Two significant votes in five days have ushered in the potential rebirth of Lake Forest with one critical vote remaining for the 9,000 residents on Oct. 18.

‘Vision’ for the future

On Sept. 16 the Lake Forest board of directors voted 6-3 to hire Vision Golf and Association Management to operate Lake Forest. Of the three companies Lake Forest evaluated, Vision most closely met the needs and requirements of Alabama’s largest subdivision.

Vision manages more than 60 highly amenitized properties in Florida. It stood apart from other companies evaluated in that they specialize in the management of homeowners associations that own their own golf course. Of the 15 or so top golf courses in Baldwin County, only the Lake Forest course is owned and operated by home owners. 

Maintaining a quality golf course will remain a top priority at Lake Forest. However, golf memberships have dwindled to the point that only 81 of the subdivision’s 3,116 home owners are annual golf members. This has resulted in massive financial losses for the association. In 2008 alone the cost of employees combined with losses in golf and food and beverage operations totaled more than $1.7 million.

Vision Golf and Association Management is owned and operated by PGA members and businessmen specializing in golf-course management, agronomy, food and beverage and total association management. Vision’s executive team’s experience includes operational and financial management of some of the world’s finest clubs and resorts in addition to over 200 community associations. Engaging the services of Vision Management will provide Lake Forest the benefit of their 100-plus years of combined industry experience that encompasses all the specific disciplines involved in the management of Lake Forest.

Vision Golf and Association Management Country Clubs were voted this year as “The Best of Southwest Florida.” Out of 125 country clubs in Southwest Florida, Heritage Palms Golf & Country Club managed by Vision was voted the best. Heritage Palms is 1,660 properties, 36 holes of golf, six swimming pools, a 5,000-square-foot lodge, fitness center and seven tennis courts. 

Even more impressive is that the runner-up club, Heritage Bay Golf & Country Club, is also managed by Vision! Heritage Bay is comprised of 1,200 properties, 27 holes of golf, five swimming pools, fitness center, seven tennis courts and fresh-water boating. The owner and managing partner of Vision Golf and Association Management, Simon Coulls, is particularly excited about the prospects of turning around Lake Forest even though it will be a five-year process. Coulls is coming to Lake Forest to manage it himself for the first few months.  He will then hire a full-time, on-site general manager for Lake Forest who will report directly to Vision. Vision’s expectation is that Lake Forest becomes a model for how to turn around an aging country club.

Vision has an immediate 20-step plan it will implement within the current dues structure at Lake Forest. The entire plan can be viewed at www.LakeForestReform.com. 

During the initial phase of the plan, Vision will: streamline operational costs and reduce overhead; keep existing amenities open and improve service; seek PGA and USGA First Tee program grants to restore and turn the Lake Nine into a top junior course; and seek to add by-laws language that would strengthen the covenant compliance process.

In the “Operational Review and Recommendations” section of the Vision Proposal it states that by the end of 2013 Lake Forest will be debt free, financially sound, will have over $300,000 in a reserve fund and will have invested over $300,000 on capital improvements.

Vision also has a five-year plan to revitalize the community and make it attractive to new home buyers. Development of a primary centralized amenity package adjacent to the 19th hole and golf course is recommended by Vision.  This modern amenity package would include a resort-style pool with lap lanes and splash water features, tennis courts, fitness center, recreation center and updated club house. This facility located adjacent to the golf course would be the largest of its kind in Baldwin County and provide a popular social experience with all activities occurring in one location that would also be beneficial for food and beverage revenue. Lake Forest residents would have to approve this capital reserve fund and it would come at a cost of $1.45 per resident, per year in increased monthly dues over a five year period. This would generate over $1.2 million to complete the capital improvement project and modernize Lake Forest making the subdivision very attractive to future new home buyers.

Lake Forest road improvements set

On Sept. 20 the Daphne City Council voted 6-1 to complete road work on the six-mile Ridgewood/Bayview Loop. This circular road is the main thoroughfare for 40 percent of the city’s tax-paying residents.

Daphne has done a tremendous job with infrastructure improvements, but Lake Forest has lagged significantly behind. The central artery running through Lake Forest will not only be resurfaced, but more important, the medians will be made aesthetically pleasing with curbs, gutters and consistent landscaping throughout.  Combined with Lake Forest’s convenient location, this road and median project will be another significant step in the renewal of this section of the city.

Upcoming

On Oct. 18 the third and perhaps most critical vote for Lake Forest will occur as residents choose their new board of directors. 

There are two distinct and opposing groups running to control the board. The “reform group” candidates support the hiring of Vision Golf and Association Management to run Lake Forest. 

“Reform candidates” would join board members who fought against stripping the members of the right to vote on dues increases and raising resident dues but supporting a member-approved capital reserve fund. Reform candidates support the streamlining of operational costs and the promotion of non-member play to strengthen the golf course operation.

All other premier golf courses in Baldwin County—such as TimberCreek, Rock Creek, Lakewood Country Club at the Grand Hotel, Craft Farms and the Peninsula—all allow non-members/the public play. Lake Forest is alone in not promoting non-member play and it is crippling the entire neighborhood. 

Three board members who voted against hiring Vision Golf and Association Management are supporting a group of three golfers running for the board under the name “A Team” that would then give them a majority on the board of directors. These board members voted last year to strip residents of the right to vote on a dues increase, voted to raise dues, are planning more dues increases and voted against Vision Management and instead have fought to preserve the status quo of self-management. They are also against promoting non-member play on the golf course to increase revenue.

If Lake Forest does not follow through with the Vision Reform Plan then we will have to face the reality that our homes and home owners association is a failing business venture—as evidenced by our deteriorating amenities, poor financial outlook and declining property values. In addition to old and underutilized amenities, Lake Forest has about $500,000 in debt, no cash reserves, an operating budget that does not break even, excessive overhead, current assets that need immediate repair and—most importantly—no long-term business plan to save the neighborhood.

The Vision Plan is the best opportunity Lake Forest residents will have to reform and turn around their neighborhood. 

Hopefully, all residents and candidates will ultimately be on the same page, but until then the 3,116 property owners in Lake Forest need to get involved and vote their proxy/ballot by mail or by placing it in the club house drop box or by attending the annual meeting on Oct. 18.

George Lieb is a Lake Forest resident.