EASTMAN DIRECT VOTE: A Golf Member Right

All golf members directly vote (DIRECT VOTE) for the members of the Golf Committee (regardless of whether or Not they live at Eastman) which has  reduced the cost of golf membership by 25% since 2011, shifting that cost burden to Eastman Non-Golfers! 

•       Why are Eastman non-golfers denied by the ECA Board the right to assemble to even talk about DIRECT VOTE?

•       Why do Eastman Golf members have the privilege to vote for representation to reduce their Golf Membership Fee and how Eastman’s Capital Funds are spent on their Country Club/Golf Course?

•       Why do non-golfing ECA members have NO VOTE on how their assessment money is spent when Golf Members do just that?

•       Is Eastman a Two-Class community? Golf Members = ECA Elite members, All other ECA members = ECA members

It ought to be obvious that such a powerful elitist class within the ECA governance laws must-have it's $3-$5 Million Clubhouse/Center without comprehensive vetting by all Eastman members. It is no coincidence that the majority of Board Members are golfers, as is true of the Finance & Budget Committee, the Center Renovation Committee (formerly CETF) as well as a disproportionate percent of Council Members. Clearly the political power game at Eastman is to give greater say and power to golfers as to how monies are spent on their behalf. In return the Board Members get the votes and place supporters on the right committees to get the golf financials stated to deceptively claim that the golf course makes a profit. (How? By relocating golf costs elsewhere and claiming golf revenue that is inconsistent with reasonable financial accounting)

How did Direct Vote for Golfers happen?

1.    That voting right and power was enabled through a resolution passed by your Board of Directors on February 10, 2006. It is called a "Policy for the Eastman Golf Course" or  Board Policy 6.3. 

2.    On the same date February 10, 2006 the same Eastman Board of Directors approved a document called  "Eastman Golf Links Members Bylaws". 

3.    The same resolution established the Eastman Golf Links Golf Committee according to the first paragraph of the By-Law document. 

4.    On the same date, February 10, 2006 the same Board of Directors approved the Eastman Golf Links Golf Committee Charter. 

The ECA Board executed this quadruple play UNILATERALLY under all Eastman Members' radar. With the Council Chairman sitting at the meeting, the Board abolished the Council's authority which had resided in the Council Chair to appoint the Golf Committee Chair and for the Golf Committee to report to Council. 

This is one of the many "dumbing down" Declaration and Covenant changes in the past 12 years that have diluted the ECA COUNCIL that supposedly represents Eastman Members in a convoluted way.

It is in the Golf Committee Charter where the Golf Committee Powers are stated: 

ARTICLE IV--  SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE GOLF COMMITTEE (here are some):

B.  Conduct the business of Golf Members and represent the interests of Golf Members, the Eastman community .....  (??? How does that work?)

C.  Develop an annual plan outlining GC projects and the timetable for completion

F.  With General Manager and Golf Staff set membership categories, establish a fee structure........ 

G.  Work cooperatively...with the General Manager and Golf Staff in preparation, review and approval of the Annual EGL Operating Budget including Capital for approval by the Council's

Finance and Budget Committee and BOD (Board of Directors)

I.  Develop Criteria for evaluating the performance of Golf Staff AND the implementation of EGL Course Standards AND provide written evaluations using the criteria, to the General Manager in the 4th quarter of each calendar year and update performance criteria as required.

It is in the Eastman Golf Links Member By Laws (see #2 above) that you find:

ARTICLE V—ELECTION OF GOLF COMMITTEE:

A)   The Golf Committee will consist of no fewer than nine regular members…who are elected annually by the EGL General Membership…

Submitted by Robert Logan--40 year resident of Eastman