The Board of Trustees of the Shelter Island Country Club sent out this message from Goat Hill today:
“The Board of Trustees is doing its best to navigate through these incredibly challenging times. Trustees have been meeting weekly via conference call or video conferencing to address the pressing issues facing the club during the pandemic. We also keep in constant contact by phone, text and email.”
“The postponement of our golf season opening is distressing to say the least. We know you’d rather be golfing than sitting at home, and so would we! However, for the time being at least, this is our new normal.”
“To that extent, the Board has taken several steps to economize at a time when our revenue stream has slowed to a trickle.”
“We have made the difficult decision to reduce our payroll by cutting back hours for the maintenance staff. Fairways and greens will still be tended to, but with less frequency in some areas. This reduction is effective until April 30 and will be reassessed then.”
“We are holding back any non-essential expenditures while working with our cart leasing company to see whether the company is willing to defer monthly payments or reduce them. Additionally, we are applying for a small business loan through a program established by the federal government’s recent economic relief package.”
“To date, we do not have a signed lease agreement with the Flying Goat. We were in the middle of negotiations when the pandemic hit, and the restaurant is now in a wait-and-see mode. We do have assurances that the Flying Goat will be back, but restaurant owner John DeLeo is reluctant, understandably, to pay rents when it can’t operate.”
“Membership renewals were going strong, until the pandemic hit. Yes, like the restaurant, it might not make sense to renew or join when the course is in a holding pattern. Yet, we appeal to your sense of optimism and to your commitment to Goat Hill. Your membership will help us stay afloat during this crisis so when the coast is clear we can be up and running without a hitch, and you can play golf and enjoy the club to your heart’s content. If you haven’t already, please renew your memberships.”
“We will keep you updated as often as we can, and as developments warrant. As always, we welcome your questions and suggestions. They can be sent to info@shelterislandcc.org.”
