Call for special general meeting

Ball-machine replacement - summary

Our Tennis Tower Ball Machine requires replacement. There is significant demand for its use, but the current machine has become unreliable and difficult to repair.

The Tennis Club Executive has concluded that a higher quality replacement is necessary and is proposing the purchase of a commercial-grade base-level Playmate machine ($5,523 including tax).

Under our Bylaws, any purchase in excess of $2,000 must be approved by the membership.

Due to the demand for a ball machine and an imminent price increase the executive is requesting a special meeting of the membership at:

• Can Am Building

• Wednesday December 10th

• 5:00 pm

• Proxy form available at Charlotte courts or as PDF (more below)

Details

Current Tennis Tower Ball Machine

• At least 5 failures since purchase (machine out of use for a significant period of time)

• No local repair location

• Last period of use only 9 hours

• Fundamental design flaws

Proposed Playmate ACE ball machine

• Playmate Ace recommended by Tony, Rich (Wrigleys), Emerald Pointe

  • See https://www.playmatetennis.com/ace/

• ACE vs other Playmates

  • iSmash (Emerald Piointe)

  • Genie (Tony)

  • ACE is simpler, lower cost

    
    

Funding

• Available Club Funds: The club has sufficient funds to purchase the proposed ball machine and will have sufficient funds for future operating and capital expenditures (including the club’s share of court resurfacing)

• Potential future fund-raising campaign

• Potential charge for use

Demand

• There is significant demand for the ball machine (Jeff has provided the following: 80 members trained, 116 sign out court sessions involving 335 players)

• The club advertises ball machine availability (e.g. sign at Charlotte Courts)

• Given the demand and current condition of the Tennis Tower ball machine waiting until the AGM was considered inappropriate

Vote

• Expenditures over $2,000 must be approved by the membership

• Special Meeting (Wednesday, December 10, 2025)

• A quorum of 43 (172 X 25%) playing members is needed for any membership vote.

• Playing members can vote by proxy before the meeting or vote at the meeting after a presentation and questions.

• Proxy votes will be included for purposes of determining a quorum.

• Proxy form

  • Available here (pdf)

  • Proxy forms are also available at the Charlotte bulletin board.

  • Signed forms can be dropped off to any member of the executive before December 10, 2025

Greg Freeman - President