New Golf Course Committee Appointed
By: Brittany Pelletz
Updated: January 8, 2009
Thursday UpdateThe Abilene City Council appointed 14 people to the Golf Course Citizens Committee who will study the issue of the possible purchase of the Diamondback Golf Club and make its recommendation to the council.
The committee members are: Frank Johnson (chair), Cole Bennett, Lawrence Bertsch, Byron Vaughn, Linda Carlton, Joe Crowder, David Gage, Kyle Grigsby, Petty Hunter, Scott Jones, Dr. Merlin Morrow, Mark Powell, Debbie Schultz and Kris Southward.
The city has not assigned a deadline for the committee's findings.
The city provided bigcountryhomepage.com with a sample of the questions the committee is asked to find answers for:
- Does the City need to be in the municipal golf business? If yes, under what conditions (including parameters for operating expenses, purchase costs, maintenance, etc…)?
- What is the present state of Maxwell Golf Course?
- What are the needs (and estimated costs) at Maxwell to bring it up to a quality course?
- Does this make business sense?
- Why does the City need to subsidize Maxwell at $72,000 per year?
- What would be a reasonable rate structure for Maxwell if it is kept open?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying Diamondback and closing Maxwell?
- By taking Maxwell out of the market, can we expect Diamondback to be financially successful?
- What would be a reasonable rate structure at Diamondback for cash flow?
- What about a special seniors rate?
- What management arrangement do you believe works best for a municipal golf course?
- What other comparable city golf courses can we use as examples or role models?
- What is an appropriate price for Diamondback considering the market rate for golf courses?
- If it’s recommended to move forward with the Diamondback purchase, how should the purchase price be funded?
Tuesday, Jan. 6
After some confusion on the city's possible plan to purchase a new golf course, this week the City Council will declare their citizen's committee who will make a decision on the issue.
The citizens committee will consist of 14 people, and it is up to each council member to appoint two people to be on the committee.
This committee will discuss the possible purchase of Diamondback Golf Club and the Municipal Golf business.
The mayor will select someone from the community to be the chair person of the committee to make sure that the discussion moves forward.
Mayor Archibald is hoping that the committee will reach a decision within sixty days, but the committee can ask for additional time if they still have not reached a group decision by then.
