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District and county grappling with Desert Hawk golf course debt, water losses and ownership timeline
Summary
District staff and board members reported that Desert Hawk Golf Course carries unpaid legacy water charges (about $1.28 million) and that a county‑paid capital backlog of about $3.0 million plus an estimated $5.3 million irrigation replacement create unresolved questions about who pays and when ownership would transfer under the existing IGA.
Pueblo West staff and board members discussed ongoing, unresolved issues surrounding Desert Hawk Golf Course, including historic unpaid water charges, outstanding county capital contributions and a large irrigation system cost that stakeholders say must be addressed for the site to be sustainable.
What was presented: Brian (chief operating officer) and other district representatives summarized work on a joint committee formed under an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Pueblo County to manage the golf course transition. The board said the golf course is currently county‑owned and county‑operated; an IGA contemplates transition to district ownership only after outstanding debts are repaid.
Key points raised by staff and board members: - Historic debts: staff cited an unpaid water charge balance to Pueblo West of about $1,280,000 (described in the meeting as a non‑interest bearing debt carried from prior years). They also referenced roughly $3,000,000 of county capital funding expended on the golf course over time. - Current operations and cash flow: presenters said the course has been operating with revenue above expenses since about 2021, but committee members have not yet agreed on how revenue should be used to pay legacy obligations or to fund a large irrigation replacement. - Infrastructure need and cost: the irrigation system (described in committee discussions) is estimated at about $5,300,000; committee members said that replacement is intended to resolve leaks and high water loss but that the cost and repayment responsibility are unresolved. - Management and governance: the course is overseen by a management committee with three county appointees, three district appointees and one joint appointee; the district’s representatives said they have asked the course manager (Mr. Zaremba) for budget and financial reports needed to assess obligations and transition timelines but committee requests for financials have been delayed, and the manager is scheduled to retire.
Why it matters: board members said Pueblo West is losing water resource value to an irrigation system with apparent leaks and that the district needs clarity on the outstanding obligations and a practicable plan for the course to be self‑sustaining. Several board members said committee meetings and financial reporting have been sporadic and urged more active pressure and attention to obtain required information from the county and the golf course manager.
Ending: district representatives said the committee will continue to press for financial reports and for options to make the golf course sustainable without ongoing operating subsidies; board members said they plan to press county partners and to discuss further committee strategy in coming meetings.
