Membership Announcement
February 17, 2024
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Open Water Rowing Center:
This message is to inform the membership that the Annual Membership Meeting is delayed until Sunday March 17, 2024. The Annual Meeting will be at the Elizabeth Stone Boathouse beginning at 3:00 PM. The OWRC Board of Directors encourages the membership to attend this meeting. The agenda includes the following:
Easom Lease - In discussions with the new ownership of the Easom Building (List Marine and Universal Sonar Mount) regarding the continuance of the OWRC Lease Agreement, the OWRC Board of Directors were advised that the current lease agreement would no longer be renewed. The new owners will retain the space for their own business.
The new owners provided OWRC Board of Directors an option to terminate the current lease at a date that supports the Open Water Rowing Center. The OWRC Board of Directors and the Easom Building Owners agreed to terminate the lease at the end of May 2024.
The OWRC formed a special committee to initiate a transition plan for moving the boats to the Stone Boathouse. Schoonmaker Marina has offered OWRC the opportunity to begin using the boat slip adjacent to our current launch and recovery dock when that slip becomes vacant.
The transition plan will include provisions for the safe launch and recovery policy before the movement of boats can begin. The transition plan will be published at a date before the Annual Meeting.
Open Water Regatta - The OWRC Regatta Committee selected April 21, 2024 as the date for the Open Water Regatta. A new long distance (23KM) course is added to this year event.
OWRC Financial Statements for the initial partial year 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 – The OWRC Finance Committee completed their review of the OWRC books and records. The financial statements for the initial partial year 2020, 2021 and 2022 have been submitted to OWRC’s tax accountant. The 2023 financials should be submitted to the tax accountant before March 17th. The tax accountant is planning to submit all of the tax returns this year. The finance committee will provide a report of profit and loss for the last four years, including a specific time line for the filing of all the tax returns.
OWRC Not for Profit Status – An updated report will be provided regarding the progress of OWRC’s application of the IRS 501C3.
OWRC Operational Volunteer Proposal – The OWRC Board of Directors formed a special committee to determine the requirements for managing the Open Water Rowing Center, utilizing volunteers with specifically defined roles that support the sustainable operation of the club. A proposal that was submitted to the OWRC Board will be presented to the membership.
Membership Dues Increase – After careful analysis and deliberation by the board of directors, the OWRC Board will be announcing a membership fee increase.
Elizabeth Stone Boathouse Storage Fees – The OWRC Board of Directors is studying the consolidation of the two boathouses into a single location with the goal of reducing the storage fees.
Nominations for OWRC Board Members – The membership nominates the new members of the OWRC Board of Directors.
Respectfully submitted,
Wayne Aleshire
OWRC President