A long-term lease between the city and Litchfield Golf Club Inc. could be over.
Litchfield City Council, during its meeting last week, unanimously agreed to a plan for Golf Club Inc. to dissolve its lease, which club members are expected vote on at their next meeting Feb. 25.
Litchfield City Council and Golf Club Inc. have had a lease agreement under which LGCI agreed to manage the clubhouse restaurant and portions of the golf clubhouse adjacent to the city’s public golf course. Both sides have concluded that it is time for that relationship to come to an end.
Tenants leasing the restaurant and bar have indicated that it is cumbersome to deal with two entities — the nonprofit LGCI board and the city council — when repairs or improvements are needed at the clubhouse. LGCI also sells pull-tabs at the site to fund its youth sports contributions. There have been past misunderstandings about who is responsible for what at the site, and how revenue should be handled. Golf Club Inc. also owns equipment in the clubhouse, as does the most recent restaurant tenant, Shady’s No. 7, which closed recently but has a lease in place through April 2024.
A committee tasked with developing a plan for finding a new tenant or owner for the restaurant and bar space has looked at LGCI’s proposal to end the lease, which has been in place since 2013, and developed a counterproposal. Terms of the agreement include the city paying $36,000 for existing equipment on site, pro-rating remaining lease payments due from Shady’s and the real estate taxes due in 2024.
The City Council also assumed responsibility for repairing a leaky roof and floor damage from the leak. If the clubhouse portion of the city-owned golf course is ever sold, the committee estimated that it would recoup that cost through the sale or future lease payments, according to Council members Eric Mathwig and Betty Allen, who serve on the committee.
A real estate appraisal of the property’s value is expected later this month.
A couple of Golf Club Inc. committee members responded to the city’s counter proposal, explaining how a few of the requests would not be realistic for it to meet. Another committee member, Greg Langmo, referencing long-standing issues between the council and LGCI, noted that “no matter what we do, we will make about half of the people mad.”
The City Council also discussed frequent staff turnover at the pro shop, the amount of city staff time that has been needed to handle golf course issues, and whether the city should expect golf course revenue to meet or exceed expenses or treat it like other city recreational services, such as Anderson Gardens, the Civic Arena, parks and the future recreation center.
Mayor Ron Dingmann noted that recreation might be considered by some to be “nonessential,” but in reality “it’s a vital part of the city’s overall services.”
After much discussion, the council unanimously accepted a modified proposal that appeared to meet basic requirements of both entities. Council members agreed the clubhouse needed to be “turn-key ready” in order for any business to want to operate food and beverage service there. The city attorney was directed to draft a separation agreement by Feb. 20 so it could be voted on by LGCI membership on Feb. 25.
As noted at the Jan. 16 City Council meeting, two local businesses have expressed interest in opening a restaurant at the site. If neither of those offers work out, Langmo said, the clubhouse opportunity could be opened to a wider market. In addition, one out-of-town entity has expressed interest in purchasing the entire golf course, but that offer lies outside the committee’s purview.
Among other business:
- The council approved having two police officers travel to Wisconsin to be trained on mobile forensics. No in-state training is available in the near future on this essential skill, Police Chief Pat Fank told the council. Council members also expressed interest in hearing a presentation on potential use of electric vehicles in police work. Several council members told Fank that they have questions about the practicality of such vehicles.
- Council member Sara Miller explained why temporary street closures were needed around Central Park during Watercade. These were approved by the council.
- The Safe Routes to School subcommittee has met and discussed ways of making streets around the schools safer for pedestrians. The council asked staff to progress toward short- and long-term safety goals, including public education, law enforcement, installing green pedestrian crossing signs on Eighth and Ninth streets, reducing speed limits in school zones by 5 mph, and placing improvements to sidewalks on the city’s long-term Capital Improvement Plan.
- A one-year lease with the school district for use of the Civic Arena was made, with a 4% increase in rates over last year.
- A five-year lease for property use payments and city hall service was signed with Mediacom.
- The council made several appointments, including Heather Guyan and Linda Larson to the Litchfield Library Board, Duane Hickler to the Police Civil Service Commission, and a list of election judges for city precincts during the March 5 presidential primary.
- A certificate of appropriateness for exterior work at 202 Sibley Ave. N. was approved.
- The council continues to meet informally on developing a Code of Conduct for council members.
- Due to the Presidents Day holiday, the next City Council meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20.
