Agenda Packets - 2003/06/23 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council June 9, 2003 Regular Meeting Page 14 Golf Course Manager Burg indicated there was some testing done but it appears the only issue 1 was with poor root establishment. 2 3 Golf Course Manager Burg indicated that she had discovered that where the carts and mowers 4 are washed there was no catch basin and the water was running into the creek so they removed 5 the old small pipe and put in a new 12 inch pipe and catch basin. She then indicated that Staff 6 did all the work in house to solve the problem and save the City money. 7 8 Golf Course Manager Burg reviewed future plans for the course and suggested ways to grow the 9 business. She then indicated that the cart paths used street sweepings and contain many sharp 10 objects leading to numerous flat tires every day and suggested that the City may wish to consider 11 paving the cart paths to eliminate that issue as well as the dust. 12 13 Council Member Marty indicated that Mr. Hammerschmidt had brought up the issue of only 14 allowing foot traffic on the bridge and routing carts around it to extend the life of the bridge. 15 16 Golf Course Manager Burg indicated that she would keep an eye on the situation and provide 17 further information on the bridge at a later date. 18 19 Council Member Stigney indicated residents have asked him to ask whether the golf course 20 would ever be able to break even without the billboards and, if so, when. 21 22 Golf Course Manager Burg indicated she did not have enough information to make that kind of a 23 statement at this point. She then said that she feels that with careful spending and refinancing of 24 the bonding that it is possible. She further commented that the billboards would help. 25 26 Finance Director Hansen indicated the bonds go out to 2013 and, if paid off, that would be 27 $500,000 per year in income. 28 29 Finance Director Hansen indicated that the golf course has been making the debt service payment 30 and interest payment charged to the golf course but to a large extent has had to borrow money 31 from other funds to make those payments so, while the golf course loans are being paid off it is at 32 the expense of rising internal loans. He then said that he is not optimistic that the golf course 33 will ever make money. 34 35 Council Member Stigney asked if the loans are being paid or just interest at this point. 36 37 Finance Director Hansen indicated that he would not know the status until year-end but he 38 expects that the internal loan amount will be increased. 39 40 Finance Director Hansen indicated that the City could sell bonds this fall to refinance the old 41 bonds for January 1, 2004 but that alone will not solve the problem. 42 43 Council Member Stigney indicated he understands that Staff is working to turn things around but 44 he questions whether it is feasible to continue carrying it. 45