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CASA 2015 Annual Report

Original Post
Greg Pahutnik · · Scottsdale, AZ · Joined Sep 2015 · Points: 5

Having donated to the anchor replacement fund, I am concerned with the seeming lack of resources allocated to the program. Is there a more detailed finance report? Was $956 spent to replace bolts on 6 routes? 47 bolts at $5/ bolt is $235. Is the difference being used to pay the a- team? What are the outreach expenditures? Is developing an area with CASA plaques and then advertising CASA events with information on said newly developed areas commercialization and therefore illegal on public lands? There seems to be a blurring of CASA promotion and Eric Rhicard's guidebook sales promotion that I am not comfortable with.

Eric Sophiea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 232

We're always happy to answer thoughtful questions from our donors and from community members interested in our work. Transparency is important to us.

There's no listing of a "Greg Pahutnik" in our donor records. As a CASA policy, we don't engage people who post online under pseudonyms or unknown identities because it becomes difficult to determine whether a question is due an answer (i.e. the logistical cost of volunteer time) if it isn't coming from an identifiable source. CASA is powered entirely by volunteers and we choose to invest our time in more productive work.

That said, I understand the questions here and hope that the following information will benefit all community members, supporters, and donors interested in hearing the answers.

We started our anchor replacement program very late in 2015, doing the work slowly and meticulously on purpose. We use cash basis accounting, so purchases of hardware and tools are not directly linked in time to the number of bolts that were replaced during 2015.

The anchor team is not paid. They are volunteers. CASA does not develop new areas and money donated to the anchor team is only used for replacement efforts. The unused funding for the Anchor Team was carried into 2016 and is currently being used for the purposes stated in our program: to replace fixed anchors.

The bolts we use are higher grade than what you are probably used to. They cost us about $9 each, which is a wholesale price.

Outreach expenditures are primarily the cost of membership shirts. Our cost is about $10 a shirt. With 162 members, it's a significant amount that's a direct benefit to members.

I'm sorry that you're not comfortable with CASA supporting community efforts. As a community focused organization, we promote the good work being done by other local groups, businesses, guidebook authors, individuals, etc.

Please provide us with your verifiable identity if you would like further clarification.

Regards,
Eric Sophiea
CASA President

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Arizona & New Mexico
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