Resident asks council to consider lower membership rates for city residents at Bailey Park Golf Course

During the public-comment period, resident Mike Dervay praised the city's investment and the private management of Bailey Park Golf Course but asked the council to consider lower membership fees for city residents when setting next year's rates.

Dervay said the course is "beautiful" and that leagues and weekend tournaments are full. He compared membership rates he saw in other towns and said the current resident discount appears small: "You're giving a city employee discount $425," he said, adding that a nonresident senior membership elsewhere can be $800. He asked the council to consider modest fee reductions that could increase city-resident memberships.

Dervay also addressed Council Member Rathmell about a separate proposal to create a pool of CDBG and HUD funds for low- and moderate-income rental property repairs. He suggested that the program include an "or" clause so that low-income senior homeowners on Social Security would be eligible for porch or exterior repairs even if they are not landlords.

The council did not take action on the golf rate or the CDBG eligibility suggestion during the meeting; Dervay asked that the budget hearings take his suggestion into account.