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HomeMy Public PortalAboutGAC MINUTES for July 9.14docxPage 1 of 2 Golf Advisory Committee Minutes July 9, 2014 GCAC MINUTES for July 9, 2014 Attendees: Gene Drabinski, Eric McCormick, Allan Morrison, Bob Thackery, Betty Bolin, Paul Stover and Roger Snodgrass Gene opened the meeting saying the reason he was there was because of the numerous complaints he had received about the golf course and that he thought he could help the Golf Course Advisory Committee become a more effective unit. At this time, Gene passed out the mission statement of the GCAC. After all the members read the document, Gene facilitated a discussion about the duties of the committee and the need to meet on a monthly basis throughout the entire year. Gene emphasized the fact that Eric was his link to the golf course and further emphasized that Allan was a contractor working directly for the City Council under their contract. Gene told the committee that we were to recommend to the City Council a 3% increase in the present rates for the 2015 season to correspond with the proposed 2015 fiscal year budget. Gene also told the committee to concentrate on the five-year plan and that any improvements should go to the City Council for approval. Eric said he would copy all of the GCAC members the latest five-year plan. Allan requested a copy of the golf course rules and regulations. No one is sure one exists. At this time Gene left the meeting and Chairman Bob Thackery took charge of the meeting. Roger Snodgrass was nominated for and elected to the office of vice chairman/secretary. Eric started his report by reviewing his monthly consolidated department report. He is down 2 employees at this time and is finding it hard to get replacements. The greens are to be v-cut and top dressed. We discussed repairing the fairways with one suggestion of using work parties. Eric said the only volunteers he could get were too old to do much. Allan offered the services of the Tuesday men’s night teams for the next two weeks if Eric would provide each team with a five gallon bucket of seed and sand. Eric reviewed the mosquito fogging procedures. The new course ratings were discussed. Allan said that temporary ratings were to go into effect now and the final re-ratings were to be completed in September for next golf season. Allan reviewed upcoming tournaments and other events at the golf course. Allan has a complete list if needed. We discussed moving the Calcutta to the driving range and using an outside caterer for the food service and the golf course providing the beverage service. Allan said this would be less stressful on the restaurant staff during an already busy week. Allan reviewed a revenue hand-out showing several snapshot of how the course was doing compared to the 2013 season. Betty had to leave the meeting at this time and suggested that we might consider having another meeting prior to the next scheduled GCAC meeting on August 13. Next we reviewed the McCall men’s association requests. While discussing the women’s tee boxes, Eric said that he wanted it noted that he had made an agreement with two members of the MMGA executive committee to widen the fairways and build three new tee boxes for the ladies in exchange for $1500 for top dressing sand. Eric said that the money for the Enkamat green Page 2 of 2 Golf Advisory Committee Minutes July 9, 2014 covers was for the good of the course. The majority of the MMGA executive committee voted against paying the $1500 bill for sand. During the discussion on mow strips, Eric said that he had no documentation on the cost to mow the strips but that the added dumping of the grass clippings would add too much to an already tight schedule. He also said that it would do no good to apply for LOT funds for this or fairway widening. Comments and concerns: 1. Discussed reasons for tree removal, past plantings and Eric suggested that the MMGA might consider purchasing trees to be planted. 2. Per Allan the agreement he had with the MMGA was that the participant in the tournament could drink as much beer as they wanted. 3/4. Per Bob, that is just the way McCall operates. 5. Calcutta will be moved outside and the food service will be catered. Two additional bar tenders will work the Calcutta. 6. Not addressed 7. Not addressed 8. Per Allan it was a business decision. 9. Handicaps will be corrected by July 15. We discussed Betty’s request for an interim meeting, but no date was set. Adjourned meeting at 7:45 pm Attachments: Eric’s consolidated department report Allan’s revenue report Men’s association requests Men’s association comments and concerns CITY OF MCCALL GOLF MONTHLY DEPARTMENT REPORT   Department Project Comments Status Golf Staffing The month of August there were three of us working full time? By the end of the month we were still losing seasonal employees and were down from 8 to 5 full time seasonal and 2 part time. Update Golf Greens We continued to work on greens and by the end of August were in great shape. We have continued to do some patching. We plan to aerify greens this fall starting the week of September 15th. We will aerify 9 holes per week so that we can keep 18 holes playable. Update Golf Tees The tees had all recovered in July. No Change Golf Irrigation By the end of August we were mostly caught up on irrigation issues with the system working pretty well. I spent a lot of time working through heads and programming out on Cedar and have #7 and #9 looking the best that it has been. Update Golf Fairways The fairways have been filling in. We still plan on reseeding some of them this fall when play slows so we can close a 9 to work on it. We started spraying for broadleaf weeds on Cedar with the hope of finishing on Aspen and Birch while closed for aerification. Update Golf Equipment The equipment is holding up surprising well. NO change Golf Tournaments We are down to our last two tournaments of the year the first two weeks of September. Tournaments in August were either full or up in numbers. Update Golf Rounds Rounds for August were down a little compared to last year which I can’t explain. We had a busy Labor Day weekend. Update Golf Mosquitoes With the dry August mosquitoes were not much of a problem. We did not fog in August. Update CITY REVENUE JULY 14 CITY REVENUE JULY 13 DIFFERENCE GREEN FEES 116,315 136,569.00 ‐20,254 LOCKERS 32 32 0 SEASON PASS 10,364 7,406 2,958 TRAIL FEES 2,217 3,189 ‐972 TOTAL 128,928 143,196 ‐18,268 CITY REVENUE YTD 14 CITY REVENUE YTD 13 GREEN FEES 208,464 217,645 ‐9,181 LOCKERS 800 704 96 SEASON PASS 145,665 135,161 10,504 TRAIL FEE 20,753 21,455 ‐702 TOTAL 375,682 374,965 717 COMMENTS AND CONCERNS The following are unsolicited comments and concerns from a multitude of McCall Men’s Golf Association members about the overall operation of the McCall Golf Course: 1. This course has always been famous for its trees, thirty trees should be planted for every one that is cut down. 2. $308 burger and beer invoice for 16 golfers for the 2013 Ryder Cup tournament was unreasonably high. 3. Higher prices and less quality and quanity of the servings seem to have led to fewer golfers eating after Tuesday men’s night. 4. The McCall Golf Course has lost some very high quality workers in both the pro shop and the restaurant. One reason is Nikki will not share any “high tip” shifts. Others may deserve a full investigation. 5. $30 meals for MMGA Calcutta workers is not very cooperative. One bar tender for the Calcutta is unacceptable. Some long time participants of the Calcutta say they will not return because of poor service, mediocre food and high prices. Because of high prices and poor service people are bringing their own beverages to the course. 18% automatic tip is out of line, tips are earned and should not be a part of an already overinflated bill. 6. Allan needs to start supervising Nikki not the other way around. 7. This operation is starting to feel like when Mike Buss and his girlfriend were running the Golf Course and restaurant. 8. Why was the snack shack closed during the senior match play tournament. 9. Why do we continue to have problems with tournaments? (ie) misplaced entry forms of paid entrants leading to frustration and last minute tournament juggling. Incorrect score posting leading to incorrect handicaps. 10. On behalf of all of the winners in the senior match play tournament, I would like to thank Allan for adding $10 to each flight’s prize money. THE MCCALL MEN’S GOLF ASSOCIATION The McCall Men’s Golf Association has requested that the following items be completed in a timely manner: 1. Complete the woman’s tee boxes that the golf association perceives to have been promised by the City in exchange for funds to pay for Enkamat green covers. The association would like to have this project complete by the 2014 2-lady best ball tournament August 3-4. Upon talking to Eric, he stated that he would not have the time or manpower to complete the project in that time frame, especially with the amateur tournament in that same period. He did say that his crew would level and top dress the three temporary tee boxes and make them more playable prior to the 2-lady best ball. Eric also said that it would be best to build the three boxes this fall, let them sit over the winter and then sod them in the spring of 2015. I agree with this approach and so do the MMGA executive board members that I have discussed it with. 2. Mow a strip from the tee boxes to the fairways on the Aspen and Birch nines to accommodate the many golfers who walk the course. We feel that this would make the course more player friendly and make a better golf experience for the walkers. Again after talking with Eric, he stated that the mow strip was cost prohibitive due to the additional man-hours and fuel needed for mowing such a strip. On behalf of the MMGA, I would like to see back-up documentation on the additional cost. Then if we can’t find any other solution, have the MMGA request funds from LOT to cover the added expense. 3. The widening of the fairways that the MMGA requested has met with favorable responses from most golfers. In my discussion with Eric, he said that the additional manpower and fungicide needed for caring for this added fairway is putting a burden on his budget. This is another area we could jointly request LOT funding. Reconstruction of Aspen #1 green is the top priority of the MMGA and should make the hole more player friendly and enhance the overall golfing experience at the McCall Golf Course. This is another area that the MMGA could request LOT for matching funds to complete the project in a timely manner.