February, 2013
To: Wolf Laurel
Country Club membership
From: Warren
Johnson, President, via the Board of Directors
Re: Results of
winter 2013 meeting (Operations)
The Board of
Directors recently completed our annual winter meeting. After a day and a half of intensive
discussions covering all phases of our operation, we reached conclusions on the
following: (1) Dues will remain the same
for 2013 ($2860.00 for golf and $1430.00 for social). Non-equity members pay 15% more, (2) The
capital assessment fee of $200.00 will remain the same, except that we will
collect the $50.00 per month in the months of June, July, August, and September
instead of July, August, September, and October as we have done during the last
few years, (3) The food minimum will remain the same ($500.00 per season)
except this year it will apply only to food.
Much discussion centered on dues. We didn’t raise dues, but instead declared an
upfront $48,029.80 loss, thus raising the likelihood of an assessment in 2013. That number is our proposed 7% dues increase
that was represented in a balanced budget that was defeated. So any assessment in 2013 will depend on our
strict supervision of the budget on a month to month basis, coupled with the
member’s use of the Club. In our
drafting of the 2013 budget, the Board and staff managers worked hard to
minimize expenses and be realistic in the projections for the coming year. The budget was reviewed in great detail with
the main focus being on the overriding notion that we did not want to cut services
that our membership have come to expect.
So after much discussion, the Board determined that declaring an initial
loss in the amount stated above, was preferable to increasing dues, inasmuch as
a dues increase goes on the recurring base and cannot be lowered, while an
assessment is a yearly event and depends on budgeting and Club use. There was
concern that the membership is weary of dues increases, and this action puts
the burden on our monitoring the budget, and, as stated above, also on members
using the Club facilities. It should be understood that a final assessment at
the end of the year could be more than a $48,029.80 loss, but that is where we
start the budget year. It’s inevitable that costs will continue to rise, but we
are determined to closely monitor every expense that we incur with an eye to
being on budget at season’s end.
Another topic of
intense debate was the cost of membership.
Prior to our meeting the cost of a new membership was $14,000.00
($7,000.00 initiation and $7,000.00 equity) for golf. We lowered that amount to $8,000.00 ($6000.00
initiation and $2,000.00 equity) for golf and $4,000.00 ($3,000.00 initiation
and $1,000.00 equity) for social. We took this action because the life blood of
any club is dues. The more members pay
dues, the less the assessment. New
non-equity golf and social memberships were discontinued. In addition, all new
member fees will be directed toward the capital fund. We intend to end the practice of mixing
operation and capital money. So after February 15, 2013 the membership entrance
fee for NEW members is what is stated above.
All EXISTING members continue with their equity position as before. NO CHANGE THERE.
None of this was
done without spirited discussion. At the
end of the day, however, we came to the above conclusions regarding dues and
fees. It’s a new direction and we look forward to your continued support.
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