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Golf Division
GOLF BOARD 2006 ANNUAL REPORT
The City of Fort Collins Golf Advisory Board normally meets on the third Wednesday of each
month at 7:00 p.m. October through April, and at 7:30 p.m. May through September. In 2006,
the Golf Board held eight Regular monthly meetings, and primarily met at the City Park Nine
Golf Course Clubhouse; however, the March meeting was held at the SouthRidge Golf Course
Clubhouse. The Regular Meetings scheduled for February 15, August 16, and October 18 were
cancelled due to the lack of pertinent business at the time, and the December 20 meeting was
cancelled due to the holiday season.
In 2006, ten citizens who were appointed by City Council served on the nine -member Golf
Board. They were Larry Buckendorf, Lauren DeRosa, Deron Grothe, Shane Houska, David
Johnson, Jay Kammerzell, Eric McCrery, Dan Preble, Grant Sherwood, and David Thilmany.
David Thilmany resigned from the Board on July 17 for family reasons, and Council appointed
Eric McCrery to replace him effective December 19, to a term that will expire December 31,
2007. The regular terms of Shane Houska and Grant Sherwood expired on December 31, and
Council reappointed both of them effective January 1, 2007, to new four-year terms that will
expire December 31, 2010.
At the March meeting, the Board unanimously re-elected David Johnson to another tern as
Board Chairperson for 2006/2007. The Board then elected Deron Grothe as Vice -Chairperson,
replacing Lary Buckendorf, and elected Grant Sherwood as Board Secretary, replacing Lauren
DeRosa, for 2006/2007. Councilman Diggs Brown served as City Council Liaison to the Board,
and Manager of Golf Jerry P. Brown provided administrative support and Administrative Aide
Dawn Worth provided clerical support to the Board.
The most significant issues/action items that the Golf Board dealt with in 2006 were as follows:
Golf Fund Revenues and Play - The Golf Board has been following this issue very closely for
several years, and has expressed their concern and support, and has provided some positive
suggestions and input. Even though the Golf Fund has not fully recovered from the "down
years", 2006 was the best and most solid year that we have had since 2002. Golf Play at our
three courses averaged 145,000 rounds per year from 1986 through 2002, but dropped to a low of
only 118,781 rounds in 2004, and increased to 123,313 rounds in 2005. In 2006, we played
124,609 total rounds of golf at City Park Nine, Collindale, and SouthRidge. However, the best
news is that 2006 Golf Fund Revenues exceeded 100 percent of Projected Operating Revenues
for the first time since 2002, ending the year at $2,534,861 which is 101.84 percent or a "profit"
of $45,761. Considering that there is still an over -supply of golf courses and that the popularity
of the game of golf has not shown any significant growth of new golfers entering or returning to
the game since 2001, reaching 100 percent of Revenues is an accomplishment. The increase in
golf fees and charges for both 2005 and 2006, and the modification to some of our fee structures
were the main factors in the increased revenues.
Expenditures - For the past four years we have had to manage and lower our operational
expenditures to remain within the reduced revenues and reserves of the Golf Fund, and we have
delayed or postponed many capital outlay purchases and improvements as the reality of our
situation as a City Enterprise Fund operation requires us to be 100 percent self-supporting. In
2006 we paid much more for fuels, gas & electric utilities, raw water, and contractual bank
service charges than we had budgeted. As a result, we had to utilize our entire 2 percent budgeted
contingency, and reduce other line items to cover these costs. Board members and some golfers
would like to see various capital improvements on the courses, but our limited budgets still won't
allow for such at this time.
City Council Periodic Review - The City Council performs a periodic review of all of its
Boards and Commissions, and in 2006 it was the Golf Board's turn to be reviewed. The Board
started preparing for the review in April by answering a City Clerk prepared questionnaire about
its functions, et. al., and then in May the Board approved the responses on the questionnaire to be
returned to Council. Board Chairperson David Johnson and Board Vice -Chairperson Deron
Grothe met with City Council in a Work Session on July 11 and answered many questions and
had a good discussion with them. Council graded the work of the Golf Board as excellent.
SouthRidge Concessionaire - The existing Agreement with the SouthRidge Golf Course
Restaurant/Snack Bar Concessionaire, The Sandtrap, Inc., dba Mackenzie's Pub & Grill at
SouthRidge (Rob Dahl, owner), was set to expire December 31, 2006, and a new Request For
Proposals (RFP) process was required. The Board is designated to review the contents of the
RFP package and to appoint two of its members to serve on the five -person RFP Review
Committee. The Board held its initial discussions on the RFP contents as prepared by staff in
March, reviewed revisions in April, and approved the RFP contents in July. Staff prepared the
final RFP documents with the City Purchasing Department, advertised locally in September, and
received sealed proposals in early October. Staff provided information and copies of the two
proposals submitted to the Board and the RFP Review Committee. All Board Members were
able to comment to their two Committee Members. The RFP Review Committee included Board
Members Larry Buckendorf and Lauren DeRosa, as well as City Park Nine Golf Professional &
Concessionaire David McCleave, PGA, as staff representative, City Director of Purchasing and
Risk Management Jim O'Neill, and former Golf Board Member Tom White as the citizen
representative. The Committee interviewed the proposers and selected The Sandtrap, Inc., dba
Mackenzie's Pub & Grill at SouthRidge (Rob Dahl, owner), to remain as the contractual
SouthRidge Concessionaire. Rob Dahl in December signed an Agreement for Services with the
City for 2007 with annual renewable options through 2011, with potential annual renewable
options through 2016.
Collindale Golf Professional - The existing Agreement with the Collindale Golf Professional,
James H. Greer, PGA, was set to expire December 31, 2006, and a new Request For Proposals
(RFP) process was required. The Board is designated to review the contents of the RFP package
and to appoint two of its members to serve on the five -person RFP Review Committee. The
Board held its discussions and approved the staff prepared RFP contents in July. Staff prepared
the final RFP documents with the City Purchasing Department, advertised regionally in late
September and October, and received sealed proposals in late October. Staff provided
information and copies of the three proposals submitted to the Board and the RFP Review
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Committee. All Board Members were able to comment to their two Committee Members. The
RFP Review Committee included Board Members Deron Grothe and David Johnson, as well as
Collindale Superintendent of Golf Doug Evans as staff representative, City Director of
Purchasing and Risk Management Jim O'Neill, and former Golf Board Member Mindy Markley
as the citizen representative. The Committee interviewed the proposers and selected James H.
Greer, PGA, to remain as the contractual Collindale Golf Professional. Jim Greer in December
signed an Agreement for Services with the City for 2007 with annual renewable options through
2011, with potential annual renewable options through 2016.
2007 Golf Fees and Charges - The 2006 Golf Fees and Charges were implemented as
recommended by the Golf Board and staff, and approved by the City Manager, that included
several structural changes, the most significant being the elimination of Prime Time at City Park
Nine, making it 100 percent Non -Prime Time all of the time. This has helped to increase both
rounds and revenues at City Park Nine, especially in Annual Pass play. For 2007 Golf Fees and
Charges, the Board began its review in May with the staff proposals, and determined their
recommendations in June. These included increasing Annual Pass Base Rates for the first time
since 2004, raising all 18-Hole Green Fee Rates by $1.00, and making Age 60 consistent for all
golf cart rentals, green fees, and annual passes. The Board also recommended implementing a
Golf Cart Punch Card for convenience purposes, which staff accomplished in July. The Board
then held a Public Input/Comment Meeting in July, and voted to approve its recommended 2007
Golf Fees and Charges. The City Manager approved the Board and staff recommended 2007
Golf Fees and Charges which became effective January 1, 2007.
2006 "Fort Collins Fore Kids" Event - In June we successfully conducted our 10th Annual
"Fort Collins Fore Kids" Introductory Youth Golf Clinic for Girl's and Boy's ages 7-12 at City
Park Nine Golf Course, with 117 participants. This event is co -sponsored and supported by the
Golf Board, and coordinated by City Park Nine Golf Professional David McCleave, PGA, and
his staff; with the help of Collindale Golf Professional Jim Greer, PGA, and his staff; and
SouthRidge Golf Professional Dale Smigelsky, PGA, and his staff. Several Board Members
volunteered and worked at the event, including Shane Houska, Dan Preble, and former Board
Member Mindy Markley. Director of Cultural, Library, and Recreational Services, Marty
Heffernan, was guest speaker. The kids received hands-on instruction on putting, chipping,
driving, and golf rules, safety, and etiquette. For a low $2.00 pre -registration fee they also
received bottled water and drinks donated by Coca Cola and DMAC Golf, LLC., and a "goodie
bag" filled with fun golf materials, golf balls, 2 for 1 swim/skate passes donated by the
Recreation Division, discount youth golf lessons, and ice cream provided free by Walrus.
Marketing - We expanded our marketing efforts in 2007 at the encouragement of the Board by
having a presence at the Denver Golf Expo for the first time. We also published a new Golf
Division informational brochure and provided copies to the Fort Collins Convention and Visitor's
Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, etc., and implemented computerized discounts/coupons on both
our City web page and through Golf Colorado.com, as well as selected local advertising. We
also added a "Calendar of Events" to our City web page, and we recruited several new golf
tournaments
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Proposed Easement at Collindale - In July the Board recommended their approval to the City
Council on a proposed easement at Collindale. The developer of the Greens at Collindale PUD,
a 33 unit housing development on 6.42 acres of land adjacent to the 7th fairway and 8th tee
boxes between the course and Lemay Avenue, proposed to allow the City to access its tree
nursery through the development in exchange for expanding their detention pond out further onto
an unimproved and non -playable area of Collindale in the southwest comer. However, after
several months of unsuccessful negotiations between the developer, the HOA, and the City, plans
were dropped and no easement was granted. The City Forestry Division will access their tree
nursery through the golf course.
City Park Nine Golf Course Superintendent - Board Members Shane Houska and Grant
Sherwood served on the City Park Nine Superintendent of Golf Review Committee. Long-time
City Park Nine Superintendent of Golf David Sadler, CGCS, retired in February after nearly 33
years of service to the City. Other Committee Members included City Park Nine Golf
Professional & Concessionaire David McCleave, PGA, as staff representative, Cathy Blakeman
from the City Human Resources Department, and Lettie Coykendall representing the City Park
Nine Woman's Golf Association. An internal advertising was conducted, applications were
received by Human Resources, and the Committee interviewed three applicants, and
recommended City Park Nine Assistant Superintendent of Golf Jim Higgins. Higgins, who
began his career with the City as an Hourly Employee in 1977, and has been Assistant
Superintendent at City Park Nine since 1986, was appointed by Manager of Golf Jerry P. Brown
to the position in September. He becomes only the fourth Superintendent to care for City Park
Nine since it opened in 1940.
Other Golf Board Issues of Concern - Also in 2006 ... In September the Board discussed the
issue of a potential new public access golf course in Fort Collins by 2009, which has been on
their Work Plan for several years. It was recommended by staff and agreed to by the Board to
move the potential for such to 2011 ... In November the Board decided that it would like to have
a round table discussion with the three Golf Professionals to discuss various issues with them,
which will be held at the February, 2007 Board Meeting.
City Park Nine Golf Course • 411 South Bryan Avenue • Fort Collins, CO 80521 • (970) 221-6650
Collindale Golf Course • 1441 East Horsetooth Road • Fort Collins, CO 80525 • (970) 221-6651
SouthRidge Golf Course • 5750 South Lemay Avenue • Fort Collins, CO 80525 • (970) 416-2828
Golf Administration • 215 North Mason Street, 3rd Floor • PO. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 416-2265
FAX (970) 221-6586 • www.fcgovcom/golf