# MROP Meeting/election 4/19



## Passepartout (Apr 20, 2008)

This was my first such board meeting. I attended to educate myself, get a feeling for the association and to hand carry my, and anyone else who desired's ballots for election of 1/3 of the board of directors.

First, I found that most of the old time members pronounced the name 'muh-RAWP'. End of confusion there.

Second, the 12 member board consisted almost entirely of white guys in varying shades of gray-to white remaining hair. The first impression was that these folks would be more in place on a board of an assisted living facility than a vacation club. Of course this was only my perception, and in the interest of full disclosure, my hair is neither as thick or as dark as it once was.

Handouts included minutes of two preceding meetings primarily dealing with the  Special Assessment that was sprung on members late last year, and the meeting following that was used to explain why it was necessary (Utah State law disallowing debt of timeshare associations). There was also a financial statement of the past fiscal year(zzzz).

Ballots were collected, a PowerPoint presentation was made that basically duplicated the outlined procedure for reserving weeks both in the MROP system and depositing them into the new VRI*ety exchange. Questions were taken from members. Most, as was expected, had to do with reservations. The head of reservations, I thought, had partaken of the kool-aid, and answered the most of the questions with 'Nothing's changed, policies are the way they have always been' When asked what resources VRI/MROP had allocated to address 12,000 members having to call on or about June 2, 2008 to reserve their vacations for the next year (except Priority Members who can reserve at 9-months), she said she hoped all members would be prepared with what they wanted and be patient! They have added some additional reservationists in another location, but that there would be about 10 total. Personally, I foresee a major fiasco lasting until a new on-line reservation system is implemented, and we were told that may be late 2009. 

The election results were announced. As I recall, the new member is Scott Vincent and the one incumbent defeated was Merle Kirkley (formerly of Resorts West). They said the election was 'close', but no numbers were shown. Needless to say, I was disappointed that the current leadership stayed in position.

After the meeting was adjourned, I approached some of the board members, and expressed feelings that had been conveyed to me by TUGgers and my own. I said that perhaps a lack of leadership had resulted in some of the decisions that had been made, and was cut off pretty short, being told by these board members that they had Priority Membership into some of the more desirable resorts and that was that, and the largest number of members, those who paid the SA to purchase new, luxury 3 BR Units, should suffer in silence. One Board member told me 'I have my Priority Resorts, I bought them, I deserve them'. All well and good, in my opinion, but he shouldn't expect the general membership to pay for these resorts when they have slim chance of using them. 

Jim Ricks


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## RayH (Apr 21, 2008)

Jim,

First, thanks for hand delivering my proxy.

For some reason I wasn't too surprised of the election results. The election sounds like something that would be normal in a communist country.

I'm not familiar with the way other vacation clubs operate, is it normal for an election to take place without some neutral observers? This is something like the fox guarding the chicken coop.

I'm starting to wonder if us owners have a real chance of getting some of the best weeks in the anual scheduling process. I have a feeling those weeks will and have been going to the board members and their family & friends all along.

I can't believe they didn't anounce the election results, as owners I think we have a right to know. They probably will post some results now but I wouldn't believe anything from this present board.

Where is Jimmy Carter when you need him?

Ray


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## w879jr1 (Apr 21, 2008)

It is disconcerting to hear of the board being so driven by self interest. There appears to be a complete lack of consideration for the needs of the majority of MROP members. Let us hope that if the fears expressed by TUGgers are confirmed over the next 12 months, that next year's ballot can unseat the present incumbents.

In the meantime it is VRI who will be providing the services to us, which many anticipate being unsatisfactory. Any ideas how VRI can best be made aware of the discontent, if possible in a way that is felt financially? The  MROP board probably assures VRI that all is well.


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## gravityrules (Apr 21, 2008)

10 agents?  

If you allow 10 minutes per call, the 'reservation system' is capable of handling 60 calls/hour.  At that rate it would take 200 hours to process 12,000 reservations.  If you allow 8 hours/day (taking into account lunch, breaks, etc) then it would take 25 days to process all requests.

This is a HUGE peak loading problem.  I realize that some will exercise priority rights and begin making reservations June 2nd, but most of the activity will begin June 30th.

Totally unacceptable solution to a problem arbitrarily creating by this MROP board and VRI, their management company.


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## chemteach (Apr 21, 2008)

I think we need to send letters to the board.  It's really upsetting to hear the board is fine with the details because they will be taken care of.  They probably all own the "gold" weeks - whatever those are...

I am on a different timeshare board, and I always put the interest of the owners up front.  I wish I lived closer to Salt Lake city - I'd run for the board, but Los Angeles is too far...

I'm not looking forward to 6/2 or 6/30.


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## Passepartout (Apr 21, 2008)

In answer to Ray's concern, they asked for two volunteers to assist in the counting of ballots. I have no reason to assume it was anything but honest and accurate. The meeting was dragging out, the reservationists were assembled to answer individual questions and they all wanted to go do whatever folks do on Saturday afternoon, and there was a closed meeting of the board. We were told the vote was close, but I didn't hear the tallies if they were given.

Gravityrules, you have a really good grasp on the logistics of the upcoming fiasco. My DW, myself and another TUGger corralled board members as they were trying to get to their meeting and expressed our feelings. All they could say was in effect, well, that's the way it's gonna be. Actually, I can't see these being 10 minute phone calls.  A half hour will be closer. If it helps, I asked a reservationist when the phone calls are the fewest. She said 3:30-5:00 P.M. Mtn. time.

I suggested that they take call-back numbers of people who call in then assign agents to call people back, and extend hours into evenings. I think it fell on deaf ears.

All in all, my opinion of the whole last 1 1/2 years' actions of this board show lack of judgment, and reactionary response rather than them being pro-active and looking out for the members' interests. They brought into MROP a smaller mini, found a substandard resort in St. George, and sold it after promising those new members a new resort. Now they have built these new luxury units- they are as nice as any timeshares I've seen- and found Utah law that says all timeshares and RV membership parks MUST be debt free. Hence the SA. 

Members will benefit from a bunch of new resorts included in VRI*ety. There are supposed to be upward of 150 total by year-end 2008. It will cost $77 to exchange into one of those, while most MROP resorts are no additional cost.

I can only hope the members remember the hassle of 2008-09 reservations when it comes time for the next 2 elections and we can get younger, more family oriented board members. Dare I say _women_?!?! It will be difficult to overcome the advantage of the incumbents. If we could get a mailing list -e-or-snail, it would help. 

I'm glad we went to the meeting, though disappointed with the election outcome. I guess for my part, I'll either call nightly for a last-minute reservation somewhere as this year's week is a white one and there aren't many of those and last minute (inside 45 days) are colorblind, or just deposit it for RCI points.

Jim Ricks


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## gravityrules (Apr 25, 2008)

The 2007 finanacial audit is now on-line in the 'Members Only' section of multi-resorts.com.  It is VERY revealing.  That discussion may deserve a separate thread!  For example, there's a tax fiasco involving the Resorts West acquisition and the state of Washington.  There is also legal action against MROP because of Wroman (was it this board that 'hired' these guys?  From what I can tell from posts here they've had a poor reputation for some time)


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## gravityrules (May 24, 2008)

A synopsis of the 2008 MROP meeting can be found at:

http://www.multi-resorts.com/whats_new.html

Of particular interest is what is said about Coral Ridge (the new St. George development) and WROMAN ...


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