Fellow EVRC Members,
 
The election results are in and a majority favored closing the club and the board will respect that direction from the membership.  However, the board - and I'm sure the membership as a whole - is open to any viable option that may keep the club open, but we can't hold out for 'pie-in-the-sky' promises.    
 
Since the pool reopened EVRC has advertised, delivered fliers to area schools and neighborhood homes, held open houses, encouraged existing members to bring in new members, offered sign-up incentives and still we've only managed to build the membership to fifty-seven.  Fifty-seven members is less than half what we probably need to keep us afloat financially. For those upset with the vote to close the club: I don't blame you (I'm not thrilled with it either) but we need concrete actions, not just more "plans" to keep the club open.
 
I fear that Option three, or any variation of 'keep the club open and let's see what happens', would simply run the club into the ground-again.  Continuing to operate on borrowed (and very expensive) money would only dig us deeper in debt.  It might allow the club to stay open another year, maybe even two, but in the end we'd be back where we are now except with even bigger debt with no way to pay and facing an inevitable foreclosure.  The club has been in that situation before, just barely avoiding foreclosure.
 
Shares?  Assuming we could do it legally, we would need to recruit enough members willing to buy shares to payoff our debt.  One hundred twenty-five members willing to pay $2800 would do it.  Or, one hundred members willing to pay $3500.  But there are only fifty-seven members currently and I doubt we'd keep even half of that were we expected to buy a share. And there would still be dues to pay to cover operating and maintenance costs. Moreover, the share price might have to be based on the market value of the pool, not just the loan due, which could significantly increase the cost of a "share."  Still, if someone can come up with the actual members willing to put up the cash (not just a plan) please do!  I am sure the board and membership would welcome keeping EVRC open.

In the meantime the board will be mothballing the club for the winter and following through on the membership's direction regarding closing the club. If a better alternative presents itself the board will certainly entertain and communicate that option to the membership.  It would be great to be able to reopen the club for swimming next summer.  It would tragic however if in hoping for next summer we lost the club because we simply weren't willing to face financial reality. 
 
If you've questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the board. 
 
Jack Baker
EVRC Board President