Echo Mesa irrigation project underway after vandalism; insurance claim not pursued, CFO says
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Summary
Committee heard that Echo Mesa was closed for irrigation repairs following vandalism, staff verified greens, and the CFO said insurance was not filed because the deductible and required loss documentation made a claim impractical.
Sun City West staff updated the Golf Committee on April 10 about an irrigation repair project at Echo Mesa that followed earlier vandalism to course greens.
Todd (staff) told the committee crews closed Echo Mesa on the preceding Monday to begin a multi-stage irrigation mainline and lateral replacement. He reported about 25 workers were on-site the first day; staff installed roughly 50 yards of mainline and about 100 yards of lateral pipe, plus several mainline valves. Greens that had been damaged were top-dressed and staff reported early signs of recovery.
Why it matters: The closure is a short-term operational impact on play and on scheduled events. Repairs aim to restore irrigation reliability and recover greens damaged during the vandalism incident.
Key details - Timeline and work: Staff began the irrigation project at the chipping green, worked through select holes, and planned to proceed from the front to back nine. Toddl described tee box repairs, hauling and reusing dirt for a grass bunker at Number 9, re-leveling driving-range tees, and scheduled fairway aerification at Grandview to continue the transition to warmer-season grasses. - Vandalism and insurance: When asked if an insurance claim had been filed for the vandalism, Pat O'Hara said staff filed a police report but did not file an insurance claim. Cliff (CFO) explained the decision in financial terms: the business income policy carried a $10,000 deductible and required proof of a significant downtime or loss. After analyzing deductibles, loss-of-business calculations and the fact that the insurer would assess losses across all courses, staff concluded a claim was not cost-effective. - Recovery signs: Staff verified greens and reported top-dressing; Todd said greens damaged by vandalism were “really starting to come back with this hot weather and the amount of water that we've been putting on them.”
Community questions and staff responses Committee members asked whether the closure would affect other planned work and whether any materials would be removed from site; Todd said all turf and soils generated by the project would be reused on-site and not hauled away. The committee asked about long-term liability and about whether vandalism documentation or additional security measures were needed; staff said they had filed the police report and were proceeding with repairs.
Ending No formal action was taken. Staff completed the update and answered questions about insurance and project scope; the committee directed staff to continue work and to notify the committee of any material changes to project costs or timing.
