Message from the Executive Committee (Michael Owen)

To: Madawaska Club Members
Re: New Main Dock Facilities - Cost Update

Members may have had a chance to review the latest financial statements on the web site and noticed the notes on final costs for our new facilities. As you will remember from my note in the fall newsletter, we had projected a cost of some $32,000 for completion of a new privy. While not part of the original plan, a fully accessible privy became a necessary precondition to the township's approval of the new multi-use facility. In the view of the board, even without this direction, its installation made perfect sense and in hindsight is an absolutely necessary investment to enable increased community activity of our main dock facilities and programs. As I said in the fall, something we will undoubtedly use for generations to come and integral to the success of our community and respectful of our values around preserving our environment. While not included in our original overall project cost estimates, the board approved the construction as we were still well within our overall approved mandate that the entire project including construction, architectural fees, taxes and permitting were not to exceed 50% of our capital reserve. As all members of the community can appreciate with significant building projects, project scope can tend to 'creep' adding unexpected cost. This one is unfortunately no exception and the board made the decision to approve changes to scope during fall construction so that the project would be completed in the most efficient way possible. The final cost of the privy is $73,000. The significant changes to scope involved extensive additions to ramping due to elevations of the privy related to depth of soil to bedrock and significant ramping that was deemed necessary from the multi-use facility down to beach level. In addition a cost of $15,000 was incurred to clear and grade the beach and provide beach boat storage. The entire project has been completed at a total cost of $274,000 versus our in-going projection of $185,000 for the multi-use facility [including contingency but without a privy]. Our maximum 50% of capital mandate was $230,000.

In the end, based on winter visits of some of the board and members, we are confident that our membership will appreciate the scope of work that has been completed and the long-term value it adds to the shared enjoyment and participation of the community in the expanded range of activities that will bring the community together and keep it vibrant.

As part of the Board's recent strategic plan exercise, one of the priorities discussed was to ensure that we optimized the usage of the new facilities. I would personally invite input from everyone on how we can best benefit from the investment that have been made on the membership's behalf.

[note: feedback on this topic should be directed to secretary@gohomebay.com and/or posted on the Madawaska Club group on Facebook]