HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-19-2003 GOLF MINUTES U v��
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CALDWELL GOLF B�ARD
• Advis�ry 8oard Meeting
March 19,2{�03
City Council Room
i�EMBERS ATTENDING
Boyd Cooper Chairman
Shirley Akagi Vice Chairman
Georgia Hersh Women's Association Representative
Pat Inglis Men's Assc�ciation Representative
Dan Rowell
Elvin Simpson
Loraine Navis
Jeff Osgood
MEMBERS UNABLE 70 ATTEND
Shannon Ozuna Council Representative
STAFF ATTENDING
John Watson Purple Sage Pro
Lenny Stroup Fairview Golf Pro
• STAFF UNABIE TO ATTEND
Ron Wrest Golf Course Superintendent
GUESTS
Ty Lyons
AGENDA
1} Chairman's report
2) Report from John Watson
3) Report from Lenny Stroup
4) report fram Ron Wrest
5) New or old business
Chairman Cooper called the mee#ing to order and took roll call.
1) GHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Cooper introduced Mr. Ty Lyons ta the board. Mr. Lyans selis Zoli defibrillators. Mr.
Lyons gave the board a complete run-down on how the defibrillators work. Shirley Akagi
asked if you needed GPR training to use the defibrillator. Mr. Lyons said that yes, yau
need a trained person at the golf Gourse to use the device. He said that the Caldwell
Fire Department could probably train golf course personne( to use the defibrillatar.
� Cooper asked what the price would be and Lyons said it would cost $3803 for two units.
This would put one at each course. Cooper told Mr. Lyans that we are interested in
� obtaining the defibrillators but will neeu to figure out how to finance the Rurchase. He
asked Mr. Lyons to keep in touch wit� Lenny Stroup and Lenny will keep him informed
with our progress. EfJay Waite said that we would need to get it in next year's budget.
Cooper asked EIJay Waite if it was true that Ron Wrest, golf course superintendent, had
resigned his position. EIJay said yes it was true, that Ron had indeed resigned. EIJay
said that what he couid tell us was that Ron had done a good job for us. He has taken
us to a point that we know now how the golf caurse runs than we have ever had befors.
We have an operations plan, we have a 5-year capital plan, we have personnei developed
and trained to a higher level. We've taken steps to insure that in the interim there will
be nothing missed. We have an operations plan in place. Vinton Howe11 wili handle any
personnel matters. Cooper asked if it was a situation just like we operated in after
Gordy Crocke�t left and we operated with the present staff on an interim basis. ElJay
said, "that is correct. ( think what you will see this time around is a greater level of
confidence in v�rhat we can do"
Pat {nglis —"So you haven't made any decision at all as to what the next step is."
EIJay Waite "Council hasn't been appraised as a group yet. That process has yet to take
place."
Qan Rowell "Why did Ron Wrest quit?"
EIJay Waite "We're all part of it. He just didn't want to deal with it."
Cooper "When ydu say we're all a part of it I would assume you're referring to the fact
• that we had some dissension among the senior golfers who came to the meeting and
expressed their displeasure with some of the policies. ls that what you mean?"
EiJay Waite "I was not a party to a whole lot of things that went on. 1 think each one of
us know where we stand in that situation. Where aur loyalties were and what our
intentions were."
Shirley Akagi " So did he feel that he didn't have any support?"
EIJay Waite "That's probably part of it.
There are those of us who supported him and those that didn't"
Shirley Akagi "but I thought that as a group the board let him know #hat we supported
him."
EIJay Waite ""There again, f wasn't a party to all of those #hings. Atl of us know where
we stood on this issue"
Cooper "The board told him several times that we were 100% behind him and what he
was doing out there in main�aining the golf course. We gave him a vote o# confidence at
every meeting on what he was doing in maintaining the golf course. Now, beyond that
#here was some criticism that he had changed some policies without foilowing the
correct proc�dures, fike coming through the board. He had alienated some of the
golfers and they had come here and expressed their opinions. That's all part of what
goes along with the job. I would think he would have expected the need to defend his
.
poiicies a# ali times. It is hard to please everybody. I'm disappointed that he is ieaving
• so soon.
Shirley Akagi " The comment was made that we didn't have enough money to do the
projects that he wanted to do. Was that a factor in his not staying?"
EIJay Waite "That was not an issue."
Cooper "That wasn't and issue?"
EIJay Waite "Na, Ron was privy to conversations with me on ways that we were looking
to raise money to accomplish these projects. In the long range pians we were being
eareful to try and nqt do too much too fast."
Pat Inglis "On this five year plan, was this brought to the board when he was first hired
last spring?"
Waite " This five year plan is something I've been asking for since I came here. It's an
operating maintenance plan that's worked up by the superintendent."
Inglis "What he was doing on maintaining the course was great. As a golfer I can
appreciate that, bu# what he says as a five year plan may not be what people who play
out there all the time want. The seniors, the ladies Association, the Men'S Assoeiation
and the board needs to have a say in this plan to giv� direction. If you were out there
much you would see that Boyd Cooper is out there Constantly and he sees what Ron did
as far as the golf course is concerned. Ron cannot just came in and change policies
that have been in place many years. We need to know what is in this five year plan."
• Cooper "Are you going to submit this plan for us to look at?"
Waite "AII the infarmation that's in the budget is open to the public. ( have to be very
careful how I spend my time so you are very welcome to come and look at i# at any time.
I just remind you that we hire pros with experience and they are the first one's we ga ta.
This board can advise on what �hey think about what we are doing and that's about as
far as it goes."
Qan Rowell "We have to see it before we can make a recammendation."
Waite "You're welcome to all those meetings. Ron is putting together the final plan now
because he has shown me bits and pieces of it and 1 need to see it ali befare he ieaves_
You'r� absolutely welcome to see it"
Rowell "Maybe our chairman could get that for us."
Cooper "i can't see why EIJay can't bring it to us."
EfJay "I woutd be glad to do that."
Caoper "I think the board needs to hear this five year plan. Chanc�s are we'll agree with
the direction it's taking but if we don't agree we should be able to voics our concerns
about it. Jeff, what do you think about this plan?"
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Jeff Osgood "I guess that my biggest concern about this plan is that the guy who drew it
• up is not going to be here any more_ Are we gaing to hire another superintendent or do
you guys have something else in mind ar just what is going on? We have a plan that is
drawn up by a man who isn't there any more. Who's going to take the blame if it
doesn't work? l think Ron did a great jab on the course, but he had some people
problems but professionals work together on #hose #hings, they don't just quit. We are
coming to a critical #ime in the goif season and we need things to happen right out
there. ( hear that we may not hire a new superintendent."
Waite" Those decisions have not been made. We need to be sure we don't do the same
things to the next person out there. We're going to do some things first and the council
will be involved."
Inglis " Shannon Ozuna, our councit representative isn't even at this meeting. At the
next city council meeting will this be one of the #opics ofi discussian?"
Waite "It hasn't been scheduled yet."
Cooper {to Waite) "I disagree with the statement you made where you said let's not
make fhe same mistakes we made with this one. I think you're putting the blame on us
here tha# I don't agree with. I don't think we made any particular mistakes. If we made
any mistakes he made some too because we certain(y were behind him as far as his
maintaining the golf courses was concerned. Everyone said the courses looked better
than they ever have, but ( think people got the idea that he was not only maintaining the
golf courses but he was also setting policy and going beyond his course superintendent
job. He was getting in troubfe by getting into areas where perhaps he shouldn't have
• been. He should have been thinking of growing grass instead of changing the policies of
the golf course. Am I saying this right?"
Several board members said yes.
Cooper " I'm }ust saying how I think the baard feels about this. If we have some blame
in the whole situation we are willing to take it and if we didn't back him up as much as
we should then maybe that's our fault. But by the same token, he didn't go out of his
way to make frier�ds or to court any of us. He never came and talked to me, as
chairmar� of the golf board, at any time about anything in the time he was here, not
once.
Akagi "I think it's real unjust to b(ame the golf board because I don't think we did
anything to hur# him.
Cooper "that's my feeling toa."
Rowell "Every meeting we had we gave him our support."
Al�agi "Haw much clearer do yau have to make it?" ,
Elvin Simpson "I agree with Boyd. He did a great job on the course but he put himself
on a pedestal like God Almighty. If f had treated people like that in the 45 years I
worked for the Crookham Company I would have been fired. He never gave anyone a
chance to voice their apir�ions. !# was his way or nothing."
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Cooper " I was on the selection committee when we hired him and I still think he was
. the best man for the job. He cited politica! reasan far part a# the reasons he is quitting
but those political problems were brought on by him. He injected himself into the
politics and went beyond his job as golf course superintendent.
Loraine Navis "1 have had people ask me why the City and the Golf Board don't set the
policies instead of the greens keeper."
Ingtis "Have you had a chance to talk ta Lenny and John about the necessity of hiring a
new superintendent as soon as possible."
Waite " What I meant when I said I looked to the pros was for operation and policy."
Cooper "I guess its too early to tell yet what we're going to do. Ron isn't even gane yet.
Friday is his last day? The decisions will be made in the near future as to the course we
will take?"
Waite "Ron had a exit interview with Monica Jones and she'It prepare a report for the
council. From that we will decide what we need to do for this year. lf there are changes
they want to make to the way we run the golf course and the way the go{f board runs.
One thing I would request is #hat I noticed in the minutes is that we have talked about
poticies and we are not sure where or what they are. We want to put together a po(icy
manual that is authored by the city and signed off by the golfi board that will be in place
for everything that needs a policy. If someone comes in and says "what's the policy on
this? You open up the manual and show them the policy."
� Codper "sounds like a good idea. EIJay the board wauid like you to tell us how we are
doing financially so far this year."
Waite "What I have prepared is a quick review of last years audit and financial
statement. Revenues were $700,000 and expenses were $783,000. For some reason
greens fees have fallen off for the last two years. We had more green fees in 2000 that
we had in 2001."
John Watson " All goff courses in the valley are behind in green fees.
EIJay told the baard that we are trying to reduce costs. EIJay said they are trying to use
the temporary laborers more effectively. 1Ne are in litigation with the irrigation district
because of the increased rates.
John Watson "We are running ahead sa far this year.
Lenny Stroup " We are ahead in greens fees but down in season tickets.
Coaper " It's going to be interesting to see if the raises we took in the fees bring in more
revenue this year,
2) REPORT FROM JONN WATSON
John said he has some nevlr staff members. Revenue is up
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• 3) REPORT fROM LENNY STROUP
Green fses are up. Total revenue is about even. Lenny asked EIJay if the schools are
paying their fees to the city. This includes the high schoois and Aibertson College.
EIJay said he wauld check on this. Lenny said we need a twilight fee at Fairview. The
board discussed this issue.
4) REPORT FROM RQN WREST
Absent. No report
5) NEW OR OLD BUSIN�SS
Shirfey Akagi asked the board if they wanted to advertise in the Thrifty Nickel. The board
said "no".
Shirley said she thought we should address the Twi(ight Fee for Fairview now. Jeff
Osgood made a motion, seconded by Loraine Navis, that during daylight saving time
after 6pm green fees wil! be eight dol�ars far nine hotes. During standard time after
4pm the rate is eight dollars for nine holes. Passed unanimously.
No further business, meeting adfourned.
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