Belleayre closing due to layoffs

[ERJ-145CA]

Double post, computer froze.

 

[ERJ-145CA]

One thing that has made them successful is backing from public unions. For the second part please see threecy's graph.



How is it the "easy" way out to say we have to cut jobs and that families will be affected? I'm thankful its not my job to lay them off, and on a personal level I do feel for them. But I've been laid off twice in my life and bounced back, its possible and the adversity builds some character:grin:. So I disagree that this is the easy way out, quite the contrary. You are also ingoring the fact that at state and local levels what else is there to cut?

Employees make up a major share of those budgets, medical benefits and pensions are
the elephants in the room. Health benefits are way out of line with what private employees get and defined benefit pensions? Those words do not seem to exist outside government work anymore.

Whats worse is how its the norm to pad your annual salary with massive overtime in order to increase pension benefits(basing pay on best years salary) and other double-dip(retire with benefits then work part-time consult) shenanigans there is plenty the public worker is doing that doesn't help with their image.

Add to that being able to retire after 20 or so years with full benefits for life at 45 years old and its simple math(as well as fund managers who fantasize about risk-free 8% annual return) that say its simply unsustainable.


Ok, sorry to be so off-topic - I am done...

I really don't think the lifties and mechanics at Belleayre are getting rich working for the government. I'm not talking about police and such, I may be wrong but I don't think there is any retiring at 45 after 20 years or so and being set for life for the average state laborer.

I never meant it was "easy" to lay off people but it is "easy" to make public workers and unions scapegoats for budget issues and taxes. It's a great distraction for the tough budget issues and sounds plausible to the average Joe. Scapegoating is a time honored tradition.

Plus, I'm sure the pols friends and family aren't getting laid off from their do nothing, no show jobs.

 

[ERJ-145CA]

Got an e-mail from Belleayre @ 5:57 tonite with the headline "BELLEAYRE TO OPEN THIS WEEKEND"!! WWWWWHHHHHHHHAAAAAATTTTTTTT! it's going to rain! Wouldn't you think they would wait till aleast the weathter stays cold for alonger period of time instead of during the wee hours of the night?

I hope that's true, then I'll be skiing next Tuesday!

BTW the base of Belleayre is at 2000' so there is a good chance the rain everywhere else will be snow there and the snowmaking temps last longer. I've had a few times where I drove to Bell and it was raining the whole drive until I drove up the access road, then it changed to snow.

 

[RootDKJ]

I hope that's true, then I'll be skiing next Tuesday!

BTW the base of Belleayre is at 2000' so there is a good chance the rain everywhere else will be snow there and the snowmakking temps last longer. I've had a few times where I drove to Bell and it was raining the whole drive until I drove up the access road, then it changed to snow.

I was thinking Monday, but Tuesday works just as well.

 

[ERJ-145CA]

I was thinking Monday, but Tuesday works just as well.

Shoot me a PM, my daughter is in pre-school Tuesdays so it's a better day for my wife who would have to work from home and watch the girl on Monday.

 

[goldsbar]

So much hate, where to start...

First, I'm an expert skier and Belleayre is my favorite in the Catskills. If I had my choice, I'd ski Castlerock at Sugarbush every week but that's not going to happen (or Jackson Hole, etc. but that's dreaming). If you're an exert you know nothing inbounds in the Cats is truly expert. Hunter can be great but I find Belleayre, while less steep overall, is more consitantly bumped up and generally gets more snow so the woods are in more. Love Plattekill but the extra drive is a bit of a killer.

Second, I'm totally against government running businesses but is this really the problem? Are lifties making $100k/year and retiring after 20 with full benefits and pension? Doubt it. I get pissed when they offer $20 tickets because the place gets too crowded. I have to guess this place is pretty vital for the area. Maybe privatize but don't close down. Still, plenty of sympathy for Hunter/Wyndham/Plattekill when Belleayre starts to offer below market pricing.

 

[RootDKJ]

Shoot me a PM, my daughter is in pre-school Tuesdays so it's a better day for my wife who would have to work from home and watch the girl on Monday.

Will do over the weekend.

 

[riverc0il]

NY state is cutting cutting 48 jobs out of 55. Most of these positions earn around $15 an hour. That leaves 7 full time employees. Are you saying that you can run a down hill ski area, ski school, ski patrol, cross country ski area, lift maintenance, snow making, grooming, security, summer lake/boating/picnic area, summer concert every weekend, summer sky ride, summer biking, wedding events, and new construction improvements with 7 employees? Wow that would be awesome if you could.

There is so much BS on this forum you could fill a very large garbage truck.

No, you could not run that type of operation with seven employees. And also, that is not what I said nor suggested. Seven full time employees does not mean only seven people run the operation. You can have seasonal workers that work 40 hours a week, and you can have lots of them.

 

[thinnmann]

http://www.belleayre.com/emails/specials.htm

snip--->>>

November 23, 2010 Highmount, NY – Calling all hardcore Belleayre friends and family! Temperatures in Highmount are dropping into the 20s at night which is good weather for snowmaking at Belleayre as the mountain prepares to open for the 2010-2011 skiing and riding season this weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday. People are getting their gear tuned up in anticipation of hitting the slopes as Belleayre gets ready to open its doors for the 61st season of operation catering to skiers and snowboarders. PLEASE NOTE: At this point it is too close to call whether the mountain will open Friday, Saturday or Sunday, so stay tuned to the Belleayre website and make sure to be here on opening day which will feature $25 lift tickets.​

 

[krisskis]

I don’t actually recall anyone using “hate” to describe Hunter. I suspect you are mistaking “hate” for merely, “doesn’t like it as much as you do.”


Some advanced skiers, and I fear you may be one of them, have completely forgotten what it was like to be intermediate. There actually is a decent amount of intermediate terrain on the main hill at Hunter (Belt Parkway, White Cloud, 42nd Street, 7th Avenue, Gun Hill Road, Kennedy Drive, etc.).

I was rather annoyed, though, that even on a weekend in (IIRC) early March, E lift did not operate, taking a lot of Hunter One’s intermediate terrain off the map.


.

Ok...sorry i used the word "hate". As DMC said..."strongly dislike".

And yes i am an advanced skier but not being as young as i once was, towards the later part of the day i prefer to ski "groomers and cruisers" and tend to stick to intermediate trails later on as my knees cant handle it aymore So i HAVE NOT forgotten what it is like to be an intermediate skier.

 

[thinnmann]

Screen capture from Belleayre Web Site Homepage:

 

[Rob A]

Well it looks like everything sorted itself out and Bell will be opening this weekend. I will most likely wait till early December to make the trip up there and open my season. I had originally planned on going this Friday, but if they even are open, the amount of terrain won't make it worth the trip.

 

[k123]

I am hoping to get up there on Sunday if they end up opening. They should have some good snowmaking tonight, friday night and saturday night, with some possible natural snow on thursday night into friday.

Wetbulb temps below 20 degrees are good quality snowmaking temps so it looks like they will be getting some tonight.

 

[thinnmann]

http://www.catskillmountainnews.com/content/belleayre-staffers-cry-foul-over-job-cuts-0

snip--->>>

All of the workers being laid off at Belleayre Mountain have reportedly been offered seasonal positions, with no salary protection, and a 20 percent reduction in annual hours.
Seasonal employees are limited to 1,750 hours of work in one year. The workers will be allowed to maintain their benefits if they return as seasonal workers.​

Unfortunately I am not a subscriber. Only subscribers can see the whole story.

But the workers will maintain their benefits if the return as seasonal workers, so it says. That is something!

 

[k123]

I called the belleayre snow phone and they are saying they are trying to open on Friday...... Probably won't be until Saturday or Sunday.

 

[dmc]

http://www.catskillmountainnews.com/content/belleayre-staffers-cry-foul-over-job-cuts-0

snip--->>>

All of the workers being laid off at Belleayre Mountain have reportedly been offered seasonal positions, with no salary protection, and a 20 percent reduction in annual hours.
Seasonal employees are limited to 1,750 hours of work in one year. The workers will be allowed to maintain their benefits if they return as seasonal workers.​

Unfortunately I am not a subscriber. Only subscribers can see the whole story.

But the workers will maintain their benefits if the return as seasonal workers, so it says. That is something!

Thats huge... Almost 44 weeks pay. And Benefits... Collect unemployment between seasons... Wonder if that includes retirement?

 

[MarkC]

According to my facebook update it looks like Belleayre will be opening tomorrow. It looks like the savings from the layoffs will be going to good use.

 

[RichT]

why no webcams?? pic of day is from nov 15th!............

 

[MarkC]

why no webcams?? pic of day is from nov 15th!............

Webcams would be great. We could watch our tax dollars melt in real time.

 

[zinger3000]

Their website says they're opening tomorrow (Saturday) with 2 lifts and 2 trails.