A number of people have asked for an evaluation of Hoofer leaders and instructors, but there are official Hoofer mechanisms for that (defective as they may be). Nevertheless, it can be stated that most Hoofer leaders are good people—at least until they become Hoofer leaders. Then, like dogs accepted into the pack, they are compelled to become what they are associated with. The real problem is an environment that facilitates abuse as well as actual violations of law.
For instance, the person who oversees all of Hoofers, Hoofer Coordinator Jim Rogers, made false statements under oath in Dane County Circuit Court in 2006 in order to get a Hoofer member convicted of trespassing in the lower office. Perjury (violation of Wis. Stat 946.31) is a felony—a far more serious crime than any conceivable form of trespassing. Then Jim lied in court again to obtain a wrongful restraining order against someone. That order was eventually nullified by the Wis. Court of Appeals who ruled that it had been granted erroneously. Jim also likes to make false police reports about people he doesn't like.
More recently, Brian Borkovec, the sailing Head of Instruction (HOI), may have committed a felony when he argued and then voted in favor of his own salary and pay raise at the annual budget meeting in February of this year. From Wisconsin Statutes:
946.13 Private interest in public contract prohibited.
(1) Any public officer or public employee who does any of the
following is guilty of a Class I felony:
(a) In the officer’s or employee’s private capacity, negotiates
or bids for or enters into a contract in which the officer or
employee has a private pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, if at
the same time the officer or employee is authorized or required by
law to participate in the officer’s or employee’s capacity as such
officer or employee in the making of that contract or to perform
in regard to that contract some official function requiring the exercise
of discretion on the officer’s or employee’s part; or
(b) In the officer’s or employee’s capacity as such officer or
employee, participates in the making of a contract in which the
officer or employee has a private pecuniary interest, direct or indirect,
or performs in regard to that contract some function requiring
the exercise of discretion on the officer’s or employee’s part.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to any of the following:
(a) Contracts in which any single public officer or employee
is privately interested that do not involve receipts and disbursements
by the state or its political subdivision aggregating more
than $15,000 in any year.
According to our information, Brian makes much more than $15,000 annually. NOTE: according to the 2007 redbook, Brian's enticement was $26,256 per annum.
Former Commodore Mike Larsen also committed crimes. Among other things, he libeled a club member in an attempt to get the individual kicked out of Hoofers. Based on Larsen's distorted lies, the BOC voted to suspend the individual's membership—the only time that has happened to any club member in at least the past five years. Larsen also misused his position as Commodore to coerce people into paying money they didn't owe. Defamation and coercion are both crimes under Wis. statutes. At best, Larsen's actions amounted to criminal negligence.
The Hoofer Coordinator. The Head of Instruction. The Commodore. These are the three most important positions in Hoofer sailing Club. What does their behaviour say about the current leadership of Hoofers? It says be careful.
Incredibly, neither Rogers, Borko, nor Larsen were convicted of any crimes (yet) because they are State employees, friends of the police and the court. The King's men, as it were. Welcome to the 18th Century in Wisconsin.
