I was asked “Can you do this job?” after being put on the payroll.
An Excel spreadsheet for junior registration 46 columns across and 130 rows down was being used. On my own time,
I wrote an interface to make this easier.
Turned down 4 days of suggestions for an application to be custom written for sailing center for registration
that could be use online with a website that would be written for free. My brain has been fried with the
phrase “I do not care about that.” He indicated that he wanted me to write an application to
do this but then goes out and picks another company.
I had to undo his poor choice of an application by getting the data out of the old database.
The application that I wrote produced attendance sheets and parent sign in sheets. These forms were always on
time for the 8 week program.
One staff member mentioned that she would like to have the child's special health issues etc available on the
attendance sheet. I put this in. The director was not happy. “Nothing goes on here unless I say so.”
It took less than 3 minutes to explain to the staff how to use the application. The director was believing it
would take days.
The application has reports to show how many people were signed up for each session.
There was a complaint that the computer mouse was not tracking well. I put a track ball in place. Then there
was a complaint that it was too difficult to use.
In the process of organizing the front desk, I put labels on the hanging file folders. The director proceeded
to tell me that the labels were not necessary and spent several minutes doing so. The next day his wife comes
in with a label maker and labels the hanging folders. Huh?
When ever I painted, the director criticized me for using a brush and not a roller. What does he use when he
paints? A brush.
I told the director that I needed to pick up Dewey from the Strauss center at 2 pm and told him what time I would
be back. He called me at the house asking when I would return.
The first weekend that I worked a fellow came by and gave a boat to the center. The director let me know for
the next 4 days that he was not happy about it because I did not follow procedures. The director made it
very clear this job has no job description.
The director made it clear he knows more about the boat that was donated because his wife worked for the builder
over the one who built one, rowed one, and sailed one.
I was told many, many times that this job has no job description. How am I to know the procedures for each task
without being told. The only procedure I found written was on the water emergency procedure.
The director expects people to tell him everything that they are going to do, but he can never be found to tell
him what you are going to do.
The director has no problem yelling at his staff about a boat on the dock but the staff is not allowed to raise
their voice so they can be heard.
The director is very generous in his complaints about the members, friend of the center and a director.
Why didn't you tell me you want to take a boat out?
He is using the same boat every day! What difference does it make? He is the only member who is sailing.
He did not pay for his girl friend. (With a little appreciation and respect the director could get much more
from that member but he would rather pay the members boss $70 an hour to do the job.)
The director makes it clear he knows more about the members sailing ability because he knows his boss over
those who have crew with the member and for the member.
Classic Boats and Hinckley trust this member with their boats. Huh?
The director made a comment about a friend of the center who has given the center sails and a mourning to
use that he is the cheapest rich man he knows.
In the past I had trouble getting reimbursed for expenses. The director mentioned that the director who writes
the checks was a volunteer and got around to it when he felt like it. When I started cc the board member
with the request for reimbursement, I got the check a few days later. Huh?
The director seems very concerned about how the boats look. When painting the bottom of the J22, I could not
get to all the bottom because of the trailer supports. The director said it would be painted in the sling
as the boat goes in the water. I gave him the paint and brush. He said he has been doing it for years.
I was told not to put any shelves in front of the windows. When a staff member put shelves in front of the windows
I offered to help. The director immediately jumped down my throat. So much for working with other staff members.
(She does an excellent job with rigging.)
I mentioned to the director that I wanted to talk with Jim about engine maintenance and he said no because the
summer was his time. So much for working with the members and volunteers.
When I was asked to fill up gas tanks for the outboards, I found out that the oil gas mixture is eye balled and
not measured.
A former student had emailed me about sailing. I signed Surprise out and took a picture to record the procedure.
The director asked me who I was taking out. I told him it was the student I had last year who asked and received
3 days of lessons which was some good income for the center. I was told in a very rude manner that if she
wanted to take a boat out by herself she would have to pay a membership fee. She did leave a donation about
the size of a membership fee. Did the director say thank you or show any appreciation? No.
The steering failed on a chase boat. People were really stumped why it failed. I mentioned it was the cable.
The director did not believe me. Later as the confusion over the steer continued, I convinced the director
that I could take it apart to see what exactly was wrong. He agreed. When I had the steering 2/3 apart he
came on board and handed me my tools and asked me to do something else. I did not want to leave the job with
parts in many different places. So I was able to convince the director to let me finish the job. I finished
the job leaving the steering wheel assembly – assembled in the office and the broken cable hanging
out of the console. Again no acknowledgement.
In talking with another staff member, I found out it is not uncommon for people to get a task and then not letting
them complete the task.
He once asked me if there was anything that he should know? I told him about a mooring issue and he yelled back
at me that he knew about that! How am I suppose to know what he knows?
The next time he asked me a question I refused to answer. He asked me why I did not answer and I promptly replied
that he already knows everything.
At the beginning of the season he asked me to organize the place. I soon found out if anything was to be organized
I had to go ahead and do it. Any suggestion that I made was shot down, so I stopped making suggestions. After
a paint shelf, clothes line, etc was put into place he would finish with why did you not tell me and it cost
too much. At $13 an hour, and supplying all materials, and safety equipment except for paints these improvements
cost too much?
Organization projects Yet, $50,000 for new boats is not too much? The director has no mind set for storing
and maintaining equipment from what I have seen and experienced.
I was asked by email from the director to see if 2 people would qualify for membership. When I was out with the
first one the director came out of nowhere in a chase boat with a real unhappy look on his face. The same
happened again when I went out with the second candidate. When I got back inside, I found a message accusing
me of giving private sailing lessons on MDI time! Later that evening, the director called me at the house.
I let him know I did not appreciate his asking me to see if people qualify and then accusing me of giving
private lessons on MDI time. His response was you did not leave your name and number on the board. Until
this time, the director never put his name and number on the board. I told him my name and number were put
on the board. Then he told me, nobody knows who Bill is. Then I told him that I want to talk with him and
the board about the way he treats people. Then he proceeded to tell me want a great director he is. The director
said he wanted a list of my grievances, so here it is. He finished the conversation with “You did not
follow procedures.” How many times has he told me that this job has no description? How do I find him
to tell him that I am gong to do what he just told me to do? The next day I tried to talk with him about
that conversation, but he said he does not talk about personal issues.
It is time to withdraw my involvement with the sailing center.
After being around the center for 5 years, I finally was able to make a suggestion to fix an air pump that he
agreed to. I fixed it, bailed out all the boats and left for good.
Summary
Two members have left because they can no longer tolerate the director.
Two people will say you can do nothing to please the director.
A third will say you can not please the director even if you do exactly what he tells you to do.
I have found one member who is in good standing with the director.
A staff member went to NE because of the director.
A board member had a good opportunity to find out why I left but he did not ask.
Nobody from the sailing center has given me a sincere comment about what I have done for the center.
The place is much better
organized after my last summer there in spite of the director.
