2024 President's Message 12/6/24

Dec 6, 2024

Dear Members,


Thank you for joining us for the 2024 Annual Meeting, either in person or via Zoom. This meeting certainly had some unexpected outcomes, and I want to communicate a few things that I was not able to cover during my remarks.

As we head into 2025, please know that I, along with the entire Board, will continue to seek member input. As I stated in my earlier letter to the community, your input - no matter what membership class you are a part of - is vital to the club’s success. The Board will strive to provide clear and timely information about club activities, projects, and issues. We are committed to prioritizing member experience, which we expect each of you to feel through every interaction on campus.

We have a busy year ahead as we take the time to thoughtfully plan the projects which will begin in 2026. It will take a considerable amount of time, effort and patience. We will need your wisdom, knowledge and good ideas – we encourage you to participate through our committees and engagement opportunities such as meetings and surveys.


2026 Planned Project Updates:


Clubhouse


The Renovation Committee has expanded and invites additional member participation; an expression of interest is forthcoming.
The priorities of the Renovation Committee will be to finalize key maintenance items within the current budget and then to gather member input on what additional items can be included within the budget. This committee will be tasked with bringing these options to the membership by the end of Q1 2025.


Golf Course Updates 


The survey results showed strong support for beginning course improvements in 2025/26, funded through a bridge bond. Due to permitting, legal considerations, and preparation time, the work is now scheduled for 2026, concurrent with or shortly after clubhouse renovations. 

Click here for: Survey Results | Maintenance vs. Improvement Costs | Course Booklet


2025 Annual Dues 


As mentioned at earlier member meetings, a 10% increase will apply to all membership categories effective January 1, 2025. 

The Board elected to not initiate capital dues at the start of 2025, but rather allow the Capital Funding Committee to initiate its work towards completing a Capital funding plan for the campus by the end of Q1 2025. The committee will present its findings to members in Q2 2025 and implement the plan by mid-2025.

Please be on the lookout for an expression of interest email coming on Monday, December 9th, which will provide further detail on each committee and the work that committee is tasked to undertake.

I look forward to serving you all in 2025. 


Respectfully,
Tracy Jenkins, President 

 


Below, please find a brief recap from the Annual Meeting.


Board Positions 

  • Alan Harden: Resigned, leaving a 1-year vacancy to be filled by the Board*
  • Mike Nicolais: Resigned, leaving a 2-year vacancy now filled by Patrick Nielson. 
  • Ryan Fell, Jim McDermott, and Elaine Lausten: Elected for 3-year terms. 
  • *The Board is currently seeking the right individual to join the board for a 1-year term. As soon as that appointment is made, we will update the community.


Vote on Bylaw Amendments 


Results: 

  • In Favor: 161 votes (57%) 
  • Against: 104 votes (43%) 
  • The resolution was defeated (required 66.66% approval). 


2/3 Refund-ability Update


The Board made the decision to grandfather all regular members as of 12/31/2024 to receive 2/3 refund-ability upon the sale of their membership. This policy will be included in the membership policies and procedures. All new regular members will be suitably notified that refundability may be changed from time to time by the Board.

News from the Club President 5/12/25

By La Cumbre CC • May 12, 2025
Dear Members, Thank you to all who attended the recent Town Hall and Golf Course Project update meetings. Your participation and thoughtful engagement are essential as the board, management, and our committees strive to better understand how we plan for the future of La Cumbre. Over the next 45 days, the Board, Club Management, and the Finance Committee will be developing financial models that reflect the full scope of our campus-wide capital needs. These models will help inform project timing, prioritization, and funding strategies—including potential borrowing. As a reminder, any borrowing the Board recommends which exceeds $500,000 will require a member vote. In late June, the Board will hold a two-day planning retreat to review these options and map out a clear, disciplined path forward. We are committed to keeping members informed and equipped to make thoughtful decisions. We anticipate holding additional member forums to provide the needed context on these matters later this summer. If you were unable to attend the Town Hall, a recording is available HERE . We also encourage members to explore the Governance section of the member website, where you’ll find meeting minutes from all Board and committee meetings. Click the image below or HERE to view our Q1 2025 Update. Please continue to reach out with your questions, comments, and ideas. We deeply value your feedback as we work together to steward the long-term health and vitality of the Club. Warm regards, Tracy Jenkins President, Board of Directors La Cumbre Country Club

News from the Club President 4/16/25

By La Cumbre CC • April 16, 2025
Dear Members, As we prepare for the upcoming Town Hall on Thursday, April 24th, at 4:30 PM, I want to take a moment to reaffirm our Board’s commitment to transparency, thoughtful stewardship, and open dialogue. This will be the first Town Hall at La Cumbre focused specifically on sharing financial results, membership survey feedback, and our strategic direction, and I’m proud that it reflects one of the core values I’ve emphasized during my time as Board President: creating a more transparent and inclusive relationship between the Board and the membership. We’ve already received requests from members who wish to review information in advance of the Town Hall. I want to share how we’re approaching that: The 2024 Membership Satisfaction Survey results and summary were shared in our weekly email. If you missed the update, please view these HERE on the member side of our website under "Latest Updates." Additional materials—including the 2024 financials, capital account details, and the 2025 Board-approved budgets—are in final preparation. The Board will meet on Tuesday, April 22nd, to review and provide input on these items. Please recognize that what we present will not be audited and final. ​​​​​​ Once the Board completes its review of the materials and they are updated, we will promptly distribute the full set of materials to the membership to allow ample time for review ahead of the Town Hall. We are looking forward to your feedback and questions and request that once you've had a chance to review the materials, please feel free to click HERE and submit any questions you may have to Ali, Adam, or me. We will collect them until 2 p.m. on Thursday the 24th. We will also be taking questions at the Town Hall in a written format, so feel free to have one prepared so that it can be collected, read, and answered during the meeting. In addition, I’m pleased to announce that the Board has appointed Sven Klein to fill the one-year Board vacancy. Sven will serve as Treasurer for the remainder of the 2025 term. Sven Klein is an experienced entrepreneur who has founded and led several companies throughout his career. Most recently, he was the founding CEO of Lull Ventures, LLC, a direct-to-consumer mattress and bedding company headquartered here in Santa Barbara. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Originally from Freiburg, Germany, Sven moved to Santa Barbara in 1985. He is a proud graduate of La Colina Junior High, San Marcos High School, and the University of California, Santa Barbara (’94). He met his wife, Jennifer, at La Colina, and together, they have two children: Avery, currently attending Cal Poly, and Alden, who will graduate from San Marcos this June. The Klein family has been part of the La Cumbre Country Club community since 2003, holding Associate, Social Tennis, and Equity memberships. We are thrilled to welcome Sven to the Board and look forward to the expertise, professionalism, and commitment he brings to this leadership role. We know that informed members are engaged members, and we look forward to a productive, honest, and future-focused discussion on the 24th. Thank you for being such thoughtful stewards of this exceptional club. Tracy Jenkins President, Board of Directors La Cumbre Country Club

Member Survey Results​ 2024 Survey/Circulated March 2025

By La Cumbre CC • April 14, 2025
Dear Members, We would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2024 Member Satisfaction Survey. With 633 responses—representing 44% of our 1,431 members (830 primary plus spouses)—your feedback provides us with critical insights into what’s working well and where we can do better. The Good News : Several amenities are seeing improved satisfaction. The pool complex continues to shine, with strong scores in cleanliness, lifeguard service, and restroom upkeep—all performing above the industry average. Likewise, the fitness center remains one of our most used and appreciated facilities, with improvements in group class offerings, professional staff, and overall cleanliness. Tennis also showed notable year-over-year improvements. Court conditions, programming, and staff performance are now ranked among our strongest areas. These gains reflect both the hard work of our team and the investments made in these areas over the past year. Food & Beverage received mixed but directionally positive feedback. Members noted improvements in the quality and variety of offerings but also expressed concerns about service consistency, ambiance, limited hours, and the availability of healthier menu options. We recognize the importance of dining to the overall member experience and are actively addressing these areas. We are sensitive to the financial implications of a broad dining offering and are constantly balancing service hours, quality, and conditions. Golf Operations and Course Conditions remained stable, with strong marks for the professionalism of the Golf Shop team and the quality of service at bag drop and check-in. However, feedback on course conditions was more divided. While many noted ongoing improvements and praised maintenance during high play periods, others cited concerns with bunker quality, green speeds, and cart path conditions. At the same time, the survey highlighted important challenges. This was the first year we asked for feedback on Pickleball, and the results were clear: the program received the lowest satisfaction scores across all amenities. We recognize this is a growing area of interest for many members. However, due to limitations in our physical plant, sound restrictions, and other constraints, it may remain a difficult area to address fully in the near term.  The most sobering results came in the categories of Club Governance and Financial Oversight . The strongest dissatisfaction came in areas of financial transparency, operational communication, and overall responsiveness. These concerns are taken seriously and reflect a core tension many of you noted in your comments: the challenge of investing in the Club’s future while managing rising costs.
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