Letter from the President (2010)

Hello PPRSC members;   It is hard to believe but spring is right around the corner! Tennis league play has begun, swim team signups are weeks away and we are getting ready to interview this season’s lifeguard applicants… finally old man winter seems to be loosening his (MIGHTY) grip!   I am also very excited to let you know about some things that have recently been completed down at the club, as well as announcing additional facility enhancements that are now underway.   We recently completed the installation of our new sewer line. As a reminder: the old one was put in when the club was first built and we have been having problems and incurring maintenance costs with it for years; we simply had no other choice but to replace the line as it was becoming a sanitary necessity. We also had to have our pool drainage system converted to become compliant with new Federal laws and Insurance regulations. These two items are why last year’s board voted to have the $100 per family assessment (I was on that Board and voted in favor of the assessment and just as an FYI, all Board members had to pay it as well). To the best of our knowledge this is the first assessment the club has ever issued and we hope it is going to be the last one we ever need.     We have several projects currently underway which we think will enhance the membership experience for all members and build equity in all neighborhood homes by virtue of the club being a somewhat shared neighborhood property. We are building a new tennis observation deck that will replace the tired old gazebo we currently use as a viewing center (it will be handicap-accessible of course). We are putting in cement sidewalks down to the parking lot from the club house to replace the current walkway which has washed away. We are also going to install cement sidewalks down both sides of Courts 1 and 2 to replace the gravel walkways in existence today (also washed out). We are looking into the cost of a patio and outdoor fireplace area for gathering and socializing. Beginning this week the entire pool deck is being redone (existing concrete surrounding the pool will be removed and a new, seamless, uniform colored concrete surface will replace it). We will also build an exterior façade (bricking it in) around the pump-house to improve its appearance. All of these up-fits will be able to be done at roughly the same cost per month as the note we recently paid off.   We are in the very early stages of planning what we are possibly going to be able to do to the clubhouse and the guard shack/pro shop (recently redone, stop by to check it out!!). We envision the possibility of a building similar to the one at Sardis; a 2-story structure with the upstairs consisting of a large and open multi-purpose room, viewing areas of both the pool and the tennis courts, a kitchen and a “family room” type area with television, couches, etc.; downstairs would have modernized bathrooms, showers, lockers, etc. and enhancements to the concession stand and lifeguard areas. That plan is VERY open to change and volunteer help in formulating the vision is most appreciated! We would love to be able to get this started within the next 2 years. We could do it sooner but we would have to increase dues considerably, or be willing to accept more members, or continue to do annual assessments, none of which we are willing to do. Of course there are other possibilities for our next big project and we are keeping all options open.   There have understandably been questions as to why “this” was done or why “that” was not done. We constantly fight the battle of what we want to get done (the wish list and needs are endless) versus keeping the membership cost as low as possible. At $600 per year we do feel that the club offers the best value in Southeast Charlotte (and we have compared our cost to those of neighboring clubs). We have deliberated for MANY hours over how to be the best stewards of the money entrusted to us, we have evaluated best use possibilities of our land and we have made painful decisions on “not” doing things we wanted to do due to the economics involved. Please rest assured that we are absolutely doing the best job we can, for as little cost as we can possibly get it done and trying our hardest not to burden our members or exclude anyone by the price points we have to charge in order to get it all accomplished. Some have questioned “swim only” or “tennis only” memberships: logistics prevent this (parking constraints, no year round full time employees to monitor usage, etc.).   Our awareness of the current economy and its potential impact on our club was demonstrated in how the club was run last year (fewer socials, less frills at the swim team banquet, free food not being served 4th of July, etc.). We are also focusing on lowering operating costs this year, while still exploring ways to make your membership even more valuable and enjoyable. If you have particular ideas of how we can achieve these goals we welcome your input and direction (and remember that there will be 4 new open spots on the board next year!).   Thank you for your continued investment into PPRSC. We hope that you will enjoy these enhancements, but most importantly, that you will have an awesome year with us down at the Club!   Barry PPRSC Board President