President’s Letter

March 21, 2018

Dear Fellow Members:

Well, March has come in like three lions named Riley, Quinn, and Skylar.  They broke into our Beach Club and scattered rocks and seaweed all over the place.  They blew off some shingles and broke down the pipe railing along the ocean and dumped seawater, rocks, and weeds all over the clubhouse floor. They also created some additional damage to the sea deck posts, the pump room and a number of other, mostly minor things that are under review by our Insurance company.  But, Spring has arrived, and even though another storm is predicted, we are committed to being up and running smoothly by opening day.

The Executive Committee has worked well together during the offseason, and there have been many significant individual contributions to our operation that merit mentioning:

  1. Jeff Ristau did an excellent job as our manager last year, and he has agreed to a new two-year contract. Jeff is busy dealing with the herculean task of cleaning up the storms’ aftermath, overseeing the purchase of needed new equipment, and hiring staff for the office, kitchen, and pool.
  2. Anne Hodsdson’s long-range membership planning committee has completed an extensive mail and phone survey of all categories of our membership. Her committee has condensed their findings and made several suggestions for possible change. These include a review of our existing admission policy, possible expansion of membership categories,  possible transfer of memberships within families, and possible sale of one’s membership back to the club with the opening used to admit priority list applicants.  These suggestions will be reviewed by the Board of Directors for comment and will then be presented at our annual meeting in June.
  3. Rob Macleod’s knowledgeable financial guidance and his detailed structuring of our capital improvement funds have resulted in a significant reduction in our outstanding bank indebtedness. At the same time, he has kept us well within our annual operating budget and, with the help of Jeff and Jon, created a meaningful and manageable list of capital projects for the coming year and beyond. Barring any more significant storms or surprises, no increase in membership dues is anticipated for the coming year.
  4. Tiffany McCann has agreed to step up from the Board of Directors and fill The Executive Committee opening created by the untimely death of Dr. John Clifford. Meghan Fabriga and Tiffany will manage our Social Calendar for the coming season. They’re excited to present some fun new additions to the social calendar for this year.
  5. Jon Mackin has done a tremendous job in updating our electronic communication capabilities. This season (after June 1st) you will be able to: Pay your bills online, Make reservations for social events, Reserve sea deck tables and lobster cooks, View event calendars for upcoming swim meets and parties, and register any and all complaints and compliments directly.  Additionally, newly installed cameras will allow you to view our parking lot and the ocean to see what condition look like prior to your coming to the club.
  6. Gail Sudduth has managed our interaction with the NH Department of Labor and worked with Jeff to ensure future compliance. She has also been tasked with reviewing and updating all of our rules and regulations that will become part of our new directory.
  7. Eric Browning, besides helping to board up the clubhouse for protection against the sea, has prepared a structured program for swimmers and their parents of our Championship Swim Team. Nicole Ciancarelli will become the part-time office manager and we are searching for a new head lifeguard and swim coach.
  8. Tim Bottomley has been actively tracking and updating all changes in our membership. This winter we have had a few deaths, resignations, and a number of new baby additions to our Beach Club family. We will be completing our census by the end of April and offering new memberships as is consistent with our rules after the Executive Council meeting in May.
  9. Sarah Casassa has kept track of all of our meetings’ efforts and posted the minutes of each meeting to our website. She has provided excellent counsel and knowledgeable guidance for all of our activities.

Finally, the results of our 2017 Satisfaction Survey were tallied and are available on our web site. The general consensus was that we had a really good year, with year over year improvements in almost all categories.    The Executive Committee depends on these inputs for targeting actions that can improve the memberships overall enjoyment of the club.

We all look forward to an excellent season at our Beach Club in 2018.

Sincerely:

Garry Layman, President

for the Executive Committee

P.S.

Please remember to pay your membership dues by May 1st to confirm your interest in continuing your membership, and to avoid late charges.