CITY ELABORATES ON THE APPROVAL OF A GOLF COURSE ASSESSMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Mountain Home
208.587.2104
cityhall@mountain-home.us
CITY ELABORATES ON THE APPROVAL OF A GOLF COURSE ASSESSMENT
The Mayor and the majority of the City Council are addressing the community as there has become a growing concern from many citizens on the need to hire a third-party consultant to conduct an assessment of the Desert Canyon Golf Course operated by the City of Mountain Home.
During the July 25th, 2023, City Council meeting, the majority of the City Council voted in favor of a third-party consultant to assess all aspects of golf course operations. As members of the City Council are not golf professionals nor golf course managers, this action is in the City’s best interest and removes any personal relationships, opinions, and politics out of the equation.
An area of concern is the continual increase our taxpayers pay each year to support the golf course. The current fiscal budget for the city has transferred over $281k, and the 2024 budget is projecting a transfer of over $427k for operations at Desert Canyon Golf Course. These funds are transfers of taxpayer dollars after the revenue the golf course brings in.
The Mayor and Members of the Council believe that the golf course is a valuable amenity to our community and not for profit; however, seeking the data of the consultants may provide insight to balance the budget with less transfers required from general fund.
This assessment looks at the entire operation of the golf course and includes:
• Operations and Finance of the Course
• Maintenance
• Pro Shop
• Driving Range
• Carts
• Cart Storage
• Clubhouse
• Restaurant
The Mayor and Members of the City Council could not in good conscience say they performed their duty for all taxpayers or know where to start negotiations if they did not have all the facts laid out in front of them. This assessment gives an unbiased view of how the City should proceed in a fiscally responsible manner. This evaluation is for the entirety of the golf course as a whole and not meant to focus on one specific area of operations.
The funds for this consultant study are coming out of the City’s administration professional fees budget line, which is what this budget line is for. In closing the golf course, its staff and contract labor are vital parts of our community and deserve to be treated as such.
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