I am including below the email and the attachment that David Bass emailed today to all members.

As a candidate, I attended this “Meet and Greet” today and was asked by a few members about another rumor being distributed around.

These members were worried about a “conspiracy” by a “group” to transform Indian Hammock into another Pine Creek.
No one of the worried members could provide a single name of any of this “group “ members, nor who initiated the distribution of this troubling “information.“

We have a better deal than Pine Creek’s members, and only a few of our members can afford the membership cost as currently in Pine Creek.
Talking to some of these wealthy members, they showed a preference for the Indian Hammock compared to Pine Creek. Otherwise, they said they would move to Pine Creek.

I could not find anyone who wants to increase the club staff to 30 employees even if the monthly fee goes up to $1000, the numbers quoted by some worried members.

I ask for anyone who can provide names and written information regarding such troubling claims to provide them.

Monthly fees will increase, unavoidably, due to inflation and improvements in Indian Hammock. Still, everyone I talked to wants such increases to be minimal, even if it means less improvement.

Members must be cautious about such frightening rumors and use common sense to decide why they are being spread and by whom.

I will gladly discuss this issue with any member wishing to do so.

David Etzion
Lot 246

From the desk of David Bass, President

This message is being sent to all members.

Today I attended the “Meet and Greet” your Board candidates pancake breakfast graciously donated and hosted by Jason and George Stark.  Thank you to them for donating and volunteering to set up this member friendly format where members got to meet and get to know the board candidates.

I also received this concerning email from a new member who has permitted me to share with you.  I have heard similar complaints but no one before now has come forward to name names.  None of the statements referenced in the attachment are factual.  They are absolute hogwash.

Our annual member’s meeting is about a week away and many members are talking with other members about who they will vote for or who to give their proxy to.  This is always an important decision and I encourage all members to vote based on the facts (and not someone else’s statement or opinion). 

Rumors, allegations, disparaging statements, or unsubstantiated statements about board candidates (spread by other board candidates or members) is disappointing and further escalates community friction.  Undocumented comments about board candidates by board candidates does call into question the integrity of individuals who aspire to be our leaders. It just isn’t necessary and I hope that we can move beyond that kind of behavior.

If you have questions about board candidates or want direct answers on any of the statements made by other members about a candidate, I would encourage you to reach out directly to the candidate. There is no better way to get the answers you’re looking for than to directly ask the candidate assuring that someone else’s agenda does not influence yours without the facts.

If anyone else would like to share their experience, please let me know and I will be happy to discuss your concerns.  

As always, if there are any statements pertaining to the board’s actions this past year, I am happy to explain anything.

I hope to see you all at both the 50th Anniversary Members Dinner on the 18th and the Annual Members meeting on Sunday January 19th.

-Dave

The attachment David Bass refers to

 From: Jon Albertson <glf5@me.com>
Subject: Jon Albertson Lot 47
Date: Jan 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM

To: david.bass@ihammock.net

David,

I’m relatively new to the Indian Hammock Hunt & Riding Club. Please help me clarify statements from Tom Brooks about the hunt committee, quail barn and Board of Directors I struggle to understand:

The quail barn was built outside of “all” the rules absent “any” input from membership.

The board hired an attorney to change the bylaws to accomplish alleged quail barn caper.

Quail barn is much larger than the original quail barn and will house many thousands of birds.

“Anyone” now allowed to hunt quail at Indian Hammock.

Owner (member or not) of a hunting dog shot (dead or injured) at Indian hammock will be paid $5,000.00 (if I didn’t love dogs or if this bounty applied to cats I’d consider getting in the business!)?

Quail barn is phase one of this conspiracy, phase two is a Pheasant barn.

Hunters have ruined the Outback using their own equipment?

Hunters will ruin the rest of the Outback once pheasant barn is complete (apparently it’s already been ruined?).

The board has neglected canal clean outs, fire mitigation & nearly all other duties to secretly conspire about quail & pheasant barns.

I’ve recently driven the Outback and it certainly doesn’t appear ruined to me. Each time I visit the quail barn I wish to get a list of members responsible for volunteering their time, money & effort. I would like to thank each of them for adding a valuable asset to my community at no cost to me.

A personal concern. Should I invest around $70,000 to build a new hangar & give it to the Indian Hammock Hunt & Riding Club

what happens if a small group decides to exterminate airplanes from the Hammock?

Thanks David

Jon Albertson
Lot 47
406-465-2884
glf5@me.com