Board Report

As my term as Chairman comes to a close, here are some observations from my last three years on the Board:

This Board has worked very hard to take action on many of the things “Somebody should do something about.”

• “Somebody should do something about electricity.”
  • We contracted for a professional electrical study to identify exactly what needs to be done to rectify insufficient power.
  • Developed an ad-hoc electrical committee, committed to see this through over the years the project will require.
• “Somebody should do something about Ganges.”
  • We studied the situation and ended our lease, moving to a pre-paid moorage arrangement at Saltspring Marina, dramatically cutting expenses.
  • When the just-permitted remodel of this marina is complete, we should have a truly first class outstation in Ganges.
• “Somebody should do something about moorage rule violators.”
  • Clearing slips of unused boats in order to shorten the moorage wait list will help to attract new members.
  • Every month, the Moorage Committee, through the Vice Commodore, is to report to the Board on moorage violations and recommended actions. If no action is taken, it will be on record in the minutes that the board “actively took no action.”
  • In September, the vast majority of those who received notices had taken obvious steps to participate and use or dispose of their boats. In fact, many were out of their slips and no, not at the bottom – I checked!
  • While this is a difficult area, the end goal is to either encourage more active boating by the members or coax them to make room for active members waiting for moorage.

- I would like to recognize and thank the many volunteers who make this club run, especially my fellow members of the Board of Trustees and current Chairman, Mark LaFountaine. I would also like to single out, recognize and thank Gary Stone for the tireless efforts put forward to spearhead the Planning and Finance, 520 and Electrical committees.

- I tried to carry forward the message delivered time and again by Mark Weiss in his tenure: this club is run by the Bridge. The Board is there for policy, discipline and oversight of the financial operations but the Bridge determines direction.

- Last year, I defined an overriding motto and wish for my year as Chairman: “No Drama!” Considering that, with spouses and significant others, the club is made up of some 800 very unique personalities, I am happy to report that the majority remembered we are connected in a fraternal organization and the drama was indeed kept to a minimum.

Tom Johnson
Board Chair. retired