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On June 19, 2007 the very first public organizational meeting of AFOC was held. The meeting can only be considered a very sound success for a grassroots organization that is still in its very early infancy period of organizing.
Organized and promoted in less than three weeks, there were nearly 30 bar owners in attendance as well as several other professionals representing several offshoot aspects of the industry. Representatives of ALBA (Arizona Licensed Beverage Association) were also in attendance and also media representatives from ABC 15 News TV and the Arizona Republic Newspaper.
Emotions clearly ran high at certain periods of the meeting; however, it was ultimately very business like and productive.
One of the reasons that the emotions were unmistakably running high can be answered by a survey sheet that AFOC asked owners and other attendees to complete which included a question about noticeable increases or decreases in revenue since Prop 201 took effect on May 1, 2007. Each and every relevant attendee indicated a DECLINE in revenue. While a few chose not to offer an estimate of percentages, the majority did and the figures were staggering.
The lowest estimated revenue decline figure was 20% and the highest was 75%. Of all that offered a percentage figure the average was just over 31% and the median was 30%. These overall initial figures were collectively worse than AFOC had even anticipated. Anyone who owns or runs any type of business will understand how devastating declines in these amounts can be to your business. Profit margins simply are not what the average person may visualize.
Other industry related companies and professionals also offered testimonial as to their own revenue declines which can be directly related to difficulties of the bar owners themselves. As we have noted in our other material, this is called the "trickle down effect" and this first meeting offered undisputable evidence of this.
Some of these people included Rick Nixon of Nationwide Poker Tour (runs free poker tournaments in bars), Jack Dudo of Blue Sky Publishing (publishes the Dart Start and Billiard Table Talk - bar newspapers), a bar management consultant and various other people including karoke hosts and bartenders. All of these people indicated declines in their own revenue and offered similar stories from their experience of dealing with a wide variety of bar owners - and there was not one positive offering to support the "everything will be OK" theory.
Many attendees were very vocal about their disgust over their loss of rights and expressing what they can now see on the horizon.
Some points and accomplishments worth noting as a result of this meeting include (in no specific order):
1) Several other interesting negative spin-off issues were raised about the effects of 201:
Neighboring business owners complaining about people loitering outside of their business smoking (instead of being inside the bar and not 20 feet away outside from the door) and the related cigarette butts and trash. This is a developing problem especially with bars that are located in a strip mall type scenario.
The safety issue was raised about one or a group of people leaving their drinks on the bar to go outside and smoke. Could someone tamper with their drinks and/or belongings while they are forced to go outside?
Bar owners are reducing staff hours and/or laying off staff and contractors.
Complaints about dramatic reductions in vending machine revenue (logical). Which leads us to vending machine companies . . .
Bar owners that do sell cigarettes themselves claim drops of at least 50% in cigarette sales (this is not huge revenue for most bars but it IS revenue and dollars count for a lot of these small bars).
2) Fund raising was discussed and an aggressive effort will obviously be necessary considering the deep pockets of the opposition. AFOC organizers indicated that this will kick off soon in a variety of ways.
3) Potential strategies and methods of challenging 201 were discussed. Organizers indicated that a substantial amount of research is still being conducted to develop a sound campaign that will benefit all but that this meeting was the first step towards the objective of organizing in mass.
4) Meeting attendees were challenged to help build the organization by recruiting AT LEAST ONE other bar owner or individual to attend our upcoming meetings and/or join in supporting the group.
5) Attendees were encouraged to watch and visit the AFOC web site regular and often since there will be regular updates and new and updated promotional tools available there.
6) AFOC will need a group of people to volunteer their time and talents for a wide variety of needs. This would include both Executive and Regional Board members, people with skills in accounting, finances and fund raising, recruiters and canvassers, people with promotional and marketing talent, people to help with research and others to help develop and maintain data bases and provide other administrative duties. (anyone who has an interest in volunteering should see our "help needed" section that will soon be on our web site or otherwise contact us)
7) Jack Dudo of Blue Sky Publishing (Dart Star and Billiards Table Talk) donated advertising valued at $300 per month (apx. 1/4 page) for at least one year to AFOC.
Representatives of ALBA also spoke at the meeting and discussed some of their previous efforts relative to challenging smoke free laws in the past. Additional meetings between ALBA and AFOC representatives were also agreed upon.
In a very informal nomination and vote, the first officers were elected to the AFOC Board on a "Pro Tem" basis. Ken DiMichel was elected President Pro Tem and Rob Losacker was elected Vice-President Pro Tem by motion and vote of the audience. Both are original organizers of AFOC and a formal full Board will be elected when the non-profit incorporation is completed.
A second organizational meeting was scheduled for 2:00 PM on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at the Steel Horse Saloon: 1818 W. Bell Road, #100 in northwest Phoenix. Other tentative locations for additional organizing meetings in other areas of the Valley were also discussed.
On their 6:00 PM newscast the day of the meeting, ABC News Channel 15 in Phoenix did a television news story on our initial meeting and organization. It was fittingly titled "David vs. Goliath". Closing discussions of the AFOC meeting essentially acknowledged this. However, it was generally agreed that there are only two options: Lay down and accept it or fight for your rights - and livelihood. That's the only immediate choice we are being given right now.
The meeting was summarized and adjourned shortly after 3:00 PM. Formal meeting minutes are not available for this first meeting.
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