Sunday, September 27, 2009
Change in Winter Storage Policy/Management?
This past winter, several boats were left in their winter storage location long after the sailing season began. For small boats, this meant that a member, or more than one member, might have to move your boat in order to get access to their assigned space. For big boats, this meant boats were taking up parking spaces when they should be in the water or in their assigned dry sailing spaces. This can be an eyesore, it can be frustrting when there is not enough parking for an event, it makes the Vice Commodore's job harder when he or she has to spend time reaching out to members to beg them to do what they are already supposed to do. One idea is to charge a $300 fee (or sme higher than usual amount) for winter storage and if you have you boat in its seasonal place by May 1, you get the extra fee back. Another idea is to charge these memebers $25 per week until they move their boats. Do you have an idea for handling this situation? Post a comment here or reach out to a Board member if you are not comfortable posting your opinion here.
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I hope people will share their thoughts with everyone by using the blog instead of having a private conversation with a Board member. We all want to know what other members think.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don’t like about assessing financial penalties is that it allows the bad behavior to continue so long as the offender is willing to pay the fee. In this example, the offender would seem to be able to leave the boat in place for the season if he paid $300.
ReplyDeleteI would prefer a system in which it is made clear to the offender that his behavior is adversely affecting the other members of the club. A violation of a rule handed down by authority is not the same as offending one’s peers. I would propose that we publish the names of the offenders at some point in the enforcement process, as is sometimes done with delinquent taxpayers or deadbeat dads. The offenders should answer to the members of the club, not just the board. I think most people are loathe to have their transgressions made public. I would envision an enforcement policy with approximately the following steps with some time, perhaps a week, in between each step.
•A polite warning from the commodore
•Publication of a list of offenders
•An infraction notice
•A second infraction notice
•Suspension
•Expulsion
All of this, except the publication of offenders, is in our current policies. Additionally anyone who gets to the infraction notice step would not be allowed to store their boat the following winter. As has been our custom, a satisfactory reason for non compliance would allow more time or other accommodations.
p.s. The whole configuration and appearance of winter storage needs to be more carefully handled than it was last year, where I would describe our appearance as one of a low rent marina. Boats should be less visible from the road and have real boat covers or at least brown and green covers instead of bright blue, flapping tarps. We should be a good neighbor to the community and not have the place looking junky.
Totally agree. I like the idea of publishing the names. It is probably illegal, but I was going to suggest that after several warnings we simply remove the boats from the club. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI can say that when we imposed a late fee for dues, it was very successful in prevention. This year we had ONE, only ONE, peson pay a late fee. In previous years, we were chasing people for dues weeks after the final due date. This year, all but ONE memberpaid on time! We are hoping this can spill over into getting boats in the water or in their dry sail position. At least there is some chance people will actually use the boats from there, while there is VERY little possibility they will use them mast down covered for the winter.
ReplyDeleteI think charging extra $ works. There is NOTHING good about the boats being left in their winter storage space.