For any of you interested in ARRL operating costs, here are some actual board meeting costs from the January 2011 meeting in Hartford. This note contains no specific proposals for change. *Top Level Cost Breakdown * The major cost components of a board meeting and associated committee meetings consist of: Board meeting travel expenses $34,500 Associated committee meeting travel $1,900 Supplies (notebooks, etc.) $739 Copier Rental $450 Van Rental $294 Board picture $700 Hotel meeting set-up $4,041 Hotel meals $15,507 Total $58,000 *Travel Expense Notes* Travel expenses were approximately $900 per person for those flying to the meeting. There is no apparent cost correlation with distance traveled. The west coast attendee's costs were comparable to others. Those driving from nearby states averaged $460 each. One local board member who appears to have commuted to the meeting spent a total of $67. Staff members charged an average of $210 each in travel expenses above identified group meals. Travel expenses attributed to the committee meetings averaged $166 per attendee. This assumes the airplane and auto travel costs are all captured under board meeting costs. Board travel expenses also included additional hotel and meal charges for those attending new board-member briefings. This appears to have amounted to around $800. *Travel Expense Meal Costs and Reporting* Picking up the tab for others and including it on expense reports without details makes cost allocation tedious. Several board members submitted reports with no details regarding group meals, and interestingly enough, these were approved and paid even without the details. Some of us are into fine dining. Notable meals included 1) one for eleven unnamed attendees at $90.50 each, and 2) another for four identified attendees attendees at $80.50 each. *Contribution Offset* Note the fact that some of the higher-end diners are actually significant donors to the League, some giving substantially more than the cost of their meals. *Hotel Meal Costs* The hotel bills the League for the individual meals. Including the 21% tip and 6% tax, costs were between that of the filet-of-beef at $60.21 each and the chicken at $46.11. The lunches, together with morning and afternoon snacks cost $64.06 per person per day. *Spouse Meal Costs* In addition to the Thursday and Friday night dinners and the lunches, some spouse meal costs were picked up by those paying for group meals. Identified spouse meals cost $64.17 for each dinner per spouse. If spouses partook of all meals and also dinners the nights before and after, food costs to the League could be as much as $373 for each spouse. *Hotel Meeting Room Costs* The hotel charges a daily rental fee for all the equipment used in the meeting room. the League paid a total of (including a 21% service charge and 6% tax) for: Thursday $1385 Friday $1449 Saturday $1449 We use the room for about one hour on Thursday. The rental fees include: $12.83 per day each for 14 25-foot extension cords. $19.24 per day each for 14 power-strips Therefore, each cord and power-strip combination that powers lap-top computers costs the League $96.20 for the meeting. Comparable extension cords are sold outright at Home Depot for less than $10 each and power strips are available for less than that. Note that the upcoming ARRL Southwestern Division Convention will be held in the Torrance, California, Marriott Hotel. Convention organizers and participants will be bringing their own projectors, screens, extension cords, and power-strips to eliminate similar charges. *Other Board Meeting Expenses* The League pays its General Counsel a fixed fee for board meeting attendance. I assume that lobbyist John Chwat also charges for his attendance. There are committee meeting lunch charges not shown as well. I suspect these are less than a total of $200. *Actual Cost Data* Should any director desire to see the source data used to prepare this summary, please request it from CFO Shelley. *Conclusions* Viewing the meeting cost components does not only quantify where the money is going, but should also give some idea of the extent of oversight presently given to certain League expenses. There are many possibilities for deployment of the League's financial assets. I hope that we put the assets to the best use of our members. 73, Dick Norton, N6AA