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Mounds View City Council July 25, 2005 <br />Regular Meeting Page 4 <br />• He further clarified that the billboard money goes into a fund and we take it out of the fund to <br />support the golf course. He stated that 80-percent of the users must be overjoyed that Mounds <br />View is supporting a golf course when the City has bad roads in need of repair. He stated that <br />the City needs the money. He suggested closing down the golf course and use the money from <br />the billboards to take care of the things that need to be repaired in the City. He expressed <br />concerns stating that he does not know this City anymore and doesn't understand why the <br />Citizens are supporting a golf course that is losing money for the City. He indicated that over the <br />last three years twelve golf courses have had to close because they were losing money. He <br />recalled that the Mayor has said in the past that the Council would do what is best for the <br />Citizens and he does not understand why the City would take money from the billboards to <br />support a golf course that only 20-percent of its citizens use. <br />Mayor Marty explained that when some of the land that was deeded to the Ciry by MnDOT and <br />SYSCO, the deeds, on their portions deeded to the City, stated that the land had to be used for <br />public purpose or a public facility. He stated that the Council reviewed potential areas for a <br />soccer, baseball or ,football field noting that it would be a source of maintenance and Council <br />decided to sink some money into it to create a golf course. He stated that the Council understood <br />that it would cost more to install a golf course but believed that once it was installed it would <br />become a positive source of revenue for the City. He stated that he agreed that this was a <br />relatively sound idea versus a baseball or soccer field noting that the City could get some revenue <br />from the use of the fields but the golf course would take some initial capital outlay, which is <br />where they fell behind. He explained that some of the property had been previously used as a <br />• landfill. <br />Mr. Jahnke acknowledged all of that noting that if they just put up the billboards and closed the <br />golf course the City would be further ahead. He stated that they have to consider the financials <br />and if they close the golf course and use the revenue from the billboards the City would be <br />farther ahead than if they keep the golf course open. He stated that the City is losing money by <br />keeping the golf course open. <br />Mayor Marty clarified that he did not have anything to do with putting the golf course there. He <br />explained that the City has bonds and debts associated to the golf course that have to be paid and <br />the City had to find a way to pay off this debt without impacting the citizens, which is how they <br />got into the billboard deal. <br />Mr. Jahnke stated that even if the City didn't have Medtronic it would be better to close the golf <br />course and use the money from the billboards for the City. <br />Mayor Marty recalled that one of the last things Mr. Hansen had said was that if the golf course <br />didn't have the debt there could be a slight revenue from the golf course. <br />Mr. Jahnke asked the Council to think about this. He stated that he feels it is totally wrong for a <br />City to support a golf course and the billboards. <br />• <br />