What is going on at Lemon Lake?!?!

[jobwilson]

A very prominent person in the Lemon Lake disc golf community posted this on Facebook Saturday.

(I am removing all names from the text, but feel free to fill them in as you see fit. The author of this letter chimes in on here from time to time, so maybe he will come on and fill everyone in.

This seems like a very bad timing for one group to be excommunicating and resisting the services of a very strong and dedicated volunteer group (you know, in the wake of the upcoming World Championships).)


Anyway, here is the text:

"Just sent this letter to the Lake County Parks Department...

Hi,
Please regard this as an official complaint concerning [DS]. Explain to me why [DS] has the authority to kick myself and [AA] out of Lemon Lake park. Is she an employee of the parks department? This happened yesterday as we were looking over the courses in anticipation of volunteering this weekend. The woman chased us down in her Cushman and was angry and verbally abusive. She also indicated she would be getting us banned forever from the park. By what legal instrument or vehicle can one be banned from the park? The club voted [A] the overseer of the courses as his experience and expertise in this arena are legendary. We were at the park for several hours taking notes on what needs to be done before worlds. [D's] attitude and verbal abuse have driven us away from volunteering in the past and as of yesterday the future.

[D] has also hijacked our club. We vote on things and she refuses to accept the vote if it is not what she wants. She will not allow anyone access to the club web site even though 2 other people were voted to take on that responsibility. She has been dictating all the club business with no club support. As a NON Disc Golfer she is not in possession of all the facts she would need to make disc golf decisions. The old school guys that helped build the courses since 1998 are all refusing to help as [D] has alienated ALL OF US. She has undermined all of us on so many levels and you guys are playing into it by giving her whatever authority she's been given at Lemon Lake.

What I saw yesterday was a person not in control of all their mental faculties. I would proceed cautiously with someone not in control representing your parks department. There is NO REASON in the world for ANYONE to talk to me like she did yesterday. It was pretty shocking and although I did not respond in like manner a response is demanded. She may come from an environment where verbal abuse is the norm but I did not and as such am quite offended and am lodging this formal complaint. Please keep her leashed and muzzled or trouble will ensue.

Contact me with any questions and I will provide prompt answers.

Regards,
[Name removed]"

 

[mashnut]

Sounds like a great way to make the park district reconsider their amazing support of disc golf at Lemon Lake, they have no desire to be caught up in club politics.

 

[BgWvDave]

A quick review of the club page and it looks like this disconnect has been going on since Dec. of 12. interesting turn of events and sucks it has to come right at Worlds.

 

[notroman]

It has been going on since before then, but I was under the impression that they sorted it all out. Apparently not.

 

[Dave242]

It was pretty shocking and although I did not respond in like manner a response is demanded. She may come from an environment where verbal abuse is the norm but I did not and as such am quite offended and am lodging this formal complaint. Please keep her leashed and muzzled or trouble will ensue.

Am I reading this correctly? Is this person saying "I am offended by verbal abuse. Please treat this person like a dog."?

I have no insight into anything going on here, but with this sort of official communication flying around I would not be surprised to see DG eventually shut down at Lemon Lake.

 

[SteezeOG]

Good read. I like this part.

"Please keep her leashed and muzzled or trouble will ensue."

He's like me, tries to keep it all professional and then ends it with a threat lol

Having a non disc golfer run your club and park sounds like a bad idea to begin with. Now you made her queen off the park and you are banned for life. That's harsh.

 

[agibson]

It has been going on since before then, but I was under the impression that they sorted it all out. Apparently not.

There have been occasional hints of what was going on (takeovers, etc, etc.) on this message board. If the full details were ever given, I missed them. There were comments on threads with things like "more news later" or "this will all be sorted out at the next meeting", etc. but without much actual news.

 

[jobwilson]

There have been occasional hints of what was going on (takeovers, etc, etc.) on this message board. If the full details were ever given, I missed them. There were comments on threads with things like "more news later" or "this will all be sorted out at the next meeting", etc. but without much actual news.

It seems like they have been "sorting it out" since December, 12, and it still seems like it is a quite unsorted.

 

[smyith]

wait so is [DS] a club officer or someone appointed by the park district in dealing with the club?

and Dave242, I was a lil surprised to see that muzzle part as well. The letter held alot more weight up until that comment.

I highly doubt that anything will happen to the Lemon Lake facility because of this. At worst I could see Worlds no longer happening after 2013 there.

I am curious what they did to prompt her to want to get mad in the first place...?

 

[jobwilson]

I highly doubt that anything will happen to the Lemon Lake facility because of this. At worst I could see Worlds no longer happening after 2013 there.

I don't believe that one letter will cause anything to happen, but months and months become years and years of bickering back and forth, active club members become less and less involved, park starts degrading, government becomes tired of being drawn into personal matters, etc.

Next thing you know, the support of the county/community is lost and disc golf takes a huge step backwards.

 

[Widdershins]

There is a huge amount of stress in running a major tournament, more so in a Worlds. Conflicts among the club/staff before, during and after are common. Most conflicts are kept internal.

Ultimately the TD needs to be peacemaker for the sake of the event.

 

[smyith]

It sounds pretty simple to me solution wise. Red Roc Club says "remove her and give us back our website or we will no longer support or work with you." if they don't literally end the existence of the Red Roc Club and start anew. No longer hold any tournaments or show any support for Lemon Lake. Do not bad mouth them or the facility, just cut all ties and association.
it's a little harsh but it sends a clear message to the powers that be.

 

[mashnut]

Wow, I think the club trying to play hardball with the park sounds like a really terrible idea. They have all the power and don't need disc golf in any way. It's nice that it brings in some extra gate fees, but they'll gladly forgo that to not deal with petty conflicts in a club they've done a whole lot to support over the years.

 

[justactnormal]

Sounds like a great way to make the park district reconsider their amazing support of disc golf at Lemon Lake, they have no desire to be caught up in club politics.

Indeed. Nobody at parks dept wants to get involved in club disputes and politics. The second half of the letter is all about how this person has taken over club business, which is not P&R business, nor should it be.

If this person is acting crazy at the park and claiming to act on some sort of authority to kick people out then it's reasonable to bring that to the department's attention. Anything beyond that is really not their concern. So while it's true that little usually happens as the result of one complaint, the second half of the letter is really counterproductive. DG clubs and P&R departments have gotta work together to build bridges, not burn 'em down.

 

[Dana]

It is all sad.
And for those of you worrying about the park, the park don't give a **** about disc golf. At least from my vantage point.

 

[smyith]

i get the impression that [DS] is a Parks Dept employee not a club member. And for the Worlds has been appointed by the PD to directly coordinate with the club for Worlds. I get no impression whatsoever that she is only involved on the club level.

second, at some point people need to realize that the "authorities" are only the authorities because the people allow them to be. and that applies to more than DG.

 

[dagwood112]

Agree with Mash and Just here. Why spend several paragraphs attempting to differentiate your behavior from that of the subject of your complaint, only to flush it down the toilet in the last sentence; "...or trouble will ensue"? You really think that a parks department is going to respond positively to such a threat? If the target was the author's foot, I'd say the sights are all dialed in. Yeesh.

 

[BgWvDave]

i get the impression that [DS] is a Parks Dept employee not a club member. And for the Worlds has been appointed by the PD to directly coordinate with the club for Worlds. I get no impression whatsoever that she is only involved on the club level.

second, at some point people need to realize that the "authorities" are only the authorities because the people allow them to be. and that applies to more than DG.

From the Lemon Lakes Disc Golf Page on Facebook DS is an individual that is trying to take over the 2013 Worlds and the Red Roc Disc Golf club from the founding memebers. one founding member is listed as the TD for the 2013 Worlds.

The further i look into it, the more interesting it is. One of the people being indicted in the OP's Post is a poster here. a quite frequent poster as a matter of fact.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Is there some reason this is being made public? How do we know the validity of the message and contents within?

 

[Bart]

Yea Well

The last sentence was wrong.