We are in the process of getting the members and non-members signed up for off-season lap swim through the registration page on our website. Once we are completed with that process the following will happen:

1. Group sign-ups by household – We will work to consolidate registrations by household so that we can send one invoice per household.
2. Information sent to bookkeeper – Registrations and amount sent to our bookkeeper.
3. Invoices sent by email by bookkeeper – Invoices to members and non-members will be handled differently:

• • Members: After receiving the information, our bookkeeper (contact info: accounts@vrstc.org) will send invoices on 8/9/2024 (Fri) through Intuit Quickbooks in email for the amount due. This will be done in the same method and form as our yearly dues and fees are sent to you and you will be able to pay by either:
    • Online via bank transfer by clicking on the link in the email.
    • By mailing a check (information will also be in the email):

View Ridge Swim and Tennis Club

PO Box 51079

Seattle WA 98115-1079

(NOTE: Checks should NOT be turned in at the club.)

• • Non-members: After receiving the information, on 8/9/2024 (Fri) <current planned date, potentially subject to change> our bookkeeper (contact info: accounts@vrstc.org) will send invoices through email for the amount due. You will be able to pay in the following manner:
    • By mailing a check (information will also be in the email):

View Ridge Swim and Tennis Club

PO Box 51079

Seattle WA 98115-1079

(NOTE: Checks should NOT be turned in at the club.)

Payment is due upon receipt of invoice email.

We considered several options on invoicing:

• Invoicing through email (Quicken)
• Payment on website during off-season lap swim registration (credit/debit card through PayPal processing)
• Check brought to office

Rationale for choosing “Emailed Quicken Invoices”:

Advantages of invoicing through Quicken for the pool and off-season lap-swim registrants:

1. Quick and easy to transmit invoices – It is relatively quick and easy for our bookkeeper to send invoices in this manner.
2. Online payment option provided – There is an online payment option. This option is not only quick and easy for the person making the payments, but it’s also quicker and easier for our bookkeeper (no handling of checks, etc.).
3. Less Costly – Quicken charges us 0% (just a flat $3 per transaction) to send the invoices and for the money transfers. This saves money for VRSTC and its members. (Note: There are some additional bookkeeper costs, but those costs are much smaller than running for the payment of the off-season program through our website.)

Note: Unfortunately, we can’t provide this online payment option for non-members so the only option will be mailing a check.

Rationale for NOT choosing “Billing through our website”:

We considered billing through PayPal which is supported on our new website. There were benefits and trade-offs:

Pro(s)

• • People could have paid immediately at registration.

Con(s)

• • PayPal takes a 3% cut on each transaction. Ultimately that would have been about $5,000 in transaction fees for off-season registrations.

Ultimately, we run smaller transactions (Water Aerobics sign-ups, guest fees, etc.) and time/labor intensive processes (swim/tennis lessons) through our website, but in the short-term we plan on continuing to run larger transactions like yearly dues/fees, off-season lap-swim fees, etc. through Quicken invoicing.

Rationale for NOT choosing “Dropping off checks at the office”:

We will still have an address you can mail the check to in the Quicken invoice email if cutting a check is your preferred method of payment (as opposed to paying online through the link in the Quicken invoice email), but we’re hoping to get away from a check being dropped off in the office especially now that there is no accompanying hard copy, sign up form. There are just too many points of failure in checks getting misplaced, more expense to the pool and its members (higher bookkeeping costs), and not as good and timely online tracking of payments.

Questions? Email manager@vrstc.org