AN OPEN LETTER TO THE BAYWINDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND BAYWINDS RESIDENTS

Re: Special Club Charges

              It has come to my attention that the Baywinds Board of Directors is considering the imposition of special charges upon approved clubs for use of Baywinds Club facilities for meetings and fundraisers.  No decisions have made, and I am assured that the Board is committed to seeking community input before any charges are voted upon.  With that in mind, I write this open letter to urge our Board of Directors to reject charges for monthly meetings and annual fundraisers by our approved clubs.  Of course, meetings and fundraisers for profit making ventures or for purposes outside approved club activities fall into a different category.  My reasons are as follows:

              Club charges will discourage club use and will impose an undue burden upon our clubs.  Baywinds residents chose to purchase homes in this community with its clubhouse to meet a number of different needs and desires.  Clubhouse use falls into two broad categories.  Some residents use our club facilities to maintain fitness, for sports and for recreation.  These uses are generally informal.  Others use the clubhouse for civic welfare, charitable, artistic and group study endeavors.  These are generally accommodated by our clubs.  All residents know that the clubhouse is not free.  We all understood that the cost of maintaining the clubhouse would be shared equally by all through our regular assessments.  Baywinds clubs are run either on a no-dues or very modest dues basis.  Fundraising events have been few and far between.  Social events usual cover costs and little more.   The imposition of Board imposed fees for regular meetings or annual social events and/or fundraisers will likely result in significant hardship; the fees will discourage club membership; and use of the clubhouse may decline. A vibrate community needs a clubhouse that meets the disparate needs of its residents.   Our Board should not be in the business of imposing charges on some uses and not others.

              Charges upon Baywinds clubs are both illogical and unfair.  While there may some superficial rational to charging Baywinds clubs for use of the clubhouse, the rational fails upon analysis.  It simply makes no sense for preserve regular (even daily) vigorous use of the tennis and bocce courts, fitness room and swimming pools without additional charges but impose additional fees upon those who use only tables and chairs once a month through their club activities.  Additional charges are claimed to be justified by the extra costs incurred to accommodate club activities.  Whatever these costs may be they pale in comparison to the costs for the daily grooming of the tennis courts and maintaining the pools and fitness facilities.  The assertion that setting up for club meetings fundraisers causes extra work for the clubhouse staff is also without merit.  First, there is no “extra” work.  Setting up meeting rooms and the ball room has been and should remain a core activity for clubhouse staff.  Second, the clubhouse must be run for the benefit of Baywinds residents, who ultimately pay staff salaries, and not for the convenience of clubhouse staff who receive the salaries.

              The imposition of Club charges may have odd and perverse consequences.  Additional charges upon use of clubhouse rooms by approved clubs will result differentiation between uses as follows:

              No additional Charge Uses                                  Uses with Additional Charges

Card Playing                                                                      Bible study

Tennis Matches                                                      Community civic endeavors

Billiards                                                                    Charitable fundraising

All clubs, including Men’s and Women’s clubs, Hadassah and CERT, are

in the crosshairs for these charges.

              I am not suggesting that card players, tennis and billiards enthusiasts should also pay fees.  Heaven Forbid!!  My point is a simple one.  The clubhouse should be open to all residents.  Funding the facility expenses should be imposed on an equal basis through regular assessments. 

              There is an important role for our Board of Directors.  Reasonable limits must be set.  Few would object to additional charges if clubs wish to use the clubhouse more frequently than monthly or if they plan multiple social or fundraising events during the year. A process to assign meeting rooms and the ball room when more than one group wishes to use them must be designed. A calendaring committee seems a reasonable approach.  In my opinion, our Board should consider reasonable limitations and perhaps charges for use of the Clubhouse by non-residents, including non-resident friends and family of Baywinds residents. 

              I urge all Baywinds residents who share my concerns to express them to their Board members.  One open letter won’t do it.  Last minute appeals made after minds have made up are also likely to fail.

Sincerely

Leonard R. Berkowitz