After 10 years, we are now a small club of 8 members at this
time, lately it has been difficult. Some members in our
club have voice concern that others members have not been
pulling their weight in order to have a successful
partnership. If we end our partnership now we can walk away
with everyone getting what they are worth in the market now.
Some members would like to put everything on hold for six
months, keep the dues as planned towards the investments and
then revisit the idea of possibly ending or continuing after
six months. I am not sure if this is possible. Can you
provide us with some creative possibilities in lieu of
disbanding? Please help we meet this Saturday the 9th.
Thank you.

Nancy from MPIC (Melting Pot Investment Club)

Nancy Farfan wrote:
> After 10 years, we are now a small club of 8 members at this
> time, lately it has been difficult. Some members in our
> club have voice concern that others members have not been
> pulling their weight in order to have a successful
> partnership. If we end our partnership now we can walk away
> with everyone getting what they are worth in the market now.
> Some members would like to put everything on hold for six
> months, keep the dues as planned towards the investments and
> then revisit the idea of possibly ending or continuing after
> six months. I am not sure if this is possible. Can you
> provide us with some creative possibilities in lieu of
> disbanding? Please help we meet this Saturday the 9th.
> Thank you.
>
> Nancy from MPIC (Melting Pot Investment Club)
 Nancy:

You have presented several separate issues:

1. "Some members are not pulling their weight". My question
to the group would be, do those members agree with the
assessment and will the level of their participation change
in six months? If they agree with the assessment and are not
prepared to change, they should withdraw now regardless what
the others do.

2. I am not sure what you mean by the phrase "put on hold
for six months, but keep the dues as planned." Do you mean
partners would continue to put in new money each month, but
just let it sit there for six months? If so, I don't see the
point.

Or do you mean leave your investments as is, but not
contribute money or make changes in your investments for six
months while partners take a break from club activities? If
so, there is certainly no legal reason you could not do this
with an approving vote of your partners. My club takes a
two- month break in the summer. Some years, we put a
stop-loss order for some of our holdings. Other times, we
have had a member follow a stock and propose a sale because
of a change using email. (Our partnership agreement provides
a mechanism for voting via email.) We often joke that our
portfolio grows best during our break when we leave it
alone.

3. I don't know how many members you would have left if the
non-participating members left. However, I don't think it is
the number of partners (you only need two to have a legal
partnership) that is important, but how dedicated the
remaining partners are to contributing to the efforts of the
partnership.

4. What are the prospects of recruiting new members?

I hope these thoughts give you some ideas for the discussion
at your meeting.

Jack Ranby, Treasurer
Grants Partners Investment Club

Lynn Ostrem writes:
> Del, those of us left behind in Minnesota are freezing in this two-week
> sub-zero arctic blast! We are so envious of you in Arizona! Send some of
> that sunshine our way!

You'd think after all these years you'd actually enjoy the cold and
snow. :) I'm starting to turn into a true Boulderite: I rode my bike
all week to work. Those toe and hand warmers are helpful, but when it
gets below 10F, my hands get a bit on the chilly side. ;-)

Cheers,
Rob