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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGolf Board Minutes - June10, 2025 1 (208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 Rexburg.org | Engage.Rexburg.org Golf Board Minutes – June 10, 2025 Council Members: Karl Boehm Paul Sorensen Brian Parkinson Eva Wright Non-Voting Members: Board Chairman Johnson Matt Nielson – City Finance Officer Colin Erickson – City Council Member Brent Mendenhall – County Commissioner Spencer Rammell – Attorney Cameron Garn – Golf Pro Seth McFarland – Golf Ground Greg McInnes – City Parks Manager Justin Beard – City Engineer 4:30 P.M. Golf Board Meeting Roll Call of Board Members: Attending: Eva Wright, Karl Boehm, Paul Sorensen, Brian Parkinson and Chairman Jon Johnson. Absent: 1. Review Prior Meeting Minutes and approval (Action Item): a. May 13, 2025 Board Member Wright moved to approve the Golf Board Meeting Minutes for May 13, 2025; Board Member Boehm seconded the motion; Board Chairman Johnson asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Board Member Wright Board Member Boehm Board Member Sorensen Board Chairman Johnson The motion carried. 2. Financial Report a. Review Financials – Matt or Noah Staff Accountant Phethean reviewed the Budget Report for the Golf Courses. There is an increase from the previous year and an anticipated increase in the daily play at the Legacy for this fiscal year. He expects revenues from carts to decline slightly, although it was too early to say for sure. He said there was an increase in season pass purchases at the Legacy. They usually stop selling season passes at the Legacy around July, so they still anticipate several more to be sold this month and next. He forecasted the daily play will continue to increase at Teton Lakes, and cart rentals were also projected to rise. The Season passes have continued to climb compared to last year. The junior and senior passes were both up. He said he was especially surprised by the increase in family passes. Golf Board Member Parkinson joined the meeting. 2 Staff Accountant Phethean continued to review the Budget Report. This year, they sold a lawn mower for about $5,000, which helped contribute toward capital assets. Regarding the budget, there were a couple of expected increases in expenses for next year. They anticipate hiring another full-time golf grounds employee and possibly adding support in the pro shop. He is not sure yet if the county has approved of those positions, but it was something they are preparing for. Staff Accountant Phethean reviewed the expenses in the Budget Report for the new hire split between Teton Lakes, Legacy, and winter recreation sports, though the current budget figures reflected only the golf courses. They also planned to purchase a golf simulator for approximately $30,000. That figure aligned with what they had seen in pricing. The City Council had voted to include it in the city’s budget, and it had been passed through to the county for consideration. However, we hadn't heard back from the county yet, as they were a bit behind in their budget meetings. 3 Board Member Boehm said looking ahead to 2026 in the budget report it looks like, they have several purchases in mind: a new fairway mower, a utility truck, and a sprayer. Ground Manager McFarland said they have recently received a larger utility cart they purchased this year. The fairway mower was one of those fast, tractor-like machines with large cutting decks. 4 5 Board Member Sorensen questioned one of the new hires that was budgeted under the pro shop at $8,317. Golf Pro Garn explained that role would include some responsibilities during the winter, such as renting out cross - country skis and managing the simulator. They budgeted for 17% of that employee’s time to be allocated to the pro shop, with the remaining 83% under grounds crew duties. It was a unique structure, but it allowed them to get more productivity out of one person. Discussion regarding the purchase of a reel sharpener for $30,000. Grounds Manager McFarland said the cost of the sharpener exceeded the amount budgeted; however, having the reel sharpener would significantly improve the quality of our turf maintenance and help keep the grass healthy. The Board Members agreed the reel sharpener is a solid investment. 3. Board Business/issues/problems/events a. Cable Railing Updates and recommendations (Paul Sorensen) Board Member Sorensen said he and David Decker went out to inspect the cable railing at Teton Lakes. Originally, they were told that a special tool was required to tighten the cables, but it turned out that only a wrench and a pair of vise grips were needed to hold the cable while tightening it. They tightened several of the cables. The system used a crimped fitting on the cable and a bolt that ran through it, allowing for tension adjustments. They realized that after a certain point, the cables would need to be re-crimped onto shorter lengths to maintain proper tension. Board Member Sorensen explained they encountered the following issue, if the bolts were tightened beyond the length of the cap cover, they would need to grind down the ends for the cap to fit again. They also found one post that hadn’t been drilled correctly. It bothered them to leave it in that condition, so they fixed it. Overall, the cables appeared to be in good shape. They did seem to stretch over time, and the nuts tended to loosen as well. If the issue recurred next spring, they planned to use lock nuts to prevent the nuts from spinning loose and to better maintain the tension. Board Member Sorensen said they did observe that children continued to jump and hang on the cables, which contributed to the stretching. He mentioned the idea of adding signage to discourage people, particularly 6 children—from stepping on or hanging on the cables. A simple sign with the messages "Do not hang or step on cables" would likely help. Board Member Sorensen said the railing should hold up well for now. The maintenance process wasn’t too difficult unless the bolts ran out of length, in which case it could become a larger issue. i. Sign Needed stating “Please do not climb or stand on the cables or rails” 1. Report from Cam if 2 signs ordered and placed b. Consideration of tee modifications on hole #3 and possibly hole #2 at Legacy. The issue brought forward to City Council 6/4/25 by a resident that lives along the canal on hole #3 with concerns of safety and damage to property. The request was whether it would be possible to remove the large tee box areas for white and blue on hole #3 and shorten the par 3 by having all tee off on the red tee box and the number of balls going over the canal and into the neighborhoods. (Action Item) Staff Accountant Phethean explained concerns were raised by a property owner near holes two and three at Legacy Golf Course, specifically about golf balls frequently hitting his property. The property owner had suggested relocating the tee boxes for holes two and possibly three to mitigate the issue. Board Member Johnson said moving the tee boxes could make the problem worse. For instance, moving the tee box on hole three to the west would place golfers directly in line with the property, increasing the risk of balls being hit toward it. City Attorney Rammell noted that during a City Council meeting, the property owner admitted he was not a golfer. A humorous analogy was shared, referencing Jurassic Park, suggesting that just as life finds a way, bad golfers also find a way to mis-hit balls. He said the mayor seemed open to solutions, but there were limitations due to FAA regulations, especially regarding tree height and planting trees near power lines. City Attorney Rammell pointed out that the property owner had knowingly bought a house adjacent to a golf course. If the course is operated under industry standards, liability would be limited. There was also a discussion about increased complaints from residents along Main Street and others near the course, including a recent incident where a man's truck was hit by a golf ball, leading to a $1,700 repair bill. Discussion regarding legal liabilities. City Attorney Rammell noted that installing netting or trees could potentially create a legal standard that, if not perfectly maintained, could increase liability. City Attorney Rammell explained that under Idaho law, golfers themselves were usually responsible for damage, not the course, unless there was proven negligence. Discussion: several suggestions were made to mitigate the issue. Some members proposed converting hole one into a par-3 to reduce the use of drivers, which were more likely to slice and cause property damage. There was also mention of possibly enlarging the practice greens to accommodate youth programming. Grounds Manager McFarland mentioned three trees had already been planted near the tee box on hole one, and although small, they would eventually grow large enough to provide some protection. It was suggested that more trees could be added, however, City Attorney Rammell raised concerns about setting a precedent for other property owners expecting the same considerations. It was noted that most of the errant balls seemed to land near a ditch or swell area, which might help identify the highest-risk zones for future mitigation efforts. Golf Pro Garn mentioned that a large net had previously been installed along hole two at Pinecrest, but it had since been removed. Discussion regarding golf course rules, particularly whether white stakes have been placed along the course boundaries to help discourage golfers from hitting in that direction. The consensus was that, despite any preventative measures, golfers would always find a way to miss-hit balls. Board Member Sorensen emphasized that living near a golf course inherently came with the risk of stray balls. Discussion regarding moving the tee boxes. Some of the Golf Board Members agreed that moving the tee boxes was not a good solution and that changes should be thoughtful and purposeful, not solely based on complaints. One suggestion was to enhance the practice area instead of altering the course layout, possibly by adding a 7 chipping green. It was acknowledged that such changes could slightly alter the dynamic of the Legacy Golf Course but could also provide valuable improvements. c. Further Discussion on a resident discount on golf rates and fees i. Review rate changes suggested for Fiscal Year 2026 with the idea that everyone would pay the new higher rates unless they provide proof of residency that follows a policy that dictates what is proof of residency. Proof of residency could include a utility bill, tax statement or driver’s license showing proof of Madison County residency. If they did not provide residency proof, then they would not receive the 10% resident discount. Discussion and Golf Board Recommendation to elected officials needed regarding this possible policy change. The hope is to pass these new rates by August 2025 effective October 1, 2025. (Action Item) ii. Any changes to be advertised by August through the remaining part of this Fiscal Year 2025. If going to do it would be good to implement later this season to notify golfers of changes for 2026 season Staff Accountant Phethean explained the timing of the new rates and fees and acknowledging that it seemed early in the year to be addressing them. They were moving forward with the changes early because the increases were significant and required proper lead time for communication and implementation. Part of the reasoning behind addressing the rate changes at this time was to align them with other upcoming changes in the recreation department. By advertising all the changes at once, the golf course could avoid spending an additional $1,000 on separate newspaper advertising for just one item, such as a single public hearing. Board Members Johnson reviewed a draft of the new fee schedule and noted that it included a substantial increase—around 25%—on daily play rates and passes. Despite that, the updated fees still included a significant resident discount, which effectively kept the cost for residents about the same as the previous year. For example, the family annual pass showed an increase, but the single pass only went up slightly, from $688 to $701—about a 2% increase. Board Member Boehm generally felt this was reasonable and appreciated that the increase mainly targeted non-residents. He expressed approval of the approach, stating that non -residents should be contributing more 8 financially, especially given how much they were already paying to play at other courses, such as in Idaho Falls. He shared their experience of paying a high fee for golf in that area, even though the course quality was no better. City Attorney Rammell explained that there had been ongoing frustration among some city and county patrons over the high number of non-city and non-county residents using the Teton Lakes Golf Course. They mentioned that the golf industry had grown, and more out-of-town players, particularly from nearby counties— had been taking advantage of the local course’s affordability. Golf Pro Garn noted that license plates from out of the area were now common in the parking lot, especially on weekends. He added that Sundays, which used to be slow, had become quite busy with out -of-town patrons. The staff also noticed the change, explaining that in the past they knew almost every player by name, but now they frequently saw unfamiliar faces. Board Chairman Johnson brought up the topic of locker rentals and noted that the price had increased by 26%. He pointed out that there was already a significant vacancy rate in the lockers, which made the price increase questionable. Accountant Phethean recalled that during the first year of offering rentals, the lockers were priced at around $100. When the price was later cut in half to attract more renters, the number of rentals did not increase significantly. Instead, the revenue was simply reduced by 50%. As a result, lowering the price did not help fill the lockers. Discussion: the patrons currently renting a locker would likely continue doing so, even if the price increased. They generally agreed that the revenue from lockers was minimal. The estimated total was about $1,000 if 10 lockers were rented at $100 each. While some saw it as an insignificant amount, others considered it a valuable amenity. Board Chairman Johnson stated that locker rental was an amazing perk even if they are underappreciated. Discussion: possible ways to promote locker rentals more effectively, such as putting up flyers. Board Chairman Johnson shared that they had paid around $40 per locker with a bundle discount, totaling about $80 to $90 for the year. The first year, the price had felt too high at $100. Board Member Parkinson mentioned a past issue involving the lockers. Apparently, there had been confusion and frustration when the lockers were moved earlier than scheduled for paving. Notices had indicated a specific date for removal, but the move occurred three days ahead of time, catching many users off guard. Some patron’s belongings were affected, including golf bags that were relocated. He agreed that the lockers still offered value and that the price change did not need to be a major concern. Discussion regarding the proposed fee changes. City Attorney Rammell noted that the increases were minor and appreciated the approach. He emphasized the importance of reassuring residents that these changes were ultimately a benefit to them, highlighting that the golf course was a community asset. While non -residents were still welcome, they would now help shoulder more of the financial burden. Board Member Sorensen expressed that they liked the significant distinction between resident and non - resident fees. This differentiation allowed the group to communicate clearly to commissioners and others that when the parking lot was full and filled with out-of-town license plates, those visitors were now paying about 20% more than residents. He preferred a discount model for residents over simply adding a fee for non- residents. He reasoned that taxpayers had already contributed through their taxes, so offering a discount to locals made sense and felt fair. Golf Pro Garn mentioned how the nine-hole cart fees had increased from $8.50 to $9.50, and some suggested rounding it to $10. Similarly, eighteen-hole fees would go up from $18 to $20. He said he has also noticed a sharp increase in private cart usage. What used to be just four or five personal carts had grown to as many as 40. He noted that this trend could begin to cut into cart rental revenue. He mentioned concerns with how these private carts were being used—often parked improperly, sometimes taking up two parking spaces, and even driven right up to greens and tee boxes, which posed maintenance concerns. Golf Pro Garn stated many families were not paying the appropriate trail fees. Some would claim they were only playing nine holes, pay a reduced $4 fee, and have more than two people on their private carts on the course all day. This raised questions about enforcement and fairness. There was some frustration expressed about private carts in general. He said the patrons with their private golf carts were more likely to abuse the course rules, and while they don’t damage the course’s carts, they often acted with a sense of entitlement. 9 Discussion: They debated whether trail fees should simply match cart rental prices to eliminate the incentive for underpaying. There were some that supported the idea of removing the trail pass altogether and charging per use instead, while others felt the pass offered consistency and convenience for both the course and users, even if the course didn’t always recover full rate. They recognized that more oversight and perhaps policy changes might be needed if trends in private cart use and lost revenue continued. Golf Pro Garn reported there is an increasing number of people bringing babies and small children onto the golf course. He recalled telling a golfer recently, "Hey, just so you know, when you bring your baby out here, it's probably not safe." The golfer replied dismissively, saying, "I'll do whatever I want." While that individual felt entitled to make his own choices, it created discomfort for other players who did not want to worry about accidentally hitting a child on the course. Board Member Johnson asked if the patron bring the child to the golf course paid for the child to be on the golf course. Golf Pro Garn responded that anyone bringing a child was supposed to pay a junior fee, although not everyone followed that rule. There could be a "baby punch card" to manage the situation more formally, especially with people using strollers on the course. City Attorney Rammell observed some golfers bringing strollers that had been modified with drilled holes to hang golf bags —essentially turning them into makeshift golf carts. He described seeing golf clubs hanging from stroller handles. Golf Pro Garn said he will inform families to take their children to the Legacy Golf Course, where kids play golf for free with a paying adult. He felt the Legacy Golf Course is a more appropriate setting for young children to learn the game without interfering with regular play. City Attorney Rammell volunteered to research what other courses rules are regarding bringing babies and kids not playing golf to the golf course have done and planned to bring back recommendations for the group to consider. They agreed to determine how and when to implement any new policies once a draft was ready. Discussion regarding trying to maintain a proper pace of play. Golf Pro Garn noted that when he is not present, it was more difficult to enforce. City Attorney Rammell suggested that the new motto should focus on pace of play, and that they should post reminders everywhere. Golf Pro Garn explained what he has been doing to address slow play. He began using the loudspeaker to make announcements because signs were not always effective, many players simply drove past them without noticing. He said that during busy times like Memorial Day, they made pace-of-play announcements every second or third tee time, reminding golfers that the target time for a 9-hole round was around 1 hour and 45 minutes, or up to 2 hours on a holiday. Discussion regarding Slow Play & Group Etiquette. o Discussion included examples of large groups playing multiple balls per person, leading to bottlenecks. o A staff member recounted a specific instance where they waited at the first tee, caught up to the group on the second, and eventually had to ask to be let through on the third hole due to unreasonably slow play. o These incidents were noted as examples of increasing entitlement, particularly among younger players, contributing to poor etiquette and disrupted course flow. Action Items: • Reinforce course policies regarding golf carts and group sizes with all staff. • Consider signage or additional staff presence to address group merging and slow play. • Evaluate communication strategies for educating newer players on course etiquette and tee time expectations. Staff Accountant Phethean asked about verifying proof of residency for local discounts. They agreed on accepting utility bills, tax statements, or driver’s licenses. Board Chairman Johnson suggested including rental agreements, especially for students who often did not pay their own utilities. Board Member Wright agreed, saying that a rental agreement for the current semester was reasonable. If someone wanted the discount, they would make the effort to provide documentation. 10 Grounds Manager McFarland suggested putting up a form online to streamline the process and allow people to submit documentation before arriving at the course. This would help prevent delays and confusion at check -in. Discussion regarding streamlining the residency verification process. Accountant Phethean noted that verifying documentation could be very quick if people had everything prepared, potentially taking no more than 30 seconds per person. However, he acknowledged that during busy periods, like in April when the golf season generally starts could slow down operations. City Attorney Rammell raised a concern about how people would react when informed of new charges or changes, especially those living outside Madison County. One example was a long-time customer who lived in Mud Lake and expressed frustration after discovering a higher fee despite having purchased passes for over 25 years. Accountant Phethean commented that such individuals had benefited from subsidized rates for years and that changes were necessary due to rising operational costs. Discussion regarding how to avoid placing Golf Pro Gran in a difficult position when enforcing these policies. It was recommended that if discretion was granted to him, the policy should be clearly defined to avoid inconsistency or perceptions of unfair treatment. Discussion shifted to the broader context of tax contributions, with staff pointing out that residents of other counties benefit from lower taxes but still expect the same golf privileges, despite not contributing to Madison County's budget. The idea of publicly communicating upcoming changes in advance such as a notice about fee increases taking effect the following year—was suggested to give customers time to adjust and reduce surprise or backlash. Discussion whether longtime players who had supported the course for many years deserved special treatment but concluded that longevity alone did not justify exemptions, especially if those players were not contributing significantly through additional spending. City Attorney Rammell acknowledged that any new policy should be enforced consistently and fairly. Suggestions included setting specific eligibility criteria, such as offering consideration to those who had continuously purchased passes for over 12 or 15 years. Still, some felt this would contradict the broader goal of ensuring fairness and would create more administrative challenges. Discussion regarding junior players, staff expressed a strong desire to continue encouraging youth participation regardless of residency. They agreed that it was not necessary to require proof of residency from parents for junior passes. The focus remained on keeping the sport accessible to local kids, even if they lacked standard proof like driver’s licenses or utility bills. Junior Season pass sales were reported to be strong, and staff agreed that promoting youth involvement was a priority. Discussion regarding policies around enforcement could be changed internally without requiring a public hearing, especially those relating to how residency or junior status was verified. They agreed to monitor any emerging issues and revisit policies as needed. Board Chairman Johnson moved to approve the Rate Changes as outlined except for the 9-hole and 18-hole cart rental to $10 for 9-hole and $20 for 18-hole; Board Member Sorensen seconded the motion; Board Chairman Johnson asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Board Member Wright Board Member Boehm Board Member Sorensen Board Member Parkinson Board Chairman Johnson The motion carried. d. Other Items as brought forward Staff or Elected Officials Board Member Boehm said a lot of people had been asking about having small trash bins near the tee boxes. 11 He added that they didn’t need to be big—just small bins for things like broken tees, small trash, or even sunflower seed shells. There was doubt expressed that players would use them; however, the trash bin would help with messes—like cigarette butts or pistachio shells. Board Chairman Johnson asked how often the water cooler gets refilled. He mentioned they were often empty now that the weather was hotter. Ground Manager McFarland noted that they had filled them every couple of days. 4. City or County Input/Issues a. Other Items as brought forward Staff or Elected Officials 5. Golf Pro’s update of issues/concerns/problems/projects a. Update on Trailer signs for rentals-This has been ordered by city staff-hope to have installed soon b. All Other Items as brought forward by Golf Pro Golf Pro Garn said there were 150 junior golfers visiting from Southeast Idaho. He mentioned an upcoming tournament hosted by BYU-Idaho on Thursday, which would use all 27 holes. Participants would break for lunch and then return for another 9 holes, likely finishing around 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. It was mentioned that the tournament had been held there for about 3 or 4 years and was a good event financially, paying between $8,000 and $10,000. 6. Golf Grounds Manager update of issues/concerns/problems/projects a. Tee Box, netting, and Range Lights at Tee Box (Seth and Cam to come back with design proposal) b. Update on mapping with GIS and our City Works Coordinator mark the location of all the irrigation lines and equipment on a map with coordinates. i. More work to be done here, marking sprinkler heads and noting pipe size. c. Update regarding the signs that were ordered for Legacy parking several years ago. Not sure they were ever installed. d. Other items as brought forward by Golf Grounds Manager Grounds Manager McFarland brought up the issue of parking signs at Legacy Municipal Golf Course. Public Works Assistant Brandy Davis was supposed to have ordered signs designating parking spots closest to the clubhouse for golf patrons only, but it was unclear whether the signs had ever arrived or been put up. Grounds Manager McFarland reported the tee box project, noting that it had started and mowing would begin soon. They expected the area to be in use within two weeks. Aerating had gone well, and the greens looked good. They were still waiting for the cap to complete a wall project. Discussion regarding the clubhouse air conditioning. The AC had been installed and was working, but not very efficiently, especially because the building wasn’t well insulated. The swamp cooler was still in use, but it wasn’t effective in extreme heat without proper ventilation. Board Member Boehm expressed concern that money had been spent on a cooling system that couldn’t keep the building cool, and it should be fixed as soon as possible. Discussion regarding the driving range lights. Golf Pro Garn agreed it wasn’t necessary to spend money on them yet, suggesting that other priorities like tee box expansion and general maintenance should come first. 7. Determine Next Board Meeting Date/Time a. 7/9/25 at 4:30 pm 8. Tabled Agenda Items to Consider: a. Consider landscaped items at the service shop area after completing main parking lot/clubhouse improvements. 9. Executive Session (Statute 74-206)-Only held if necessary, and subsection authorizing the executive session must be stated-Generally held after regular meeting to discuss labor contract matters. (If necessary) (j) To consider labor contract matters authorized under section 67-2345A (74-206A) (1) (a) and (b), Idaho Code. Adjournment 5:47 P.M.