The District Council Meeting is September 17 at 9 AM Alaska / 10 AM Pacific. Every Toastmasters club in good standing will have the opportunity to vote on issues that will affect the future of our District.
First up is the 2022-2023 District Budget. There are three key issues in the budget that I want to bring to your attention.
- Vote on a Hybrid or Online District Conference.
As much as I would love to affirm that we will have an in-person/hybrid conference, the cost for such an event may be more than what individual members can financially commit to.
Our last in-person 2019 conference had a budget of $15,000 and we lost money with less than 100 attendees. Ticket prices were $120 for early registration and $150 full price. These prices did not include travel or lodging.
We project that a hybrid conference will cost more. Proposed registration costs are $175 prepaid by 1/31/2023, or $200 per Toastmaster member after, $250 per non-Toastmaster member. $50 for online prepaid by 1/31/2023, $75 after. These prices do not include travel or lodging.
The alternative is an online conference with registration costs of $25 per member prepaid paid by 1/31/2023, $45 after per Toastmaster member, or $60 per non-member.
- Vote to approve participation in Toastmasters Global Marketing campaign.
The cost to participate is $5,850 or +28% of proposed budget. District 32 has over $50,000 in excess reserves. Provided we receive approval from Toastmasters’ Board of Directors, I believe the expense is worth it.
2021/2022 global advertising highlights:
- 27 Districts participated (up from 17 the year before) with all markets performing near-to or well-above the LinkedIn benchmark
- Over 34 million impressions, over 114,000 page-clicks, and an average click-through rate (CTR) of .33%
- Participating Districts had 16,035 total leads over the campaign period
- Participating Districts had 19.9 more leads on average per week than Districts that did not participate
- The proposed 2022-2023 budget has been drafted with the focus on strengthening our existing clubs. With over $14,000 in incentives to reward our clubs for the work ahead, we hope to rise as a distinguished district for the first time since 2013. We are formulating an action plan to reward and pay out these incentives more frequently. These district buck incentives can be used to fund open house events, club celebrations, and expenses to enable your club to meet in-person, hybrid or online.
Click here to access the 2022-2023 proposed budget.
The second matter to address is the adoption of the District Success Plan to rise to Distinguished.
International President Matt Kinsey declared his vision at the Board installation ceremony to have the longest Hall of Fame presentation at the 2023 International Convention.
Your District Leaders have meet weekly since July 16 to formulate the proposed 2022-2023 District Success Plan. Yes, the vision to rise as a Distinguished District by May 5, 2023 may seem ambitious to many. However, it is our belief that the activation of the proposed District Success Plan will result in District 32 being honored at the 2023 International Convention.
The District Success Plan supports the 2022-2024 Strategic Plan adopted by Toastmasters International Board of Directors, and is focused on improving member experience.
The saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? The answer is, “One bite at a time.” The District Success Plan incorporates several tactics to develop 12-Week Year Plans to chunk down goals into more actionable metrics. We have also included tactics focused on assisting low membership clubs, clubs with 12 or less members, with group coaching through Coach’s Corner and meeting assistance by Traveling Toastmasters. These tactics reaffirm the district mission to not only build new clubs, but to support all clubs in achieving excellence.
Click here to access the 2022-2023 proposed District Success Plan.
The third matter that District Council must vote on is the district contest formats.
Toastmasters’ Board of Directors recognizes that many Districts are eager to hold in-person events when local restrictions and safety considerations allow. However, many members may be unable to attend in-person events due to distance or personal health restrictions. In light of these considerations, the Board of Directors has decided that all speech contests at the Area, Division, and District levels must be conducted in either a hybrid or online format for the 2022-2023 speech contest cycle.
Hybrid contests are defined as those in which some participants (contestants, judges, and/or audience members) are onsite in a physical location and others are online. Online contests are defined as those in which all participants are online.
In determining speech contest format, Districts must adhere to the following:
- Districts must select a format of either online or hybrid for each level of the contest (i.e., Area, Division, District). The format selected for a level must apply to all contests that take place at that level.
- Districts that select hybrid contests for a level can change to require a format of fully online for all contests remaining in that level based on local restrictions or safety concerns.
While the district contest format will be influenced by our prior decision to have an online or hybrid district conference, the District Council must vote on the format for each level of the contest. For more information on this matter, please read the email from Toastmasters International.
The final matter to be voted on is endorsement of the District Calendar Overview.
The District Calendar Overview is available on d32toastmasters.org. It identifies dates for the District Executive Council Meetings (DECM), District Council Meetings (DCM), contest deadlines, club officer trainings, and the District conference. We have also incorporated dates and themes for our Amazing Mondays. These are educational and networking opportunities for all members.
We understand that the contest deadlines are earlier than years past. However, in consulting with past contest committee and conference chairs, these dates are needed to provide sufficient time for the district conference committee to certify contest officials and conduct dry runs for all contestants in addition to other conference tasks.
It is our wish to have the District Council endorse the District Calendar. We also encourage all members to save these dates to network with your fellow District 32 toastmasters.
Let your voice be heard!
Dear District Leaders, Club Presidents, Vice Presidents of Education and Members of District 32 Clubs,
The course our District takes this year is up to you. With the passing of Proposal L at the 2022 Annual Business Meeting, it is the responsibility of the Club President and Vice President Education, the club’s two voting representatives on the District Council, to attend and vote at all District Council meetings. While each club must determine if one of its two representatives will carry the club’s two votes, or if both representatives will carry one vote each, no other proxies are allowed.
1/3 of clubs in good standing (minimum of 8 paid members) must attend the District Council Meeting for us to meet quorum requirements. The maximum votes that any one officer can cast is two votes, with an additional vote for District Executive Council Members.
Registration is requested to ensure that we have an email address that is accessible to you the day of the meeting, and to identify the which club votes you will be representing. Please register via Eventbrite. Voting members must have internet access to our voting platform to cast their votes when called.
All District Members are encouraged to review documents in the District Council Meeting Packet available through the link provided and advise your voting representative on what course you wish the District to take.
It is my belief that through reconnecting and recommitting to our personal growth goals, and to each other, we will rise above our imagined limitations and exceed our goal to be a distinguished district.
I look forward to seeing you September 17, 9 AM Alaska / 10 AM Pacific.
Sincerely,
Roberta Craig
2022-2023 District 32 Director