CO's Vision
31 Canadian Brigade Group
Headquarters
701 Oxford Street East
London, ON N5Y 4T7
5545-1 (CO)
April 2007
Distribution List
COMMANDING OFFICER'S VISION AND INTENT
FOR THE WOLSELEY BARRACKS OFFICERS' MESS
1. The purpose of this document is to outline my vision, intent, and priorities for the Wolseley Barracks Officers' Mess. The Mess has strong support in terms of its level of membership, but, as alluded to by the PMC in his introductory letter, it is clear that the "proprietary interest" in the Mess has not been exercised to the levels that are necessary. To that end, I have assembled a Mess Executive Committee that is now charged with oversight on the management and activities of the Mess.
2. Vision. The Wolseley Barracks Officers' Mess will remain a viable non-public funds institution in order to provide its membership with an establishment commensurate with their status as leaders in London society.
3. Intent. I intend to ensure the continued viability of the Wolseley Barracks Officers' Mess through careful planning and financial management and by revitalizing the interest of the membership as a whole. The Mess will come to be viewed by the entire membership as a place of significance, both in the personal and professional lives. It will be viewed as a desirable place to attend, and attendance will return to levels that reflect the Mess' former vitality. To this end, the all positions in the Mess Executive will remain filled. The Mess Executive is charged with the duties of conducting the business of the Mess in an efficient and cost-effective manner, while at the same time ensuring that the services and traditions of the Mess are maintained. Functions will be planned and conducted in such a manner as to achieve a profit with limited subsidies. My vision, intent and priorities, the desires of the Mess membership as a whole, and the loyalty owed to the Mess staff will be key factors in the decisions of the Mess Executive. In the near term, the Mess Executive will do what is necessary to achieve a balanced budget by the end of fiscal year 2006/2007 (FY 0607). In the mid-term (FY 0708), the Mess will operate within the parameters of a balanced budget and will strive to regenerate assets to at least the level recorded for January 2006 ($10,000 cash). In the longer term, the Mess will continue to strive for surpluses that can be reinvested in the Mess, either as subsidies for functions or as improvements to non-public property holdings.
4. End State. My desired end-state is a Mess that operates within its means, that provides the entertainment and services to which members should be entitled, and that is financially positioned to remain viable in the future.
5. Priorities. My priorities for the Mess are as follows:
a. Priority 1 - Remain viable as a non-public funds (NPF) institution:
(1) Mess executive exercises management oversight on mess functions.
(2) Annual operating expenses do not exceed revenues.
(3) Bar operations are self-funding.
(4) All user pay functions are self-funding, less those specifically designated by the Mess Executive to receive a subsidy from Mess revenues.
(5) Mess dues provide a predictable flow of revenue and are paid by membership within each quarter.
(6) Mess dues may be increased on an annual basis to remain proportional to operating costs.
b. Priority 2 - Provide the mess membership with a specified annual number of subsidized entertainment functions:
(1) Mess-sponsored functions shall not exceed a frequency of one per month.
(2) The majority of functions will be scheduled around major calendar and social events and will be designed for the mess membership as a whole.
(3) Provide a small number of functions tailored to the demographics of the Mess membership (i.e. some functions designed to interest regular members, some functions designed for associate membership).
c. Priority 3 - Increase the visibility of the Mess within the local professional community as a means to promote the interests of 31 Canadian Brigade Group and ASU London:
(1) Support sanctioned initiatives to connect with the community
(2) Encourage the use of the Mess for private functions sponsored by members in good standing
(3) Actively support the Garrison Community Council and other civilian agencies affiliated with the Mess in order to strengthen ties to the community.
(4) Host, support, or participate in events designed to increase the visibility of the Garrison in local media.
6. Near Term Activities. Near-term activities refer to those activities that must be undertaken prior to the end of the FY to provide incremental "course corrections" to the operating procedures within the Mess. The intent of these activities is to set the conditions for a balanced Mess budget in FY 0708. They are:
a. Continue to adjust bar hours, balancing the need to provide sufficient hours of employment for the staff against the need to reduce service during periods where there is insufficient patronage to substantiate service.
b. Rationalize bar inventory with a view to converting excess inventory to cash.
c. Adjust bar prices incrementally to increase profit margins, as discussed previously.
d. Review outstanding accounts with a view to eliminating this list by end FY.
e. Review outstanding mess dues with a view to maximizing FY 0607 revenues prior to end FY.
f. Implement ticket sales for function attendance and ensure that the majority of functions are self-funding.
g. Solicit Comd 31 CBG support (in writing) to encourage mess attendance as part of Thursday parade nights.
h. As a joint initiative between ASU London and 31 CBG, implement mandatory monthly happy hours. Alternate between days and evenings to cater to both day workers and evening parades.
i. Review mess dues for a potential increase in FY 0708.
j. Develop a viable, balanced budget for FY 0708.
7. Mid-Term Activities. Mid-term activities refer to those activities that will be implemented at the commencement of, or during FY 0708.
a. Reduce operating expenses not critical to enable strategic priorities.
b. Conduct early and detailed planning for all functions.
c. Implement changes to Mess dues.
d. Succession planning for Mess Executive appointments.
e. Investigate alternate forms of revenue to offset periods where bar sales are traditionally slow.
f. Where high-cost operations (i.e. the pool) are beneficial to the Mess, investigate partnering initiatives to reduce overhead.
g. Investigate the use of hospitality funds to offset costs where the Mess is used to connect with Canadians (i.e. Comd's Garden Party).
h. Conduct monthly Mess Executive meetings and quarterly General Meetings.
i. Increase cash on hand to a level that will cover 1-2 months of operating expenses.
j. Institutionalize Happy Hour as a function that is well attended by full-time personnel from all units.
k. Investigate the feasibility of PSP/public support for the Messes of the London Garrison.
8. The Mess Executive Committee and the Mess Management are to focus their efforts on achieving the priorities and activities I have set before them, balancing the need for the Mess to provide services against the absolute necessity to ensure revenues and control expenses. This document is to be posted on the Mess notice board and included in the Mess SOPs.
K.P.J. Doyle
Lieutenant Colonel
Commanding Officer
Action
A .pdf version of the CO's Vision Statement can be found here: CO's Vision Statement If you have trouble with the download, a copy can be mailed to your home. Please email the Mess Manager to arrange delivery.