NOTE: We're starting a new post to continue comments on the "Marina" plan. Be sure to read the previous post and comments too, which are directly related since Dave supports the plan.
Goodbye Hoofer Sailing Club. Hello Peter Tong boat rental operation. What we know as the Hoofer Sailing Club will soon be known as The Tong Family Marina, a Union-run operation.
This idea is the brain-ejaculate of two people: Mark Guthier and Dave Elsmo. It is the natural devolution of a desire to replace the old Hoofer piers, into a broader plan that will give the Union more control over sailing. And who the !@#$ are the Tongs? Peter Tong is an old rich guy who has so much money he doesn't know what to do with it (a grossly overcompensated board member and former president of WARF). Director Guthier picked up his scent and now Mr. Tong has agreed to part with $1 MILLION DOLLARS to get his name on a big bronze plaque somewhere around the sloop pier.
A comment on the previous post has some good links with details on the project, but it is not yet set in stone. The design can still be altered--if enough people complain. NOTE that the webpage linked in the previous paragraph is dated just a few days ago--Aug 14.
That webpage claims that "The Project will transform the lakefront with improvements in safety, accessibility and sustainability and will benefit thousands of Hoofer Sailing Club members each year." Do we have thousands of members now..? Nope. That's another distortion. Nor will it improve safety or anything else, but it will transform the lakefront. By "restoring" the lakefront, what they actually mean is "get rid of all those ugly boats."
Do you think for one second that, after putting $3+ million into "Hoofers" the Union will still let students run it?
To add insult to injury, that webpage also says, "Badgers' memories of the lakefront are some of their most cherished at the Union." That's absolutely true, yet Mr. Guthier wants to crap on those memories by remodeling the entire lakefront! If you want to build us new piers Mr. Guthier, fine, but why take a dump on everything that Hoofers is and was?
Tong and his family want to make this donation for exactly two reasons:
(1) They have so much money they don't know what to do with it and/or need a big tax write-off, and
(2) They want the Tong family name on a bronze plaque.
MR. TONG: WE DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY OR YOUR RIDICULOUS "MARINA", YOU SLEAZY CROOK.
If you really are a former Hoofer sailor yourself, then you know why.
At least, we don't want it for the marina as currently planned, if that includes getting rid of the Techs, scows, keelboats, or Lakelab.
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
David Elsmo Must Go!
NOTE: Guest editorial posted under a pseudonym to preserve the author's anonymity (retaliation is rife in Hoofers, as some are all too aware). Its opinions don't necessarily reflect the position of this blog. It has a few minor edits/corrections.
In my lengthy tenure as a sailor, a club member and a board member, I have seen abuse of power like nowhere else. When I first met David Elsmo, he had just been appointed as “Head Instructor” and the problems with nepotism and power grabbing began immediately.
Selective enforcement of rules, selective rehiring of instructors, and shenanigans at our instructor outings were rampant. From the get go, he appears nice. But if you don’t fall into line with him, you are culled out.
He took to coaching the Sailing team, and was a heck of a coach. Then he gave himself more authority as Head of instruction, a new and paid position. None of us batted an eye. He continued his power grab, year after year grabbing more power and granting himself more authority; this got lost between boards. Under Commodore Nick Grundl is where the club realized we had a problem. Dave took liberties such as appointing his own “Fleet Instruction Supervisors” to take instruction oversight away from Fleet Captains and board members.
Nick had to repeatedly redefine Dave's job description, and censure him; check the meeting minutes. [Editor's note: see 2013-05-01 BOC minutes.] He had nothing but contempt for club members, club traditions, and club history. Around the union remodeling, he cozied himself with club “Advisors” and began a fundamental redesign of the club without permission of the board. He appointed himself “Sailing Program Manager”, threw out dozens of prominent members, then promoted himself “Sailing Program Director.” Without board approval.
Then he got the Commodore election moved, again without board permission, so more sailing team members could be in town for the vote, while he was their coach. Now he has the authority to fire any board member for any reason, even the commodore.
Many of us have been threatened, robbed, or had false citations issued to us. David is a tyrant. He needs to go. Many dozens of club members and donors are now in exile, or won't come back till he is gone.
And now club members are dying... and ratings are still being handed out as favors, to unqualified members. This is dangerous! Also, there are disturbing rumors about Dave's hiring practices that suggest an even deeper problem. DAVE MUST GO!!!
-Serk
In my lengthy tenure as a sailor, a club member and a board member, I have seen abuse of power like nowhere else. When I first met David Elsmo, he had just been appointed as “Head Instructor” and the problems with nepotism and power grabbing began immediately.
Selective enforcement of rules, selective rehiring of instructors, and shenanigans at our instructor outings were rampant. From the get go, he appears nice. But if you don’t fall into line with him, you are culled out.
He took to coaching the Sailing team, and was a heck of a coach. Then he gave himself more authority as Head of instruction, a new and paid position. None of us batted an eye. He continued his power grab, year after year grabbing more power and granting himself more authority; this got lost between boards. Under Commodore Nick Grundl is where the club realized we had a problem. Dave took liberties such as appointing his own “Fleet Instruction Supervisors” to take instruction oversight away from Fleet Captains and board members.
Nick had to repeatedly redefine Dave's job description, and censure him; check the meeting minutes. [Editor's note: see 2013-05-01 BOC minutes.] He had nothing but contempt for club members, club traditions, and club history. Around the union remodeling, he cozied himself with club “Advisors” and began a fundamental redesign of the club without permission of the board. He appointed himself “Sailing Program Manager”, threw out dozens of prominent members, then promoted himself “Sailing Program Director.” Without board approval.
Then he got the Commodore election moved, again without board permission, so more sailing team members could be in town for the vote, while he was their coach. Now he has the authority to fire any board member for any reason, even the commodore.
Many of us have been threatened, robbed, or had false citations issued to us. David is a tyrant. He needs to go. Many dozens of club members and donors are now in exile, or won't come back till he is gone.
And now club members are dying... and ratings are still being handed out as favors, to unqualified members. This is dangerous! Also, there are disturbing rumors about Dave's hiring practices that suggest an even deeper problem. DAVE MUST GO!!!
-Serk
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