Jeff and Paula Galloway, Cabin 197
We agree with the points expressed by Gail Slockett and Sharon Pannucci, and we agree that the questions raised by Dick Leigh are important ones. To those points we would add or elaborate:
- Rather than spend a huge sum on a project with speculative benefits, we should hold our savings until we know how much we may need to spend to protect the Lake itself in light of the deteriorating condition of the dam.
- Significant dam repairs may be necessary to maintain the dam in a condition that can continue to hold Longwood Lake at its current fill level.
- Besides the picnic and annual meeting, the other proposed uses in the pavilion proposal presentation – board games, card games, trivia or bingo games, nature seminars, etc. – could easily fit in the existing clubhouse.
- The main clubhouse room is about 500 square feet. At standard occupancy rates of 15 square feet per person, the clubhouse could comfortably accommodate 33 people for any of these events. We have photos from the 2017 filming of the LLCOA movie, showing 22 people in a nowhere-near-full clubhouse.
- In fact, at the 2015 Annual Meeting, when the clubhouse was proposed and approved, those exact same uses were offered as reasons for building the clubhouse. Since 2015, there has been no demand for any of those types of organized events, and virtually none have been scheduled for the clubhouse. (The clubhouse has been used for filming the annual movie and some LLCOA Board and Committee meetings, but not for any of the additional social events predicted.)
- We only have 92 cabin units. On a typical summer weekend, we have at most about 50% occupancy – 46 cabins. The existing clubhouse could easily hold the number of people out of those 46 cabins likely to be interested in attending extra social events, as opposed to relaxing at their lakeside cabins with family and friends.
- The pricing in the pavilion proposal is very soft. None of the price quotes supplied contain drawings or meaningful project specifications. The pavilion proposal does not address how cost overruns will be handled.
- Before we give serious consideration to such an expensive project, we should carefully survey our fellow Members’ actual interest in the types of events contemplated for the pavilion.
- We could send out an email requesting if anyone is interested in nature seminars, card games or trivia night at the clubhouse, and see how many people express interest.
- Spending $70,000 or more for a structure before determining whether there is interest in using the structure is not wise.
Longwood Lake Cabin Owners Association 