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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-16-2004 GOLF MINUTES �'" ♦ � � • CALDWELL GOLF BOARD Advisory �oard Meeting June 16,2004 MEMBERS ATTENDING 1. Shirley Akagi Vice Chairman 2. Shannon Uzuna Councii Representative 3. Pat Inglis Caldwell Men's Association Representative 4. Jeff Osgood 5. Dan Rowell 6. Loraine Navis 7. Elvin Simpson MEMBERS UNABLE TO ATTEND 1. Boyd Cooper Chairman 2. Georgia Hersh Caldwell Women's Association Representative • STAFF ATTENDING 1. John Shreiner Assistant Superintendent, Fairview 2. Vinton Howell Land & Facilities Manager 3. John Watson Purple Sage Golf Professional 4. Lenny Stroup Fairview Golf Professional STAFF UNABLE TO ATTEND 1. Glen Kushlan � GUESTS 1. Karen Kellar 2. Gale Penrod 3. El Jay Waite City Finance Director AGENDA • 1. Chairman's report . i '� • 2. Report from Glen Kushlan 3. Report from John Shreiner 4. Report from John Watson 5. Report from Lenny Stroup 6. New or old business Vice Chairman Akagi called the meeting to order and took roll. 1 CHAIRMAN'S REPORT It was reported that Karen Kellar would be attending our meeting to request removing the age restriction. At the current time no one younger then 6 is allowed on the course either as a spectator or player. Gale Penrod (father of Karen Kellar) addressed the golf board and said he would like to get the age limit changed at both golf courses to allow children under the age of 6 years old on the course. Then later in conversation indicated he wanted them to play. Gale, his daughter Karen Kellar & son-in-law play golf on Sundays. Karen has a son who is 31/2 years old. At the present time they pay his green fee or would be willing to pay green fees. He is allowed to tee off and then they pick up the ball and put it on the putting green. Gale requested that the pros be allowed to make the decision on who under the age of 6 years old may or may not play. • John Watson asked if we were addressing a request to play or just be on the golf course. Gale replied, "just be on the course he doesn't play golf. He's not old enough. He can't hit the ba1L However he hits the ball better then his mother. John Watson pointed out that a child that young could not handle playing a long course like Purple Sage Golf Course. Gale agreed that he was too young to play. And that they just wanted to get him on the course with his parents. Dan Rowell said he would think there would be a liability issue to the city. The first thing they might just be on the course and the next thing they will driving the carts, hitting balls and slowing down play. I think it's a good policy and I think we should stay with it. Shirley Akagi said if we start letting everyone bring their kids to the golf course we will soon be overrun with them. It's tough even with the kids staying on the carts to protect them. I feel the policy we have has worked all these years and should keep it in place. As for having the pros decide who can and ca.nnot play golf, I do not think it is fair to put that responsibility on them. � Dan Rowell stated that the pros aren't always in the pro shop and it is a lot of pressure to put on anyone. i � � Karen Kellar asked what happens if they are a paid player? She stated she had called all the golf courses in the area and that if they had age limits they either made exceptions or made the family sign a waiver. Exceptions were made based on the child ability to play golf I am asking for kids of any age to be allowed to be a paid player and not just sit on the cart. Pat Inglis pointed out that we are lucky to have Fairview Golf Course. Lenny has a good junior golf program and it is where most of our area golfers started golfing. Having a 6 yr old on Purple Sage Golf Course is pushing it. It's long and difficult. Lenny pointed out the fact that junior golf and lessons start at 6 years of age and they only play three holes. Dan Rowell said since Karen admitted not being prepared for the meeting that we table the issue until we have a copy of her letter that was sent to Chairman Cooper. = Karen was informed that the board could not make a decision on this matter today. We needed to see a copy of her letter and do some research of our own. Lenny said there were rules in life that we all abide by. Lenny stated he had talked to other pros in the valley and they stated it was a headache and wished they had a hard policy like ours. That way no one has to decide who plays and who doesn't. There are • exceptions in life. But the golf course is not the place to have a youngster running all over. I have had them tell me they would keep the child in the cart and before long while you are looking for a ball they are in the cart and if you have not taken the key they could be starting it. It's just not safe. I think it's an accident waiting to happen: It's tough to sit in a cart for 18 holes. At least at 6 yrs old they have been in school and learned some discipline Dan Rowell said she wants an exception to be made. It can't be made because then John and Lenny would really catch some heat. How do you decide who can play and who can't? Jeff Osgood said this is a public course. Private courses can let anyone they want to play, we can't. Loraine Navis said we have all played golf courses over the states and they all limit the age to 6 yrs and some were 12 yrs. Pat Inglis asked if someone had complained about him being on the course was the reason they were so upset. John Watson said he told them they were not allowed to have anyone on the course under six. It is posted at both golf courses. It's a policy he has to enforce. � � � , i � After a great deal of discussion the opinion of the Caldwell Golf Board is three years olds should not be playing golf. We realize that other golf courses in the valley have their own policies. But our primary concerns are the Caldwell golf courses. The policy of not allowing anyone under the age of 6 yrs old has been in place for years and this is the first time it has been challenged. More research will be done and reviewed at the next board meeting. REPORT FROM JOHN SHREINER John reported that he has the billbug treatment down and has put netting up on the number 2 hole. El Jay got hit by a golf ball while talking to a lady across the street so a net was put up. On hole number six he has seeded where the tree came out and this fall he will replant the tree. John was told how nice the course looks. REPORT FROM VINTON HOWELL The yardage markers are up at Purple Sage and look great. Everyone is pleased with them. The mowers can mow over the markers. Vinton ask if we needed them at Fairview . and Lenny thought we had plenty of markers there. Loraine asked Vinton if he was working to get Fairview fenced in the new budget. Vinton said he had been working with Glen to get a part of Purple Sage fenced. Loraine noted we really needed to get Fairview fenced. The plans at Purple Sage are to first fence behind number 13. We need to decide the length we want to go. Chain linking has doubled in price the last few months. We can still put in some and hope the price will go down. It was decided that it was more important to fence Fairview first. Fairview has been a walking path for so long we need to get start fencing. The main reason to fence Purple Sage is to try to keep vehicles off the course and prevent vandalism. It was decided that fencing number one and number nine at Fairview aze top priority. If we put a fence along one and nine we will be required to put in a sidewalk. El Jay thought this expense would be ours. We are going to do some checking on this issue. REPORT FROM JOHN WATSON John said we are down about $6,000.00. However green fees are up, but we are down in season passes. Lenny is up in season passes. Single passes are down 20,OOOAO. A lot of it has to with the Fairview only pass. When you combine the two courses figures we are . doing fine. Green fees are up in the neighbor of $5,000.00. �r ' • IGA would like to have the Senior State Tournament for 2005 at Purple Sage Golf Course on August 6 & 7�'. They would give the course a$1,000.00 and a half-day complimentary USGA turf grass advisory visit. Which sells for $1,500.00. After some discussion the board approved having this tourna.ment at Purple Sage in 2005. John read letters of requests from John Carter and Ti.,eti Watson. John Carter is in the Army and is being deployed. He is asking that his season pass be transferred to a friend. Leti Watson's husband died of cancer and never played a round golf. His wish was to transfer his pass to a friend. Since neither request was a refund the board approved the transfers. John will take care of this. REPORT FROM LENNY STROUP Lenny said his numbers look preriy good. Rounds of golf are down about 100 rounds. Green fees are holding. Nine hole rounds are up. Eighteen hole rounds are down. Lenny thinks the Fairview only pass has been a great success. Lenny has three good tourna.ments on his schedule. • NEW OR OLD BUSINESS GOLF FEE SCHEDULE 2005 El Jay presented copies of the new proposed fee increases for 2005. Recommendations needs to done at next months meeting. El Jay would like the members to look it over before the meeting next month. The public hearing will be held at the first City Council meeting in August. Pat Inglis asked where we stood with expenses and etc. El Jay didn't have them but will send us copies of the audits. Thought this would give us a better picture. Pat said he was concerned about raising the cart storages again this year. We raised them quite a bit last year. El Jay said the council didn't think we were in line with other courses. Pat said this is Caldwell and I don't feel we should compare our fees to other courses. Yes we should look at others but we still need to take good care of our people who have supported this course all these years. � « ' ,,. . LAND OPTIONS John Watson asked what decision has been made on the land we are purchasing for a new golf course. Are there any plans to build or can we sell that land and put it back in our fund and be comfortable again? El Jay: Selling is always an option. When asked El Jay told us our payment for our debt is $105.000.00 and the interest rate is at 7%. There was some discussion as to what could or should be done with the properly. There is a concern that foo many other new golf courses that have been built or are being built. Pat Inglis said we are not in clear title on the land we are purchasing. El Jay said he was not aware of that. It was suggested this issue be checked out further. � No other business. Meeting adjourned. �