The action of the board was yet another precipitous approval on yet another unplanned and unbudgeted capital project.

After the unplanned, unbudgeted and (in my opinion) excessive commitments the board has spent on the renovations in the hall and the construction of the throne room on the hill they have now approved another $10K for improvements to the playground. All of this has happened without a formal capital budget and without consulting the membership.

Germania has a planning committee, which in reality is a reacting committee. Capital expenditures are not being planned more than a few days in advance. They should be planned multiple years in advance. This crap has to stop. Whether the need is legitimate, immediate or frivolous, we cannot have a board who believes they have unlimited license to spend the resources of the club without any constraints.

I will gladly become one of the disliked people because of this conviction. I do not dislike the administrator nor any of the rest of you, I just disagree with the excessive unplanned expenditures the club has made.

I am drafting an amendment to the Germania constitution which would prohibit expenditure of more than $5,000 USD on any single improvement or maintenance item without a vote of the membership either at a specific monthly meeting on an annual basis (March?) or after 30 days notice to the members. Yes it is perhaps more restrictive than we might need, but the actions of the previous board and now this board warrant drastic measures. I will try to have this available for review at the September meeting.

Newbs

'In theory' means 'not really' - Bob Balaban

1. Evi Washburn08/05/2011 12:51:39 AM

The 10 000 dollars for the playground are not for improvements but for very much needed repairs and the need to get the playground up to code to prevent possible lawsuits after any injury on the Germania Society playground equipment and it is to prevent us from having possible fines due to us not being up to code.

2. Facts08/05/2011 08:03:11 AM

POSTED ON JULY 5th when questions arose about who is in the Germania Facebook page:

Troy St-Michael: Like Beth and Paul alluded to, this group is private. I only allow current paid Germania members that are on facebook access to our discussions. I remove anyone invited into this group that’s outside our membership or that posts offensive material.
July 5 at 9:31pm · LikeUnlike · 1 personNancy Ziegler likes this..

3. Patty Galvin08/05/2011 08:22:27 AM

Henry,
Good for you!!!! Germania needs more Members like you. You have always stood up for your principles. I hope more Members follow you.
Over the past 10 years we have been Members I have seen so many Members get disgusted with issues at the klub and just leave. (I must admit, I have also thought of it) And these were good, hard working Members. Right now, I know of several that are ready to leave because of recent decisions.
Everyone must realize that you win some/lose some. When you lose you have to take constructive action to correct the situation as you have done. That is what all Members need to do.
Henry, I would have never asked you to check into my removal from the Germania Members Facebook page had I realized this was a political move. I thought you were an administrative member of the page. I didn't know I was removed because I was a spouse of an unpopular Board vote.
I suggest the administrator rename the page to "Select Germania Members."

4. Henry Newberry08/05/2011 09:27:32 AM
Homepage: http://www.henrynewberry.com/

@Evi: We can agree to disagree about the necessity of making $10,000 in repairs or $50 in repairs to make the facility safe. But $10K makes it a capital improvement and not a maintenance issue. The complete lack of planning and prioritization of projects and the excessive spending has go to stop.

@Facts (aka: Troy) Please explain why Patty, Roger and Wendy were removed in the last week. How do they offend you?

@Patty: Thanks for your support.

Newbs

5. Facts08/05/2011 03:42:00 PM

Your post has been removed.

6. Henry Newberry08/05/2011 04:27:19 PM
Homepage: http://www.henrynewberry.com/

@Facts #5 (you and I know who you are): Do you feel better that I am now not part of that discussion? Did you enjoy having and using that power? Am I pleased you have shunned me? No. And while I can, I will not remove your posts from here despite the cowardly attempt to hide yourself in anonymity.

Newbs

7. enough is enough08/10/2011 10:34:59 PM

i left the fb page , enough is enough

8. Candy02/07/2012 11:24:47 AM

Once again, the administrator has removed a member from the Germania members page on FB because (I suspect) this member questioned a decision made by the board.