Concentrate on the Good News
commentary by Joe Reynolds

Association members who don't follow all the ins and outs of OPA's management team, consisting of the Board of Directors along with the General Manager and his staff, may not be aware of the all the good news emanating out of OPA in recent months.

For example, at the July board meeting came outstanding news confirming sales at the Yacht Club had jumped by 20% during the month of June when compared with sales figures for last June. The number was undeniable; it was there for all to see on the pull-down screen that now bumps the OPA president from his seat at the head of the table. However, there will always be the naysayers and complainers who are never satisfied, always looking for the negative in any good news. For example, several board members overlooked the substantive increase in sales, instead concentrating on unimportant labor costs and even made reference to two despised words in OPA-land -- bottom line. Should you hear something from your neighbors or friends regarding these board-member complaints about the Yacht Club, ignore them. All you need to know is sales at the Yacht Club were up 20% for June. Concentrate on the good news.

There is also great news about our Aquatics amenities. Based on a relatively new measurement system, we now know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that more individuals are using our pools, especially the indoor pool. These user counts are surely an accurate portrayal of our pool operations, much more so than some crass, capitalistic measurement involving money. However, again the naysayers and complainers came out of the woodwork to pooh-pooh the more meaningful measurement of user counts. One board member went beyond naysaying, going so far as to suggest the user counts were interesting but of little value. He even uttered the ugly words -- bottom line. Should you hear something from your neighbors or friends regarding these board-member complaints about Aquatics, ignore them. All you need to know is more individuals are using the pools. Concentrate on the good news.

Board members also heard about a new recommendation for the Country Club coming out of the Facilities Planning Group. Seems the board will be advised to incorporate catering facilities for 144-160 people in any new Country Club. This is terrific news. Just think, now OPA, via golf course management company Billy Casper Golf, will have the ability to host numerous money-making tournaments and sit all the participants down to dine after the event. This promises to not only make the Country Club more enjoyable, but also, dare I say it, make the bottom line turn positive. Are the naysayers and complainers happy with this good news, even those on the board? Of course not. Being contrarians by nature, this vocal minority throws water on the fires of good news yet again by wondering why OPA needs to finance and operate two full banquet facilities, each competing with the other. Should you hear something from your neighbors or friends regarding these complaints about the Country Club, ignore them. All you need to know is OPA's golf operation could soon be making big bucks if the board looks past the unimportant initial capital needed for the transformation. Concentrate on the good news.

Never forget, despite any naysayers and complainers, on or off the board, the Board of Directors is from OPA and the Board of Directors is here to help you. Case in point: Dedication to association members was eminently displayed Wednesday when our dedicated board members, except for two no-shows, gathered for a hastily-called special meeting to tackle the thorny but incredibly important issue of OPA policy with regard to your use of amenities. This was a corporate emergency, but it turned into a moment to make any association member proud. They carefully deliberated for hours, debating the meaning of every comma, every period, every definition. Two words in the extensive document with regard to the general public's use of OPA's amenities became a major sticking point -- "as available." Association members can breathe a tremendous sigh of relief, cooler heads prevailed and OPA's attorney will be asked to analyze the meaning and impact of those words and possibly other language.

Should you hear something from your neighbors or friends regarding an association member suggesting these board policies, now two years in the writing, are meaningless because any four board members can, and do, choose to ignore any policy at any time, ignore them. All you need to know is the board is looking out for you. Concentrate on the good news.