PolyParadise History - 2011

Here is a listing of the 2011 BM/PolyParadise Expenses...

In 2011 we established a flat fee of $170/person to cover the costs of running a successful Theme Camp.

Our camp finances from 2010 left us with a positive balance of $1,356.

The Final count for 2011 was 144 Paid Campers with a total camp population of 150 - total spendable amount collected including the $1,356 from 2010 and an additional $50 donation - $24,411.

 We had $1,356 balance from 2010.  When the budget is set around January, many of the costs are estimates of what we might spend. 

We do not know some of the additional costs we might incur until March when we have our annual work-party to see what might need to be replaced.  Some of the expenses we incur happen later in the year; like this year when we were required to get a Nevada State Health Permit.

Over the years we have tried to keep the costs of camping with PolyParadise low enough to cover our costs and to make it affordable to all. In 2011 we raised the price from $135 to $170 as I knew we were going to have several significant infrastructure purchases.  This $35 increase was a major factor in our total population going down as people contacted me and mentioned they would 'Camp Near Us'.  I have always said if you can do all PolyParadise provides for under that amount Go For It!!!

Our camp continues to grow, maybe not in numbers of campers but in infrastructure. Still the bulk of our costs are to be Transportation, Power & Gray Water (Truck, Gas, Generator Gas, Stoves, Propane, Gray Water) totaling $12,000.  It takes a lot of money to run a Theme Camp of our size.

Of that $12,000 there was a one-time cost of $4,000 for the Battery Brick System.  All Hail Master-Twist!!!  Instead of buying another generator and burning another 70 gallons of fuel, we invested in a home-built 2,500W Battery System. It worked like a charm; when the generator was off, there was still power.  The Dusk to Dawn switches worked awesome and the Sink & Shower pumps always had power.  All Hail Master-Twist!!!

We ended the year with a negative balance of $837, of which $800 is owed to that very same Master-Twist as he fronted the monies for the Battery Brick System.

I do hope that you all felt you got your monies worth; that camping with PolyParadise was a joy and not a chore.  It is not about being Poly, it is about being part of a Community...A Family!!!

There were many things we did right this year and certainly areas where we need improvement. Over the next several weeks I will be putting together the annual PolyParadise AfterBurn report; Official Thank You List & What Went Right & What Went Wrong...Where we will be looking at issues we encountered and where we might improve.

Burning Man 2012 is only 336 Days away!!

Financially Submitted...
 Scotto
- Benevolent Dictator of PolyParadise
- Burning Man Lifer/Geek/Zealot