Golf Fees Reduced, Your Assessment Cost Increased

Should you TRUST your ECA Board?

To continue increasing your ownership costs while driving your property values down? While golf income and participation are going down, (see http://tinyurl.com/my4gj2a ) does it make sense to pour millions into the golf course/center?

In 2010, while ECA Members were pre-occupied with the distraction of the Universal Amenity Fee, the direct-vote Golf Committee was busy reducing ECA member golf membership fees by 25% from $1600 to $1200 reducing an annual individual membership by $400 single, and $590 family. ECA golf membership income therefore decreased 20% from FY2010-FY2014 by an amount of ($66,000). Similarly in the same timeframe the price of Eastman sold properties has dropped 21% to $117 per square foot.

(See http://tinyurl.com/pazv6mq )

Non-golf ECA owners were duped into thinking that annual revenues for their “new amenity”, the golf driving range were historically $50,000. Prior to the UAF deception, the driving range provided approximately $10,000 of revenue per year. By adding $50,000 income from the Amenity Fee to the Golf Course Income Statement, the UAF created “illusionary incremental income” for golf, overstating the golf income.

This year FY15, the Golf Income Con Game continued. While you were paying attention to hoopla surrounding the elaborate “Club/Center Building Project”, your golf neighbor got a $120 annual reduction in what it cost them, to tell you, how your golf course is run. The single ECA golf membership rate is posted at $1210—(yes, a $10 increase in 3 years). However the real coup is that a 10% discount is given if the annual membership was paid by March 31, 2014 resulting in an ECA membership fee of $1090. Is this a Con, a Deception or Both?

ECA golf members may also use their Visa, American Express or Mastercard to pay their golf membership fee at no additional charge. In addition, they have the option of using their Eastman Club charge card to pay over 3 months (March, April and May) at no extra charge.

In contrast, if an ECA owner pay his/her Assessment Fee one day later than March 31 they pay a 12% penalty interest charge or an extra $383. If they use their Visa, American Express or Mastercard they pay an extra fee. ECA owners do not have the option to pay over a 3-month period at no extra charge.

In an “open, transparent” community, this is called a “rip-off”.  At Eastman, it is called a “necessity” so as to get the golfer votes for the golf member dominated Board, Finance & Budget Committee, CRC etc. Golfers must be subsidized by non-golf ECA members while their property values go down.

Is a 501(c) 4 allowed to discriminate? Are these governance actions discriminatory?