Wayne has requested that his op-ed that follows regarding the clubhouse renovation be posted on bcmatters.org. As always, thank you Wayne for sharing your knowledge on this subject with the community. (Patricia)
Last February I posted an article on bcmatters that presented the board with three questions regarding the Clubhouse renovation. For those of you who are not familiar with this post or wish to revisit the topic, the article can be found at https://bcmatters.org/guest-spot-wayne-huey-on-the-renew-big-canoe-clubhouse-renovation/.
Considering the board’s present plans to now proceed with only the Clubhouse renovation (new Post Office has been abandoned) and the important upcoming Town Hall meeting scheduled for this weekend, it seems timely to review the status of the answers to those three questions. Working in reverse, they are as follows:
Question #3: Why have the previously raised issues about the Clubhouse renovation “open air” design and the ADA compliance NOT been answered in a way that addresses “what is in the best interest of the Big Canoe Community”?
Despite the General Manager’s “song and dance” and poor attempts to debunk my concerns and comments in previous posts regarding the design of the clubhouse renovation, those issues have now been corrected per my original suggestions.
The roll-up door over the bar area and all large dining area opening door/windows have been eliminated. Also, as noted before, in addition to the required approval from Pickens County Health Department, these features were not appropriate for the designated areas of use and carried a very high design/initial cost with very high maintenance. Yet the cost of the overall Clubhouse renovation significantly increased rather than decreased after the elimination of these features. No clear information was provided in the presentation by the Board about what specifics caused the large cost increase.
Without providing necessary details, the Veranda component of the renovation appears to be (from the interior renderings) significantly different than the first design. Per original emphasis by this writer, significant improvement was made with the Veranda flooring raised to comply with ADA and the previous uneven transition from the main Clubhouse floor to the Veranda.
Considering these and other changes in design from the initial renderings, the original scope of the project (voted on by the property owners) has been altered significantly.
Question #2: The POA desperately needs an experienced and fully qualified Project Manager. Why has Management/Board not hired a Project Manager to represent the OWNER?
This failure to have the appropriate representation of the Owner throughout the process beginning with the Clubhouse Renovation Project (as well as all other Renew Big Canoe projects) to the completion of the Project construction is short sighted and not in the best interest of the Big Canoe Community. Excuse after excuse has been made by the GM. The GM contends he has $60,000 earmarked in the budget for Project Manager although $60K is way too little compensation for a qualified Project Manager. There does not appear to be an understanding by the GM of the necessity to have a Project Manager to work and protect the interest of the Big Canoe Community.
Instead, according to the July 9 email from the board, management of the project has been delegated to the “Big Canoe staff”. This is ridiculous! The Big Canoe staff does not have the experience, skill sets or time to know how to correctly manage the project. The Board needs to assume the responsibility to insist on the immediate hiring (at this late time) of a qualified Project Manager.
BC residents who lived in Big Canoe when the original Clubhouse was built remember the disaster with cost management when the project did not have qualified Project Management resulting in costs exceeding $11,000,000.
And finally, Question #1: Renew Big Canoe vote was for a Clubhouse Renovation of $6.35 million. Will there be a re-vote if the final costs exceed $6.35 million?
The Board President, announced during the presentation for the Clubhouse Renovation project, a total cost of $7,686,084 which includes the General Contractor’s GMP of $6,291,744 plus $891,000 for soft cost and $503,340 for contingency.
In response to this question by one of the attendees at the Board Meeting, the Board President stated “NO, there would not be a re-vote.”
And despite my concerns and just as predicted in my February post, Macallan Construction was awarded the GC contract instead of either of the other two bidders.
Other Comments:
I have been told by the POA President that I will not be allowed to review the Contract with GC Macallan to understand what is and what is not included in their scope of work. In my opinion, the total cost of $7,686,084 will grow to a total cost of the Clubhouse Renovation to over $9,000,000.
For example, $350,000 has been approved by the Board for Fortress Construction to construct a new retaining wall on the other side of the Veranda and next to Creek 9 golf course. How many other projects will also be required as part of the Clubhouse Renovation?
Other obvious areas include the rebuilding of the Pro Shop which will be removed from the Clubhouse into a temporary building. Also, other areas of the lower level of the Clubhouse will be impacted by the construction. And exterior areas like the parking area adjacent to the Clubhouse as well as other site and landscaping necessary at the end of the Project. All of these areas mentioned will significantly increase the “total cost” of $7,686,084 announced in the June 27th Board meeting.
Conclusion:
So “NO, there will not be a re-vote” as announced at the June 27th Board Meeting.
Reminder: The Town Hall meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m.
Please attend.
Doesn’t the BC Community have any input or voice that can be heard by the GM and the Board regarding these higher costs for the Clubhouse Renovation? Answer?
How can this train wreck be stopped?
Wayne A. Huey, Architect
11084 Big Canoe
Thanks for your insight, Wayne. There still seems to be much hidden.
An hour ago I left a lengthy post on the Neighbor to Neighbor Facebook page. In it I included the many “mistakes” made by various POA boards and GMs. These were all documented when I wrote about them as editor of both Smoke Signals and Inside the Gates. I stuck to issues relating to The Clubhouse, although other departments were also impacted by poor decisions. I held my editor positions for almost 20 years so this is not my first rodeo.
In my post I suggested property owners take a look at Big Canoe Matters for other documented points of view.
My post was immediately declined because I mentioned BC Matters. The N2N admins would not let me copy my post so I could send it to other BC Facebook pages. My post was courteous and civil.
It should be noted the admins of N2N often refer to other Facebook pages to submit info. They have no problem doing that but don’t seem to want to include the BC Matters website as a source of information.
Strange way to present ideas which could benefit residents. I can only assume contrary ideas, facts or opinions are not acceptable, even if presented as verifiable board actions. That’s a sad state of affairs.
Alice, A friend of mine was ready to thank you for your post on N2N when she realized it was removed.
Thank you for all your efforts, knowledge and dedication to making Big Canoe what it should be.
Thank you Wayne and Patricia .
I see so many valid questions and concerns in Wayne’s writings and the replies .
The DEVELOPER wants to develop ! Developers spend OTHER peoples money ! The POA’s JOB is to say NO!!! .The developer wants to create these extra large expenditures to keep their company working during these extraordinary financially CRUSHING times !!! PLEASE ask yourself WHO gets the benefit? !!! WHO is making the money ?? Huge amount of OUR money ! 💸💸💸💸
The ENTIRE nation is suffering and the POA BOARD IS PILING on debt !!! HUGE DEBT! That we the homeowners will be responsible for .
It is sicking that they are getting away with this irrational dangerous way of spending others people money !!!!
?? Which RESIDENT ASKED FOR A CLUB REMODEL ???
Not ONE !
We paid for it 3 times already !!!
Insanity or stupidity … or incompetence -repeating the same failures OVER AND OVER !
Future THEFT !!
*Note: The buy-in increase STEALING OUR EQUITY when we buy/sell our homes !
*The promise to raise our POA FEES incrementally TO $700 per month !!!
Ludicrous !
Please , for the love of this community STOP THE MADNESS!
We WANT a conservative POA BOARD !
Stop spending ! Pay down debt !
NO MORE DEBT ! NO MORE DEBT !!!
The frog is in the pot of water; the temperature is GETTING HOT….. my pot is boiling over .
WAKE UP PEOPLE !!! The POA WILL IMPLODE AND BANKRUPT OUR COMMUNITY!
We would like a fiscally responsible Board and POA… Why is everything in a loan?
Irresponsible on many levels
Thank you T. Scarborough for your insights, when are more going to wake up?
Thanks T……..
Everything should STOP right this minute……. until it is sorted out and control is gained……. but then who can we trust to gain control.
This is truly a beautiful place to live until you find out a little more about it.
I don’t know how to get out if this mess besides just selling out and finding somewhere less fraudulent to live….
Thank you Patricia and Wayne for your time, dedication and truthful dialogue into the untruths nuances being spewed to the homeowners of Big Canoe.
Wayne thank you for your continued efforts in holding GM Scott Auer and the Board accountable. We have tried many times either through Board as well as Scott only to have untruths shoved down our throat.
We cannot understand how more people in Big Canoe aren’t seeing our value has diminished substantially through this GM and Board.
We need to replace them all and hire a company who can run Big Canoe fiscally sound, be transparent and keep the well being if we the “residents” first and foremost.
Too many are leaving and more to come.
We stand by your continued efforts and here to help.
Wayne asks us to please attend the town hall meeting on Saturday, July 13, but what can be accomplished? The first question asked by a homeowner at the close of the June 27 board meeting was “Will there be a revote on the revised “Renew Big Canoe” projects” and the board reply was both curt and rude. He was told “NO. The answer is no.” Note: The GM stated at the April board meeting “Yes. There will be a revote” if the final cost increases. Now we find that the scope of the projects has significantly changed as well as increased by millions of dollars, yet there will be no revote. This is commonly called bait and switch and should not be tolerated! So, back to the question at hand, what can be done to stop this train wreck now?
The POA presentation has not addressed several other issues. When we complete this plan are we going to see an increase in revenue? Where is that revenue increase going to come from? More customers? Where are these extra customers going to park? Clubhouse parking is often full on Summer weekends! This must be addressed before they break ground.
Second, if there is no increase in customers, does that mean every customer will be charged more? How much more? Has anyone seen a business plan with any financial projections?? We are now losing $650/$720k/ yr. We used to lose money on every meal served. Is that the case now?
Clearly, no one is thinking about “amortizing” the new renovation cost into our accounting.
If we are to have more customers, and if we lose money on each customer, are we headed to a new loss record in the full of 2026 of say $ 1 million? Jill got fired for, ” being out of control” and losing $750k /yr.
What is the current tolerance these strategic and operational problems?
Will Scott have to fall on the Sword to save the Planning Committees involved for not addressing the parking issue, the Finance Committee for not demanding a through Business Plan with operational projections so the residents could see in black and white what they were actually voting for or against, and finally for the Board who supposedly worked many hours on this project with asking any of these questions. How could they do this, end of with result, when they would never have thought of putting their name on something this incompletely thought out, during their real-world careers where they were really answerable to someone, like a Boss with real authority like a GM, President or CEO, a real BOD of knowledgeable people who would not accept incomplete plans, projections and detailed explanations for a major operational undertaking/ development. Then they refuse to allow a revote when it obvious to anyone with experience real estate development and operations, how flawed this plan of action has become. We are all supposed to be good neighbors here in BC. WHY can’t those in charge act like they are our neighbors?
Well we hired a GM with a home cleaning business. I’m still waiting to figure out how that translates to knowing anything about food and beverage, our Achilles heel. Big Canoe is a complicated community to run with full time residents, weekenders, and a whole lot of renters. Scott Auer is the tip of the spear. He should be terminated.
First, let me thank P. Cross and other posters on here for sharing their thoughts and valuable information. I have been a homeowner at BC for 44 years now and have seen it all. Most of all “good” in the first twenty years of our home ownership. And I shall never forget those magic times at BC.
But something went off the rails at some point nearing 2000 with poor management choices and bad decisions. Sorry to say, Big Canoe became more of a problem than a part time haven. My husband and I live overseas. Always have since the purchase of our home there. It was a perfect fit to our life to return to BC and meet with family and friends. But the continual choice of incompetent POA managers seemed to plunge BC into chaos. The latest news supports my point.
I am sorry to say that we have now decided to sell. The latest scam of AECD trying to get a $4000 fine for leaves on our roof is the limit. Completely unacceptable when we know the personnel at AECD and they know how to contact us immediately for any infraction. But didn’t. So they mysteriously let the fine “accumulate”. They claimed they did not have the correct address to contact us. We have always maintained our property, hiring monthly people to check on it in our absence.
I applaud the people who are asking for fair explanations concerning the new Clubhouse and the costs. The Clubhouse built after the former Sconti was disaster enough. I regret to say that I do not have trust or faith in Scott Auer to be the one to do this.
Big Canoe was once a very pleasant and unpretentious place to live. With people who brought their interesting lives and life experiences to others who met informally during sports or community activities. It shall literally break my heart to have to sell, but we have no other choice.
I sincerely hope eventually sense prevails and the expenditures slated for Big Canoe reflect the need and wishes of the future community.
Thank you for reading,
Nancy Franklin