[Capri25] WYC Open Board meeting 5/14 @ 7:00 PM

[Lewis Sacks]

As most of you know, a Capri 25 Fleet meeting was held on April 26 in which Fleet concerns were discussed.  As a result a letter was drafted, reviewed and sent this morning to the WYC Officers, Board and Race Committee Chair.   A copy of that letter is below.  There will be an Open Board Meeting for all Family members on 5/14 at which I and other Capri 25 Fleet  Family members plan to attend.  We invite you to attend also.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

May 3, 2007
 
To:  WYC Commodore, Officers, Board of Directors, and Race Committee Chairman

Subject:  Concerns Expressed by the Capri 25 Fleet Regarding Recent Yacht Club Actions/Activities

On April 26, members of the WYC Capri 25 Fleet met to discuss issues of common concern.  This e-mail has been written on behalf of those members in order to share their thoughts with you regarding actions that have been taken by the Wayzata Yacht Club Board and Race Committee that affect our Fleet.  Outlined below are our perspectives regarding the following matters:

Increasing Mooring and Membership Dues  

Members of our fleet are troubled by the rapidly increasing mooring fees and family membership dues that have been levied in the past few years.  We understand the former mooring fee schedule was complicated, unfair, and needed updating, but we feel significant fee changes such as these need to be implemented more gradually and with more input from members.   Increased fees make it difficult for many of our fleet members to be able to afford to own a boat and race at WYC, reduce the likelihood that crew members will be able to afford to become a skipper, and make it increasingly difficult to attract new family members.   Current WYC spending levels followed by significant cost increases are not supported by the members of our Fleet.   While the Officers and Board may perceive them as necessary expenditures, we respectfully disagree.

To address this issue for our fleet members, and allow us the opportunity to review and better understand why these increases have taken place, we are requesting the detail of all Yacht Club expenditures and revenues for the past three years, as well as a copy of the proposed budget for 2007.  

Once we have an opportunity to review this information, we will provide the board with additional feedback and our perspectives on past and future budget considerations. 

Rosekrans Property Acquisition  

Members of the Capri 25 Fleet have significant concerns regarding any potential action by the Board to utilize Club assets or revenues to acquire the Rosekrans property to expand the sailing school.  

In the past, we were told by Board members that it is their position that any funding for the acquisition of this property would be fully secured by the Wayzata Sailing Foundation donations and revenue sources and no WYC assets or membership revenues would be used for this purpose. 

Given the fact that it has become increasingly difficult for our Fleet members to pay higher dues, please be advised that it is the position of our fleet that no increase in WYC mooring fees, dues, or other fees would be supported by our fleet for acquisition of the Rosekrans property. 

Modified Starting Sequence and Other Racing Issues  

Our Fleet has become aware that we have been moved back one position in the starting sequence.  We are concerned about the impact this change will have on racing within our Fleet. 

We recognize that the start order modifications may have some mitigating factors when a trapezoidal course is set but we have observed that the Race Committee sets trapezoid courses only during times when the wind is coming from a limited range of directions and without oscillations.  Given this change, we are requesting that the Race Committee implement the following relative to the Capri 25 Fleet:

1.         Given the modified starting sequence, we request utilization of the trapezoidal course as much as possible, with the Capri 25 Fleet remaining on the right course during the entire race.

2.         The Capri 25 Fleet is serious about racing, and on days when longer courses are assigned to fleets that start earlier in the sequence, we want the race committee to in all instances also assign a longer race for our fleet. We do not want to be penalized with a shorter race because we are now starting further back in the sequence. (This already happened during the tune-up race on Sunday April 29th, 2007.)

3.         We request that no Olympic courses be assigned to our Fleet.

Focus on Better Communication  

Although this letter may be viewed by some as criticism, our Fleet recognizes that communication is a two-way street and we have not communicated our thoughts or concerns to the board prior to this time except through informal channels.   

Our Fleet would prefer to do this on a regular schedule and is going to stay more informed and active relative to Yacht Club activities so we may provide the Board with our perspectives.   

To assist us in this regard, we request that the agenda for upcoming Board meetings and the minutes from past Board meetings be placed on the Club’s website for review so that we and other members can keep abreast of the activities and expenditures that are being discussed.

I understand the May 14th Board Meeting will be open to all Family members and plan to be present so that I may address any questions which the Board may have regarding our fleet’s concerns.
 
We thank you in advance for providing us with the financial and meeting information requested and look forward to further discussions in the future.   


For the WYC Capri 25 Fleet
 
Lew Sacks
Capri 25 Fleet Captain



 
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