Yes they have reasons for the "rule" or "fine" depending upon interpritation. One of which is we have a small club with a membership cap of 35 persons. In the past persons have been held on the club roster even after several months of inactivity without having paid that years dues... I would say drop them from the roster after 30 days past the anual renewal date and if they return to find that we have reached the 35 member cap and we do not have a slot for them then they are just SOL. Our club offers new members membership for $25 if we are at least six months into the year. I would support a mandate that made returning members to pay the full $50 irregardless of the date of reinstatement. We are not some fancy pants flying club. We are proud members of the Redneck Model Aviation Association. We fly off of a sloping bumpy grass (Mosly weeds) runway over about 200 acres of soy bean feilds. Our club rents the feild for $500 a year (10 members dues) and has a $500 contact for a porta-pottie (another 10 members) we currently have 31 members with at least two "former" members that have expressed desire to return untill they were told about the extra $25.