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President’s Report: October 2023

Dear Members,

Just over a year ago, the unthinkable force of a monster hurricane brought its full fury to Fort Myers. We are all well aware of its destruction to our club. Working together, we have made remarkable progress in our rebuild of SHYC. As we approach season, we are ready for your return to the club. Our fire suppression system, destroyed by flood water, is 100% restored. Another new forklift will be ready for delivery after the first of the year. We are awaiting final approval to install our new fuel tank. The state is taking soil samples every other day, and we hope to start the project in November and be completed by the end of the year. We have sufficient funds for this expensive project and the new forklift!

Our disaster loan from Sanibel Captiva Bank is paid in full. We will keep the credit line open with a small money balance should we need it for future emergencies. I want to thank our friends at Sanibel Captiva Bank again for their financial assistance that enabled us to rebuild our facilities. They are an excellent local bank that helped many businesses rebuild and re-open after the storm.

Unfortunately, we still have some issues that will not result in short-term fixes. As the Board disclosed months ago, we have a major issue with our wind insurance company, Velocity Risk. Their initial offer on our claim of over $8 million was a ridiculous amount of only $32,000, which they refused to reconsider. Our only option at that point was to accept the offer or fight it. Naturally, the Board chose to fight it and fight it vigorously. The Board vetted several law firms to represent us in this matter, and we selected Attorney Larry Moskowitz and Windy Law. This firm specializes in representing clients whom insurance companies have unfairly treated, and they have been doing this for over 15 years. We have also retained the service of Team Complete as our experts to document and assist Windy Law in representing us in binding arbitration mandated by our insurance policy.

The other issue is the workmanship deficiencies of the contractor that did the siding on our storage barns. The work was utterly unsatisfactory. After failing to resolve the problem, we have formally terminated Stormz USA from the job and will pursue a claim against them through our attorney. Also, we are currently evaluating which successor company will be hired to repair and finish the job.

SEPTEMBER EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

Employee of the Month for September was Ashley O’Hearn. Ashley has been with us for five years and performs multiple duties at the club, working in the deli and doing clerical duties for Chad. Congratulation Ashley!

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual members’ meeting was held on October 5th and was well attended. The Board members and positions are as follows:

Peter MazzagattiPresident
Fred WalterVice President
Nick AmelioSecretary/Treasurer
Randy ManningDirector
Dr. Gary AspenwallDirector

RESTAURANT

Our food and beverage services continue to operate. Our hours are 7 to 5, seven days a week. A full bar and restaurant add quality and value to your investment and pleasure at the club. As we have mentioned, every month, we need member support for our bar and restaurant at this time. With the Punta Rassa condominiums closed until further notice, we have lost a considerable revenue source, and we need your support to continue service at the present level.

VALET SERVICE

Unfortunately, we cannot offer valet service until the fuel tanks are installed. As previously stated, we are hopeful to begin this service by the end of the year. If you need assistance dropping off any of your passengers or gear, we are happy to help you. Since the main entrance to the Punta Rassa property is manned by security, tell the security guard that you are going to the yacht club and need assistance unloading your car or dropping off a passenger, and they will let you in. Drive your car to the front gate, and a valet or manager on duty will assist you. You will have to drive your car back to the rear parking lot.

As we gear up for the season, we increase our staff accordingly. This is an ongoing process. Our management strives to hire and train quality employees to ensure the quality of our services is maintained at a high level. If any issues need our attention, please address them with our Harbormaster, Javier, or assistant Harbormasters Kristi, or Kyle. Please see Adrian, our food and beverage manager, for food and beverage for assistance in this area. We continually improve or repair many areas of the club.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we cope with this daunting task. Please enjoy the club with your family and guests.

Peter Mazzagatti, President
Sanibel Harbour Yacht Club
239-470-9577 Mobile
pmazzagatti@comcast.net