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Sebring resident questions city plans for municipal golf course and Harder Hall properties
Summary
Resident Verna Flexen told council she was surprised by prior negotiations and criticized what she described as a de facto gift of the municipal golf course and restaurant to private interests; she cited prior sales and city expenditures.
Resident Verna Flexen addressed the council during the public comment period to raise concerns about city dealings related to the municipal golf course and the Harder Hall restaurant property.
Flexen said she was surprised by representations made by a proposer, Robert Blackman, when he presented a request for the municipal golf course and restaurant, and she questioned whether discussions dating to April 2022 effectively treated disposition of the properties as a foregone conclusion. "On 03/18/2025, when Robert Blackman presented his request for the municipal golf course and restaurant properties, I was surprised that he behaved as if the transaction was a foregone conclusion... Mr. Blackman has repeatedly stated that his discussions about disposition of the property took place in April 2022, 4 months in advance of the sale of Harder Hall," Flexen said.
Flexen told the council that the two properties comprising the Harder Hall Executive Golf Course sold in 2021 and 2022 for a combined $2,225,000 and said she believed "the gifting of a functioning golf course and thriving restaurant is far too generous on the part of our city." She also asked why the city continued to provide funds for improvements to the golf course if there had been an agreement to transfer the asset. Flexen said she appreciated the work by the Blackmans but questioned the accuracy of assertions that nothing was requested in return: "What is essentially a gift of a functioning golf course and locally valued restaurant is not only a large ask, it's also a disservice to the residents of the city and county we live in." She concluded her remarks by urging the council to consider residents' interests.
Council did not take action in response to the comment during the meeting; the item was heard as part of business from the audience. The comment references prior public presentations and sales and raises questions the council may address in future agenda items or staff reports.
Why it matters: the comment raises concerns about transparency and use of public assets and funds; any future staff recommendations or council action on the golf course or restaurant properties would carry financial and public-interest implications.
What comes next: no council action or motion followed the comment during the meeting; the remarks are on the public record and may be considered if and when the council places related disposition or contract items on a future agenda.
