I hate to move Kay's letter even an inch down the page because of it's importance and relevance to this whole matter. But besides the bond vote on Thursday May 10th, tomorrow, May 1st ranks only behind the actual budget vote on May 17 as the most important date on the calendar this year at FW. We need to show up and let the board know how we feel about an 18% tax increase.
In the meantime I want to thank the "snowbirds" for doing their part to keep the whole process as democratic as possible. When these folks found out that the vote was originally scheduled for March, they sent a blizzard of emails north to leaders here who had no choice but to relent and reschedule for this month.
And it doesn't matter to me which way they plan to vote. I thanks them for their efforts.
As for me, I've been trying to do my part to educate anyone and everyone who would read or listen. It's what I do. I'm a retired teacher and that part of me will never die.
This whole process has been about keeping people informed so that they can vote as informed voters, not be left in the dark subject to propaganda.
We need change at Farmington Woods. The golf course has the potential to be a wonderful asset to the entire community. But it won't be as long as a large group of residents resent funding something they are told they own, but don't get to use unless they pay thousands to do so. Unfortunately, we own a losing enterprise and we're all paying for it whether we play here or not.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL RESIDENTS OF FARMINGTON WOODS
I'll be honest. For sometime now I've had a theory that there's been a plan in place since the Ad-Hoc Select Committee to Study Golf announced in 2009 that despite the fact that the Farmington Woods Golf Club had lost money five out of the previous six years, residents would have to make up any shortages incurred by the golf/clubhouse operation when membership could not sustain it. They put forth the rationale that the course, like the pools, tennis courts and sidewalks for that matter, was an amenity that benefited all residents.
That logic falls short with me, since we pay for pools, tennis courts and sidewalks with district taxes and condo fees. The Golf Club is not an amenity given the fact that residents have to shell out thousands to be members. The only "benefit" we get from these operations as "members" is that we get the privilege of paying $360. per year in what I call "Taximums" to a restaurant that still can't make a profit.
Anyway, this letter from Kay Olsen is the missing piece of my theory. The next step in the aforementioned plan was to hold focus groups, put a few golfers in here and there and voila: Instead of results being reported as "Residents overwhelmingly want golf to be self-supporting" we get an investment offer in January, with plans to rush through a vote in March so that you and I could start to receive the benefits of a state of the art irrigation system and horse shoe bar for the clubhouse by summer I guess. All for the low, low price of a what I like to call a "20 year debt sentence" in the form of a $4M bonding proposal. You spoke, they listened. Or so they like to say. Here's what Kay has to say:
Dear
Residents of Farmington Woods:
Irene
Loretto wrote a letter this weekend that residents received regarding the two
bonds. She used my name throughout the letter and indicated that she had asked me to moderate the focus groups, the results of which culminated in the
plan to replace the course irrigation system and enhance the clubhouse with an
elevator and horse shoe bar.
Technically she is right. These items were in the results... Along with a ton of other items that have been ignored for the most part.
The 300 residents that attended the focus groups asked that items be investigated and evaluated. They understood that all items could not be accomplished and that an analysis needed to be done to determine feasibility. We got lost somewhere.
See you at Monday's District and Board meetings!
Technically she is right. These items were in the results... Along with a ton of other items that have been ignored for the most part.
The 300 residents that attended the focus groups asked that items be investigated and evaluated. They understood that all items could not be accomplished and that an analysis needed to be done to determine feasibility. We got lost somewhere.
See you at Monday's District and Board meetings!
Kay Olsen
Comments? You're welcome to email me at 2chewman@gmail.com.
Comments? You're welcome to email me at 2chewman@gmail.com.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
WHAT THE POLLS ARE SAYING
If
you received the packet of letters from Farmington Woods Tax District as I did today you are getting what amounts to a pre-vote poll result. By my count there were 11 letters against and 5 for the bonding issue. If you use the method that Harvard came up
with in a recent study, for every person that speaks up, either yay or nay,
there are 26 others who just won't bother.
In
this case that translates to a theoretical final vote tally of 286 NO and 130
YES. Notice I said theoretical, because the total vote will hopefully be much larger. If we're going to live in a community with democratic principles rather than rule by the few, the more residents who participate in the vote, the closer we get to that ideal.
Another admittedly unscientific poll being run by AvonPatch at http://avon.patch.com/articles/poll-farmington-woods-spending-proposals-yay-or-nayshows the NO's leading at present with 56% of the 85 votes cast. I have to thank AvonPatch for covering this story to the extent that they have. We are grateful.
The comments section contained some real gems, but those by Thomas were priceless. He doesn't mind coming off heartless and mean spirited when he insults residents of this community with children, by proclaiming that "there is someone out there who will rent it from me, say....someone who cares
nothing about a community, just want's cheap rent so their child to go to the
Avon or Farmington School systems!"
If you're alright with people living here for the good schools (as if that' not a selling point) he follows with the only thing he thinks can trump logic, fear:"Without a course it will become low income housing!" If that's the case Thomas I'm selling today. On the other hand, I love it here and I care about the long term financial health of this community and I'm not going anywhere.
You all know how I feel about the bonds, but you probably don't know that I'm not pushing to close the course; I just want it to be the "self-supporting" enterprise that it was described as when I bought my place in 1999.
This is a turning point in the history of Farmington Woods. We can make the changes necessary to make Farmington Woods a financially viable community for the
next 20 years or we can let our "leaders" sign us up for a "20 year debt
sentence." against our will. See what I mean by turning point?
We're in the home stretch. The vote is 12 days from now. As my good friend, Jeff McInerny, head football coach at CCSU likes to say: Fire Up!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
AND THEY TOLD YOU THIS WAS A COUNTRY CLUB
I have to apologize to Tom Morrow for pushing his entry down on the page. As a golfer with a 7 handicap, I think what he has to say about Farmington Woods Golf Club is extremely relevant. But I like history and thought you folks might enjoy reading about Farmington Woods from a different perspective.
from ctwatchdog.com
FARMINGTON WOODS: CONDOMINIUM OR COMPANY TOWN?
When a business runs a town, it’s a company town.
When you think of company towns what usually comes to mind are dirty coal towns like Claghorn, PA, smoky steel towns like Gary, Indiana or if you you’re up on your history, a little place called Pullman, IL, where in 1880, just as the Robber Baron era began, George Pullman built 900 tidy row houses for the workers who produced his Pullman sleeping cars, luxury railroad conveyances, at the factory located in his “ideal” factory town.
Unlike some of the filthy coal mining towns owned by unscrupulous mine owners who built them for their workers with the intent of draining every last drop of capital from their labors, Pullman’s town was neat, clean and orderly. Because he was acquainted with the issues of labor unrest and poverty that other company towns, with their tenements, drunkenness and of course prostitution, Pullman built his town so that his workers would remain happy and productive. But like every other company town of its day, every home, business and amenity belonged to the Pullman Company. But I’m getting ahead of myself. This article is about Farmington Woods Condominium. I’ll get back to Pullman a little later in this column. (CONTINUE READING HERE: http://ctwatchdog.com/finance/giant-avon-condo-complex-has-curious-rule-finances-are-kept-secret-from-condo-owners-who-pay-the-fees.
from ctwatchdog.com
FARMINGTON WOODS: CONDOMINIUM OR COMPANY TOWN?
When a business runs a town, it’s a company town.
When you think of company towns what usually comes to mind are dirty coal towns like Claghorn, PA, smoky steel towns like Gary, Indiana or if you you’re up on your history, a little place called Pullman, IL, where in 1880, just as the Robber Baron era began, George Pullman built 900 tidy row houses for the workers who produced his Pullman sleeping cars, luxury railroad conveyances, at the factory located in his “ideal” factory town.
Unlike some of the filthy coal mining towns owned by unscrupulous mine owners who built them for their workers with the intent of draining every last drop of capital from their labors, Pullman’s town was neat, clean and orderly. Because he was acquainted with the issues of labor unrest and poverty that other company towns, with their tenements, drunkenness and of course prostitution, Pullman built his town so that his workers would remain happy and productive. But like every other company town of its day, every home, business and amenity belonged to the Pullman Company. But I’m getting ahead of myself. This article is about Farmington Woods Condominium. I’ll get back to Pullman a little later in this column. (CONTINUE READING HERE: http://ctwatchdog.com/finance/giant-avon-condo-complex-has-curious-rule-finances-are-kept-secret-from-condo-owners-who-pay-the-fees.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
IT'S NOT GOLFERS VS NON-GOLFERS
The board would like to make this an issue of golfers vs non-golfers. I've heard from many golfers who live at Farmington Woods that are furious about this bonding plan. Let's see what one of them has to say.
It is my understanding that first; the golf course does not even have 200 members. It is somewhere around 185. Out of the approximate 185 members only 100 of those are Farmington Woods residents. Those of us opposed to this initiative feel that this is socialized golf with only a privileged few benefiting. The membership savings for living in Farmington Woods is 7.5%. Not much of a value for someone who is already subsidizing the golf course.
It was brought up in our meetings on this subject at Farmington Woods that there has not been a study to prove that the golf course increases our property value. It was stated in our meetings that a local realtor suggested that Farmington Woods put money into the exterior residence structures instead of the golf course to increase values of the properties. I personally have a pesky woodpecker that is tearing up the trim on the back of my condo which on average takes 6 months to repair and has never been painted.
I am also a golfer who has played Farmington Woods. I have golfed in several states at several top rated golf courses both private and public. During those rounds, I never played a top rate country club that has an Astroturf tee box on one of their holes as Farmington Woods does.
As for those who say that you knew what you were getting into when you move into Farmington Woods that is not exactly true. Realtors in the area do not always disclose the District Tax that is assessed on each unit. My condo fees at Farmington Woods are around $450/mo. This gets me access to pools, tennis courts, and a mandatory fee for a restaurant that cannot turn a profit or break even and a secure gate system that my grandmother could get past.
We pay taxes to Avon for upkeep on the town roads and then have to pay upkeep on our own. Please realize that tax districts are set up to provide services that the local town cannot provide. We have several golf courses in the proximity of Farmington Woods. Some of them top notch courses such as Golf Club of Avon.
As for those of you who say let it go and see what happens, there are a lot of us that think building additional condos is an option along with tastefully allowing the open areas to go back to a natural state (with some help). Using wood chips from landscaping clean up could be used to create additional walking trails along with swing sets and other park like equipment to accommodate the changing demographics in Farmington Woods.
The Master Association feels that even if the golf course goes back to a natural state, it would still need watering. I have yet to go to a National Park and find a watering system to keep the area green.
Farmington Woods Master Association seems that they have a better plan than Tumblebrook Country Club. Tumblebrook has a much nicer clubhouse and is a much nicer golf course (I have played both). They could not sustain their upgrades and had to file bankruptcy.
Farmington Woods Master Association HAS proven that they cannot run the golf course or the restaurant at a profit. For those of you who say that the golf course brings in money, in business, you must bring in more money than you spend in order to be financially sound. This is not the case at Farmington Woods.
Farmington Woods Country Club cannot prove sustainability over the 20 year life of this bond. If this bond passes and the country club is not sustainable we are stuck with the balance of the payments on the watering system for what? NOTHING!
Run the golf course at a breakeven proposition with no subsidies from the residents and then introduce a bond. Until then I see this as our national healthcare bill, nothing but a black hole.
Tom Morrow, Avon
Saturday, April 21, 2012
NOT A FAN OR A SUPPORTER
IF YOU DON'T STAND FOR SOMETHING, YOU'LL FALL FOR ANYTHING-Public Enemy
This is why people at Farmington Woods have been reluctant to speak out or stand up to the boards about the golf course and clubhouse while these operations were losing our hard earned money over the last six years. It's reminicent of the two older "ladies" who took the time to harass my neighbor while she was walking her adorable two year old son in front of her own unit the day after the report aired, just because she was concerned enough to appear with us on Fox61 news. "Are you giving autographs", asked one. Moments later the second "lady" drove by, slowed down and told her "If you don't want to live on a golf course, why don't you move?" This happened on her own street in upscale Avon. On her own street.! While walking her adorable two year old son! Stay classy ladies.
Hey 2chewman,
Why are you wasting your time trying to distroy the fine community that we have at FW? You are passing around your propoganda that is unsigned because you don't have the guts to show you face. The junk that you are passing aroound is just your opinion. You claim that this information if factual, but you give no references as to your sources. If you think these small projects will bring down property values, wait til the local real estate agents tell prospective buyers that the residents of FW are against any improvements that are needed in our community. Then try to sell your unit. And another thing. When there are meetings held by the MA, all people talk about are the idiots that disrupt these meetings with their screaming and yelling. Your behavior is making your propaganda even less credible. If you owned a home, you would have to make improvements that would be costly. Why don't you want to improve this community. I don't use the pools and tennis courts, but I wouldn't be against future improvements that they may need. Didn't you see the golf course and the clubhouse before you bought your condo? Did you think it was all free?Stop being so selfish and think about the damage you and your buddies are doing to Farmington Woods.
A concerned resident, Al Raducha
Just so Al knows, I'm against wasting two to four MILLION dollars on the course/clubhouse because that money would be better spent improving our NEIGHBORHOODS. It's a zero sum equation: every time the golf operation runs low on money and gets an advance of say $56K as they did in January after budgeting a $125K loss last July or the clubhouse gets to spend $140K of unused minimums as they did last year, that's money that won't ever make it to a fund to actually improve the residential aspect of this community.
Comments? You're welcome to email me at 2chewman@gmail.com.
This is why people at Farmington Woods have been reluctant to speak out or stand up to the boards about the golf course and clubhouse while these operations were losing our hard earned money over the last six years. It's reminicent of the two older "ladies" who took the time to harass my neighbor while she was walking her adorable two year old son in front of her own unit the day after the report aired, just because she was concerned enough to appear with us on Fox61 news. "Are you giving autographs", asked one. Moments later the second "lady" drove by, slowed down and told her "If you don't want to live on a golf course, why don't you move?" This happened on her own street in upscale Avon. On her own street.! While walking her adorable two year old son! Stay classy ladies.
Hey 2chewman,
Why are you wasting your time trying to distroy the fine community that we have at FW? You are passing around your propoganda that is unsigned because you don't have the guts to show you face. The junk that you are passing aroound is just your opinion. You claim that this information if factual, but you give no references as to your sources. If you think these small projects will bring down property values, wait til the local real estate agents tell prospective buyers that the residents of FW are against any improvements that are needed in our community. Then try to sell your unit. And another thing. When there are meetings held by the MA, all people talk about are the idiots that disrupt these meetings with their screaming and yelling. Your behavior is making your propaganda even less credible. If you owned a home, you would have to make improvements that would be costly. Why don't you want to improve this community. I don't use the pools and tennis courts, but I wouldn't be against future improvements that they may need. Didn't you see the golf course and the clubhouse before you bought your condo? Did you think it was all free?Stop being so selfish and think about the damage you and your buddies are doing to Farmington Woods.
A concerned resident, Al Raducha
Just so Al knows, I'm against wasting two to four MILLION dollars on the course/clubhouse because that money would be better spent improving our NEIGHBORHOODS. It's a zero sum equation: every time the golf operation runs low on money and gets an advance of say $56K as they did in January after budgeting a $125K loss last July or the clubhouse gets to spend $140K of unused minimums as they did last year, that's money that won't ever make it to a fund to actually improve the residential aspect of this community.
Comments? You're welcome to email me at 2chewman@gmail.com.
Friday, April 20, 2012
SOUND FAMILIAR?
IT'S AMAZING THAT YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE WEST COAST TO FIND THE LAWYER YOU NEED ON THE EAST COAST. THANKS FOR THE REFERRAL, DICK!
Lee,
Lee,
I
got your info off the blog concerning the problems with the
Condo Association/golf course. I read about the overall problem in the
Golf Dispute Resolution Blog http://www.golfdisputeresolution.com/.
I am a property owner in a 520 property owner development in western Washington. The home owners association owns an 18 hole golf course with club house. Only 250 of the members actually use the facilities and with the down turn in the golf industry & real estate there is growing resentment among the non golfers towards supporting the golf facility.
I am a property owner in a 520 property owner development in western Washington. The home owners association owns an 18 hole golf course with club house. Only 250 of the members actually use the facilities and with the down turn in the golf industry & real estate there is growing resentment among the non golfers towards supporting the golf facility.
In
our situation the golf course is primarily funded by HOA dues. Golfers &
non golfers pay the same dues and there is no "user green fee", so
the golfers get unlimited golf while the non golfers just get to pay the dues
& have use of the club house (but it is open to the public as well). Does
this sound familiar?
Our
BOD consists of hard core golfers so we have little chance of negotiating a
change. Unfortunately most of the non golfers are non residents and are
difficult to communicate with. How is Farmington Woods Golf Course
supported? Have you talked to an attorney to see if there is any potential to
force a change? I would like to stay in touch to learn how your situation plays
out.
Thanks,
Dick
Thursday, April 19, 2012
WE MADE THE NEWS AGAIN?
from ctwatchdog.com
A divisive battle is taking place at the giant Farmington Woods Condo complex in Avon where a minority of the golfers want the whole complex to pay millions of dollars to install a new irrigation system owned by the tax district, which represents the complex.
The following is written by Lee Lagasse is Chairman of FW Resident for Fiscal Responsibility and blogs about this issue at www.farmingtonwoodsinsider.blogspot.com.
As a non-golfer and as someone who believes that private golf courses have no way to go but downhill, he opposed having his district taxes increased by 18 percent for the benefit of golfers. He thinks there are many other maintenance priorities that the money should be used for. He is including photos of that in this article.
Others who feel differently are welcome to state their views at CtWatchdog.
Whether you live at Farmington Woods or in any condo, or considering buying a condo, you need to read this to know what kinds of issues you might face.
By Lee Lagasse
On May 10th Farmington Woods Condominium residents in Avon, CT will vote on two separate bond proposals which, if passed, will increase yearly district taxes by 18% or an average of nearly $500 per unit.
As it is, residents here are overburdened by town taxes, condominium fees, the aforementioned district taxes and a $30.00 monthly restaurant minimum. And if opening your yearly property tax bill causes your eye to twitch and your hands to tremble, consider that for residents here town property taxes amount to just one third of their total tax liability.
The proposed bonds, totaling $6.8M with interest, are for the purposes of installing a new irrigation system for a failing golf course located on the property and making improvements to the money losing clubhouse including an elevator, redesigned entranceway and a horseshoe bar for the restaurant.
Originally bundled together and presented at informational meetings in early February with a scheduled vote in March, residents were able to convince the board at a Public Hearing to delay the vote until May 10th and unbundle the two bonds so that they could be voted on separately.
The board is facing some unusually stiff opposition from this normally laissez faire community in the hills of Avon, but as has been the case in the past, they think they have the votes to win. They have said so publicly. But this time the outcome could be different.
THERE ARE TOWNS AND THEN THERE ARE “TOWNS”
If Farmington Woods was a town, its population of roughly 2000 residents would outnumber 10 towns on the list of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities. But it isn’t a town, it’s a condominium community with 1,084 homes spread over 375 acres of what used to be apple orchards and two “real” towns, Avon and Farmington. It may not be a town as such, but it does have two forms of government: a condominium association and a tax district.
Unlike those 10 smaller towns on the list it doesn’t have an elementary school, a senior center, a library or parks with statues of Revolutionary War heroes. There wouldn’t be funds available for those things even if residents wanted them. There is, however, an enterprise at Farmington Woods that is never without necessary funding, even in years when membership is waning, and that’s the golf course that winds through the hills and valleys surrounding the units.
The course has been running in the red for the past six years. Between golf operations and the adjoining clubhouse, losses have totaled more than $1.3M over the last six years but both enterprises have been sustained by condo fees and district taxes for operational and capital improvements respectively, since about 2005.
Ironically, 2005 was to be the year that the twenty year, million dollar bond that funded the purchase of the course in the 80’s would finally be paid off. At a cost of $100K per year over the twenty year bond period, residents were looking forward to spending the money on other capital improvements such as sidewalks and upgrades to community property including among other things a small fitness center at the clubhouse
Unfortunately, the tax district had other ideas for the money: providing $68,000 to replace sand traps, improve irrigation and remove trees on the golf course. When a resident group brought up the fact that $20K had already been spent for a new bathroom on the 14th tee, the board countered by saying that the bathroom funds had been approved in the previous budget and were therefore not part of the this particular discussion. End of story. Two years later a moratorium was placed on building new sidewalks.
How is it that the needs of a community of close to 2000 individuals get overshadowed by those of a relatively small special interest group? And why does the condo board have the power to use resident fees and taxes to subsidize a golf club operation with resident membership of 89? To understand you have to familiarize yourself with the political and cultural makeup of this small “town”.
READ ON HERE: http://ctwatchdog.com/finance/farmington-woods-condo-budget-battle-golfers-versus-non-golfers
Farmington Woods Condo Budget Battle: Golfers Versus Non Golfers
A divisive battle is taking place at the giant Farmington Woods Condo complex in Avon where a minority of the golfers want the whole complex to pay millions of dollars to install a new irrigation system owned by the tax district, which represents the complex.
The following is written by Lee Lagasse is Chairman of FW Resident for Fiscal Responsibility and blogs about this issue at www.farmingtonwoodsinsider.blogspot.com.
As a non-golfer and as someone who believes that private golf courses have no way to go but downhill, he opposed having his district taxes increased by 18 percent for the benefit of golfers. He thinks there are many other maintenance priorities that the money should be used for. He is including photos of that in this article.
Others who feel differently are welcome to state their views at CtWatchdog.
Whether you live at Farmington Woods or in any condo, or considering buying a condo, you need to read this to know what kinds of issues you might face.
By Lee Lagasse
On May 10th Farmington Woods Condominium residents in Avon, CT will vote on two separate bond proposals which, if passed, will increase yearly district taxes by 18% or an average of nearly $500 per unit.
As it is, residents here are overburdened by town taxes, condominium fees, the aforementioned district taxes and a $30.00 monthly restaurant minimum. And if opening your yearly property tax bill causes your eye to twitch and your hands to tremble, consider that for residents here town property taxes amount to just one third of their total tax liability.
The proposed bonds, totaling $6.8M with interest, are for the purposes of installing a new irrigation system for a failing golf course located on the property and making improvements to the money losing clubhouse including an elevator, redesigned entranceway and a horseshoe bar for the restaurant.
Originally bundled together and presented at informational meetings in early February with a scheduled vote in March, residents were able to convince the board at a Public Hearing to delay the vote until May 10th and unbundle the two bonds so that they could be voted on separately.
The board is facing some unusually stiff opposition from this normally laissez faire community in the hills of Avon, but as has been the case in the past, they think they have the votes to win. They have said so publicly. But this time the outcome could be different.
THERE ARE TOWNS AND THEN THERE ARE “TOWNS”
If Farmington Woods was a town, its population of roughly 2000 residents would outnumber 10 towns on the list of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities. But it isn’t a town, it’s a condominium community with 1,084 homes spread over 375 acres of what used to be apple orchards and two “real” towns, Avon and Farmington. It may not be a town as such, but it does have two forms of government: a condominium association and a tax district.
Unlike those 10 smaller towns on the list it doesn’t have an elementary school, a senior center, a library or parks with statues of Revolutionary War heroes. There wouldn’t be funds available for those things even if residents wanted them. There is, however, an enterprise at Farmington Woods that is never without necessary funding, even in years when membership is waning, and that’s the golf course that winds through the hills and valleys surrounding the units.
The course has been running in the red for the past six years. Between golf operations and the adjoining clubhouse, losses have totaled more than $1.3M over the last six years but both enterprises have been sustained by condo fees and district taxes for operational and capital improvements respectively, since about 2005.
Ironically, 2005 was to be the year that the twenty year, million dollar bond that funded the purchase of the course in the 80’s would finally be paid off. At a cost of $100K per year over the twenty year bond period, residents were looking forward to spending the money on other capital improvements such as sidewalks and upgrades to community property including among other things a small fitness center at the clubhouse
Unfortunately, the tax district had other ideas for the money: providing $68,000 to replace sand traps, improve irrigation and remove trees on the golf course. When a resident group brought up the fact that $20K had already been spent for a new bathroom on the 14th tee, the board countered by saying that the bathroom funds had been approved in the previous budget and were therefore not part of the this particular discussion. End of story. Two years later a moratorium was placed on building new sidewalks.
How is it that the needs of a community of close to 2000 individuals get overshadowed by those of a relatively small special interest group? And why does the condo board have the power to use resident fees and taxes to subsidize a golf club operation with resident membership of 89? To understand you have to familiarize yourself with the political and cultural makeup of this small “town”.
READ ON HERE: http://ctwatchdog.com/finance/farmington-woods-condo-budget-battle-golfers-versus-non-golfers
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
I waited patiently to give my input at the budget meeting last night and by the time I got to stand in front of the microphone a lot of tired people had left and the rest of the tired people's eyes looked pretty glazed over. The meeting lasted more than an hour and a half and several people were so incensed that they had spoken two or three times before I got up to speak. So if you were one of those who left early or one of those that wish they had, here's what I had to say. It's a true story.
Clubhouse North Lounge, April 19, 2012
I can vividly remember being in this room almost seven years
ago waiting to vote on a controversial tax district budget that contained $68K
for capital improvements to the golf course. The year was 2005 and the twenty
year bond that was taken out in 1985 to buy the golf course was about to be
paid off, leaving us, we thought with extra money to use for upgrades to the
common areas, like new sidewalks and perhaps even a fitness center in the
clubhouse.
Actually when I first moved to FW 13 years ago sidewalk was
a dirty word and I don’t mean because people spit on them or dropped their gum
there. A lot of residents here didn’t want sidewalks constructed and if you
said something about it they would tell you that if you wanted to walk you
should join the golf course. I guess they were recruiting members in those days
too.
As it turned out, instead of the $100K being made available in
2005 for uses that benefit the entire community, the board chose to spend at
least some of the money on the shining jewel of Farmington Woods: the golf
course. There was quite a backlash to this. A group was formed that passed out
flyers urging us to vote NO and on the night of the budget vote this room was
packed.
But alas, the energy put forth by the opposition to the
budget was for naught and it passed anyway. Rumor was that the golfers had
their friends sign a pledge to vote for the budget. That seemed too
preposterous to be true, but it was never determined whether it was or wasn’t.
Now we’re sitting here seven years later talking about
budgets again and the conversation is still about the golf course and the club
house and how far in the red they will be this year. An ad-hoc committee was formed in 2009 to
study the golf situation and come up with alternatives, if any. The report
revealed a couple of things and came to one particular conclusion: first, that
golf both here and most other places locally were in trouble. Membership was
falling. Now we know it’s a worldwide problem according KPMG.
The other thing they decided was that the course was a
benefit to all FW residents and as an amenity like pools and tennis courts
should be supported by them whenever membership numbers were too low for them
to support themselves. There are currently 89 resident golfers. We probably should
thank them for their financial support; but they might want to think about
thanking us for supporting their recreational endeavors.
In the end the committee came to the conclusion that until
golf operations could pay for themselves the community should use condo fees
and district taxes to help support the course whenever a shortfall occurred.
Because the problem wasn’t going away any time soon they were emphatic that the
problem and possible solutions should be addressed yearly to be certain we were
headed in the right direction.
It’s 2012, we’ve had three budgets since that report was
written and we’re reviewing our options, one of which is to float bonds that if
both pass, would keep us indebted for another 20 year period. (I call it a 20
year “debt sentence”.)The golf course and clubhouse are still losing money, but
we are asked to believe that if we just spend more, things will get better.
It’s not gonna happen.
I talked to the owner of an area landscape company yesterday
who is very familiar with the golf business; his father ran Farmington Country
Club and he himself worked in the golf industry for 15 years.
Bottom line, according to him: private golf clubs are in a
death spiral in this area. Farmington Country Club has 190 members and courses
have declared bankruptcy in New London (which ironically enough floated a $4M
bond for improvements a year before they went under), Bloomfield, and in
Woodbridge there were two.
The town of Woodbridge bought Woodbridge CC in 2009 to keep
developers from building track homes and overwhelming their school system. But
now they’re trying to trim $2M off the $7M they financed so that ironically
enough they will have funds to make improvements to their schools and the
police department. They have Billy Casper Golf running the operation; using
golfing fees over the last three years they have so far only managed to pay off
the dept service.
Do you really believe that a small government entity,
whether a condo association or a tax district can run a golf operation
efficiently enough in these economic times to break even without coming back to
the well every year for more and every 20 years for even more? According to my
sources in the golf industry that’s called “free money” and it’s too tempting
to pass up.
If you really want this to continue, it’s also a free
country, VOTE YES. I plan to vote
against the bonds and the budgets, but if your side wins, I believe in
democracy and I guess myself and others that think like me will just have to
suck it up and go along for the ride.
WHAT A MEETING!
So the finance chair, the board president and the general manager all say we have no right to know what salaries the people running this place are pulling down, but they can't direct us to the written policy for this. And it's not their fault that FW bought the course in 1985 and it's now failing. To be honest its not fair to fault them for what happened in the past, but it is now their responsibility to make it profitable. I'd like to see that happen but I'm highly doubtful it will. They've had the last seven years to do it and haven't been successful. Golf is in trouble world wide and in Connecticut four courses that I know of have filed for bankruptcy in the last year or two: New London CC (not long after borrowing $4M for improvements. Sound familiar?), Tumble Brook in Bloomfield, Woodbridge and Oak Lane CC in Woodbridge.
In prosperous times golf flourishes, but in this economy people have neither the time nor the money for it and when they do they don't want to be stuck playing on the same course every weekend. Farmington Woods may be a challenging course, but it isn't suited for the "grip and rip" crowd thereby reducing its potential member base. Ask a resident golfer who doesn't golf here why he doesn't. They all have their own personal reason for playing elsewhere and more than a few of them are not happy paying for a golf course they don't use. And there are plenty of courses to choose from.
In prosperous times golf flourishes, but in this economy people have neither the time nor the money for it and when they do they don't want to be stuck playing on the same course every weekend. Farmington Woods may be a challenging course, but it isn't suited for the "grip and rip" crowd thereby reducing its potential member base. Ask a resident golfer who doesn't golf here why he doesn't. They all have their own personal reason for playing elsewhere and more than a few of them are not happy paying for a golf course they don't use. And there are plenty of courses to choose from.
Monday, April 16, 2012
TIME TO VOICE YOUR OPINION
It's time to let the folks in charge know how we feel about the new budget which contains more pork (no pun intended) for the clubhouse and golf operation:
Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 7pm
Public Hearing
2012-2013 Proposed Budgets for Master Association & Tax District
Let's get the budgets under control. We can do this.
Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 7pm
Public Hearing
2012-2013 Proposed Budgets for Master Association & Tax District
Let's get the budgets under control. We can do this.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
EVERY 20 YEAR BOND OR SO WE MAKE THE NEWS
CTnow
link to video:
http://shar.es/r5FZa
The Hartford Courant
7:20 PM EDT, April 11, 2012
FARMINGTON — A battle is brewing at the Farmington Woods codominium complex as its residents are being asked to approve plans to make improvements to the community's golf course and clubhouse.
The complex's residents have long enjoyed a golf course and next-door clubhouse in their community, but the course's failing sprinkler system needs to be replaced and the clubhouse could use an update. So the condo association's board of directors is proposing borrowing a total of $4 million — $2 million for the course improvements and $2 million for the clubhouse renovation.
Over the 20-year life of the bonds, the complex would pay a projected $2.8 million in interest, bringing the total cost of the work to $6.8 million. The vote on the two proposals is scheduled for May 10.
Straddling the Farmington-Avon border, Farmington Woods is home to nearly 2,000 people, but fewer than 200 of them actually play golf. That's the argument some residents are making against the proposals that would fix the course and clubhouse and would increase the costs of living in the community. "I feel like they're asking us to bail out a losing business," said Amanda Barboza, a Farmington Woods resident.
Barboza is representative of the complex's changing demographic — young families who live here not for golf or the clubhouse — which have lost a combined $1.3 million over the past six years.
"The majority of us aren't golfers. I'm in Avon because my son is 2. I want him to go to Avon schools."
After the condo board announced the proposals at a December meeting, condo owner Lee Lagasse was upset. He started a blog to engage residents ahead of the May vote. "It's not making money and it's been losing money and they want the citizens to pick up the tab," he said. "It's just not right," Lagasse said.
But board President Irene Loretto, who has lived in Farmington Woods since 1975, sees it differently. "The golf course is very important to the community because it does enhance our property values," said Loretto, who fears that the course will fail and owners will sell their condos if the bonds are not approved.
Lagasse pointed to other failed or struggling courses in Woodbridge, New London and elsewhere. "What's going to ruin your property value is a golf course that's bleeding money and high condominium fees, which we have."
link to video:
http://shar.es/r5FZa
Farmington Woods Residents Consider Proposals To Improve Golf Course, Clubhouse
By BEAU BERMAN, FoxCTThe Hartford Courant
7:20 PM EDT, April 11, 2012
FARMINGTON — A battle is brewing at the Farmington Woods codominium complex as its residents are being asked to approve plans to make improvements to the community's golf course and clubhouse.
The complex's residents have long enjoyed a golf course and next-door clubhouse in their community, but the course's failing sprinkler system needs to be replaced and the clubhouse could use an update. So the condo association's board of directors is proposing borrowing a total of $4 million — $2 million for the course improvements and $2 million for the clubhouse renovation.
Over the 20-year life of the bonds, the complex would pay a projected $2.8 million in interest, bringing the total cost of the work to $6.8 million. The vote on the two proposals is scheduled for May 10.
Straddling the Farmington-Avon border, Farmington Woods is home to nearly 2,000 people, but fewer than 200 of them actually play golf. That's the argument some residents are making against the proposals that would fix the course and clubhouse and would increase the costs of living in the community. "I feel like they're asking us to bail out a losing business," said Amanda Barboza, a Farmington Woods resident.
Barboza is representative of the complex's changing demographic — young families who live here not for golf or the clubhouse — which have lost a combined $1.3 million over the past six years.
"The majority of us aren't golfers. I'm in Avon because my son is 2. I want him to go to Avon schools."
After the condo board announced the proposals at a December meeting, condo owner Lee Lagasse was upset. He started a blog to engage residents ahead of the May vote. "It's not making money and it's been losing money and they want the citizens to pick up the tab," he said. "It's just not right," Lagasse said.
But board President Irene Loretto, who has lived in Farmington Woods since 1975, sees it differently. "The golf course is very important to the community because it does enhance our property values," said Loretto, who fears that the course will fail and owners will sell their condos if the bonds are not approved.
Lagasse pointed to other failed or struggling courses in Woodbridge, New London and elsewhere. "What's going to ruin your property value is a golf course that's bleeding money and high condominium fees, which we have."
Monday, April 9, 2012
FOCUS GROUP INSIDER'S REPORT
So the focus groups were held last year to decide what residents wanted to include in a 10 Year Strategic Plan for FW. Sounds like a great idea until you realize that focus groups don't always focus on the people they're supposed to be focusing on. (The Ford Focus got it's name from a focus group which had grown bored and impatient and the irony
of this was not picked up by the marketing team.)
Back in April 2011 I attended the District
One Focus meeting for the Strategic
Needs Long Range Plan. There were approximately 8 or 9 owners. Some suggestions
were a bypass lane at the Guard-House; Residential roofing and painting; a physical
fitness work-out area, a reading/library area, and minor improvements at the Clubhouse.
Needs Long Range Plan. There were approximately 8 or 9 owners. Some suggestions
were a bypass lane at the Guard-House; Residential roofing and painting; a physical
fitness work-out area, a reading/library area, and minor improvements at the Clubhouse.
The most dominating suggestion was made by a
gentleman who spoke at length and with thorough knowledge of the present Golf
Irrigation System and the need to rebuild it. It appeared to be prearranged.
Then on February 8, 2012, I
attended an informational meeting on an appointed Priority List which was # 1 A NEW GOLF IRRIGATION SYSTEM, # 2 CLUBHOUSE
ELEVATOR/NEW DRIVE-UP ENTRANCE, proceeding with new golf equipment, district
buildings, roads, and # 6 on the list was our Residential Buildings.
May I point out that in the Proposed Budget
2011-2012, only $401,400 was
allotted for Buildings Maintenance & Repairs compared to a combined $1,118,908 for
Restaurant & Golf Staff Expenses.
allotted for Buildings Maintenance & Repairs compared to a combined $1,118,908 for
Restaurant & Golf Staff Expenses.
On February 21,2012, I attended the Public
Hearing where I heard mostly
negative remarks for the Golf Irrigation & Clubhouse Changes. I asked a week later for
minutes of the Hearing and was told there were no typed minutes, but I could pick-up a
audio disc of the meeting, which I did.
negative remarks for the Golf Irrigation & Clubhouse Changes. I asked a week later for
minutes of the Hearing and was told there were no typed minutes, but I could pick-up a
audio disc of the meeting, which I did.
From the audio disc of the Public Hearing
approximately only 10% to 15% either
mentioned or had favorable remarks of either of the two Bond Proposals.
mentioned or had favorable remarks of either of the two Bond Proposals.
Our Residential and other buildings, plus
roads and paved areas should come
before a GOLF and RESTAURANT BUSINESS, and I hope the silent majority of
owners/residents VOTE NO on May 10th against both PROJECT PROPOSALS.
before a GOLF and RESTAURANT BUSINESS, and I hope the silent majority of
owners/residents VOTE NO on May 10th against both PROJECT PROPOSALS.
Joseph N.Caggiano
7 Crocus Lane
7 Crocus Lane
Monday, April 2, 2012
A TALE OF TWO LETTERS
If you've ever written a letter to the editor to your local newspaper you know that it gets edited before it gets printed for everything from improper word usage to just plain too many words. They usually attempt to leave the spirit of your letter intact, however.
The following two letters, the one submitted and the one printed in "In The Woods" are from the same person obviously. This person had some strong feelings about the bonds proposed by the FW Tax District. See if you can tell if the spirit of the letter was left intact in this case. Everything in red was removed from the letter before it was printed. The printed letter follows this one.
The following two letters, the one submitted and the one printed in "In The Woods" are from the same person obviously. This person had some strong feelings about the bonds proposed by the FW Tax District. See if you can tell if the spirit of the letter was left intact in this case. Everything in red was removed from the letter before it was printed. The printed letter follows this one.
From: Richard Coffey, 23 Cottonwood Drive
To: Farmington Woods “In the Woods”
- I write regarding the proposed $4
million borrowing by the District in order to upgrade the golf course and club
house. I am strongly opposed to the proposal for several reasons:
- I can’t imagine any project for borrowing such a vast sum of money to be less worthy than one that has to do with leisure time and recreation. There are other more pressing needs.
- Already the golf course has become a debt to the non-club member homeowners, and that is egregious enough. The golf course and the club must become self-supporting by those who make use of the facilities. If that is not possible, I recommend the closing of the course, with the land become meadow or wild-flower beds, and the closing of the club house (thus relieving all home-owners of the perpetually frustrating monthly charge no matter how little one makes use of the restaurant, if at all).
- Eliminating the course and the golf club would reduce Farmington Woods expenses far and wide, including staff, maintenance, utility consumption, excessive traffic, and wear and tear on the property.
- The present club house could be put to much better use by the 1100 home-owners by creating a fully equipped health/workout center and a well-stocked store for the purchase of food items, toiletries, supplies, and other of life’s daily needs. The facility could still be available for renting on a per-use basis.
Sir,
I am opposed to this proposal for
several reasons:
- There are other more pressing needs than those dealingwith leisure time and recreation.
- The golf course is already a debt to the non-club
memberhomeowners.
The golf course and the club must become
self-supporting by those who make use of the facilities.
If that is not possible, I recommend closing the course,
allowing the land to become meadow or wild-flower
beds, and closing the restaurant, relieving home-owners
of the monthly charge.
- Eliminating the course and the golf club would
reduceFarmington
Woods expenses far and wide, including staff,
maintenance, utility consumption, excessive traffic, and
wear and tear on the property.
- The present clubhouse could be put to different
use bythe
homeowners; for example, a fully equipped health/workout
center and/or a convenience store. The facility
could still be available for renting on a per-use basis.
Richard
Coffey, 23 Cottonwood Drive
Kinda makes you want to sit down and write a letter to the editor, doesn't it?
Comments? You're welcome to email me at 2chewman@gmail.com.
Comments? You're welcome to email me at 2chewman@gmail.com.
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