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Mason City Park Board met with Golf Advisory Board last week

Highland Golf Course in Mason City

PARK BOARD JOINT MEETING WITH GOLF ADVISORY BOARD

November 1, 2012

6PM AT HIGHLAND PARK CLUB HOUSE

The joint meeting between the Park Board and Golf Advisory Board was attended by Frank Pearson, Craig B, Ray Shimak, Steve Diaz, Brent Trout, John Pritchard, Jon Gansen, Jerry Weiland, Becki Wetter, Denise Largent and Darrell Newman.

Impact of 2012 weather conditions on play at the course:

Green fees were up $6500 and season passes were down $12000. There were no rainout dates for the outings or tournaments which increased the dollars collected for green fees. The usual water usage is between $12,000 to $16,000 per month. The budget is around $18,000. We have spent $21,000 to $22,000 for water in 2012. The soil type with the limestone base so close to the surface makes
it very difficult to retain the moisture in the ground. Should next season present with the same conditions Mr. Trout has recommended that we only water the front to present a better product on one nine of the golf course. When a golfer comes to play, they can choose to play the watered front nine or the non-watered back nine. We want to make sure the season pass holder and the green fee payer are getting a decent product for their money. There is no need to seed this fall. With the small of rain we have received the course is greening up. The patches of brown spots are where that limestone ridge runs thru.

Proposed 2013 fees, rates and tournaments/outings for 2013:

The Advisory Board will be meeting on November 6 to prepare a proposal for the park board of fees for next year. We are looking at moving some dates to not conflict and adding a couple new tournaments on a Saturday afternoon and earlier in September.

New Tee Construction Status:

The new forward tees on #10 and #18 have been seeded and are growing and hopefully will be in play for 2013. There will also be forward tees built for #13 and #16. These tees will be up about 80 yards and on the left side of the fairway.

Status of Equipment Needs:

There will be 2 new pieces of equipment purchased for the golf course to replace equipment that has outlasted its value. Jon Gansen does an excellent job of rebuilding, repairing and upkeep on all the equipment. During the winter months, he goes thru all the equipment replacing and cleaning parts, sharpening blades, etc. The pull carts are in need of replacement. We could use about 6 at
an estimated price of $130 each. The concession equipment would be the grill top, hot dog cooker and dishwasher. The interior of the club house is ready for an update. The wallpaper needs to be removed, new paint, new carpet, new tables and chairs. Everyone agreed that first priority with any money is to make sure Jon Gansen has what he needs. At some point soon the computer may need to be
upgraded. Another item would be some landscaping (removal of all railroad ties), removing round circles of plants in front of club house and replacing with etched stained concrete, a gas grill and a gazebo. Also, the greeting sign for Highland Park is in need of repair.

Asphalt Pavement Update:

The asphalt replacement was paid for with left over CIP dollars that Bill Stangler and Bob Berggren knew were available from a path paving project. This is greatly appreciated.

Cart Shed Update:

A new 60 cart shed was approved for with $60,000 going toward the cost. The shed will have 2 main doors and there will be stalls inside with 2 carts per stall with a door for each stall. Currently Highland has 160 private sheds. This will hopefully help in recruitment for new members as a shed will now be available to house their cart.

Condition of benches at the course:

The current benches are paid from metal or wood and most are not in very good shape. The metal ones need to go and the wood ones need to be sanded down and painted. Within 5 years we would like to see all the benches are the recycled plastic benches. These benches are made in Iowa Falls and Jon Gansen installs them. They are on a slab on concrete so maintenance is very easy around
them and they are permanent. The benches on the course are mostly memorial benches but anyone can purchase them. They are $350.00 plus the cost of any printing that may be wanted. These benches are very nice looking and will improve the aesthetes of the course.

In conclusion, this was a very productive meeting and everyone agreed that we need to meet on a regular basis be it once a year or whatever is decided. The Advisory Board has been asked to prioritize the needs list and make sure the Park Board is aware of what it is. This list may change from additions to and items removed.

Submitted by Becki Wetter

Secretary of the Advisory Board.

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