Clark County gained’t be promoting Tri-Mountain Golf Course to the Cowlitz Indian Tribe in any case.
“The Cowlitz (tribe) did pull out of purchasing the golf course, so we do have some decisions to make about moving forward with the course,” Michelle Schuster, director of inner providers, instructed the Clark County Council on Wednesday.
The council voted unanimously to maintain the property open as a public golf course, no less than for now.
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe and Clark County appeared poised to finalize the sale at first of the yr. Whereas Schuster didn’t specify why the sale fell by, the county’s requirement that the property proceed to function as a public golf course was raised through the bidding course of.
The tribe submitted two bids for the property in November, each coming by its Cowlitz Financial Authority. Tri-Mountain Golf Course, 1701 N.W. 299th St., Ridgefield, lies about 2 miles south of the tribe’s ilani on line casino.
The $3.6 million bid, which was barely larger than the minimal bid set by the county, was primarily based on a July 2023 appraisal. The tribe additionally submitted the next bid of $5 million, which might have required all restrictions and covenants terminate after 5 years.
With a price range shortfall looming and the expense of working and sustaining the course greater than the earnings it will get from person charges, the county had hoped to promote the property to scale back the continuing drain on normal fund revenues. Schuster additionally stated that deferred upkeep prices should be addressed quickly.
“In total, since 2005, we have spent about $1.16 million on maintenance and operational charges from facilities on the course, and that does not include the overhead factor,” Schuster instructed the council.
Along with about $1.5 million in constructing upkeep for the clubhouse, driving vary home, vary shelter, upkeep constructing and different buildings on the grounds, Schuster stated one other $380,000 in repairs have to be achieved to the roofing, heating and air-con system, and siding.
“Overall, we’re looking at just over $3 million of deferred maintenance we need to do on the course,” she stated.
Councilor Wil Fuentes requested if shuttering the course through the winter, when fewer golfers use it, could be attainable.
“I don’t know anything about golf. But what I do know is that we have rainy weather here in the winter, and it doesn’t pick up until warmer weather, drier weather. Have we explored the option of potentially closing for a few months out of the year?” Fuentes requested.
Schuster stated closing the course to the general public through the winter could be attainable, however she stated some grounds work and upkeep would nonetheless be required. She stated the council has a number of choices for what to do with the property.
These choices embody going out to bid once more to promote the course with the identical covenant restrictions in place; requesting bids from administration firms for working and sustaining the property in hopes of discovering a extra reasonably priced answer to its present administration contract; bringing administration in home; negotiating with one other governmental company — La Middle, for instance — which beforehand expressed curiosity within the property; or promoting it with none restrictions.
Councilor Glen Yung stated holding the property as a public golf course is probably not an possibility in some unspecified time in the future.
“I think if we move forward and we cannot find a way to sell the property with the covenant restriction that it stays a golf course, then I think we owe it to the taxpayer(s) to pay them back, in the sense that we sell it at its highest use value. That’s long term,” he stated.
Councilor Matt Little stated he was optimistic the golf course might be stored open and inside price range. Little stated he wish to give the golf course one other two years earlier than making a call on promoting the property. That might give time for the county to assemble extra data on the price range affect, in addition to group use, he stated.
“I don’t golf, but I definitely want to advocate for the community who does. This seems like a good option for affordable golf and outdoor recreation on our land. That’s something that we should support,” Little stated.
Preserving the property working as a golf course was vital to Councilor Michelle Belkot as effectively.
The county council is scheduled to additional talk about administration of the property subsequent week.