Course in limbo
City leaders still in the discussion stage regarding future of area facility
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Thursday, October 30, 2008 12:57 PM PDT
| |
| Rafael Perez, 23, takes a swing on the Ontario Golf Course Wednesday afternoon. City leaders are currently discussing the course’s future. |
Ontario — Ontario city leaders say they are working on a solution regarding future management of the Ontario Golf Course even as the current management contract is set to expire at the end of this month.
Ontario Mayor Joe Dominick said he has no further information on what the golf course’s future will be but would like to speak to council members in the future about the issue.
“(Ontario City Manager Henry Lawrence) is currently working on the budget, and that’s one of the things he is looking into,” Dominick said of the course, situated at 1345 Golf Course Road in Ontario.
Dominick said he would like the council to meet on the subject, though he did not set a timeframe for a session.
“We should get together and work on that,” he said.
One opportunity to tackle the lingering golf course issue appeared to be at today’s City Council workshop. However, the session was canceled because there was no new business.
“The (city) charter only requires them to have one meeting a month,” Ontario City Recorder Tori Barnett said. “So they just chose not to have this one.”
The council’s next meeting is slated for 7 p.m. Nov. 17, with a work session scheduled for noon Nov. 13.
However, Dominick said holding another meeting, before the Nov. 17 session, was a possibility.
Lawrence said he would also like to speak about the golf course management issue with the council and should have more information in a week.
“I’m still working on it,” he said.
In his city manager report last week, Lawrence said he is preparing for an interim transfer of Ontario Golf Course operations.
He said he is working on an interim solution but believes the city will likely be looking for a company to take over operations at the facility for the longterm.
“I believe this golf course is an important part of any long-term economic marketing and development strategy for the city,” he said in the report. “I do not believe the city should run the golf course as an internal department, but strongly believe privatization of the operations under contract is the way to go.”
He also said the council, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Visitors and Conventions Board and residents should all be involved in this discussion to help determine a long-term goal for the course.
A successful golf course, he said, will help businesses in the area by filling hotel rooms and restaurants.
In June, the Ontario City Council voted to keep the course up to par by shoveling $56,500 from the city’s contingency fund into the facility to pay for 20 used golf carts.
At the time, Ontario Golf Club Manager Mark Copley said he believed the cart upgrade would attract more golfers and, in turn, increase green fees.
Currently, the city owes about $360,000 to pay off two loans on the course from the late 1990s for an irrigation system.
The debts are not scheduled to be paid off until 2012, Ontario Finance Director Rachel Hopper said.
According to the city’s contractual agreement with Copley, the city receives 40 percent of the user fees and pass revenues while the other 60 percent is funneled into maintenance and operations costs.
In the past, Hopper said in early June, the city’s portion of the revenue has helped pay off the irrigation system loans, but in recent years, the amount has only been enough to cover a portion of the maintenance costs.
to I am considered wrote on Nov 3, 2008 2:10 PM: