Terlingua Ranch Info

[terlingualite]

 IS THE RESORT AT TERLINGUA RANCH CLOSED YET? THEY SAY THEY ARE CLOSING. IS THIS BLACKMAIL OR REVENGE DUE TO OUR NO VOTES?

[SHANEA]

Terlingua Ranch Lodge
P.O. Box 638
Terlingua, TX  79852
432-371-2416
frontdesk@terlinguaranch.com

I tried calling, but no answer as their hours are only 8am - 3pm.  If I hear anything, I will let you know.  Website does not indicate anything, http://www.terlinguaranch.com/

Would it be a great loss if they did close?  From what I've read/heard that the entire operation is a money loser and that the money could be better spent on infrastructure for residents - road maintenance - etc. 

Not sure how to answer the poll?

[RichardM]

Word from the http://groups.yahoo.com/group/terlingua page is that the lodge is/will be shutting down.

[TheWildWestGuy]

Aargh and I never even got a chance to go.  Another opportunity slips away from me.  Guess there is always the other "resort" the one at Lajitas.. TWWG

[Goldilocks]

I agree, TWWG.  It was on my list of things to do "someday".  Guess it will be too late by the time I get back there, now.

[jeffblaylock]

I agree, TWWG.  It was on my list of things to do "someday".  Guess it will be too late by the time I get back there, now.

Probably it's biggest problem -- it's too far down on everyone's "someday" list. It was too far out of the way for my taste. I bet the purchase of the mining lodge in Terlingua by Forever Resorts probably was the final nail in their coffin.

[Red Hawk]

Actually, lodge receipts have been holding steady. The problem was expenses. Of the few property owners (1/3) that bothered to vote, a majority said no to recognizing that costs are up. So now a dozen south county jobs are lost; because of a very few but very loud and selfish property owners.

Sorry, I don't want to be negative, especially here on the most positive and constructive forum in the area. So - The closing is hopefully temporary; it's the slow season anyway. I don't know what will happen to the Christmas Mountains lease, we've probably blown that opportunity too.

[SHANEA]

I'm just an outside greenhorn that knows a few folks with property up at Terlingua Ranch - from what I gather a lot of brew ha about exempt and non-exempt land owners.  Be interesting to see how all of this shakes out - seeing that another lawsuit was filed against the POA.   

[kmck]

Yes, the Terlingua Ranch Lodge is closing - temporarily - maybe permanently.  No one knows at this time.  I read that the Board of Directors will reconsider in April 2009 whether or not to reopen.  Also depends on if they can dig the Ranch out of the financial hole they're in.  Even with a 300 percent increase in maintenance fees in the last 5 years and 3 extra "one-time only" supplemental income fees, the Ranch still had a large deficit because of the free-spending General Manager who contributed to this very big problem.  There were over a thousand property owners voting on whether or not to accept a new Terlingua Ranch Maintenance Agreement, which would have been detrimental to the property owners for a lot of reasons.  Five-hundred plus voters said NO.  More than a few loud property owners I would say.  JMO though.
kmck 

[SHANEA]

Yes, the Terlingua Ranch Lodge is closing - temporarily - maybe permanently. 

Interesting, 

I wonder how this will all shake out with the proposed lease of the Christmas Mountains by the POATR - if there is no Terlingua Ranch Lodge to meet/great guests and provide access.

[kmck]

Yes, the Terlingua Ranch Lodge is closing - temporarily - maybe permanently. 

Interesting, 

I wonder how this will all shake out with the proposed lease of the Christmas Mountains by the POATR - if there is no Terlingua Ranch Lodge to meet/great guests and provide access.

The President of the Board of Directors had this to say, "At this time, the lease on the Christmas Mountains is low on our priority list."  
kmck

[Al]

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/30/0730christmas.html

Al

[SHANEA]

Al,

Thanks for posting that article.  Good read.   

 

[TheWildWestGuy]

Good article I especially like the blog comments at the bottom.   Seems like a "herd of cats" to me also made worse by the fact that a lot of the property owners don't live there (so don't care much about things like roads since it doesn't impact them), they just want to cut expenses.   Many of the property owners probably bought the land for investment and don't want to spend a dime on it, others live on their land and want road access, a lodge, and some infrastructure so you have a big conflict over $$.   Correct me if I am wrong but I thought part of the problem was the property taxes were not on a per acre or fair market value basis so owners with large tracts paid the same amount as owners with small tracts or were somehow exempt?  Seems like a fundamental tenant of property taxes is that those with the most property ($$ wise) should pay the most taxes.  Maybe I have the facts wrong?  TWWG

[SHANEA]

TWWG - I don't think it has to do with taxes, it has to do with POA assessments.  The whole area is private - all the roads and everything. 

A couple of emails received on this topic, names withheld...

I'd say that the Christmas Mountains lease is a dead issue...

I just drove to the lodge and confirmed this with one of the
employees. This was a board action. The board met in private session
4 times on this topic over the weekend. The last meeting was at
Alida's request where she pleaded with the board to try to find
another way.

The answer was no, shut it down, mothball the buildings, drain the
lines and close it up. There are reservations still for this month
that cannot be changed, those will be honored, all other reservations
are being moved to other accomodations in Terlingua/Study Butte. The
lodge, cafe, bath house and laundry are all being closed

Ice sales and water sales will continue. Pat and Dean will be left to
monitor the buildings and make minor repairs as needed. All other
staff are being dismissed except one road crew, the administrative
office is being reduced by one staff member. The situation will be
reviewed after the April 2009 meeting to determine if funding is
available for reopening of the facilities at that time.

While I understand the impact this is having on the employees and
their families. They were not the cause of this and like with most
other situations are probably impacted the most, my thoughts and
prayers are with them.

My heartfelt thanks go to the employees and their families for all of
their hard work in the past.

My heartfelt thanks are also extended to the board of directors for
taking this step, I understand it was not an easy decision but given
the economic conditions, it is for the best at this time.

Good Morning Folks:

Well it appears that the Board of Directors has made good on their threats and has closed down the resort operation indefinitely. What was the cause of this action?

In my opinion the over riding cause was a decision of the BOD to try and blackmail the property owners into passing the new TRMA. If passed, they would have gotten nearly unlimited powers of special assessment over and above our Annual Maintenance Assessment accompanied with the power to foreclose on our land for failure to pay these special assessments.

Our BOD should have spent all the money they spent on printing and sending the TRMA/Ballot package in a ballot package honestly telling the property owners why they needed more funds, explaining to us why they need to spend about $300K in the office, explain to us why they need to increase the payroll by 40% to over $400K. Instead they choose to put the emergency status of our funds situation secondary to passage of the new TRMA.

I put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the POATRI Board of Directors we should have been voting only on the money issue.

I do feel for those who has lost their jobs I can only hope that they realize it was actions of the Board of Directors and not property owners standing up for their rights that caused this situation.

The following post from the Blog is all that I know about the closing, if I hear something else I will let you know.