Board names Sam Proul to Desert Hawk board and reviews golf course management, capital needs

The Pueblo West Metropolitan District Board voted to forward a recommendation for Sam Proul as the joint appointee to the Desert Hawk Golf Course Management Board and received a detailed update on the golf course’s management and capital needs.

Katrina Peter, chief administrative officer, said the county had returned its ranked candidates for the joint appointee and that John Paulson had withdrawn his application. The board called a roll‑call vote for Sam Proul; Directors Gray, Axworthy, President Pearl, Vice President Mahaney and Director Vickers recorded “yes” votes.

Board and staff then discussed longer‑term management questions for Desert Hawk, including the upcoming retirement of the current golf course manager. Staff presented preliminary cost estimates for irrigation and sprinkler system repairs and replacements. An updated estimate put the irrigation‑system work at $3.75 million and the total project cost at about $5.3 million. Staff also described outstanding loans and debts tied to the property: roughly $3.0 million associated with county obligations and about $1.7 million tied to district obligations (staff estimated $4.7 million total). Staff said that at current annual surplus levels it could take decades to retire those obligations without different revenue or repayment strategies.

Directors asked for a five‑year operating revenue and expense projection, a 5‑ to 10‑year capital plan, and a revenue breakdown by source to inform budgeting and decisions about the future management model. Staff said meetings with county commissioners and the management board would continue and that the board may need more frequent or focused meetings as budget and contract decisions near the manager’s planned March 2026 retirement.