"It is the end of the sailing season and while this is my first of twelve Commodore's comments, I am reminder of what has happened instead of what's ahead. With the start of soccer for the kids or football on Saturday afternoon for the adults, it is a signal that it is time to leave the club until the start of another year. Other agendas have taken priority of our lives and soon the lake will turn into a big mud puddle. Boats will be covered with tarps and leaves will cover the grass. But before the past year becomes a memory, I would to reflect on it."
Twenty three years ago, this was the first paragraph of my comments for the EYC Bulletin, the first time I was EYC Commodore. The next paragraph included recognition of all the work that had been done by various members of the club (including Nall Bodine, Larry Cox, Jim Skeen, John Franklin, Rex Ballenger, Bill Temple, John Mahoney, and Harvé Waff) to complete the floating docks, a wave attenuator, reconstructed planters in front of the Yot Pot, and a new ramp in the basin. Some things don't seem to change, do they?
Several members have asked if I volunteered or was drafted into becoming Vice Commodore last year. Truth be told, it was neither. I was asked to help and said yes, like so many other members of this club have done when they were asked. If there is a strength that I can bring to the Board, it will be my past experience, relative availability, and the first-name basis relationships I have with many members who will say yes when asked to help get projects done.
Thank you to those members who signed up for Committee positions in 2020 and who offered to do so again in 2021. Thank you to others who said yes to my requests for this year and to others who currently do not know that they will be on a committee in the not too distant future.
I want to thank our past Commodore Rob Moline. Such a challenging year for him and the rest of the Board. Low water is a yacht club's worst nightmare. Or it was until you add Covid-19 on top of it. Getting a grasp on the enormous challenges this year presented—and to do so with just four years of Board experience—was a challenge that Rob successfully rose to meet. I hope his year as Rear Commodore will be much less stressful.
We say goodbye to Bill Boyce with many thanks for his time serving on the Board of Trustees. As I was working on this year's budget, I wanted to look at actual numbers instead of what had been budgeted the last several years. With all the issues we had in 2020 I went back to 2019 to look at Bill's budget, trying to see where there was room for improvement. I couldn't find any. Bill left the club better off financially than when he started, and I can't think of a time we couldn't afford something we needed since he was Commodore.
The Board will plan for 2021 to be a year with water and with less restrictions caused by Covid-19. We hope to see plenty of rain this spring and some relief from this deadly disease. We will keep you up to date with any changes in the schedule.
I hope you have seen some value in the Zoom General Membership meetings we have had. The Board is actively looking at how we can have either a potluck or at least a happy hour by Zoom. Any suggestions can be dropped in the suggestion box—as soon as somebody builds one. You can also email me with your ideas.
The Board has pushed through a number of big projects that should bring value to the club and its members.
Completion of clubhouse deck. Thank you, Russ Petersen and Gary Powell and all the members of their crews.
Purchase of 10 Opti's for the Youth Sailing Program. Thank you, Rob Moline and those who were involved in acquiring them from Willamette Sailing Club.
Addition of secure storage area in the "South 40" to be used for club boats, building materials, specialized tools, and other items of value. Thank you, Paul Stephens and Glen Hughes.
Replacement of the Laser floating docks and relocation to the south side of A & B dock connector. Thank you, Gary Powell and Paul Stephens.
Relocation of the washer and dryer units to C Locker.
Beginning the process of building an ADA Family restroom with shower in the former washer/dryer location. Thank you to members of the Restroom Task Force (not a great name, I admit): Judy Mustoe Slijper, Gary Powell, Russ Petersen, Glen Hughes, Kevin Dickey, and myself.
Remodeling of the restrooms.
Sourcing the new rescue/training boat for the Youth Sailing Program. This safety boat is needed with the doubling of our youth fleet. Thank you, Glen Hughes.
Repair and upgrades for the small Whaler rescue boat. Thanks again to Glen Hughes.
I'm looking forward to a great year ahead.