The Smithville Municipal Golf Course remains closed but to help the city get it back open and operating, the owners of RiverWatch Golf & Resort have offered to refurbish the course and to maintain it for at least a year.
The mayor and aldermen discussed the proposal in a work session Thursday evening and are expected to make a decision during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting.
Tony Poss, the former tenant who had a 10 year lease to operate the golf course and swimming pool, recently notified the city that he was ending his agreement. The nine hole golf course and pool have been closed since Poss’ departure.
The mayor and aldermen have said they don’t intend to lease the golf course/swimming pool again but to hire someone to manage it for the city.
RiverWatch apparently does not seek to operate or manage the facility on a day to day basis but to provide qualified professional service, equipment, and staffing for renovations and maintenance of the golf course, practice greens, and driving range. The cost to the city based on a 12 month contract with RiverWatch would be $74,115. Two and three year contract options are also available.
“My recommendation is to let them (RiverWatch) do this for a year to give them a chance to get it up and going. It will give us (city) a chance to apply for a grant. With a grant we might be able to buy equipment, put in a water system, and re-do the pool and tennis court,” said City Public Works Director Kevin Robinson.
Under terms of the proposal, RiverWatch would provide the following services:
*Daily onsite golf course maintenance management
*Aerification process
*Top dressing greens
*Fertilization/Chemical applications (application equipment provided by RiverWatch)
*All equipment for day to day operations for golf course (greens mower, tee mower, fairway mower, walk blower, PTO blower and a PTO driven gang unit rough mower)
*RiverWatch will maintain all sharpening and adjusting of reels and blades during the contract period.
The city’s responsibilities under the proposal would be as follows:
*City supplies working irrigation system
*City supplies all course related liability insurance
*City supplies all chemicals, sand, special project rental equipment and general maintenance and expense. (This includes all wear items, such as reels, belts, bed knives, oil changes, nuts, bolts, fuel, etc.)
*City is responsible for all fuel for all equipment
*City agrees to provide three pool laborers per week as needed to assist in non-skill specific course maintenance.
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