I recently attended a Zoom meeting for the AGM of my golf club. We have a membership of 600 members. 68 attended, 18 of which were BOD and two of them, including me were not supposed to be there because we were not in the right member category. I still paid dues for that period and have committed in writing to this year. So basically I crashed the party! It was a bad party as it turns out.
At a meeting of this type you have an opportunity to ask questions. They can be softballs or hardballs. I asked the hard questions, unfortunately the answers from the BOD were very suspect and I was made like my questions were an annoyance. So there comes a time when you need to cut bait. There has been a widening gap between myself and the direction the Club is going. The question to ask is why is the divide so wide?
I heard this saying years ago when I asked a question about a subject which now escapes me. The reply was “that is why they makes red cars and blue cars”. A very simple, yet complex statement. Personally, I am not a fan of red cars, they just don’t fit my eye. On the other hand I have owned my share of blue cars because I always liked the color blue. What I see, and what they see is not even in the same universe. This gap that has been created is not about being right, it is about doing the right thing. Doing the right thing is very hard. They talk of vision and being competitive in a changing market. The term “free money” was used because interest rates were so low. Funds needed to be borrowed to rectify an issue that has plagued them for years . When the problem was found the membership was never apologized to for the actions of past BOD’s. They never owned it and that bothers the hell out of me. My parents always told me if you make a mistake own it and if you tell the truth it is easier to remember. I guess those two go hand in hand. My belief of what is right and what theirs’s is greatly differs. It is the source of the widening gap. We both want a car only theirs’s is red and mine is blue.
The “free money” they speak of was spent on a project that was very questionable in design and one that will need more money fix. BTW when I asked about the designer of the project and whether he will be retained the answer was yes, even though there is a huge safety risk looming. The gap widens!
The only thing I know there is no such thing as “free money” and when borrowed it HAS to be paid back! I didn’t dare ask how they plan to repay it , but given previous responses they view raising fees as a revenue stream and there was no dialogue of how to create new revenue streams.
There were people on the call who talked tough months ago, who had an opportunity to voice there concerns on the call, but chose to remain relatively silent. Another member and myself were the only ones who asked the difficult questions. Those who chose not to speak showed there true character.
Going forward there will no longer be a Burr stuck to my backside. Instead it is time to get rid of it. Toss it away, and maybe just maybe it will attach to someone who hopefully driving a Blue car!
Until next time!
Be well stay safe.
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