Regular Meeting

City of Elko Golf Course Advisory Committee Regular Meeting 9:00 AM, Friday, March 29, 2024 1751 College Ave., Elko, NV 89801 I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL Present: Chris Johnson, Chair Dana Morfin, Member Clair Morris, Member Collin Oke, Member Chris Torres, Member City Staff Present: James Wiley, Parks and Recreation Director Austin Bochman, Staff III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES IV.A Approval of February 23, 2024 Minutes ** A motion was made by Member Morris, seconded by Member Morfin to approve the minutes from the February 23, 2024 meeting. The motion passed unanimously. (5-0) V. COMMENT BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC There were no public comments. VI. NEW BUSINESS VI.A Review, discussion and consideration of Ruby View Golf Course revenue for the golf year 2023 and matters related thereto. NON ACTION ITEM FOR DISCUSSION ONLY March 29, 2024 Parks and Recreation | Minutes Page 1 of 5 James Wiley, Parks and Recreation Director, thanked staff for putting together the statistics. There was a packet on the dais for the board members. Julie Davis, Financial Services Director, went over the presentation. VI.B Review, discussion, consideration and possible amendments to Ruby View Golf Course rates/fees and matters related thereto. FOR POSSIBLE ACTION Mr. Wiley went over a rate comparison with several courses around the area. We were not able to get all the rates for courses but he felt it was a good comparison. Our rates are comparable but we need to discuss changing the rates. We had a great year last year, even considering the late start. The last rate increase was in 2019. If we decide to do a rate increase, he recommended making it effective later so we don't make rate changes mid-year. He went over some capital expenditures that are planned. Dana Morfin said she didn't see t-boxes on the plan. Mr. Wiley said we are planning on doing that in-house. This plan is heavy on needed equipment. He explained what the last rate increases were in 2019 and went over each item on the proposed 5- year plan. Chris Johnson thought the water line on the plan should be moved up but was wanting to talk about the fees. The ending fund balance was where he thought it would be. If we don't have a second source for the back nine, then it might go dry. Mr. Wiley said there are a lot of ideas around the fund. This is all an estimate. Jan Baum, City Manager, said when the auditor presented the audit to us the end of this year, he indicated the Golf Fund was moving in the right direction. She was not sure how much of a fund balance we need to keep in there. We don't want to deplete it down with the water line expenditure until we had enough in the fund. Equipment is a big deal. Mr. Johnson said if the Golf Fund is in good shape and we have enough in there, then we can do what we can to save time for the employees. Hooking up temporary water would be a big help. We know we are putting some money into the Club House but it is an old building. We need a long-term vision to work towards. Rick Longhurst, Golf Pro, agreed the water line could be moved up. Regarding the rate increases, a majority of the passes have been bought. He felt any rate increases should be put off until next year. His recommendation was a dollar or two on the green fees. Do minimal on the senior fees. Mr. Wiley asked if we put the water tie-in to year one, we sacrifice some equipment. We need to know what our ending balance should be so we know how much we can budget. From his point of view, he is comfortable keeping this at $200,000 for capital improvements for the first few years. March 29, 2024 Parks and Recreation | Minutes Page 2 of 5 Ms. Baum offered to bring some scenerios to the next meeting to address building the ending fund balance and making room for more projects. All board members agreed the fees need to be increased just a few dollars. Smaller increases are easier for people. Ms. Baum asked if anyone was willing to decrease that discount for cart storage if you have a season pass. It can be an increase in rates. Those carts are in the sheds for 12 months for $280. Mr. Wiley wondered if we did away with the discount then we may not have to touch the other rates at all. There was some discussion about raising all the rates but lowering that discount in increments. Each rate was discussed separately. Season Passes go up $25 each, but the Young Adult and Junior season passes will stay the same. Punch Cards will go up to $225. Green Fees go up $1 per 9 holes. Golf Cart Storage discount will see a decrease of $100 for the season pass holders. Golf Cart Rentals will go up $1 per 9 holes. Golf Cart Storage will remain the same. Trail Fees - the Annual fee will go to $215 and the Daily fee will increase to $21. ** A motion was made by Member Morris, seconded by Member Torres to approve the rates as follows: Season Passes go up $25 each, but the Young Adult and Junior season passes will stay the same; Punch Cards will go up to $225; Green Fees go up $1 per 9 holes; Golf Cart Storage discount will see a decrease of $100 for the season pass holders; Golf Cart Rentals will go up $1 per 9 holes; Golf Cart Storage will remain the same; Trail Fees - the Annual fee will go to $215 and the Daily fee will increase to $21; and, make these changes effective December 1, 2024. The motion passed unanimously. (5-0) VI.C Review, discussion, consideration and prioritization of a five year plan relative to the of the needs and goals for Ruby View Golf Course and matters related thereto. FOR POSSIBLE ACTION Ms. Baum said if the ending fund balance decreases to $500,000, that give the fund approximately 6 months of expenses. If you decide to move the water line to this coming year, and the auditor thinks this will not put the fund in any jeapardy, then we can get back to the board about it. Mr. Wiley said the estimate is close to the $100,000 prevailing wage threshold. If we can do some of this work in-house we can save some money. He offered to look into that further. We will be above our goal the following year and it looks feasible to move the water line up. March 29, 2024 Parks and Recreation | Minutes Page 3 of 5 Mr. Johnson stated we could order our equipment and do the research on the water line. That will move the water line up and we can reduce the ending fund balance to fund it. Jan will double check with the auditor to make sure we can do it. Equipment is big and we need it. Mr. Wiley noted we just got a large mower for the parks department. It took us 2 years to get it. We are looking at another brand that we can get sooner. We can't wait that long for equipment to show up. Mr. Johnson thought we had a path by reducing the ending fund balance and adjust the equipment purchase to get the water line completed. Mr. Torres asked if the paths will be looked at on the 5-year plan? Mr. Wiley answered cart path trail fees do not necessarily go to cart path improvements. Those fees go to the bottom line and cover a number of things. We can do treatments on the cart paths. We can't do them all at once but we can start chipping away at them. Ms. Morfin asked how much money do we want to put into the Club House? Mr. Wiley offered to go over all the improvements they have made to the Club House in recent years. That building should be vastly improved. Mr. Morris said the City has a lot of projects going on. This will be low on their list. Mr. Johnson wondered if we needed to have a motion on the ending fund balance. Mr. Baum did not think it was necessary. Mr. Wiley said he would give that presentation to Council and see what their imput is. He hoped to have this on the first meeting in April. VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS VIII. REPORTS VIII.A STAFF REPORTS Austin Bockman said he is getting feedback from some people that the Par 5 project will be an inconvenience. He wanted to make sure the board wanted him to proceed with it. Mr. Johnson said if something could be done with the green, that is an option. Most people want a par 5. Mr. Bockman said he can't release his crew down there and just take care of that. The rest of the course will need attention. He will need to reseed and redo the green. He may have to relocate as March 29, 2024 Parks and Recreation | Minutes Page 4 of 5  much as 200 feet of line on that green. The beginnning will be the hard part. He will make the nursery green bigger but that will not affect anyone. There is a hole on the side of the 18 hole. It will be a grass trap. He just wanted to hear from them about the project. Ms. Morfin said she thought it would be fine. Mr. Oke thought it was good. Mr. Wiley said he didn't want to disrupt the tournament in August, but he felt we could get through that weekend and then tackle the project. VIII.B BOARD REPORTS No reports. IX. SCHEDULE THE NEXT GOLD COURSE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Mr. Wiley stated they will not need to have a meeting for a while but will reach out when they are due to meet to set a date. X. COMMENTS BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC There were no public comments. ** A motion was made by Member Torres, seconded by Member Morfin to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously. (5-0) There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. March 29, 2024 Parks and Recreation | Minutes Page 5 of 5