Proposed Guest Policy Changes – by Glen Glaser
Editor's note: Resolution 2009-009 was approved for posting on August 12th, 2009. Briefly, it states:
The purpose of the Guest Policy for Glenbrooke Community Association is to ensure the facility availability to the members.
Accompanied Guests: Guests may be sponsored by a resident for a nominal fee of $10.00 per adult, per visit, in the Association recreation facilities. Recreation facilities include, pool, spa, tennis and bocce courts, billiards and fitness center.
(To read the entire policy, click HERE).
I am strongly opposed to this proposed Guest Policy
During the April board meeting the issue of guests using the workout facility was discussed. I asked Leo what the problem was and I was informed that one resident was bringing guests almost daily to use the workout facility and they were thinking about adopting a policy to address this. The use of the rest of the facility was never brought up. Unfortunately, the staff who put this proposal together used the shotgun approach rather than dealing with the issue.
As indicated in the April meeting the issue was the workout facility. This issue could be addressed without charging our guests for using the facility. Before I could use the workout facility I was required to be trained on all the machines. I believe this was opened only to residents. We were to receive a stamp on our card to prove we have attended the training. I don't see how a guest received the training which was required. If I have a guest I am sure he could go a day or two without working out on machines. There are other ways to work out if they must. They could go to a local gym and pay if they had to use a treadmill.
Therefore the only policy needed is:
1. Only residents are allowed to use the workout facility. This should be the policy already for liability reasons.
2. All residence must attend the training on the machines before they can use the workout facility. Again this is for liability reasons.
In closing, I again want to strongly oppose this policy. We should not be a fee collecting organization. We should support a close knit community who welcomes our neighbor's friends and family without charging them to enjoy our unique way of life.
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Special thanks to Glen Glaser for his contribution to our neighborhood Glenbrooke News.. Please add your opinion of the proposed changes in the comment section below.
This is what makes Glenbrooke News an INTERACTIVE website. It is like having a (civil) conversation with your neighbors over the fence!
I've talked it over with neighbors and there are of course two camps: no fee and yes fee. Personally, I am willing to pay $10 to have my granddaughter come swim in the pool under our supervision. That is worth it to me.
But - I would really hate to see the guest fee levied on our visiting Zumba participants (as I've already stated on our Glenbrooke website), because then they may not come any more and we'd lose the class without their participation (we can't get 10 committed souls from within the community, and that's the instructor's financial breakeven point). So, from a selfish point of view, I am willing to pay the guest fee myself for my guests, but I'd like to see persons attending instructor-led, paid-for classes excluded from the definition of "guests." I am going to contact Leo and Les and ask if this policy can be revisited and expanded to incorporate such an exclusion.
When I moved here the only things that interested me was the mowing of the front lawns so thing would always look nice and the pool. And I don't want to swim alone so I invite my daughter, her husband and my two grandsons. They have used the pool with me 4 or 5 times this summer. I already consider half my HOA dues to be for the pool since I don't use any other facility so I am paying $900 to use the pool just a few times a year and now you want me to pay another fee to have company. If ONE resident is causing a problem, address THAT resident, don't punish us all. And I have never seen the pool be any where close to being crowded, there has only ever been one other family in the pool with my family. I don't see any problem existing at the moment. If one comes up in later years, address it then. I vote NO on charging for the pool.
Keep up the fight, I will support You
P.S. If you charge $10 per adult and $2 for children that means it will cost me $24 every time I invite my daughter and her family to the pool. They come about twice a month for the 4 warm months...that is gonna cost me almost $200 to invite my family to the pool. I think that is outrageous. I cannot afford that! If you must, limit the visits or reduce the charge!
First off, I want to say that we are AGAINST this $10 charge for guests. Will be much too time consuming and costly. If the Lodge couldn't see that there was abuse in the use of the Lodge and handle it to everyone's satisfaction and per the rules, what makes anyone think they will be able to handle this major job. Would be at least ten times the work. ??maybe a full time Monitor? And then, what about evenings and weekends? If I'm paying $10 for a guest, it's one thing for sure, I want to see that other guest with a paid pass on that I can see. Our facilities are not being overly used at this time and I realize that may change in due time and can be addressed then. As for the Fitness Center, RESIDENT ONLY, high risk of liability, not to mention abuse of equipment, wear and tear and that is expensive equipment to repair and replace.
As for guests attending a class..they're guests...$10. I understand what you're saying about the Zumba Gold class and not having enough attend to have the class without guests. I, for one, didn't know exactly what this class was until I did some research. I think that maybe if more information was posted about exactly what a class is and maybe calling some residents and giving them encouragement to attend could help. And stop this TBA post and never following up with the details.
ALSO, who..where..what happens to this money that's collected? Maybe our monthly dues are lowered! NO?
Norma L.
I was just thinking about Kathy's post...$48. a month. That's maybe 1 1/2 tank of gas, weeks groceries if you shop using coupons & sales, deductible for prescriptions, utility bill and more. Maybe we're assuming, wrongly, that everyone who lives here has this hugh bank roll. Remember it's just possible that many have been hit in the wallet hard with this economy turndown and need to watch their pennies. There's also the morgage payment and hugh property taxes. I know you're saying that was for four months...but what about the other residents that didn't speak up and their situation? Just a thought..think about it, OK?
Norma L.
I oppose the $10.00 Dollar charge for guests using the pool and facilities. I have not, so far, used the pool
and very seldon the other facilities. If I have guests with me, I like them to be able to emjoy the facilities with me. I am already paying for the use of them.
Clara Clear
I wonder how many people are aware of the current guest policy. There is a limit on the number of times that a guest may visit. If residents believe that the 60 visit per year limit is too generous, and have complained that a single guest is "always there", then either no one is keeping track, or that resident or guest is not violating the policy any more than someone's grandchild. Personally, I believe it may be a good idea to restrict the fitness center to residents and registered personal trainers (if capacity allows) only, but the rest of the lodge and facility should abide by the current rules, and our lodge staff should keep proper records to make sure that the rules are being followed.
I'd be interested in hearing if others agree/disagree that the current rule is reasonable:
Guests of Residents are welcome in the community, although guest participation may be restricted for certain events or activities. A guest may only visit for up to sixty (60) cumulative days per year unless a specific request is approved by the Board. If a resident accompanies his or her guest(s), there is no charge for using Association facilities. Unaccompanied guests must have a guest pass card. Guest pass cards may be purchased in the Association Office. Guest pass cards must be purchased by the Resident sponsor. (See Appendix A for fees). Unaccompanied guests will be expected to show their guest pass card prior to using any Association facility.
Linda was the section above regarding the guests in the HOME may only stay up to 60 days? Which section were you reading?
tThanks so much, Darcie
Linda, you rock! The staff keeping records and the Guest Pass sounds like the solution! I wonder why they don't? I know the line to sign-in did get long sometimes (that's why the book is now on the game table )BUT everyone should just wait their turn and let the Staff do everything necessary to complete each resident's business (no matter what it is) and then on to the next person in line, sounds reasonable to me.
It's in the appendix of the 7-22-08 rules (Governing Documents - Rules and Regulations Revised 7-22-08), Page 6. The document refers to guests and residents separately and distinctly, and I don't see any reference to the guest staying in the home, but you would have to check with Carole to be sure. (Carole.mccarthy@pulte.com).
http://www.ourglenbrooke.net/documentviewer.aspx?id=3891061.
The "Rules & Regulations" were mailed by Glenbrooke Community Assoc. C/O Riverside Management with a cover letter dated July 29, 2008 signed by Ann Caminiti, Assoc. Mgr. 916 349-3160. We received on July 30, 2008.
Thanks for the reference Linda. I think it refers to a guest VISITING (staying in) a home for 60 days and then goes on to explain facilities use fees for guests of FACILITIES. But my understanding could be way off. It would be nice if terms used in writing policy were better defined.
Norma, we never got the cover letter or Rules and Regs. from the property Mgt. I know at the board meeting when someone asked those, "who did NOT get copies?
A majority of hands went up. The audience was then told by Mr. Van Dam that "we will make sure they are were sent out"
They're probably in that TO DO basket with the 12/31/08 Financial Stmts that were mailed in June....P & L's for April, May & June & April 22nd Minutes! We must have more patience.
NL
?? Am I reading Rules & Regulations correctly? The "Rules & Regulations" approved July 22, 2008 under GUESTS ...a guest may visit for up to sixty (60) cumulative days per year. Under the NEW Guest Policy Draft dated August 12, 2009..Total Guest Usage: No individual guest may utilize guest priviledges more than 18 times during a calendar year. Why this hugh difference? Are they talking about different types of guests? Not at all clear!
I asked Carole McCarthy (I don't remember her official title, but she's the head of all HOA operations for Pulte and a lovely, knowledgeable lady) about whether the current guest policy refers to overnight guests, or anyone visiting a resident:
Her reply:
I don't think the 60 day limit is excessive. That works out to 5 days a month, two one-month visits, etc. Let's leave it that way!!
Thanks Linda. A agree with the 60 day limit....18 days seems to me an extreme cutback. However, that being said, I do think the Fitness Center should be off limits to guests. Other information I would like to know about is: where this money goes and how do they plan on monitoring use by guests so we don't have another situation such as the one I "HEARD". sparked this revision.
Good Heavens!!!! Are we all talking about the same thing? The Guests I'm talking about are ONLY Guests using our facilities, not visiting our homes.. OLD Rule: 60 visits per year for each guest.... NEW Proposed Rule: 18 visits per year for eac h guest. There are no limits on people visiting my home to chow down, drink beer, talk trash....RIGHT? Don't even think about going there!!!!!
The more I hear about this the more I think our Board needs to call a special meeting and fully explain what Resolution 9 is about...they owe us that much. WE have big investments in this community.
This is the latest posted by Mina on the Glenbrooke site
"The Board of Directors thanks you for your comments and concerns. As you know, the Association process of posting proposed rule changes provides an opportunity for member input before an operating rule is adopted. Each letter has been sent to the Board of Directors for their review. The week of September 7th, I will send an acknowledgement notice either by email or mail on behalf of the Board to every letter or email I received. Please note that Resolution 2009.009 will be on the October 21st agenda. The meeting will be at 2:00pm in the Oak and Cedar Room.
Thank you for your patience!"
And I might add a BIG THANKS to the resident who walked the neighborhood leaving flyers so ALL were aware of this Resolution.