[Board-2018] PYC Constitution

[Scott Blidberg]

Hello all,

First, allow me to apologize for my absence this evening - I started a new
job this week and the schedule has been challenging to say the least.  I
had been anticipating the discussion this week and am sorry I missed it.
That said, I look forward to a review of the meeting via the minutes!

In response to the proposal above I'd like to *strongly* oppose an
increase, particularly of such a degree.  While some of the points may be
valid for certain individuals (at least anecdotally), I would also like to
point out that there are many, many members (myself included) that would
have no possible way of joining the club should the application fee be
anywhere near as high as proposed. While the situations mentioned may not
be fiction, they are by no means the norm and do not, in my view, warrant
such measures.

One of the tremendous appeals of this club is that it is *not* a place
where only those with large amounts of disposable income can be
members. Members
similar to myself, who are active and who very much feel the real impact of
an annual expense in the thousands (when factoring in dues/slip/etc...),
are not the type that we are going to gain more of by raising initiation
fees.  In fact, I would argue that they are very much the ones we will
lose.  Additionally, there is absolutely no guarantee that those who have
the means to spend $2500 - $5000 simply to apply will be more active
members or won't be interested in joining for exactly the reasons addressed!

It is important that we not lose sight of exactly what the financial impact
membership can truly be to other members. This club - in my experience
through a lifetime of being in and around it - has never been a place where
you needed to have a lot of money to be a member. I for one will always do
my best to make sure that remains the case. We need to grow our membership
based on the quality of the people we choose to let in and not their
ability to fork over larger and larger amounts of money.

As always, I look forward to the thoughts from the Board!

-Scott



On Thu, Jun 14, 2018 at 9:54 PM Ron Laurence - Blueberry Bay Farm <
info at blueberrybayfarm.com> wrote:

> Commodore Michael & Officers & Directors
>
> I would like to strongly recommend that the PYC Constitution be amended to
> rectify our absurdly low application fee. Our present fee does little to
> insure that applicants for membership truly want to participate in, and
> contribute to the *Portsmouth *Yacht Club.  Without a more reasonable
> fee, such as $2500, or $5000, we will continue to discourage earnest
> applicants with a painfully long waiting list, largely, I feel, because of
> people who:
>
> - Want to gain a membership card in a bargain yacht club simply so they
> can have dinner at any reciprocating club in the country (world?);
>
> - Are local residents who think its great to be able to walk to dinner, so
> inexpensively;
>
> - Wish to be able to tell their friends they belong to a "Yacht Club", so
> inexpensively (and take pride in showing off their PYC sweatshirt or other
> garment);
>
> - Want to be able to show on their resume, and/or their obituary that they
> belong(ed) to a yacht club;
>
> In that our Steward claims there are at least 70 members, in his roughly
> ten years of service, that have never set foot once in the clubhouse,
> pretty much indicates the above situations are not fiction.  Why not
> eliminate or greatly reduce these absentee members and give those on the
> waiting list who really want to *belong* (and contribute to our financial
> situation through participation) a chance to become accepted into
> membership in a more reasonable period of time, and not diminish their
> enthusiasm.
>
> Therefore I urge the entire board to approve this proposal so that the
> entire membership can affirm it.
>
> -
>
> --
>


-- 
Scott Blidberg

scott.blidberg at gmail.com
Phone:  603.674.1179
http://www.linkedin.com/in/scottblidberg
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