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 Bruce S. Liese, Communications Director What a difference a month makes!
At approximately 0900 this morning Perry Lake’s water level hit 889.0 feet. In one month the lake has risen more than three feet.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, “The top of conservation pool elevation for this site is 891.50 ft.”
In an article published just last week (May 1, 2013) by Commodore Mij Frierson and Treasurer Rich Wells, it was announced that the club would go into full swing as soon as the water level hit 890 feet. That’s just 12 inches from today! (Be sure to check out the article for the definition of “full swing”.)
So it’s time to pull the cover off your boat; air the tires on your trailer; inspect your rigging, spars, and hull; dig out the boat polish and wax; slap on some sunscreen, and; get ready to launch!
For details of the club’s low water dues policy, see the May 1 article. To “watch” our lake water rise, as sailing season really approaches, see the Army Corps of Engineers link.
Bruce S. Liese
bruce@kansascitysailing.com
PYC Communications Director
It’s a perfectly beautiful Saturday morning and we’re preparing the Club for another season of sailing and partying!
C’mon out and help us clear brush, organize the kitchen, repair the gate, maintain the docks, corral little kids, and celebrate Spring (and the recent rains).
We’ll begin at 9:00 am. Coffee, water, soda and lunch will be provided.
And just in case you haven’t joined us for Opening Day in the past, the photo below is among the many creative things we do. This work of Picass0-like work of art was done by our own Richard Eberhardt. Thanks Richard!
We hope you will join us in preparing the Club for a busy season of sailing and partying!
We are in need of helpers at all skill levels to pitch in on various projects at the Club. Examples include clearing brush, organizing the kitchen, repairing the gate, maintaining the docks, corralling little kids, to name a few.
Please plan to meet at the Club at 9:00 am, ready to work. It is suggested that you wear long sleeves/pants, close toe shoes, and some work gloves.
Coffee, water, soda and lunch will be provided. Oh, and beer. How’s that for incentive?
Please RSVP in the comments section so I have an estimated head count for food.
See you at the Club!
Cheers,
Kelly Switzer – Social Chair
Please plan to join us for the PYC Winter Membership Meeting on Saturday, March 9 at the Kansas Speedway. The Board of Governors will provide important information regarding the 2013 budget and dues schedule, as related to the low water. More importantly, it is a time to reconnect with the greater PYC family over a few coldies.
12:00 – 1:00 pm Potluck Luncheon
1:00 – 4:00 pm Winter Membership Meeting
Please bring a dish to share. Soft drinks and beer will be provided.
There is no physical address for the Media Center, but you can enter 400 Speedway Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66111 into your GPS and it will get you to Michigan Drive guard shack. You can use the map and directions below to find your way from there. If you do not plan to use GPS, you can still use the directions below as they direct from all major highways.
Click here to download or print driving directions.
Click here to download or print a map of the Kansas Speedway or see below.
Questions? Please contact Kelly Switzer, Social Chair, via cell 317-345-7666 or email kelly_switzer@yahoo.com.
We look forward to seeing you on March 9.
Cheers!
Just wanted to remind everyone that stored their boat on PYC property last year that the storage fees are in addition to the $360 deposit due this year by March 15. Since all boats but two were out of the water, most will be $100 for dry storage. Please include that along with the $360 deposit.
Thanks…Doug
Yes, you read it right: Our PYC Winter Membership Meeting on March 9 (Noon – 4 pm) will be at the Kansas Speedway on I-70, Kansas City, Kansas. (There’s no NASCAR race that day – just a PYC Membership Meeting.) As in the past the meeting will be proceeded by a pot luck lunch and beverages supplied by the club.
Please RSVP in the reply box below and let us know how many will be attending with you so we can make final arrangements for this meeting. We’ll provide more details about this event and the meeting agenda soon.
This is an important meeting so please plan to attend and RSVP!
(A big thanks goes out to Kelly Switzer, our Social Chair, for making this meeting location possible.)
As we approach spring, it is hard to believe how quickly the winter has gone by. It seems like just yesterday that we were completing club closing. As we are all painfully aware, low water continues to be a concern as we anticipate the upcoming sailing season. While we all had hopes of a winter and spring that would bring greater precipitation that has certainly not been the case thus far. It is obviously too early to predict what the coming months will bring, however, the Board of Governors feels it is important to keep members apprised of actions we are taking relating to the low water situation.
As discussed at the fall membership meeting, our intention was to continue to monitor the water situation over the mid winter months and begin formulating a plan of action as we had more timely information and were closer to spring club opening. Please know that the board fully recognizes the impacts and inconveniences the water situation poses to all of us and the actions we are taking are done so with the intention of minimizing impacts to members, remaining focused on the financial health of the club, and maintaining the strength and loyalty of our membership. To this end we are proposing the following actions as we approach the upcoming sailing season.
1. The normal dues deposit deadline of February 1 will be extended to March 1. This effort will allow us continued time to assess the situation in the coming months, while also delaying the date members will be required to submit their 2013 deposit.
2. The deposit amount for this year will be modified to $360. This higher deposit will enable members to hold a slip in their name while also providing the opportunity to participate in all club related activities during the spring months. This amount will be credited toward the normal membership dues when paid later in the spring or early summer. This step will also ensure the club maintains sufficient cash flow in the coming months to adequately manage operations, while also continuing to offer the activities to members throughout the spring and early summer which make PYC the vibrant, fun, and family atmosphere we all have come to enjoy.
3. We will delay the payment of final dues to May 1. Normally full dues payment is due on March 1st. By taking this step we hope to provide additional time for the water situation to improve. We are also mindful of those members who have relocated to other marinas. This delayed time frame will enable members to reach a decision regarding the remainder of the season without paying full dues at multiple locations. It is our understanding that both marinas are offering pro-rated dues schedules that should accommodate members reaching an ultimate marina decision by May 1.
In the event a members in not able to relocate back to PYC due to low water, they will continue to be permitted to participate in club activities throughout the year based on the deposit paid. We understand in some instances members may be unable to return to PYC this year, however, we want to ensure they have the opportunity to remain actively engaged in club activities for the upcoming year.
4. If the water is slow to rise the club will offer a prorated dues schedule for lease, owner, and dry sail members based on the following schedule (your deposit will hold your slip reservation until these dates):
July 1 – dues reduced to 75%
August 1 – dues reduced to 50%
September 1 – dues reduced to 25%
October 1 – no dues assessed beyond initial deposit
While we realize there is no way to address the unique situations of each member, we feel the steps above provide options to lessen the impacts to all members while being mindful of the continued operational needs of the club as a whole. Certainly our hope would be that the spring provides the much needed water we all would like. We will discuss these issues in further detail at the upcoming membership meeting on March 9th, but want to make sure we are keeping members apprised in the meantime.
The strength of our membership is a hallmark of PYC and has been a constant through past low water, high water, and other adverse situations impacting the club. The Board of Governors remains committed to the future success of PYC and will continue to focus our actions on those items that best address the greater membership needs in times of challenge such as this. I look forward to seeing all of you on March 9th as we look forward to a hopefully improved sailing season in 2013.
We welcome your thoughts, questions, and comments in the reply box below.
…you can influence the amount of boat property tax you pay.
Each year Kansas boaters pay a small fortune in property taxes for the privilege of using and storing their boats in Kansas. According to an article in the Topeka Capital Journal, Kansas boat owners pay rates eight times higher than adjoining states. The Capital Journal article gives the following example: “A $20,000 boat in Oklahoma would cost $150 in property taxes, while the same boat in Kansas would bring a $750 tax bill.” As a result of this high tax rate some Kansas boat owners register their boats and even move them elsewhere.
A separate article in the Kansas City Star explains that a constitutional amendment on the upcoming November ballot “could save boat owners hundreds of dollars” a year. They report that “a yes vote on the amendment supports taxing watercraft at a lower rate. A vote against retains the 30 percent tax rate for boats.”
For an excellent article published by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism click here.
If you are a Kansas sailor and want to pay a lower tax rate on your sailboat you’ll vote “yes” on November 6. This constitutional amendment is also good for the state’s tax base since it’s likely to keep numerous boats in our state, paying taxes. So it’s a good idea to tell your Kansas friends to vote for this amendment since it will even benefit those who do not boat.
The PYC Board of Governors is comprised of 14 positions. Each year we elect Flag Officers (Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Treasurer, and Secretary) for a one-year term. The remaining officers are elected for two-year terms and their terms are staggered so that half of the group is elected during odd years and the other half is elected during even years. The following is the slate of officers nominated for 2013. Those listed with an asterisk (*) are up for election this year.
I hope you will be attending the Fall Membership Meeting this Saturday (October 27) at PYC, where we’ll vote for this new slate of officers.
*Commodore – Mij Frierson
*Vice Commodore – Ed Hockenberg
*Rear Commodore – Pat Allen
Past Commodore – Mij Frierson
*Treasurer – Rich Wells
*Secretary – Terri Tilford
Dock Master – Lee Cline
*Harbor master – TBD
Buildings/Grounds – Ricardo Oben/Chris Ross
*Assistant Treasurer – Doug McCall
Communication Director – Bruce Liese
*Yearbook Editor – Bill Buckheit
Director of Sail Education – Jim North
*Social Chair – Kelly Switzer
Please note that one position is still open (TBD), Harbor Master. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for this position please contact Mij Frierson or plan to make your nomination at the Fall Meeting.
Please join your fellow sailors this Saturday (October 27, 9 a.m. to noon) to accomplish important projects at the club and have fun. Even though we call this a “work day” it’s more fun and socializing than work. A benefit pancake breakfast will be served at 7:45 – 8:45 a.m. and then PYC will provide lunch at 1:00 p.m. followed by the fall membership meeting.
These are some of the chores planned:
Store the junior sailing boats.
Cut down a dead tree and cut firewood.
Repair the committee boat trailer.
Clean up the back storage lot.
Winterize the dock water system and the sewage pump.
Install orange markers by the cleats on the docks.
Repair a broken water line in the back storage lot.
Pick up trash around the grounds.
Prepare the kitchen for winter and prepare lunch.
Again, this day is more fun than work. And it’s followed by the all-important Fall Membership where we’ll vote for a new slate of officers for next year. We’ll also be discussing the implications of this summer’s drought.
Please join us on Saturday.
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