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| August 2006
Grapevine Archive |
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8/31/2006
8/31/2006
8/30/2006 We had a great time at the tennis social Saturday evening with 18 present, including about 4 young families who enjoyed the evening and asked for more in the future.
8/30/2006 Well, if you read the financials you can get from the office, you will notice that there is plenty of money being spent. There are several depts that have exceeded budgeted funds. The fact is, there has been several areas where the budget failed to foresee increases in costs of goods due to fuel prices and petro-chemical price inflation. The association feels this just like we all do. From increases in fuel prices to fertilizers and any number of goods that are purchased for maintenance and operation, the cost of doing business is increasing for everyone. Add to that a $60,000 insurance premium increase and yo u can understand why the "checkbook is locked up". We cannot spend what we do not have. It is that simple.
8/29/2006 Department managers might recognize the problem and know how to fix it, but if they can not get approval then who is at fault? I have been told that the check book is locked up. So do we blame the managers or the MANAGER that locked it up.
8/29/2006 We should have made Henry the GM he is in Tonis office 20 hours a day.
8/28/2006 Recognition of a problem should first occur by the staff. How is it that routine maintenance items are noticed by the member and go unnoticed by the staff responsible for it? Does he not get complaints first? There are ample funds budgeted for light bulbs and such. Again, Are we saying that the LFPOA personnel are not doing their job? Shouldn't our staff go the extra mile to insure that their area is well maintained and clean? That our properties reflect pride in our neighborhood? That all facilities are properly maintained and those maintenance actions are appropriate and reasonable? Who is doing differently and why would anyone tolerate it? In my view, a situation was brought to the attention of everyone, and will likely be dealt with. The GM is aware of the issue and has taken actions already to address it
8/26/2006
8/25/2006 The receipt showing that the certified letter asking that the proposed amendment to the by-laws be placed on the proxy for the annual meeting has been accepted came back on Thursday. That would indicate that the letter had been accepted on Wednesday, August 23rd. 8/25/2006 There was discussion when I first came on the board about the tennis courts. The interim manager mentioned that the courts were nearly due for an overhaul. That was to cost, if memory serves me correctly, around $50,000. He decided to buy additional clay and continue with maintenance addition of material. It seems we spent around $15,000 on more clay. He had thought that one more year could be worked on the courts without a rebuild. Not knowing much about tennis or the courts, the board would have not made an issue of this. Perhaps, if the former President was still there, the $50,000 would have been spent this year. But to assert that the BOD or the new General Manager is somehow intentionally allowing the courts to be run down is about as asinine as anything I have heard here. This board was advised that the courts could make it another year. That is all. Was that a bad direction? Could have been. If the question would have been asked without the innuendo and allegations, the answer would have been provided. Pretty simple stuff, really. If you have a question, ask it. At the next board meeting the item will be discussed and maintenance staff will be encouraged to have the courts in better shape. You know, there are actually people in the office and a new website that you can make suggestions on that will be sent to the board. I encourage anyone to bring these issues to the board and there will be movement on them. I hope that gives one the understanding of the tennis court issue. This post was not meant to say that the interim manager did a bad thing. He was acting in the best interest of the association.
The director says that at the next meeting the courts will be discussed. That is fine. However, let me tell you how this would have worked in the previous administration. The general manager would have been embarrassed that such a problem was reported. He would have had the supervisor responsible for the facility in his office for a face to face discussion. He would have wanted to know how it was that he had to find out about the problem from a member instead of from the supervisor himself. He would have made it clear that something like that was not to happen again and, finally, the problem would have been corrected immediately. The president would have thanked the member in person or in public at the next stated meeting for bringing it to our attention. He would have apologized that it happened in the first place and assured the members that the management was on top of it now and the problem was fixed. Oh, and of course, Henry would have severely reprimanded the general manager in as public forum as he could find for allowing such negligence. It appears that the Board of Directors has a number of projects on its plate right now that could commit our financial resources for many years to come. So, the best thing to do is probably take care of the tennis courts we have and deal with that renovation at another time. One final note, what is really "asinine" is to suggest that members who use a facility week after week cannot look around and see burned out bulbs where there should be light, rocks where there should be a nice playing surface, and weeds where there should be tennis court and not recognize that the facility is being neglected. 8/24/2006
8/24/2006 The tennis courts ARE BEING ALLOWED TO RUN DOWN! On almost every light post there are LIGHT BULBS BURNED OUT! Lake Forest has always had about the best lit courts around. BUT NOT NOW! The soft courts which have been among the nicest in the area now seem to be mostly ROCKS! Someone is not putting enough material on them to keep them playable. DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT THEY WERE DILAPIDATED! They were not! The clubhouse is less than ten years old and the courts were completely restored only four or five years ago. This seems to be a case of DELIBERATE NEGLECT! Someone is INCOMPETENT! It is either the tennis professional, the general manager or the Board of Directors. All I can tell you is that the tennis pro has been here for several years and this is the first year we have had anything like this. The previous general manager would have never let any amenity get to this state. Since management is responsible, we have to assume that it is the New general manager that is not doing her job. It could be that she is being directed by the board to allow this to happen. Why? The former president was a tennis player and the people on this board seem to have a real vendetta for him. Is that why they are doing it? I haven't seen the old president around the courts in months. I heard he was injured. You people, who ran your SAVE LAKE FOREST committee a couple of years ago better take notice. You didn't save Lake Forest. It was the rest of us who wanted to keep our other amenities that came out to vote. If this kind of thing is allowed to continue, you'll find that you no longer have the support of the rest of the thousands of members whose money keeps your golf course nice and your costs to play on it low!
8/23/2006 Concerning the resurfacing of Windsor and Lake Forst Boulevard: The technique used is called micro-surfacing. It is by all measures a maintenance surface only. It is not considered a repaving, or new pavement. It is generally effective on roads that have little structural damage and only age on the surface. It would not be appropriate to use this where significant structural problems exist. Ken Eslava is trying this method out to make roads last longer. In my discussions with him, he is concerned about the final appearance and smoothness. He will likely modify future applications of this type to get more leveling and smoothness of finish to be a little better. We will see how that goes. You should address your concerns to his office. He has always taken my calls and spoken openly about these issues with me.
8/23/2006 From a director . . . Yes, it is true that the contracting out of landscaping was brought up by the Building and Grounds Chairman, I believe. I think the reason is to do a comparative analysis of costs of having the golf course maintenance personnel doing this versus a private entity. There are really two issues to consider. One, what golf course maintenance is lost while we send crews around the various properties for yard work. Two, Can it be done more efficiently and more regularly by a contractor. I believe the consideration is for the remote properties only. The areas where we have to haul equipment around in order to perform the maintenance. That would be the Yacht Club and the outlying pools. I do not see the Country Club as a consideration. Again, this is merely a costing effort at this time. No decision has been made regarding the contracting of yard maintenance 8/22/2006 Maybe someone that was at the last meeting can confirm, but I thought I heard them say they were considering hiring an outside company to do "lawn maintenance"? With all we pay for golf course equipment and labor, we can't mow our own grass?
8/21/2006 This is the first year I have had a child at Daphne High School. Has the morning drop off always been so bad? The route has staff and students walking everywhere and getting out is next to impossible. There should be a better system put in place. Possible someone directing traffic at the entrance/exit? Any other thoughts or comments out there?
8/21/2006
8/21/2006
8/19/2006 So: is it safe to assume that one or two board members have behavior problems? lol. 8/18/2006 Another board meeting and absent once again was Mr. Barrow. Did he move? 8/18/2006 Henry has started the demolition of the country club. At Thursday nights meeting he pounded his gavel on the table so often and so hard that he broke the glass!!
8/17/2006
8/16/2006 From a director . . . The amendment as written would prohibit a member from bringing something forward from the floor. To prohibit a member from bringing business from the floor would be overly restrictive. Also, the board could willfully deny a member's issue from being considered by not putting it in meeting information distributed to the membership 30 days in advance. Do we really want no intiative and referendum capability from the membership? As you recall, a request from a member this past meeting needed litigation to be presented at the meeting. This amendment would give even more authority to the board as to what is present ed at the meetings. It will not prohibit the board from bringing ideas to the membership meetings. It will prohibit anyone, not just the board, from presenting something to the membership. I would ask this, why is the amendment necessary? Is there some plan to spring something on the membership without notice? Whose plan is it? What does it entail?
The litigation at the last meeting was unnecessary. The leadership at that time had never prevented a member from expressing a view and had no intention of restricting a member's right to make a presentation from the floor. Of course, those who brought the litigation may not have been aware of that and certainly had the right to take steps to guarantee that they could speak. As to the director's question as to what may or may not be planned to "spring on the membership without notice", this writer is not aware of anything. The amendment simply closes a loophole in the by-laws. Surely, the director cannot object to full and open communication with the membership about matters of great importance. Regarding a board willfully denying a member's issue by not putting it on the meeting information or proxy, the same thing can happen at the meeting by the chair declaring the motion "out of order". That has happened before. All that said, the idea was put forth to ask for recommendations for improving the amendment. We certainly do not want to create a barrage of trivial motions to be put on the proxy each year. If the director or anyone else has ideas that will improve the wording of the amendment and create a procedure that will adequately protect the rights of all the membership, they will certainly be considered. 8/16/2006 The amendment is right on...it would more than stop mischief, it would stop the downright underhanded tactics employed previously. 8/15/2006 On the proposed by-law change, I see no problem with that change at all, this change should have been in place a long time ago, it could save some mischief. 8/15/2006 We like the amendment to the by-laws and think it would be a good thing. 8/13/2006 I see in the "exclusive interview" (THE BALDWIN WHATEVER) with our local town cry baby that I continue to have a very bad deal living in Lake Forest. I'm sure glad to only of late to be so informed since I have mistakenly been enjoying this place for the past 28 years or so. However, I would prefer that he find a better place for me to live by he first moving there and reporting back to me via this outstanding paper. I think this would be a positive approach replacing the constant negative comments he bombards me with.
8/13/2006
8/12/2006 The tennis courts seem to be in need of a lot of maintenance. There is a terrible lack of rubico (clay court material) leaving nothing but rocks in many areas of the courts. There are also weeds growing all along the inside borders of the fences. On the bright side, the pro shop building and landscaping is lovely. 8/12/2006 Does anyone have any suggestions on whom we could ask to run for the board?
8/11/2006 I just saw the comments on the grapevine about only one name offered for the board. My thought has been the same for some time now. Why would anyone want to get on this board with the current members we already have. It seems to me it would only be a constant argument and any new ideas would be either defeated by those members or turned around to sound like it was their (current member) idea anyway
8/10/2006 According to the "official" website Director Candidate submissions are due by August 25th, with photos no later than September 8th.
8/9/2006
8/9/2006 From a director . . . There was no discussion of the name change in a board meeting. My guess is the Communications Committee decided this issue on their own, without input. That would be within their control and authority to do. 8/9/2006
Let us take idea that a step further. No single board member has final authority and the includes the president. The by-laws specifically states that "The president shall be a Director and the general executive and administrative officer of the Corporation, subject to the authority and policy guidance of the Board of Directors." So, while your webmaster may criticize the president occasionally for what he considers dumb ideas*, that does not mean that he holds the president completely responsible . If any of those ideas actually results in an action that the members consider damaging to the association, it will be the entire board that is responsible. They might keep that in mind. *Note: The webmaster's opinion is just that, an opinion. It does not necessarily reflect the attitude of the entire membership. 8/8/2006 Regarding changing the name of the newsletter to the "Lake Forester"; The name "Spectrum" was from a contest that many property owner residents participated in. Spectrum was chosen and has been the name for several years. Who changed it and why?
8/7/2006
8/7/2006 I agree with the writer that stated that we need to do repairs and maintain what we have here. Our fees are pretty reasonable and affordable. Most people can't afford to pay fees in some of the other neighborhoods and decide to move here because it IS affordable and a family oriented community. We may not be as "swanky" as some of the others, but it's a nice, safe place to raise a family. I agree, also, about the new name of the Lake Forest newspaper. "The Spectrum" was an eye catcher and had a nice ring to it. Now it sounds like it's geared toward a bunch of rangers or squirrels...but come to think of it, there are some pretty squirrelly characters in Lake Forest...LOL 8/7/2006 Yesterday (Thursday 8/3/06) the Eastern Shore Flotilla of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGA)presented 2 awards at the Lake Forest Yacht Club and Marina. See story.
8/3/2006
Well, we want to compare ourselves to Heron Lakes Country Club??
Here it goes!! class A family Membership is
$4150 to join and a monthly dues payment of $252/mo. Compare that to our deal of purchasing a home in L.F. and paying just $37.50/mo. Granted our club is not very fancy and the upkeep these days has been sorry, but it serves the community very well. The other C.C. is strictly for people wanting to be a part of a nice, private C.C. only facility, not a residential middle class neighborhood. The Mobile C.C. just to join is anywhere from $18,000-$30,000 then high monthly dues too !! I just pray this board will open there minds and realize our assets are valuable and deserve to be maintain, retained and not abandoned---- Please give it a rest !!! Do your job and repair what we have!!!! "The Lake Forester" ??? There's a reason why the name was not used and the mast head (heading) is very weak from a professional opinion----new and improved ?????? 8/3/2006 "Hi, I have a home right on the lake. The silt and weed/grass growth has gotten to the point that it is well past the end of my dock. I know there are concerns and plans for someday eliminating or at least reducing the level of the silt. But until then, the next time the lake level is lowered, is it possible to at least get around the edges of the lake and clear out the dead/fallen trees and perhaps cut back the overgrowth? I couldn't imagine the golfers putting up with fallen trees on the fairways..or uncut greens. The lake is as much of an amenity as any other LF facility. Thanks," I can't see that this would cost an excessive amount. As a lake front property owner I would even be willing to pay a fair amount toward this...but something has got to get done..and soon. It seem like such an easy, temporary fix...to just get in and cut out some of the "crap" that is growing in the silted up sections of the lake. At least then it would "look" more like a lake...rather than a marsh. 8/3/2006
8/3/2006
8/2/2006 Attention LFPOA Dance Fans. One of our own, Candice Prosch is the artistic director of Alabama Contemporary Dance which is sponsoring this exciting full evening concert in August." Check it out! 8/1/2006 One person’s late analysis of the July meeting: The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the scholarship winners. Other than that I agree nothing of real import happened. Brice Cocke did point out in his agenda address that most board members do not utilize the food and beverage areas of our amenities, while complaining that the membership at large does not participate. He cited over the last 9 months, 2 directors spent $0, and others spent $37 to $350 in food and beverage. If we want regular members to spend, why are the directors not at the establishments promoting more usage? If, as one director said, the directors are mirrors of the membership, why did we, YOU, vote non-users into office? Dumb! The new computer system authorized by the previous board can track each member’s purchase at all of our points of sale. In other business, the President said in the architecture report to “look for new bylaw and covenant changes” in the future. I say LOOK OUT. It was pointed out that few people check out the “official” web site. Could it be because it is updated so seldom and with really uninteresting data, that most people would rather check the “old” web site. Director Moss in his usually florid faced voice called it a blog. HEY, maybe he is computer literate after all, bless his heart. It was noted that the director/chairman of the food and beverage committee was not at this meeting, AGAIN. How many has he missed and what does he know about his aspect of our business??? As usual the meeting adjourned to “Executive Session” (is this a once month ritual?). The substance, as I have heard, was that our new General Manager wanted AN ADDITION TO HER $450.00 PER MONTH VEHICLE ALLOWANCE AN ADDITIONAL PER MILE ALLOWANCE!! This is on top of her reputed $60,000.00 per year salary. It was said that our president and vice-president voted YES for this increase. We noted that Steve Jernudd made all comments as to our financial status and not our new GM. Maybe someday she will be competent. The meeting ended with the usual visitation from a former treasurer.. It was interesting to hear that instead of his usual long-winded, nit-picking, he instructed the board to “watch expenses”. Duh! He then pointed out very obvious items in the monthly financial report. Bless his heart also.
As for Moss' comments about our little old website, I think the photo albums we introduced this year are nice, too. Speaking of photo albums, the Lake Photo Album was updated today. As for the F&B chairman, this is not the first time we've heard about his absenteeism. His term is up this time, so hopefully he will recognize that he has other priorities and choose not run again. Two board members have spent $0? That's not good. Regarding Henry's remarks about bylaws and covenants, the members are the only ones who can change bylaws and that must be by majority vote. The covenants would be almost impossible to change because of the laws associated with that, so such a change would be unlikely. 8/1/2006 Friday Construction knew or should have known exactly what they were getting when they bought the land a couple of years ago. If they want the shed relocated, they should pay to do it themselves. Does anyone actually think the rich developer is short on funds? He already talked Lake Forest out of $100K on the purchase....he's just seeing how much more he can get.
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My Lake Forest
newsletter came in yesterday. It is just chock full of stuff.
There is something in there for everyone. Henry had his little bit
from the corner as usual. He was lamenting the fact that the study
& charts on replacing the Country Club are not ready. This is
interesting. In this same paper are the minutes of the stated
meetings for May and June and there is not one word about
replacing or renovating the clubhouse in either one of them. Our
friends who report to the Grapevine each month on the meetings have not
mentioned a discussion of this issue at all. In fact, the only
time we hear anything about it is from Henry's corner. Explain
that. Maybe he's trying to find someone with sense who will say it
is a good idea. That won't happen. Especially since
Hurricane Katrina has sent the cost of construction materials through
the roof. No intelligent person will look at the cost of
demolishing and rebuilding at that clubhouse, estimate the years it will
take to return the investment and then say it is a good idea.