RMCC BOD Election

[pingtheduck]

Watch it lady! That hot young guy is somebody's son! Spoken like someone who just heard First Graders talking boyfriend/girlfriend smack.

Originally Posted by Robin

How about a little 9 hole par three course for us wimpy golfers and a nice pool/spa complex for us to sit in and brag about our "great" game afterwards with free champagne brought to us by hot young s guys?!?!

[Robin]

My oldest son is almost 22! Thanks for calling me a young lady! I am serious about the par 3 and pool though! I have been reviewing my ballot and taking into consideration the thoughtful comments posted. We came on as members in 1988 I believe, and I have seen much change...for the better! My hubby is the golfer mostly and he is just happy to get a chance to get out on the course and play. I have never heard him complain about the condition of the course. I guess at our level of golf it is not as much as an issue as it is to others! I do have issue with the food...I love the 19th and parasol room...but I can barely stand the food. I know everyone tries hard and has good intentions but maybe some outside (or inside..) consulting might help.

[wakeupcall]

It is good to see the support for Vince Lepera and the other incumbent. I think that they have worked very hard during a difficult time. We have already sent in our ballot with Vince's name marked.

I think that the current board is beginning to address the course condition problem. I encourage them and the new manager to make some big changes to our greens/ course maintenance department. The superintendent should be replaced immediately. That should have been done 5 years ago. Ward has never had the skills and ability and has shown over time that he lacks the leadership to get the job done. Our course is an embarassment when compared to other (even public) courses in the area. I won't get into the nit picking, but I encourage the board led by Vince Leperato to make that their FIRST PRIORITY. No more excuses, just get the job done.

Let's support the board in this important action.

[Birdieman]

A little something from our President to dispell some nasty rumors. It's a cryin' freakin' shame that some people stoop to the level they do at times. Vote for Vince.


RMCC Members and the community, yesterday I read the RVT and in particular the “opinion” page. I saw that 2 former RMCC Board Presidents and a disgruntled member published their “opinions”. Thus I felt it is critical to address this situation in both the RVT and Ranchomurieta.com. The following will appear in next weeks RVT;
In Response to the “Opinions” of RMCC Former Board Presidents
Once again, it appears that it is time for a column on “Rumor Mill”. This time I am referring to information in the letters in the October 22, 2008 Opinions Column from two RMCC past presidents and an RMCC member who failed to meet the qualifications as a candidate for Director in the current election. There are so many accusations, allegations and blatant untruths in these letters that it is hard to know where to begin. But let me make a stab at it.

• RUMOR – It was alleged that Bob Johnson, the General Manager who left our employ in February of this year, “spearheaded” the CDO project that went back to 2003-4.

FACT – We were served with the CDO on January 26, 2006. It was based on the lawsuit filed by the Calif. Sport Fishing Alliance in July of 2005. Mr. Johnson at the direction of the Board worked with engineering firms to help develop a plan that would resolve this matter. The Board then authorized me to meet and negotiate with McMorgan and Co., the legal arm of PTF, to obtain the $1.9 million to fund the project that would meet the State requirements and, thereby, avoid a special assessment for the members of over $2,200 per golfing member.

• RUMOR – We deliberately reduced watering during the hottest part of the year.

FACT – You can’t water courses with water you don’t have or won’t have if you don’t conserve. The CSD General Manager and water engineer told us in writing that there was a shortage of reclaimed water; they added that if we didn’t cut back in the summer, we would have zero reclaimed water for irrigation by mid-September. Neither of these choices would produce high quality golf courses. We chose the lesser of two evils and conserved water as necessary. To assist us in our shortage, the CSD did provide us with “clean” water out of the lakes but this is not the final solution for reclaimed water and storage problems. In fact our agreement that is on file at the county from 1988 with the CSD clearly reads “agreement for availability and use of reclaimed wastewater.”

• RUMOR – It is asserted that communication skills have gone to the President instead of the Par T Line publication of a few years ago that was allegedly “more comprehensive”.

FACT – The Par T Line, a previous newsletter, had a column or so devoted to the President’s message. Today’s letter from the President/ General Manager sent to your homes is usually three to four pages full of factual information. Furthermore, I respond to emails from members within twenty four hours of receipt. Our Website contains news from the individual Clubs in addition to the President/General Manager letter, the Board Briefs, a calendar of events, dining menus, weather forecasts and a great deal of other information. In fact, there is much more information available now than ever before. According to the statistics we receive, most of our members use the Website frequently.

• RUMOR – If I’m reelected, you’ll have 3 more years of false promises.

FACT – We’ve lived up to our promises. We said that Alameda Drive would be paved. It has been. We said we’ve solve the CDO problem without a special assessment. We did. We said we’d hold down the dues. We did for 2 ½ years. We said we’d get the Club operating in the black. We did. In 1999 there was a commissioned USGA Turf Advisory study that was never acted upon. Had those recommendations been carried out, our turf might be thicker today instead of bedrock in places. Because of the lack of action, we’re having another USGA study performed (at a cost of $3,000 +) to obtain up to date recommendations. The members will know what the recommendations are and for the ones we institute the members will know as for those that we don’t the members will know.

• RUMOR – Mr. Bowles would have us believe that he alone is capable of defining an ideal Country Club.

FACT –Mr. Bowles failed to mention that his description was lifted verbatim from that of St. Andrews of the well known Golf Club in Scotland. By the way, he also used this in his President’s message in the 2005 April/May issue of the Par T Line without acknowledging its source. Mr. Bowles may have overlooked the fact that failure to cite the author of this quote is plagiarism.

Personally I believe all members play a role in defining the ideal Country Club.

• RUMOR – The Capital Improvement Fund was created long ago.

FACT – I have no record of any prior fund having been created. Under Jerry Pasek’s Presidency (2005-06), the finance committee made the recommendation of which Bob Crum made a motion and I seconded it to set up a category to budget $50K per year (or more if possible) for a Reserve fund. This has been in effect ever since. We currently have $207,000 in reserves.

The biggest disappointment from these past Club President’s remarks is that I am taking the credit for the hard work of others. The fact is I have certainly been a part of the positive contributions over the past 3 years for the club; but, it has always been “We” who achieved them. I am deeply grateful for the hard work of all the committees, the volunteers for all the events, the staff, and most importantly the Board of Directors of which I am proud to serve as President.

While there are many other things I could address, the above will give you an idea of how to separate fact from fiction. I do believe the past Presidents did an admirable job and, while I may not like everything they did or didn’t accomplish or the way they went about it, I will always respect the fact that they tried.

Finally, I would like to add that the Country Club is more than a golf course. It is a way of life for the community and others who wish to be a part of it. For those who choose to be on a committee or the Board, please keep in mind that it’s our job to see that Rancho Murieta Country Club is the best!

By the time you receive this, you will probably have submitted your vote. For those who voted for me, I thank you.

[Matthew]

Congratulations to Vince Lepera, Mike Valdez, and Claudia Foutz.

[nana]

Vince ran a great meeting. He deserved another term! It was well-attended and a pleasant and informative gathering.

[Robin]

Congratulations to the new Board! I look forward to them keeping what is special about our Club and fixin" what isn't!

[belement]

i agree with you wakeupcall. i think the new board should start working on getting the golf course turned around. the superintendent should be replaced ASAP!! There are many things that need to be addressed about the courses. Hire a superintendent that knows what to do, thats got the long time experience And let him do his job, thats what we hire him to do. I think he should report to the board, not the general manager. General Managers don't run the golf course, they run the club, hospitality stuff, functions at the club. And they have NO education or know how about golf course upkeep. The GM does not have a degree in agronomy, horticulture, or turf science. Soooo hire a superintendent that knows his stuff to get our courses back on track and let him do his job. The new board needs to make this change, especially with the USGA making its recommendations on what we need to do with our courses. I know the members want it, the board says they want it, so lets do it!! we need to do it to attract more membership. we have to be better than a public course and better than our competition. Make it the talk of northern california again, the place to be, to brag about. After all that is what we advertise. if we make those changes we'll sell more golf memberships.