Club Business

This email was sent to by Don Hunter to a few members on July 3rd in response to dishonest information from Joe Svitek and inquiries regarding Road Assessments and the timeline of road repairs which were framed as "urgent" when initially proposed to membership.

Don's response: A Straightforward Update on the Paving Project and Path Forward

Dear Members,

Thank you for your recent letter and for expressing your concerns directly. I understand that confidence has been shaken, and I take that very seriously. I want to speak to you as plainly and thoroughly as I can—because you deserve the full picture, and because I believe trust is best rebuilt with honesty, clarity, and accountability.

Let me begin by correcting a key misunderstanding: Joe Svitek is not on the Transportation Committee, and he was not involved in recommending the shift in paving schedule. That decision was mine alone. Over the past two weeks, I personally brought the recommendation forward to both the Transportation Committee and the Board, based on real-world constraints that, in my view, made proceeding this summer irresponsible and risky.

Joe’s role—as always—has been to safeguard the club’s funds. He continues to do so with the highest ethical standards, just as he has throughout his time here. If there’s any doubt about that, I invite you to meet with Joe directly and verify the accounting yourself. The paving funds remain fully protected, untouched, and properly allocated.

Now, to the decision itself. While our original plan was to pave this summer, we encountered three serious hurdles—each of which would have compromised either the quality or financial integrity of the project had the club needs to execute:

1. Loss of Contractor Confidence

We initially intended to work again with APAC, the contractor that delivered solid results last year. However, their behavior this year was markedly different. Despite multiple commitments to provide a formal bid and timeline, their lead team repeatedly no-showed scheduled site visits. This lack of follow-through—paired with what we believe is a shift in their priorities toward larger government contracts—left us without confidence that they could execute on schedule or deliver the attention this job requires. Several alternate contractors were contacted but declined to bid this season due to capacity or disinterest in the complexity of a Daufuskie-based job. I see this as a solvable issue for next season.

2. Barging and Transport Breakdown

Our most significant logistical hurdle is barge access. Last year, we were fortunate to use a non–tide-dependent barge out of Hutchinson Island, which allowed us to load asphalt trucks at daybreak and have them return same-day—a critical element of efficiency and cost control. This year, that option is unavailable. The only current alternative is Wick Scurry’s tide-dependent barge. Using that service, trucks would need to remain overnight on the island—meaning up to 18 truck drivers per day would need lodging, meals, and huge standby pay, at our expense. This is not only financially burdensome, but also highly risky from a coordination standpoint. We are actively negotiating better barge solutions, but the operational structure needed will not be ready until winter at the earliest.

3. Staffing and Oversight Capacity

Last year’s success wasn’t just about the asphalt—it was about oversight. We had boots on the ground every day monitoring staging, traffic control, progress, and punch-listing. That level of engagement is currently not possible with our existing staff structure, which has undergone some transition. I am working to rebuild this capacity so that when we do move forward—ideally next summer—we do so with the proper people and systems in place to ensure quality, accountability, and safety throughout.

I fully understand the disappointment and frustration that comes with delay. But I want you to know: this is not a delay born of indecision or neglect—it is a deliberate choice made to avoid wasting money and putting the project at risk.

I welcome each of you to meet with me personally. I’ll walk you through every detail of the situation, the logistics, the vendor history, and our planning efforts. I also encourage you to meet directly with Joe Svitek to verify the accounting and fund security for yourself.

More than anything, I want you to know this: I am and will remain bluntly transparent about what’s working, what’s not, and what we’re doing to fix it. I care deeply about getting this right—not just for this paving job, but for the broader challenges ahead. Transparently, I remain concerned that the club cannot sustain financially without strong growth and strong member support and I am committed to working night and day to get that done, from our current and past position it will take 100% commitment from all of us to succeed. We’re working hard to correct years of disjointed planning, deferred decisions, and underinvestment. That means facing the hard truth about infrastructure, rooftops, and long-term costs—and making smart, sometimes tough, calls about how to move forward sustainably.

It’s not easy work. But I love doing it. And I’m honored to do it for this community.

With respect and appreciation,

Don Hunter

CEO, Haig Point Club

It is my understanding that other seasoned developers have proposed viable plans as part of the Thunderbird option, but I’m not sure whether they’ve been given time and/or consideration.

Here's a side by side comparison of what the the dealership is charging vs what HP is charging for GEM repairs. HP considerably higher for same parts as well as labor.

GEM dealership will be doing the work in the HP parking lot.