Monday, November 07, 2016

The NCUA Budget Process: Part 1...


Will just have to wait a bit...
Had promised to provide some comments on the new NCUA budget hearing process. That sounds like a thoroughly dry and dull exercise in futility, but being unemployed does give one the freedom to waste one's time as one sees fit, so...

First, NCUA provides a wealth of background information on the budget at www.ncua.gov [here's the link]  Generally, to have an informed discussion requires folks to do a little homework; sounds reasonable doesn't it?  But these days being informed and thoughtful, as our current national election perhaps best demonstrates, no longer seems to be a requirement for dialogue.



So let's take this slowly, in pieces. Chairman Metsger sets the stage for the discussion in his "Opening Statement". Again hope you will stop and use the link above to read it, it's just one page. In the "Statement" two phrases stood out to me; what I'd like to call for NCUA the "Promise of the Future Statement" and the "Problem with the Past Statement" - and by association the future promise and current problem at NCUA for credit unions and all credit union members...


Promise of the Future Statement

 "In summary, we are providing more information earlier in the process and giving people multiple ways to provide input. We are both setting and raising the bar for public transparency by a federal agency."

Problem with the Past Statement

"While we are being both transparent and open today, I also want to reiterate an important comment I made when I announced we would hold this briefing: We will listen to the recommendations of stakeholders, but the Board, and Board alone, will determine and set the agency budget, in accordance with federal law and the need to protect the safety and soundness of the National Share Insurance Fund. This is not a referendum. We have a fiduciary responsibility to the Share Insurance Fund, and to the U. S. taxpayers and we will not abrogate that responsibility or turn it over to anyone else."

[You should note well here that the use of bolding and underlining in the above statement was all done by Mr. Metsger.]


For our first round of the budget review process, simply have a glass of wine (after work!) and contemplate those two statements - what they say about the NCUA and what they might mean for the future of credit unions.

After all, a "budget" is the end of a thought process not the beginning! We are going to have to wade back up stream to consider law, mission, strategy, tactics, structure - and the future - i.e. "do a little homework", if we are going to have "an informed and thoughtful discussion" about the future of the NCUA...

Welcome your thoughts and comments!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

At least Mr. Mestger shows his employees and the credit union movement the budget numbers. Mr. Nussle, our "leader" at CUNA is asking us to pay 29% more toward our already expensive healthcare so they can have a balanced budget in 2017. Think about that: a 29% increase! Maybe we should move from Madison and work for the NCUA and Mr. Metsger.

Anonymous said...

Well, this is already chock full of opportunity.
Let's start with this thought, Mr. Blaine:
IF the agency has a fiduciary responsibility to the NCUSIF and the taxpayer...
...and they won't abrogate, then part of the discussion should become "Performance Review ".
Because as many of us have discussed;
1. How does the agency explain the travesty of 23% fees to lawyers on the lawsuits for the legacy asset debacle that THEIR supervision bungled.
2. How does the agency defend its supervisory performance in relation to the CCUs and the $20+ BILLION borrowing from the taxpayer (treasury).
3. How, on the heels of the CCU failure, does the agency explain and defend the next wave of assessments coming from credit unions that loaded up to 70% of assets in taxi medallion loans?
Chime in, one and all.

Anonymous said...

Metsger and McWatter should just be transparent on how the NCUA board (or NCUA staff) did the contingency deal for suing/settling MBS suits. People will understand if they communicate the facts.

Anonymous said...

"People will understand..."?
Ya think?
What possible reason can there be to break from Executive Order (which was an order for a reason).,,and then pay 23% when FHFA paid 2% and got BILLIONS more fro the taxpayer?

Lay those facts on us.
Please.

Anonymous said...

Here is an internal memo from our "leader" at CUNA. People are missing the point. If we can't properly manage our budget at CUNA how can we demand that NCUA do it???Our "leaders" are hiring more people to sell stuff to our members. Hiring more high paid executives to manage those new sales people. Then these same "leaders" want the rest of us to pay a 29% increase in our healthcare. Maybe if Mr. Nussle and Ms. Bell didn't give Pen Fed two years free membership we wouldn't have a huge increase in our healthcare.


As I mentioned during our 1CUNA meeting this week, in an effort to more effectively implement our engagement strategy we are evolving our organizational structure to create:
· A team of engagement generalists whose primary accountabilities are collaborating with our league members and generating increased engagement with our credit union members and potential members. The team will report to Greg and will include:
o Engagement Consultants
o CU House team
o Member Experience team

· A team of sales specialists whose primary accountability is to follow defined sales processes and generate fee-based revenue. The team will report to Joe and will include:
o Credit Union Product Sales
o Vendor Sales
o Product Fulfillment

· An enablement team whose accountability is to enable overall success of the team by building collaborative relationships internally, coordinating with stakeholders (internal and external), and optimizing processes (evolution as one team supporting all engagement and sales processes)

Organizational changes will be effective by November 1st and a new detailed org chart will be developed to reflect these changes. Notable shifts are:
· Member Experience team // Tonna will begin reporting to Greg; Justin (previously reporting to Angela), Sherri, and an open position will be reporting to Tonna. We will explore and develop a strategy for this functional area from the current state of “call center” to an end-to-end “experience center” and over the course of a number of months role descriptions and success measures will evolve correspondingly.
· Enablement team // The leader of this team will report to Mollie. This leader position is being filled by an internal candidate and will be decided within the next few weeks. The enablement team will include Lisa P., Alicia (AV), Diana, Alicia S., and Matt.
· Product Fulfillment team // Connie and Debbie will begin reporting to Joe. Under Joe’s leadership, we will continue to deliver our product fulfillment responsibilities while exploring opportunities to improve current processes and clarify accountabilities in collaboration with our cross functional teams.
· Executive Assistant // Marlene will begin reporting to Mollie.

We will refine, improve, and evolve in order to implement positive and lasting change to how we do business – keeping our members, potential members, league partners and other system partners top of mind. And we look forward to working with each of you along the way!

Greg said...

The NCUA is a joke from top to bottom. Private Insurance anyone?