Dear Sanibel Beach Club Owners:
The latest meeting of the Sanibel Beach Club Board of Directors was held on April 24, 2010, at the resort.
All Board members were there. Eric Ryffel and Donna Sage were also there, as were approximately 10
owners. The meeting lasted 4 hours and 45 minutes, perhaps the longest Board meeting ever! While there
was little controversy, there were a lot of questions and comments from Board members and owners alike.
A lot of good work was accomplished.
Here are some notes from the meeting:
1. The Board decided to replace the deteriorating concrete pool deck with pavers. Not only should the
pavers last longer, they will bring a more modern look to the resort. The project will last about two
to the new code. Eric will arrange for SBC owners and guests to use a nearby pool while the work is
done.
2. Keller Inspections completed a full inspection of the roofs on all the buildings. They recommended
some short term repairs and pointed out some longer term issues. The Board approved having the
short term items completed and will get more information on the other issues.
3. The SBC maintenance crew (Steve, Litton and Manny) fixed the driveway posts and replaced the
ropes on the parking lots. They also installed a new shower and a new shell-washing area beside the
ramp to the beach.
4. The driveway was repaired and re-graded in February and is holding up well in spite of the rains of
February, March, and April.
5. The old electrical box and its wiring near the pool will be replaced. This will prevent the circuit
breakers from going off and will address some potential safety issues.
6. The Board approved the purchase of two tables, two umbrellas and stands, eight chairs, and four
lounges for the first deck up from the pool. Right now this area is underutilized. Eric will look for
square tables that can be pushed together to accommodate larger groups.
7. Eric will contact Billy’s to rent four additional adult bikes to replace the SBC- owned bikes that have
worn out. Now SBC will have nothing but Billy’s Bikes, and they will be liable for all of them.
8. The Board reviewed pictures and bids on master bedroom furniture, but decided not to make a
purchase decision until after they have seen an actual sample of the furniture. Eric will contact the
distributor and arrange for this to be done at the August Board meeting.
9. The Board considered and rejected adding any new walkways to the grounds, citing the cost of such
projects and the possible interference with lawn-mowing operations. The Board also decided not to
undertake any major new landscaping projects until a review of our overall landscaping needs can be
done. This does not preclude replacing existing bushes that were killed by this winter’s heavy frosts.
10. The Board clarified some existing personnel policies regarding staff bonuses and reimbursement for
approved travel. Full- and part-time staff members did receive small year-end bonuses last year and
shall receive them again this year based on their performance and the SBC budget. All staff members
who use their own vehicles to pick up supplies for SBC shall be reimbursed for their mileage, provided
the travel was approved and the employee submits a written request for reimbursement.
11. The Board decided to change the SBC vacation policy. Right now employees who have worked more
than 5 years receive three weeks of vacation. They cannot earn any additional weeks regardless of
their length of service. Under the new policy, employees who have completed 15 years or more of
service at SBC will earn four weeks of vacation. The new policy takes place immediately.
12. The Board decided against adding an Owners-Only section to the Sanibel Beach Club website
allowing owners to post rentals, resales, etc. The decision was based on several factors:
a. The Association receives 7.5% commission on every week rented through VRI. We will lose
income if we sponsor a site that allows owners to rent to each other or their friends without going
through VRI.
b. If the Association were to allow an Owners-Only section, would we be liable if rental arrangements
between owners were not honored or if an owner rented the same week to two different people?
c. The above being said, the Association will not oppose an individual who wants to create his/her
own website for Sanibel owners, provided that individual clearly states that his/her website is not
associated with the Sanibel Beach Club Association.
d. In addition, the Board asked Eric to research adding a password-protected page that will allow
owners to view documents such as the annual audit and meeting minutes online. Right now,
owners who would like to look at these documents must contact Eric in writing by email, fax or
letter.
13. The Association has seven weeks for sale and nine more weeks in foreclosure. This is a larger
balance than we usually have. It’s due primarily to the downturn in the economy but it’s still less than
1% of the more that 1,500 unit/weeks at the resort. Most of these Association-owned weeks are in
the late summer or early fall and are available at a good price. If you are interested in buying any of
these weeks or know someone who might be please contact Eric at 239-472-3382.
Although the Board members were indoors for our marathon meeting on April 24, we did see the sun and
blue skies through the windows. The weather has finally warmed up after an unusually cool, windy, and wet
winter. (Locals said that it was the coldest winter in 30 years.) We hope the nice weather stays with us for
the rest of the year.
Our next Board meeting is August 7, 2010, and the Annual Meeting is November 13, 2010. All meetings are
held at the resort and start at 9:00 a.m. If you are in the area, please stop by. Thank you.
Tim Stranges
President, on behalf of the Sanibel Beach Club Board of Directors
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