MASON CITY – At Tuesday’s Mason City Council meeting, concerns about possible budget issues were again expressed as the possibility of selling Highland Golf Course was discussed.
Highland Golf Course has not done well financially over the years, and upkeep and other improvements continue to be required. For example, a new golf cart shed costing $60,000 is needed there at this time and the Park Board is asking for funds to get it built.
The council has already zeroed in on the Human Rights Department as a possible cost savings by cutting the services the department offers. Within the last 2 years, the possibility of completely eliminating that department has been looked at.
The council will continue to examine cost cutting in the city budget as commercial property tax cuts at the state level may be on the horizon. If enacted as Governor Terry Branstad proposes, Mason City would lose $200,000 in tax revenue in year one, $400,000 in year two, and so on as the tax cuts are phased in on commercial property.
The council is now entering its annual budget meetings time frame where the next fiscal year’s budget is set.
Watch video of the discussion:
httpv://youtu.be/DiJQ2hjL4qM
Your Captain clueless when it comes to business, your just another jealous watcher instead of a doer, the doers in life carry on progress, the watchers hope and wish, but nothing ever happens. There is no insurance that takes care investements in business, no the govt does not guarantee anything for small business. Obviously you have never relied on yourself to put food on the table for your family, you have just relied on your job and are a constant complainer about your job that thinks you could do a better job than your supervisor, but will never step up to the plate, getting rid of the golf course is the easy way out, anyone can do that.
OK, who had the risk that owned the 30 carts? The Pro had the risk of his own money, the city thought after John built his home, that created tax monies for MC by the way, they thought it was easy and they decided to cut a fat hog. Now they found out its not so easy to run a business in a bad economy when great golf courses are being turned up for farmland such as Rockford. In any business you have to be able to adapt to changing conditions in any business, John doesnt have the flexibility to do so, as he is held hostage by his peers in the city. Lets keep Highland going.
Risk? Insurance took care of that. Who cut the fat hog? Think about it. Who built the manager’s new house? It wasn’t just his job at UPS.He needs to go!
The golf course manager has his hands tied. Yes he would run it differently if he was an owner, because he would run it as an investment. The city administrator and the mayor are members of the country club. Wouldnt you like it if you could take money from one establishment to pay for the other? If Highland gets sold, does the city administrator lose 5% of his pay? Then he would have to pay for his own country club. I think professionals in our community should support both sides of business. Lets help keep Highland going. Take the cuffs off Pritch and let him do it his way. You would be surprised at the results, but give him 3 years to get it straightened out. Happy Holidays to everyone.
The manager did run the course as an investment in his own future. He personally owned 30+ golf carts which were rented at the course. Rent from said golf carts went to him. No trail or shed rent was paid, he received it free of charge. Highland needs a new manager who wants the job.Times are changing and the good old boy way of thikning just isn’t going to cut it any more.
You don’t know what you are talking about. When Mr. Pritchard owned the carts the city got a cut of every rental. When Mr. pritchard had the pro shop he had the best prices around. He took all the risk and the city collected on it. When Prichard took over the carts the city had decided to get out of the cart rental business. They found it was to costly to own and maintain them. Its not like he kicked the city out of business. Mr. Pritchard was the man in charge the course paid off $495k club house early. When Mr. Pritchard was in charge the course bought 70 acres of farmland. Like all people some don’t like Mr Pritchard, most do. Don’t make this personal.
why sell farmland that keeps producing yearly, it sounds fine for this year but after that you cut yourself short- your just robbing peter to pay paul.
Does Highland own farmland north of the #11 fairway or does that belong to a golf group. Either way they should sell that land and use the proceeds to pay off debt, install wells and fix up the club. Why are they sitting on valuable farmland just to collect a few hundred dollars an acre when that land could bring $7,000 or more per acre.
Highland owns 70 acres starting from the fence row that is just north of the left sandtrap on #12 fairway and extends east from there. It is the land just north of #12 green. I think they are getting $325 an acre per year. I think selling that land is one option that should be looked into. I also think there are some other options that should also be looked into.
Highland has payed the city over $150,000.00 just in water bills since 1999. They have also paid the city about $100,000.00 in wages for Dan Brown and Brent Trout.
The way city hall has things set up it is just about impossible to maintain the course and break even.
Mark Rahm can give permission to put a well at the golf course. Why won’t he do that?
Who is Mark Rahm? That idea has been brought up by several different people or groups. The biggest problem with that is the cost. The golf course is in a catch 22 position. They can’t afford to dig a well because they don’t have the money and having to buy water from the city is keeping the golf course in the hole.
Seems to me the soultion is very simple. Stop making Highland Park Golf Course buy the water. And stop making Highland Park Golf Course pay 5% of Mr. Trout salary. Mr. Trout doen’t work at the golf course. In fact it would be my guess that he hasn’t even been to the course 10 times since he has become our city administrator. And why is anything that is owned by the city having to pay the city for water. The swimming pool doesn’t pay for water and they had to drain the pool at least 3 and maybe 4 times this past year due to sanitation reasons.
Lets get rid of Trout and save all of us over 150,000 a year and it would not be any big losss.
Mark Rahm is the City Engineer and he has final authority approving any well drilled in Mason City. I have heard that he has denied the permit for the well at the golf course.
That is interesting. I haven’t heard about the well permit. I have heard pro’s and con’s of a well but nothing about a permit. Thanks for that info
Hey Musicmanfan-I heard back from Don Nelson on the low income special rates for pool passes and I was correct. All they have to do is show their Title 19 cards and they get in for half price. Another rip off for the working taxpayers. What do these people learn from this. Do Nothing, Go on Welfare and all you needs will be paid for by the people who do work. If we took away some of these freebees maybe they would go to work to get what they want. I hope you see this as this subject is gettin old.
LVS: Thank you for your post. It’s nice to see someone taking the initiative to ascertain what the facts are before making a statement. It’s difficult to formulate an arguement against the truth. Terrific work. Thanks again.
LVS, I on Monday sent e-mails to all city council members, the mayor, and Mr. Trout. Guess how many I heard back from? None!! I think you are right about the fact they don’t care what the tax payers think.
You should have signed your letter “From Robin Anderson” then your phone would have rang instantly and check would be hand delivered to you.
So you consider helping poor kids use the pool as being “ripped off”? I’ll bet you even sneer at the Salvation Army bell ringers too.
LVS- I do know for a fact that Mr. Nelson has miss informed you. The Title 19 cards are only for sports and lessons that the department offers. No one gets discounted pools passes or pool coupon books. They are offered at regular price for everyone, dispite their economic status. The ONLY way someone could technically get in for a lower price is if they paid full price for a pool pass and went to the aquatic center everyday or purchased a coupon book which averages out to a cheaper price per person.
Has the city council checked the rates at highland to other 18 hole course’s in the area. Can highland raise rates to make it a break even operation if the answer is no then we should look at saleing the course. Highland is very different from other parks in the city everyone can go to East park and every other park in the city and enjoy the activities they offer for free.
Who do you think pays for and maintains the parks, ball diamonds, rec programs, swimming pool,tennis courts, basketball courts, campground, library, museum, and coming soon dog park?? are you kidding FREE?? What are the budgets to operate and maintain these and what do users pay to use them(tax payers). Is it wrong? No its the fabric that can make a city appealling to businesses and part of what makes a great community. Mason city high, NIACC, Newman all use the facility I believe without cost. ?? How long will it take the campground to pay off over 1 million in renovations or maintain a pool for 3 months use. We do it for diversity, things for kids, their parents and their grandparents and whoever happens to travel to our city..
“The fabric that can make a city appealing to businesses and part of what makes a great community”? In case you haven’t looked around, MC doesn’t have that many businesses to brag about. And to have a great community, the citizens have to have some pride in their city and their city leaders. A city costs money to run, and the fine line between “wants” and “needs” has to be constantly weighed as to where our priorities should lie. And so often the answer is what an individuals priorities are. Is the golf course a “want” or a “need”? How do you answer? And why?
You are right these other parks do cost money to run and are paid for through tax dollars but they do not cost us a dime to go to any park except highland. If the city wants to make highland free to golf at for all citizens then I say keep it but if they want it to be a break even operation I think the green fees need to cover the expense. And if it can’t run like a business then it needs to be sold or closed. Just my opinion.
I believe that the debt for the campground renovation is going to be paid off this year. The money to pay it off is local option sales tax money.
Hey rukidding…if you want to be taken seriously PLEASE spell above a 1st grade level…the correct spelling is SELLING NOT SALEING..Ha! Ha1
Hey sorry I made a mistake but I think my point was understood by most people with a 1st grade education anyway. HA HA
The pool and Mcnider camp ground are not free so if you sell highland then sell all three. The people that use them will pay for everything no tax dollars.
If the city lets someone else take over the golf course, it will probably be gone in 10 years. The land will either be a tax writeoff or the owners will ask the city to change the zoning so that it suits whatever they decide to do with the land. One thing that is missed here is that the $75,000 isn’t a one year loss; the loss has accumulated over several years. The actual loss per year is quite small. A small raise in green fees will help decrease that deficit and wouldn’t be a big deal to most golfers. But, there is no real alternative to Highland in Mason City. The MC Country Club is quite expensive – a person cannot play the course without being a member and the cost for membership is prohibitive for many people. It is a private course. The only other alternative is the par 3 course north of town otherwise the avid golfer will have to travel to another community in the area and spend their money in that town. That isn’t good for Mason City but it is good for all those smaller courses in the area. I will benefit from that increase in golfers (and their money) so I can’t complain about that. But, Highland is a good course. It has served MC well for many years. So, I would say suck it up, raise some fees, and don’t lose another attraction for visitors and residents.
@bodacious-careful there. You are almost giving away your identity.
Maybe..or not.
Maybe, or not 🙂
Dump the civil rights commission. This is a service that we already pay for through state taxes – why should we continue to have a duplicative service on the taxpayer’s dime? It’s time for Leonard to retire anyway.
As to the golf course, I’d give the park board a year to turn it around. If they’re not successful, seek bids from anyone who wants to lease & operate it.
What services can we farm out? Most cities our size do not have their own Human Rights Commission. In fact, I don’t believe any do. They use the states Human Rights commission when they need it. Why do we have something that no other cities our size do? Also $400,000 to build a new golf cart shed? this must be one with individual stalls/doors etc, because you can build a palace for that much. You can build 4 60 foot by 90 foot insulated buildings for that much. Let the people using it for their golf carts pay for it. The problem is that those people want a new shed, but want to keep the price the same. They don’t pay too much to keep their golf carts there year round.
I think you need to read the article again. It’s a $60,000 golf shed, not $400,000!
In addition, the rental fees for the cart shed will pay for the construction and maintenance.
Let the people that use it, pay for it. Raising fees would be the best solution. If the the city sells the course, what will become of the money? It will be wasted and we will no longer have the course. Try to keep it open by raising rates and cutting costs, and perhaps finding ways to bring in more revenue.
That is just how this works. The golfers pay for it. The golfers bought and paid for a $350,000.00 Golf Shop and concession area. The golfers bought and paid for 70 acers of farm land just north of the golf course. The golfers have bought and paid for at least 3 cart sheds. Plus the golfers pay 5% of Brent Trout salarythis year. Last year we paid 10%.of it. Each year for the past at least 10 years the golfer have had to pay for water bought from the City of Mason City to the tune of $12,000.00 to 18,000.00 per year. So the golfers of Mason City have made a very sizable contribution to Mason City. So what happens when the city sells it? Do we golfers get some of our money back?
Then let a GOLFER buy it!
If indeed the golfers are paying for it, then why is the course not doing well financially? Perhaps the golfers need to pay more and get it out of it’s financial hole.
The golfer’s at Highland, in the past 15 to 20 years, have increased the wealth of the City of Mason City by more than $1,000,000.00 (one million). We have bought and paid for a $495,000.00 club house and paved parking lot. We have bought and paid for 70 acres of farmland just north of the golf course. We have paid for the construction of 3 cart sheds. We have bought and paid for multiple pieces of maintenance equipment.
We are $75,000.00 in debt due to the fact that in 2006 Park Board member, Brian Diehle, convinced the board to take control of all operations at the golf course. That included buying out the pro shop stock, buying new kitchen equipment, leasing 20 golf carts, and buying a $28,000.00 computer system (when all we needed was a credit card reader). 2008 was a very bad year due to the floods. People had more important things to do other than golf then. Last year the city made the course pay another $5,000.00 for some sort of change to the computer system. Over the past 12 years Highland has paid more than $150,000.00 in water bills to the city. We also paid for 10% of former rec. director Dan Brown’s salary. Last year we paid 10% of city Administrator Brent Trout’s salary. This year that went down to 5%. The golf course is due a rent check on the farmland of about $25,000.00 in December.
With that in mind the golf course would be in the black if the city would stay out of the course’s business and stop making us pay for water and Mr. Trout salary. I am 95% sure that the golf course is the only thing the city owns that has to pay for its water and part of Mr. Trout salary.
In my opinion the rates have not increased as much as they should have. The idea behind that was due to the fact that a lot of golfer’s at Highland are on fixed incomes.
It is not time to sell or lease the golf course. There are other options that need to be looked at first. If the City Council would meet with the GOLF COURSE ADVISORY COMMITTEE things could be worked out that would keep all parties involved happy. In the past that committee has only had the power to make recommendations. It is time the council listens to this committee.
I say dump it and let it go back to native prarie grass. Or turn it into crop ground.
Let me try and resolve this with the mentality of a dumbocrat….ok, here goes….
HELL NO! Let’s tax the crap out the the businesses in this town and get the money from those prick republicans. They don’t deserve all their money. Since they have so much THEY should pay for this! We derserve to golf damnit!!
@happyguy-very good arguments. It is always good to work from hard numbers and facts. The problem you are going to have is trying to get the current council to understand what you are saying. They probably will NOT admit they are wrong. Turncoat with his big ego along with the mayor are looking for something to cut back on and the golf course seem to be it. I personally am not against Highland as I have played there and enjoyed it. Part of the problem is with some of the members who think they own it and if you are not one of them you are made to feel you shouldn’t be there. It makes for a lot of hard feelings.
LVS you are right about some of the old-timers and their belief that they some how own the golf course. Unfortunately I think you are also right about the council. My son e-mail Tornquist 3 days ago about this and replied that his mind is already made up. I don’t know how they can make a decision without knowing all the facts. I sent each council member, the mayor, and Mr Trout an e-mail. So far I have heard nothing back.
3 years ago I was on a committee at Highland that did an indepth study of golf course. We made several recomndations that we felt would address the revenues at Highland. Mr. Trout refused everyone. The words he said to me on several different occasions were “not on my watch”.
The city needs to look in to other options before taking the drastic steps of selling or leasing it.
@happyguy-I have tried to tell everyone that will listen that or council members do NOT want to hear from us. They have their closed door meetings (against the law) and have their minds made up long before the council meetings. The meetings are just for show. I too have sent many e-mails to them and have never gotten a reply. Nelson, Marsters and Weaver used to ALWAYS answer. It may not have always been what you wanted to hear but you got a answer with a explanation. With this new bunch it is all about power and control. They Do NOT want to discuss it with you or anyone else.
..how about simply allowing paid snowmobile paths groomed on the course during winter season. Charge riders to ride in a safe groomed inviorment..come on people use your heads..and the statues could have built the shed
Regardless of what closes or what stays open, or gets subsidized or doesn’t, or what salaries are cut and what aren’t, what has been stated here before is a good rule of thumb to go by. Don’t spend more then you take in.
Remember, they are not talking about closing the golf course. They are talking about selling it to a private company and letting them run it.
I have no problem with that.
However, you are looking at dramatically higher season passes and greens fees in all likelihood.
I too think this is the way to go. It wouldn’t be closed, necessarily, just run privately. The city should forget the golf business, it doesn’t create jobs or do much for the economy so the payback is small. Highland does not provide a service that the citizens can’t get anywhere else. This is one way the city could trim itself without affecting services, and it would make it more lean. Sell it.
Your city is TOP HEAVY with fat cats – you think the more public servants you hire the richer you will get -WRONG! – Keep the Human services and dump the chamber fat cats – CUT the fat cats and spenders and you can afford your city parks and golf course.
Where did all the money go that was given to the city for that stupid Park Inn deal? I think the Council needs to seriously think about priorities of the people…not themselves. So many businesses closing their doors when certain businesses have gone to the city asking for help and they turn their back…(Cody Bears Cave for example) Highland is a recreational venture that needs to stay open..one way or another. Council members should look at places for people..ie “kids” to enjoy where they wont be bothered by the MC Thugs…Honestly I have never attended a council meeting..but I think “everyone” including myself need to go and express our concern for the negitive direction our City is heading….just saying…
@concerned-you can go to the council meetings but they won’tlisten to you unless you are on their side. It is the reason most people quit going. They either will ignore you or the mayor will sit there making faces and acting like a child. He learned that from Robin Anderson.
I agree that we need more places for our kids. I was hoping with the re-opening of Roller City that it would be a safe venue for our children. But it’s just a place for the rotten kids to hang out and bully others and cause trouble. Every weekend there’s some kind of trouble going on there, and it’s always the same kids causing the problems and nothing is done about them. It’s becoming a place that I don’t want my kids going there anymore. There’s nothing in Mason City for the kids. And the council only seems to care about their “cultural crescent”. Sorry but the statues and the Park Inn provide nothing for the community.
Still like the idea of the water park that would be great for the kids!
Last I knew the city wasn’t in the business of “entertaining” people. They create tax shelters etc. for businesses to start up. Want something for your kids to do? Form a group of investors (like the Park Inn investors did….)and open up a venue. Do anything except expect others to create your happiness.
Hmmmmmm that $40,000.00 that they spent on those statues might have helped out the golf course, ya think????
People, you need to remember that LEGALLY a good portion of the money spent on the sculptures had to go toward public ART. It could not be spent on other projects, so get over it already. I would have preferred that that portion go toward repair of the Willson piece and relocating it inside Music Man Square, where it would have been safer, but the Council had its mind made up.
Solution: Close golf course; open dog track.
If they need to pay for themselves then so should the pool and tennis court. Its about something to do in this town.
Agreed. So should the shelter houses.
@anonymous-you know there is a lot of difference between a swimming pool for children and a lot of the children go there free because of income and a play thing for adults that could afford to pay their own way. The same goes for the parks and ball parks. They are used by all kinds of different folks and not just a few who have money. I think some of you folks are trying to compare apples to oranges. Just not the same thing.
I like the pool.
So do I and I doubt the city would ever close it unless Bookmeyer thinks it isn’t lean enough.
It is a tax payer funded business. If the poor kids can’t afford to pay they can swim in the river or at big blue just like I did when I was a kid. Put gates on every tennis court and playground and start charging. I’m not here to pay for the poor kids or anyone else. You complain about the welfare people all the time how is this different.
@Anonymous-when I was a kid (a long time ago) we used to have playgrounds in the summer at all the schools in town. They had crafts and games and I learned how to play baseball there. They were run by the park department I believe and were a great way to give kids something to do in the summer timeand they were free. I think the swimming pool has somewhat replaced that. I know or have been told that the pool gives out memeberships to low income kids just like the “Y”. I don’t know if it is right or not. They don’t learn that they have to work for stuff when it is given to them. I too learned how to swim and always did swim in the pits. Another time and place.
There are no low income memberships to the pool… Everyone either pays the admission fee OR they purchase a pool pass (individual or family ) or they get pool pass books. everyone pays full price for those…
@musicmanfan-Really, that is not what my neighbor tells me because she was complaining last year that she had to pay full price because their income went up and she didn’t like that at all. She is one that would know as she has been milking the system for years. I don’t know for sure but that is what I have been told by people that go there. I do know Don Nelson pretty well and he is a straight shooter. I will ask him.
Good call, a park board member would be good to ask and he will get to the bottom of this for us! I have seen that the rec dept has title 19 scholarships but as far as i am aware they are only for the sports/lessons they offer…
Here’s a suggestion for cutting costs and saving money. Get rid of Trout.
That would only save us over $150,000 a year why would they do something smart like that. Besides, who will get bookie’s coffee?
The sad part about selling the golf course it that the present manager would proably be part of a bidding group. If he ran it for his own financial
gain, he would run it completely different then he does now.
More power to John if he did buy it, he would solve the water problem as well and not have to deal with City Hall.
Golf courses around the country are having a tough time right now. This is just a fact with our current economy and I won’t go into politic’s but we have to dance with the gal we brought to the dance.
All Vets Golf in Clear Lake was a non profit, all gains from the proceeds from the golf course were to be spent on the course or reduce fee’s. That didn’t happen. The City took on the golf course after that charter was ended and things are going better as I understand it.
I think the bigger problem with Highland is the water bill. There are so many ponds out there to draw water from. I don’t understand why they can’t use them.
It would be a travesty to sell part of our town because of other waste. Invest in it, get a better manager, water the course and promote it with events, it will be something we can be proud of, not another thing on the chopping block.
Just think-if they hadn’t bought those ugly statues, remodeled the mayors office, and lost a couple of lawsuits they probably could afford to keep it open. It has been there for a long time. I would rather they increase the green fees somewhat and keep it open. I guess if someone wants to buy it and run it that would be OK. It would be hard to compete with the 9 hole courses around here.
Just think how many sculptures we could buy if they sell highland. Probably hundreds.
Be careful. They might sell YOU next.
The selling of human beings. Could be right up the chamber’s alley.
I am a chamber member and proud of it. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
That’s NOT something I’D be proud of.
Lets go all the way and put all our parks up for sale and really save the taxpayers some money. We could get rid of the parks and rec staff and maintance workers,what a savings. For those that do not play Golf, Baseball, Tennis, Frisbe Golf or use East or West Park why should they want to pay taxex for the few select that do. Privatize all of them and those that want to use them shoulf pay a user fee. Typical Mason City thinking!!!!!!
Golf courses are expensive businesses to run and even harder to turn a profit. If the City can sell it to get out from under an albatross, they probably should do it.
I agree. Sell the course. This is one service the city gov doesn’t need to be involved in anymore. We have enough golf courses.
Yes sell it and buy more statutes, and another 3 workers to the Blue Zone committee. If there is money left over put it away for when MCPD loses another lawsuit.
Sell the pool and camp ground too. I don’t swim or camp so screw those people.
Speaking of the campground, they wont have the record year again next year if they have scary Larry back there, the guy is terrible for business. Not a weekend goes by for most campes that dont get some kind of chewin from him or his wife. Lets get a good manager back in there that knows how to treat customers. They started locking the shelter house door because they were too lazy to police homeless people, quit worrying so much about a stop sign and give the campers what they pay for or you wont have them again. They were worried about a guy stayin there with a record this summer, pretty sure Larry has had run ins with cops in his life.