Beach Club Letter

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Mark E. Fried
525 Warren Lane
[redacted]
Cell number: [redacted]
email: [redacted]

March 21, 2019

Dear fellow member,

I am writing about the importance of this election of the directors of the Key Biscayne Beach Club.  Last year I accepted the nomination to run for the board because I saw a run down, tired and often dirty facility.  At the time I didn’t know whether the condition was a result of a failure of management, or apathy and inattention on the part of the Board.  During my first board meeting it was readily apparent that the condition of the clubhouse plus our poor financial position was a result the Board’s not giving the Manager proper direction and/or holding the Manager accountable.

It was clear to me that the 2018 budget, prepared by the previous Board, demonstrated that the Club would run out of money in October 2018.  The Board took no action to avoid this.  The motions to reduce expenses failed. At the October 2018 Board meeting Donna and I voted in favor of reducing payroll by cutting the hours of a salaried employee. The directors who voted against the motion were Andy Garcia, Chris Mack, Geno Marron and Nelson Zambrano.  Last year more than 40 members did not pay their dues. The manager found money through mid-December by cutting these budgeted items: building improvements - $15,000; landscaping - $6,500; member party - $2,000; payroll bonus - $10,000; repairs and maintenance - $21,000. As a result we lacked the funds to fix the Chickee huts, the bathroom exhaust fans and the leaking roof, among other things that need attention.

Healthy organizations bring in new directors. The majority of the current directors are standing for re-election.  Chris Mack has been continuously on the Board since 2008; Ron Erbel since 2013; Nelson Zambrano since 2010; Geno since 2008; and Andy Garcia since 2018.  Our membership has been decreasing each year under their governance.

We need a new direction and a fresh start in order to put a stop to the Club’s deteriorating physical condition and declining membership.  That direction must start with the Board, whose responsibility is to oversee the management and establish the direction the Club will take for the future.  The four current directors running for another term have put their desire to protect the Manager above Club’s best interests.
While I personally like all of the people on the board, five of whom I’ve known for more than 30 years, it is my opinion that the current Directors running for reelection have not fulfilled their fiduciary duties to the Club and its members.  Let’s thank them for their service, but replace them with Directors who understand the proper duties and responsibilities of a Board.

I believe that each other nominee understands what it takes to be a responsible Director, and is willing to put in the time and effort to improve the Club and make it sustainable for the future so our children and grandchildren can enjoy it as we have in past years.  I will vote for Chris Biggers, Michael Bracken, Dwight Hewett and Bill Stephens and hope you will do so as well.

Please feel free to call or email me with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,
Mark Fried

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