Commissioners discuss golf-course contract as county covers operating gap

The county—s golf-course contract is up for renewal, and commissioners spent substantial time on Dec. 16 reviewing revenue and expense reporting and possible management options. A staff presenter (speaker 8) said the county currently collects roughly $56,000 in revenue from the course. After accounting for county maintenance, salary and benefits, and accounting anomalies in prior CAMS exports, staff estimated the county subsidizes the course by roughly $100,000 a year and that total annual operating costs could be closer to $135,000 when all expenses are included.

Staff proposed three options: keep the current annual contract and status quo; negotiate a clearer management agreement that separates county maintenance from private management duties; or issue an RFQ to contract professional management of the course. "I'm just trying to make it more black and white instead of so gray," the presenter said when describing the goal of clearer delineation of responsibilities between the golf board and the county.

Commissioners asked staff to produce expense-side accounting showing salaries, benefits, and other costs so the board can decide whether to finalize an agreement before the 2025 golf season. Staff suggested an action deadline of March 1 to have arrangements in place for spring. The board did not take formal action on the contract during this meeting and left options open for further negotiation; staff will return with clearer expense figures and potential RFQ language.