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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGolf Board - Minutes - 06/18/2003City of Fort Collins Cultural, Library, and Recreational Services Golf Board Minutes: Regular Meeting of June 18, 2003 Council Liaison to the Board: Councilman Bill Bertschy Staff Support to the Board: Jerry P. Brown, Manager of Golf at 221-6350, and Stacy Kelley, Administrative Aide at 416-2265 Call Meeting to Order: Chairperson Dave Johnson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Agenda Review: No changes to the printed agenda. Items of Note: Jerry said that Board Member Manny Jiminez has had some shift changes at his place of work and wasn't able to attend last month's meeting or tonight's meeting due to these changes. Jerry said Manny should be able to attend all future meetings. Jerry said that the City Manager, John Fischbach, is holding a Public Input Forum on June 26, 2003 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at City Hall to receive comments on Golf Annual Passes. Jerry mentioned that Board Members are invited and are able to speak, but he told the Board that if they do voice their opinion they must make it very clear to the audience that the opinion is their personal one. The Board as a whole has voted and made their Final Recommendation. Jerry said he wasn't sure how many people would show up to speak but that they will have a limited amount of time based upon how many people want to speak. Larry Buckendorf asked Jerry why the City Manager wants to hold this forum? He feels this meeting is a "slap in the face" after all of the input and hard work the Board has done to make a Final Recommendation. He also doesn't think the Board should have to represent or justify their decision to the City Manager. Jerry said he thinks the City Manager wants to have his own formal citizen input before making his final decision. Jerry said there are a lot of citizens who have written, called, and e-mailed the City Manager concerned about why the City Council isn't involved with the decision making process. Mindy Markley commented that John Fischbach is very thorough about his decisions and she has appreciated the time and research he has made. Larry said he is frustrated because there isn't going to be any comments made that haven't already been said during the last 5 months. Jerry said the City Manager has read the minutes, e-mails, and letters, but hasn't seen personally the emotional pleas. Bill Rutledge said the Board isn't an executive board and we only can make recommendations to the City Manager and now he has to make a decision. Mike Sanders said this is just part of the process and John Fischbach will consider the Board's Final Recommendation which is supported by staff. Bill had a question about the other flyer that was in their packet about the Trolley Car Barn Storage Tour. Jerry said all CLRS Board and Commission Members are invited to attend. Bill said he was very interested because both his Father and Grandfather worked on the Railroad. Dave Johnson also expressed interest in attending. Golf Board Meeting Minutes 6/18/03 Approval of Minutes: On a motion by Mike Sanders and seconded by Mindy Markley, the Board voted unanimously (8:0) to approve the Minutes of May 21, 2003 Regular Meeting. Citizen Participation: No Citizen Participation at this time. Discussion and Approval Requested on Staff s Recommended 2004 Golf Cart Rental Fees: Jerry said Staff is recommending that Golf Cart Rental Fees be raised $1.00 across the board. Mike Sanders asked Jerry why the City allows private golf carts and do those cart owners have to follow the same rules as rental users? Jerry said yes and that the policy has been in effect for years, however, the City no longer stores private golf carts for citizens. He said they have to follow all of the same rules that rental users do. Mike asked if these were all Medical Cart Users? Jerry replied that most are Seniors and Medicals, but at SouthRidge many Private Cart Users have them in their garage. Claire Nelms asked if those users have to pay the same rate as rental users? Jerry said most have a seasonal pass and pay a yearly fee to be able to use their own carts. Mike asked if there was a charge for visitors riding with a Private Cart User? Jerry said no and this hasn't been an issue. Bill Rutledge made a motion, seconded by Mindy Markley, and the Board voted unanimously (8:0) to approve the staff s Recommendation of the 2004 Golf Cart Rental Fees. Review of Proposed 2004/2005 Golf Fund Recommended Budget: Jerry presented to the Board an overview of the 2004/2005 Golf Fund Recommended Budget. He noted that the Board hasn't discussed the 2005 fees. He said the biggest part of the budget expenditures are for Full-time and Seasonal Employees. He said because we are an Enterprise Fund, all expenditures are paid for by revenues. He went through the line items and noted that Storm Drainage costs have gone up dramatically. Also, Chemicals are the largest commodities expenditure. 2% for Contingency must be in the budget and is required by City policy. Jerry explained the Contractual Labor Fees line item, saying that each Pro has a different contract and SouthRidge's Professional Dale Smigelsky's services are higher per contract. At Collindale, Professional Jim Greer has a lower bid of cash. Jerry also mentioned that the Collindale Clubhouse is very expensive and there have been some unexpected expenditures that have to be paid now. He said in the past he let his Golf Superintendents have virtually anything they needed but he met with them and made necessary budget cuts for the 2004/2005 budgets. Mike Sanders asked if the courses share equipment? Jerry said they do in some circumstances but many times all three courses need the same equipment at the same time. Jim Greer said that the courses have shared carts. Grant Sherwood asked if these are separate cost centers? Jerry explained that each course has their separate budget but that all of the money is in the Golf Fund as a whole. Also, the Golf Fund pays to the General Fund an Administrative Charge Fee for services from the City Manager's Office, City Council, City Clerk's Office, City Attorney, Finance, Personnel, and IT, etc.. Jerry said raw water fees went up 150%, and there are several other unexpected expenditures. Salaries are frozen but Jerry still has to budget for any potential salary improvements. Jerry explained to the Board that the reason why the bottom line of the Reserves is lower than previously thought is because he and the Budget Office made a mistake in the ALPs and COPS interest earnings. We thought $165,000 was appropriated in 2002 but what Jerry wasn't aware was Golf Board Meeting Minutes 6/18/03 that the interest earned is credited in the same year it is earned, not when it is appropriated. This interest was earned each year since 1999 for COP's and 2001 for ALP's. Jerry apologized to the Board for his assumption that the amounts from the Budget Office were correct. He said he is personally responsible for the Golf Fund Budget. Mike commented that organizations have Accounting Offices and Budget Offices to ensure correct budget information. Jerry said the City Manager wanted the question asked of the Board if their Final Recommendation on Annual Passes would have changed had they known about the Reserves shortfall? Larry Buckendorf, Lauren De Rosa, Grant Sherwood, Mindy Markley, and Mike Sanders said no; their decision would have been the same. Dave Johnson, Claire Nelms, and Grant Sherwood didn't answer because they did not vote to eliminate Annual Passes. Bill Rutledge asked if other departments have been charged more money? Jerry said yes and each department is funded separately. Bill said he wants the City Manager and Council to be aware of the extra expenditures and fee increases. He asked how the Reserves have been used? Jerry explained. He also said staff wants to market for more Green Fee revenue for City Park Nine. Jerry said other factors play a part of why revenues are down like the economy, construction projects, and Mother Nature. Jerry said the courses don't show any signs of a drought from last year. Mike wanted it noted in the official minutes that the maintenance crews at all 3 courses have done an excellent job with the quality of the courses and would like the Superintendents know how much their work is appreciated. Larry Buckendorf said he has been playing at several Northern Colorado courses recently and not any of them look as fine as the three courses that Fort Collins has. Jim Greer agreed. He has had out-of-town golfers that play at Collindale because of the quality and professional look of the course. Other Business: • Mike Sanders said the "Fort Collins Fore Kids" this year was super and everyone involved did a great job. Jerry wanted to thank the Board Members who helped and especiallyMindy Markley who was there the entire day. • Jerry said City Park Nine will be completely operational this Friday, June 20`h at noon. • Jerry said until we can put a net up along Lemay Avenue, that SouthRidge # 14 will remain a temporary par 3, but it will be reconfigured into a temporary par 4 until we can fund the entire net to re -open as a par 5. • Lauren De Rosa asked if the Braun's Peaberry Coffee Bar has started and how is the restaurant business going? Jerry said the coffee bar will be starting soon. Jerry hasn't heard but a few complaints about the restaurant. He said one complaint was that the service is slow. He said there is a specific reason for this, being a golf course most clientele come to visit and enjoy themselves. He said if someone was in a hurry they should let the restaurant staff know and they would be accommodating. He has only heard one complaint that the food was cold but all in all he has mostly heard and experienced great food, service, and atmosphere. Larry Buckendorf said he is frustrated with the location with the video machine. He thinks it is too loud and right in the walk way to the Pro Shop. Jerry said he didn't like the location but thought the restaurant could give it a try. He would like to see it moved to another location. Jim Greer Golf Board Meeting Minutes 6/18/03 said there have been a couple complaints about the restrooms and janitorial services at night. Bill Rutledge thinks it should be the Night Supervisors responsibility before locking the doors, to check the building for cleanliness. Jerry said like any new business the kinks will be worked out. • Lauren asked if there has been much interest in the Ladies City Tournament? Jim Greer said very little to date. • Bill would like to see the water usage and costs in an article in the newspaper so that the public is aware of the budget concerns affecting the golf courses. Citizen Frank Blanco asked who receives the fees for a ShotGun Tournament? Jerry said that $8.00 goes to the City, and the restaurants and pros get $6.00 each as their share. Adjournment: On a motion by Mindy Markley seconded by Claire Nelms, approved unanimously (8:0) the Board voted to adjourn at 9:19 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Q.y Stacy Administrative Aide Meeting Attendance: Board Members Larry Buckendorf Lauren DeRosa Dave Johnson Mindy Markley Claire Nelms William Rutledge Mike Sanders Grant Sherwood Staff Jerry P. Brown Jim Greer Stacy Kelley Citizens Frank Blanco