President’s Update

/in , /by

Greetings from Mountain View!

I hope that each of you and your families are keeping safe in the current COVID-19 crisis.  I’m writing to provide a brief update regarding our planning for Mountain View Country Club for the coming season.

On Wednesday, May 6, Vermont Governor Phil Scott issued Addendum 13 to his “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order.  The Addendum recognizes the importance of outdoor recreation and fitness activities and authorizes a number of those activities, including golf and tennis.  As a result, we plan to open Mountain View’s golf course on Saturday, May 16, and our tennis courts on Saturday, May 23, in each case subject to weather.

Due to the restrictions set out in the Governor’s Addendum and the related “Update 4” guidance issued by Vermont’s Agency of Commerce, as well as best practice guidance issued by various governing authorities for golf and tennis, we will be putting in place significant limitations on play, including:

  • Requiring that golf tee times and tennis court bookings be reserved (and, where applicable, paid for) in advance.
  • Restricting play to Vermont residents and others who have met the minimum 14-day quarantine requirement provided in Governor Scott’s Executive Order (among other things, the Order requests visitors not come to Vermont but, if they do, requires them to self-quarantine for at least 14 days after arriving in Vermont before engaging in any activities (which would include activities at MVCC)). 
  • An “arrive, play and leave” approach, with groups prohibited from gathering before or after their round (no tailgating, socializing at the Clubhouse, etc.).
  • Closing our Pro Shop to sales unless ordered and paid for remotely and picked up on the porch outside the Pro Shop.
  • Additional restrictions and procedures that will be posted on our website (www.mvccvt.com) and Clubhouse bulletin board in due course.

The COVID-19 crisis and related restrictions remain very much in flux but our objectives at MVCC are to:

  • Comply with applicable government edicts and regulations and meet or exceed golf and tennis industry best practices relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Be cognizant that a significant portion of our membership and fellow community members comprises older adults (age 65 and over) who (together with people with underlying medical conditions) are advised in Addendum 13 to “continue to shelter in place, and family and friends should do everything they can to help keep them safe.”

Addendum 13 and Update 4, as well as related state approved guidance on golf operations, are available for review on the State’s website at

We will be providing further updates on these matters on our website (www.mvccvt.com) in coming days so please do check in with us regularly.

From a financial standpoint, we currently have collected only 89% of our dues budget, so it is prudent to assume that we will have significantly lower revenues for the year.  We are addressing this by implementing appropriate cost saving measures and by planning on drawing down a larger portion of our unrestricted operating reserve than we had originally planned.  We are particularly grateful to those members who paid their dues early or have included an additional donation to strengthen our ability to address our financial challenges.[i]  I also am personally grateful to those Board members and other volunteers who have been working with me to preserve and maintain MVCC as a vibrant and valued community activity.

We would be delighted to respond to any comments or questions you might have.  We are regularly monitoring our Pro Shop telephone (802-533-7477) and email ([email protected]) and will respond to messages promptly.

Thank you for being a member at Mountain View.  I hope to see many of you (albeit from a safe distance) in coming months.

With my very best wishes,

Rick Ely

Club President

[i] Federal law requires me to say here that payments to MVCC are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.