I was an officer of the local Miami Beach golf club, then Bayshore, and I was late to the regular monthly meeting. When I arrived I hear Hal Hertz say, "and so we will have to pay a 50% increase in the annual fee because its already in the proposed budget that way." Everyone was groaning when I raised my hand.
"How did they reach the amount from members in the proposed budget ?". Hal says.
"They increased the fee by 50% and multiplied it by the number of members."
"What happens if we get one less than the current membership? How do they make the loss up?"
Hertz, "It comes out of the general fund."
"Oh good. Its simple then, no problem. We tell them we are going to have 50% more members. We multiply the present fee by the anticipated number of members for the coming year and the proposed budget figure will come out to the same number they have now. If we don't get that many members, the shortfall comes out of the general fund." The members thought this was a good idea, so we voted and next year's fee remained the same.
A year or two later, when I became president, and with me presiding at a board meeting,Hal makes a motion that we increase the family membership fees. Everyone on the board had a single membership and after discussion it appeared it was going to be passed. Speaking last, I said I was against it because it would be divisive and we should realize that next year they would want the fees for singles increased and the family members would then be on their side, with justifiable reason. "And", I added, "I am going to post the minutes of this meeting on the men's and lady's bulletin boards stating the motion was made by Hal and seconded by . . . . ", Hal raised his hand and withdrew the motion.
When I was Tournament Director, Murray Sheldon, playing in a tournament, came off the 18th green and emphatically asked me how the hell did his opponent get such a ridiculous handicap. It was easily 6 or 7 strokes too high, he said. So later I posted the opponent's name as the winner of their quarterfinal match. When Murray saw the draw sheet he said, "What's the hell is matter with you? Why isn't my name up there. I won that match."
A year or two later, when I became president, and with me presiding at a board meeting,Hal makes a motion that we increase the family membership fees. Everyone on the board had a single membership and after discussion it appeared it was going to be passed. Speaking last, I said I was against it because it would be divisive and we should realize that next year they would want the fees for singles increased and the family members would then be on their side, with justifiable reason. "And", I added, "I am going to post the minutes of this meeting on the men's and lady's bulletin boards stating the motion was made by Hal and seconded by . . . . ", Hal raised his hand and withdrew the motion.
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| From left-Lenny Weinstien, Murray Sheldon, JudgeJerry Klein, Mayor Harold Rosen, HGK |
Hello HGK...
ReplyDeleteI am the daughter of Hal Hertz...and I find it amazing that some 19 years after his death, you are currently writing about him recalling an incident that had to have happened at least 40 years ago! I guess what was always said about my dad--that you either loved him or hated him--remains true to this day! No matter how you personally felt about him, you'd have to admit that he was surely an influential and colorful character until his very last breath. Even though couched as a controversial interchange relative to Bayshore, thanks for keeping his memory alive and still kicking!
Respectfully...
Sharon (Pixie Hertz) Levy
Pixie, while it was rare for your dad and I to socialize, the timing was when Lenny Weinstein was a commissioner and he and you dad were good friends. Lenny would use his friends as sounding boards on controversial stuff.
ReplyDeleteAs for me I was always against Lenny even when he was unopposed. I could not understand how a guy with so much money needed political maneuverings before he would do anything on people issues. Peculiarly enough when he left the commission we were friendly. We played a lot of gin but he was not in the game on my post.
I agree with you, you dad was very outspoken and we all missed him when he left.