When we entered the 2020 sailing, little did we know the challenges we would face. Covid 19 has forced us to adapt and be creative in order to have a sailing season. The good news is that we did have a sailing season and had the benefit of attracting new members as people looked for activities where they could social distance or try an activity that they had thought about for years. As we started 2020, we established three key goals. There were:
1.) Increase revenues through new memberships.
2.) Protect our assets both physical and financial
3.) Increase member participation in the day to day activities
So how did we do?
Increase revenues through new membership.
In 2020 our total membership rose to 73 members. We have 7 new members who have come to mostly through our website. Reasons they were attracted to us were they reason cost of membership, availability of training, availability of club boats and the ability to join online.
Protect our assets both physical and financial.
The budgeting process looked at our current assets, the condition of our infrastructure and the potential for membership, knowing that we were losing 10 members from the 2019 sailing season. In this process we established an $11,000 emergency fund and $12,500 fund to support infrastructure repairs. Support for the infrastructure fund came from members’ dues, new member initiation fees and B dock fees from members who have recently joined B dock. All of these funds we categorized as restricted funds that cannot be used for any other purpose than to support infrastructure. The emergency fund is a set aside fund that is for an unexpected unplanned event that needs immediate attention. As we approach the end of the year, we expect to have a balanced budget while making significant improvements in the infrastructure. At this time, we are projecting to complete the year with between $40,000-$42,000 in the bank. This is after we pay for the roof and gutter work. We will retain $11,000 as an emergency fund and $1,500 will remain in the ice fund for freezer replacement. The end result will be about $30,000 available for projects and general operating expenses. to start the 2021 sailing season. See the detailed summary for the specific projects completed.
Increase Member participation in the day to day activities.
Covid-19 put a damper on this goal since a majority of the involvement centered around social activities that were cancelled. This is not to say that there was not participation. Dave Marini reworked all of the woodwork in the O’Day 17 club, a small by dedicated group spent two days putting in docks while working under tough conditions having to wear masks as they installed docks and did it in a record two days. Hopefully 2021 will allow us to return to a more normal year and engage members contribute their time and talents on social events.
2020 Project List
Below is a brief summary of projects that were undertaken during 2020.
- Construct a porch and steps to the clubhouse that eliminates tripping hazards.
- Repair the drainage system at the launch ramp to eliminate sink holes that were developing.
- Remove the Hobie hut that was in poor repair and on the verge of collapse.
- Replace the water pressure tank and modify plumping to improve replacements in the future. There was no water pressure in the house before this replacement.
- Repair the electrical plug on the hoist to eliminate a shock hazard.
- Repair the door seal on the dock hose to eliminate water infiltration.
- Clear downed logs and split them into firewood for the fire pit.
- Add sand to the beach area.
- Replace the clubhouse roof and adding aluminum soffit, facia, gutters, and gutter guard. The gutters will be larger, and a gutter added to the screen porch to eliminate water against the house foundation. This project is currently underway.
- Update the web site to make it more user friendly and improve the online payment system. This update has also allowed for online registration for projects and house reservations.
- Adding signs for No Fishing (These will be posted in the spring)
- Conducted water sample with the Indiana State Department of Health. No heavy metals, arsenic, nitrates, or bacteria detected. Awaiting results on radon.
- Worked with the Muncie Park Department to pave the upper parking area with ground up asphalt. This was at no cost to the club.
Future Projects
Continuing to look at infrastructure we will be faced with window replacement and exterior paint. We have several rotten windows and exterior paint on the house is beginning to peel in multiple locations. For those reasons we will continue to set aside specific amounts of funds to accomplish these projects in the near future.
For the safety of everyone we will be pursuing a liaison with the Parks Department and with the DNR to work for greater enforcement and education of boaters to observe speed limits, no wake zones, rules of right of way and areas for tubing and water skiing. We will also attempt to make the dock area of the club a no anchor zone as we have had several issues of boaters obstructing our ability to enter the dock area.
This is the year in review.