you bill them $110.00 or $111.83? (Rhetorical question)

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by dnice

I also received a follow up phone call from the sender to advise me that if we didn't pay it, no mare Illinois CE would be honored in the event we do another "Illinois approved" course here in Wisconsin.

Since when does Russ Meyers' make-believe "chapter" (the collector of these funds) have any say over whether or not the State will give credits for a course it has already approved? Am I reading this correctly? If you owe Russ $2.00, he can withhold CEUs?

[Nick Gromicko]

I overnighted you my penny today.

[Greg Bell]

I'll send them something, but it won't be a penny. Dam cheap *****.

That says a lot about the people from that chapter.

[Kenneth E. Sitzes]

The chapter is not a make-believe chapter. It is Non-for-profit Assoc. Registered In Illinois. I due contribute my time to NACHI for all the paper work it takes to give CEU in Illinois.

The chapter that gives the event is the one that collect the money and part of giving an Ill CEU is the cost of the mailing of the CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION along with printing out the exams, the answer keys and CE application forms as well, and spent extra time with the participants.

NACHI give me no funds to due the mailing. Will if you due not like paying for the mailing get Nick to give me funds to due it with.

NACHI Approved Policy: This policy was approved by Nick, Joe, and John.

The chapter/group that holds the event will pay all costs for printing and mailing of certificates of completion.

Greg talk about a cheap ***** (David posted we can easily charge slightly more for Illinois participants to defray any additional expense.)That says a lot about the people from that chapter.