|
|
|
|
Letter to San Marino Tennis Foundation Members from the President
As acting President of the San Marino Tennis Foundation, the managing entity of the San Marino Tennis Club, I would like to share some thoughts on what is new at the Club.
First, the Foundation would like to thank Sam Lizzul for his 17 years of service as our Head Pro. Sam has offered many lessons and clinics to us over the years and we will miss his friendly attitude and upbeat nature. The Board has been conducting a search for a new Head Pro since August 9th and pros from as far away as Dubai and Australia have expressed interest. In the interim, Assistant Pro Adrian Pina has assumed the Head Pro position. Adrian's staff includes Byron, Charlie, Greg, Tina, and the shop staff to assist you. Please be patient with them during this transition. We expect to select a new Head Pro in the next sixty days or so.
Second, as many of you know, we have adopted a reservation system. The Board felt this would allow players to use their tennis time more efficiently. Instead of showing up for a session and not knowing if you would need to "rack," you can reserve a court and know you are using your time effectively. This system is new, so again, your patience is requested as we adjust the system for our Club. Please remember to sign in each time you play so that our administrator can check the accuracy of the reservation system.
Third, the Foundation Board has the responsibility of managing all aspects of the Club from resurfacing the courts to maintaining the clubhouse to overseeing the Pro. I know some of you are curious about the new contract and you should be. It's quite a change from the old contract. As the Board tried to adjust the old contract to the Club's changing needs, the Board realized we needed help. We decided to hire a labor law attorney to guide us in a direction consistent with the ever changing California Labor Codes' requirements for an independent contractor. Because the Foundation has no employees, our Pro must maintain independent contractor status. After review, our attorney advised both the Board and the City, our overseer, that the Concession Agreement and the Pro Contract needed adjustments to be consistent with the current law.
The new Pro Contract simplifies the relationship between the Foundation and the Pro. It is a clear, straightforward, and simple arrangement that can easily be passed from Board to Board without complex explanations -- a frequent problem in the past. There were many reporting and calculation issues that created confusion in the past. By design, the new contract encourages policing by the Pro. This helps to insure we will all sign in, pay guest fees, and follow protocol at the Club.
The small changes in the Concession Agreement, the contract that defines the relationship between the City and the Foundation, were agreed upon by our labor attorney and the City Attorney to clarify the Concession Agreement, enforce the Pro Contract, and solidify the relationship between the City and the Foundation. The Board authorized up to $5,000 to be spent on this legal work, but the work was completed at a mere fraction of that potential cost. Thanks go to Mike and Nam Jack, attorneys themselves, for diligently taking the time to incorporate the labor attorney's suggestions into the agreements.
A few of you have asked that the approved Board Minutes be distributed. We plan on posting a hard copy of the Minutes as they are available at the Center, either in the clubhouse or on a bulletin board.
I know... I know... the locker rooms are in need of some attention! We are planning to do some minor work on them in the future. We cannot do a major renovation as of now. Compliance with the Americans with Disability Act, ADA, is very expensive. Since we are a public facility located in Lacy Park, we must comply when we do a major renovation. Sometime in the future, when we have accumulated adequate funds, current dollar estimate is around $400,000, we would like to renovate the clubhouse and locker rooms.
Finally, I hope to see many of you at the Member-Guest Tournament and the Tennis Ball, both events scheduled for the 12th of September. Please sign up with Bob Risinger at programs@sanmarinotennis.org if you and a guest would like to enter the tourney.
Please remember that the courts and the St. Albans parking lot are open during the Lacy Park construction closure.
Thanks for making the Club a truly great place!
Charlie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
