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Valley View Golf Course asks for aid as drought, aging equipment strain operations; commissioners table request
Summary
Valley View Golf Course leaders described drought damage, aging equipment and rising operating costs and asked Hardy County for financial help; commissioners agreed to consider the request and tabled the item pending review of county funds and priorities.
Steve Rashford, president of Valley View Golf Course, told commissioners the public course supports school golf teams, senior activities and multiple community programs but is nearing a financial tipping point.
Rashford and board members said the course relies heavily on donations and volunteers and that inflation and equipment failures have increased pressure on operations. They cited rough cost estimates: a replacement tractor at about $35,000 and a new mower system at about $40,000; a full replacement of the irrigation/water system would be far larger and was estimated by board members at a minimum of $250,000. Board members said last year’s drought strained the course’s controllers and computer boards, some of which are obsolete and hard to replace.
Commission response
Commissioners acknowledged the course’s community value — including free access for local school golf teams — but said county discretionary funds are limited. The commission voted to table the request and asked course representatives to provide a concrete dollar request and documentation of priorities; staff will review opioid-settlement and discretionary balances and return the request to the agenda.
Why it matters
Valley View provides youth and senior recreational programming, school-team access and community events. Board members warned that a major equipment failure or irrigation collapse could force temporary closure, affecting those activities.
