OUTGOING MESSAGE
It’s been an honor and privilege to have served the association the past six years.
I’d like to address three issues to close this fiscal year and thank some people.
First, I want to address the reserve fund. For over 40 years, previous boards failed to
set aside money to take care of the clubhouse and the old pool for the long-term
beyond minor replacement issues. I’m told these boards didn’t want to risk increasing
assessments to set money aside because they were concerned about their popularity
and not concerned about the future beyond their terms of office. So, deferred
maintenance became a way of life and the clubhouse and pool suffered the
consequences over the many years with the band-aid-fix philosophy until 2019.
In 2019, under the leadership of Chairman Bill Gurtner, that board voted to include the
clubhouse and pool within the reserve study following lengthy discussions in two open
board meetings with members in attendance and in agreement. It was time to stop
“kicking the can down the road.” I was proud to be a part of that decision to start
looking beyond three-year term limits and address the future of the entire association
and its members with tomorrow and the next 50 years in mind.
I’ve heard a few members suggest we should remove the clubhouse and pool from the
current reserve study. Seriously? Do we want to travel back in time and resume our
deferred maintenance approach with band-aid-fixes?
You may have heard or read that bids are expected during this time period from
qualified contractors on the remodel project. The bids will finally provide a cost for the
project as we have advertised and those numbers will be presented to the next board
so they can digest the information and share the numbers with the members to
determine the next course of action.
If you know little to nothing about this project or would like to refresh your memory
with factual information, I encourage you to read the recap and updates of the project
and other information posted on our web site that includes drawings and renderings.
The plan is good, basic and long overdue. It’s not extravagant and it’s not even close
to resembling a high-class country club catering to the rich and elitist. It is intended to
serve our members and their families and guests in good times and during emergency
situations. The current clubhouse is not well-suited for emergencies (according to the
fire department and Red Cross) and the increasing numbers of members who utilize the
facility for a variety of purposes. Our community is growing, and the clubhouse should
be expected to keep up with that growth.
I also encourage you to read the Clubhouse Task Force Report dated August 18, 2018.
That report provides the background for the current project proposal and the steps that
were taken to develop the recommendations for the master plan that included direct
involvement by members in town halls and workshops before the master plan was
approved by the board.
I’m concerned about allegations regarding the so-called “division” between the board
and members. You’ve probably read or heard the board is directly responsible for this
division by not being openly transparent and not listening to members. I disagree. I
think the perception of a division is an illusion – a smoke-and-mirrors effect - crafted by
a few members who relentlessly disseminate false information about the board. And,
without the ability to truly provide fact-checking for members who might question the
information being posted or attempt confirmation of facts, how does a member
determine what’s true and what’s not?
I am amazed how many members read a lie posted on Facebook and accept it as truth
without question or bothering to do actual research. First of all, a member should not
rely on a Facebook page where no fact-checking occurs and administrators routinely
allow misinformation, harassment, and false allegations to be blatantly posted, even
when they know information to be false, and particularly when it suits their own
agendas and prejudices.
If someone told you that new construction for the clubhouse is a done deal and will
start in July, they would be lying – and that was posted.
If someone told you the entire remodeling project was terminated by Kern County, they
would be lying – and that was posted.
If someone told you that an illegal meeting occurred where directors approved the RFP
to solicit bids from qualified contracts to determine the costs to fix the clubhouse, they
would be lying – and that was posted.
If someone told you that I was going to try to sneak something by everyone at the
June board meeting with its published agenda and eight other directors present, they
would be lying – and that was posted.
What do we do about these people who aren’t being held accountable for their
deceptions or allowing it to occur? I truly don’t know. However, I’m hoping the
general manager, the Communications Committee, the new Communications
Coordinator and the next board will explore the ability to refute misinformation to the
members in a timely manner and more efficiently beyond what they are already
attempting or proposing to do. It’s an uphill battle, but one that should be prioritized.
I want to say thank you for all of the contributions and work made on behalf of the
association and for the unwavering support over the past six years from a great staff
past and present, the dedicated managers, our volunteer committee members and
committee chairs, and Phyllis Throckmorton, John Cantley, Adel Martin, Karin Shulman,
Grace Wollemann, and Todd Greisen.
I thank the directors who have served unselfishly to make this association better. And,
thank you to the members who have stepped up and been positive in their support of
the association and the board who truly believe we have acted in their best interest
over the years and who have appreciated those efforts.
Be safe, stay healthy, and please be positive.
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