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Umatilla council approves resident discount, green-fee increase for municipal golf course
Summary
After a detailed presentation on rising operating costs, the council voted to set a 15% resident discount for memberships and green fees, keep current membership prices, and increase green fees by about 10% for calendar year 2025 to reduce an annual operating deficit.
The Umatilla City Council voted Nov. 5 to apply a 15% discount for Umatilla residents to golf-course memberships and day-player green fees while holding membership base prices steady and increasing green fees roughly 10% for calendar year 2025.
City staff told the council the municipal golf course ran approximately $385,000 in the red this year—about $185,000 worse than the prior year—largely because the city added operational staffing (three full-time equivalents) to raise maintenance levels. Staff presented multiple options including membership increases of 2–4% and green-fee increases of 8–12%, and recommended a resident discount to recognize that taxpayers already subsidize the facility.
Council debate centered on balancing cost recovery and resident access. One council member asked whether the proposed increases would materially reduce the operating deficit; staff estimated the adopted package could lower the shortfall by an estimated $30,000–$50,000 depending on uptake. Staff also reviewed recent capital spending (examples provided for FY22–FY24) and one-time equipment purchases this year for carts and mowers.
The motion, made on the record by Speaker 2 and seconded, directed staff to apply a 15% resident discount across membership and green fees (excluding add-ons such as cart rentals and additional-driver fees), maintain current membership pricing, and increase green fees about 10% for calendar year 2025. The council indicated approval on a voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
The council also discussed administrative implementation details: how to verify resident status at point of sale, whether a tiered membership renewal schedule is needed, and scheduling the formal fee-resolution timing during the normal April fee-resolution process for future years.
The fee changes will apply to calendar-year 2025 renewals; staff said they will return with final ordinance or fee-resolution language and implementation steps.
