Sun Advocate Contributor
Carbon Country Club revenue was down $40,000 in 2017, resulting in a deficit of $37,000. That includes equipment depreciation of $17,000, but leaves a $20,000 cash deficit.
Golf course director Tom King explained the situation to the Recreation/Transportation Special Service District (SSD) during a meeting last week.
King said the $37,000 is a little misleading, since $17,000 of that is depreciation of equipment, and not an actual cash loss. Nonetheless, the golf course did lose about $20,000 in 2017. The deficit is being carried as a debt at this time. King is in hopes 2018 will be a good year and the debt will be paid off?
King explained snow kept people off the course during the early part of the year and the downturn in the economy is affecting golf play like it’s affecting everything else.
The good thing, King said, is that revenue is up in 2018, mostly due to the weather. Since there hasn’t been much snow, the course is open and generating revenue. Play is up 100 percent over the same period in 2017.
During King’s presentation to the SSD, he asked for funds for chemicals to treat the lawns. Those include fertilizer, fungicide, and pesticide. That is part of an ongoing line item appropriation to the golf course. He also asked for funds to pay for water leases. That is not something the SSD has paid in the past. That amount is $6,200, but may end up being more, due to an increase in water fees.
Both requests were approved by the board. SSD Administrative Assistant Linda Ballard said the budget will need to be opened at some point in order to increase the allocation request, but that is just a formality since it has been approved by the board.
The relationship between the Country Club and the SSD is complex. The Country Club is a privately owned business, although the golf course is a public course.
Few public courses in the state of Utah are profitable.
One major exception to that is Wasatch Mountain State Park Golf Course, near Heber, which makes enough profit to subsidize several other State Park golf courses, including Green River and Millsite. In 2011 Green River Golf Course was on the State Parks hit list to be closed. It survived.
There are 141 golf courses in Utah. Most are public courses and are subsidized by the entity (city, county, state) of ownership. There are a few privately owned golf courses in Utah that are profitable. Most public courses are seen as a benefit to the residents of the area or as an economic benefit.
In 1990 a special service district was created to receive a grant from the Community Impact Board (CIB) for the purpose of expanding the golf course. That special service district was known as the Carbon County Recreation Special Service District, although at the time, the golf course was it’s only project.
In 1995 the Recreation Special Service District joined the Roads Special Service District, creating the Recreation/Transportation Special Service District.
Today the SSD continues to own part of the golf course (the back nine). Prior to that time the course was only nine holes, owned exclusively by Carbon Country Club.
Since 1990 the SSD (first the Recreation SSD, then the Recreation/Transportation SSD) has participated in funding the golf course. For 2018 the SSD has budgeted $15,000 to help with maintenance.
King said SSD money will be used for lawn products and water fees. In order to keep the grass in good condition it is fertilized every 21 days. The budget will need to be opened at some point to increase the allocation to pay for water.