Chapter 13 - BRIARHAVEN WAS BLEEDING MONEY
Owning a country club sounds glamorous until someone shows you deferred maintenance.
Briarhaven had:
A leaking pool filtration system.
A clubhouse roof due replacement.
Two tennis courts needing resurfacing.
A lake retaining wall problem.
Rising insurance.
Declining younger membership.
Operating deficit in two of last four years.
The club was not bankrupt.
But it was not a magic cash machine.
Blythe’s trust received distributions because property leasing and some club revenue remained strong.
Still, major capital spending approached.
Mother had spent personal money?
Yes.
Approximately $620,000 in bridge loans over three years through one of her entities.
Documented.
Some repaid.
Some outstanding.
She had kept the club afloat during periods First Meridian hesitated to inject trust capital.
That changed my view.
Not of the jewelry.
Not of the proxy.
But of her stewardship argument.
She had actually done work.
Then Mother said:
“You think I stayed because I wanted cocktails and power?”
“Partly.”
She almost smiled.
“Fair.”
Then:
“I stayed because the west retaining wall nearly failed two winters ago.”
“Why didn’t I know?”
“Because you weren’t involved.”
Again.
True.
Then outside consultants evaluated options:
Continue operations.
Raise dues.
Sell a portion of unused land.
Lease events wing.
Sell entire club to hospitality operator.
Redevelop.
No decision.
Blythe’s trust as controlling beneficial owner had fiduciary obligation to consider value.
Could preserving “Mommy’s club” be sentimental?
Dangerous.
Vivienne herself wrote:
Security, not identity.
That line mattered.
Then Mother favored one option:
Sell eight acres near road for luxury townhomes.
Use proceeds to renovate.
Members divided.
Was Mother’s motive bad?
Not automatically.
Independent consultants said financially plausible.
Then I found myself opposing because Mother supported it.
I stopped.
That would be stupid.
Asked for independent analysis.
Good.
Then Blythe asked:
“Do I own grass?”
“Not personally.”
“Trees?”
“Through trust sort of.”
“Ducks?”
“No one owns ducks.”
She accepted.
Then:
“Can Grandma take necklace?”
“No.”
“That easier.”
Yes.
Concrete property easier than governance.
Then we stored jewelry with independent custodian.
Blythe could wear silver necklace for supervised occasions.
Not because she needed to wait until eighteen to touch everything.
Trustee allowed personal items under parental care.
She chose silver.
Not pearls.
May you like
“Too grandma.”
I did not tell Mother.
