Appeal for Fair Consideration and Resolution

Dear Fellow Pilots and Friends,

I hope that this message finds you in good health. I extend my sincere apologies to the club and anyone who may have been inconvenienced by the recent events of which I was the subject. It was never my intention to show disrespect to anyone or diminish the enjoyment of our flight park.

I am reaching out to address concerns and allegations that have arisen and then resulted in a membership suspension and ban from the flight park property. According to the club’s bylaws, I was meant to have an opportunity to discuss these matters with the board members, but no such meeting has taken place to date. Consequently, I feel compelled to appeal to you, the membership, through this message in lieu of a formal proceeding.

Work Done at the Club: Firstly, there are claims that suggest that I engaged in unauthorized or unnecessary road maintenance work at Andy Jackson, and even profited from these actions. I possess documented proof, including pictures of the roads and text messages to the President of the board, affirming that the road work I undertook was authorized after the last storm. This work was vital for providing access to the landing zone. I want to stress that I have never profited from any work for the club and am ready to provide evidence to address any doubts.

Over the past two decades, I have invested my own time and money in maintaining this club, often covering expenses such as equipment rental and fuel costs. As an example, the recent road repair after the storm incurred a cost of $570 in equipment rental and $170 in fuel. This, like many instances in the past, does not account for the countless hours of my labor. I believe my contributions have enhanced our air park’s safety and enjoyment for everyone.

Rather than receiving gratitude for this sacrifice, I find myself in the middle of what feels like a witch hunt. Some individuals question the honorability of my intentions and argue that I’m being dishonest and selfish. I am genuinely perplexed about the motivations behind these attacks, and it appears they may stem from past personal grievances.

It’s unfortunate that these differences can’t be set aside in favor of objective considerations and judgement by those currently in positions of authority.

Horses on the Landing Zone: Secondly, there were member complaints of horses grazing in the LZ and our role in that situation seems to be a misunderstanding. Conversations with the board’s Vice President and safety coordinator led us to believe that allowing the horses to graze during times with few pilots or after peak hours was acceptable, with the exception of weekends. Additionally, we had an earlier arrangement to look after them when we had the capacity to do so, or they would have already been euthanized since no one wanted to deal with them at the time.

Unfortunately, our recent eviction from the ranch made it impractical for us to continue assisting with their upkeep as was previously the case. We acknowledged the first notice to keep them off of the LZ on September 28th and complied to the best of our abilities. Since the temporary ban on October 10th, the horses have not been on CSS property at all. It is essential to clarify that we do not own these horses; the owner is a friend, and regrettably, we will have to discontinue our role as caretakers next month as we no longer have any capacity to do so, especially in light of these recent developments.

Dogs Off Leash at the Landing Zone: Regarding our dogs, Max and Sonny, we did our best to address any issues brought to our attention. Since our one-month suspension, Max has run down to the LZ a few times unknowingly, as he did not understand the terms of the ban. We apologized for this and resolved the situation immediately after learning about it.

Our other dog, Sonny, found abandoned, is a male puppy inclined to mark territory. Unfortunately, he did so on pilot equipment at times. We have taken measures to address this since the 30-day ban notice, ensuring neither Sonny nor the horses have been on CSS property to this day.

We understand the importance of keeping equipment in pristine condition and worked quickly to prevent any recurrence. If the club has a leash policy, I would expect all dogs on the property to be on one at all times. This clearly has not been the case.

Suspension Violation: And finally, we have sincerely tried our best to honor CSS policies and contribute to making our flight park a better place. The recent suspension has caused us extreme emotional and financial difficulty, and we kindly ask for your understanding and compassion.

Both of us were banned from the club property for a year because we were accused of violating the one-month suspension. It feels like we are being targeted in a way that impedes our ability to earn an income providing rides to launch. A one-year ban seems excessive and will only add undue hardship for us and the students and pilots we serve at the flight park.

Nicole and I are deeply hurt, and we implore you to reconsider this punishment. Can we not find a way to resolve our differences and restore the camaraderie we once shared as friends? Why opt for such a heavy-handed approach when we were taking measures to resolve the complaints against us?

Why is it that two board members allow their dogs to run off-leash in the Landing Zone while we receive harsh disciplinary actions for the same thing? This is what makes us feel like we are being unjustly and selectively targeted.

I feel compelled to share that I have been fighting cancer for over 10 years, and my time is limited. Medical interventions can only slow down the inevitable. I am not seeking sympathy but aiming to convey that my priority is to make the most of the time I have left. My only goal in the past few years has been to contribute positively to our club and enjoy this wonderful community with you.

The spite and revenge within our club are tearing apart the fabric of this wonderful group. I urge everyone to consider forgiveness, as it is far more damaging to carry this hostility than to find common ground and move forward together.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message. I hope we can find a way to resolve these issues amicably.

Sincerely,

Gene and Nicole