Editorial: WHAT ARE WE DOING AT FCSA? DOES ANYONE KNOW? Town Hall for Proposed Special Assessment Brings More Questions Than Answers

Fort Clark Springs Association members gathered in the board room for a town hall addressing the repairs needed to the motel on Saturday, February 1. General Manager Charlena Cavender presented the motel profit and loss statement and a list of repairs needed to bring the motel buildings to a safe operating condition. 

While answering questions posed by members, the general manager disclosed that a portion of the stated income for the motel has not been collected. This is alarming because the document states that the report was complied on a “cash basis”. So how did money that has not been paid make its way into a report of transactions that have actually occurred? This is not standard for this type of report and means that the association accounting system was manipulated to enhance the profitability of the business. Will it be collected? Probably, but how do we have faith in what we are seeing if our reports are labeled “cash basis” and actually contain items we have not collected? Do we now have to ask every time we look at a report, “Is this what it says it is?”. This is probably minor in this situation, but now that we’ve opened the door to reporting to show what we want vs. what is, where does it stop? 

I wish this is where the alarms stopped, but directors made the assertion that the motel was dangerous in its current condition. However, when members questioned if the motel should be shuttered until the repairs were made, there was no clear answer. In fact, members were invited to go tour the motel, and several did go up on the “dangerous” second floor porch after the meeting. None of this adds up and certainly puts some degree of liability on commercial operations. Fort Clark Days is right around the corner, and usually brings an uptick to the occupancy of the motel. Hopefully some action is taken to ensure the safety of our guests. 

In order to complete the repairs, directors suggested a special assessment of the membership, but there is some question as to whether or not this can be imposed without showing a deficit. It’s understandable that additional funds are needed, but the situation and the reports have to add up to trigger a situation outlined by our governing documents. Members have been pushing for better reports and access to information, but it’s been a slow grind to make this a reality. I know the members can request financial documents, but should we really need to request information? Especially when we are being asked for more money. We can’t stand up and say we are making money doing this or that and then come back and say we need members to pay more. Seems like we are spending more than we are making, but we have a hard time admitting that month in and month out. Members just want to understand how bad the situation is day to day, not just when it’s time to pay the bills. 

I don’t think anyone is going to say the association can operate without more money, but members do want to know there is a plan. At this point we really don’t know how much we need, and it’s hard to understand why we are being asked to fund a reactive expenditure when we first need a solid plan. Otherwise, when will it end?