Lemoore golf course sale? A better way?

Following months of speculation, we’ve learned from various sources that perhaps $5 million was offered for the 23-year-old 18-hole golf course.

Mayor Billy Siegel announced at the previous council meeting that a formal offer was extended to purchase the course, this coming after months of speculation that the golf course was indeed up for sale. He also announced that there will be at least two public hearings prior to councilmembers considering the sale.

Is selling the historic golf course a mistake? We think it is. The original nine-hole course was originally a Depression era Works Progress Administration project. The WPA was a Franklin Roosevelt New Deal program that put millions back to work during the Depression, building public projects, including parks and golf courses.

There may be a better idea that sacrificing the long-term benefits of having a city-owned golf course simply to earn short-term profits. Once the golf course is sold, it won’t belong to the public any more. Historically the golf course has nearly always earned a profit, but debt service often ate into those profits, forcing the city to fork up the difference.

Clearly the course, once it’s paid for, promises to be a financial asset. But it won’t be if it is recklessly sold to the highest bidder.

I would suggest a partnership of sorts with the Tachis. Rather than outright selling the course, offer the local Rancheria an opportunity to invest in the course, and in turn the course becomes an easy outlet for Palace guests. Based on the level of partnership, tee times, carts, and other amenities could be made available to the Palace.

The public retains control and the Palace has a place for guests to play golf, a win for everybody.

In earlier conversations with some members of the council, The Leader was told no offer had been extended and it was unlikely that the golf course would be sold, particularly in the light of a move last summer to spend a portion of a healthy budget reserve to buy down the interest on the golf course loans.

There has been some controversy connected to the sale, including whether or not the mayor abused his authority to negotiate the sale, and acceptance of a free meal from a consultant hired to evaluate the course for the Tachis. Siegel, Recreation Director Joe Simonson, and another city employee played a round of golf with the consultant on the city’s dime. Simonson told councilmembers that he is often asked to evaluate golf courses for the city.

Siegel’s tenure on the council has been marked by other golf course issues. Several years ago, shortly after his arrival on the council, he was on a committee to evaluate and recommend a new golf course management team. His committee selected a Las Vegas firm, but other councilmembers vetoed his recommendation and instead hired the golf course’s manager, Richie Rhoads, to take over management of the course.

Last summer, Councilmember Eddie Neal blasted the mayor for unnecessarily using city funds to play golf and then accept lunch from the consultant, a lunch he denied. Neal also said he nor any of the other councilmembers were aware of his golf outing.

Then interim city manager, Jeff Laws, told The Leader that he did approve using the city’s credit card for a round of golf. However, it is against the city’s policy to accept gifts, which a free lunch would have been.

We ask that our city leaders take careful steps as they ponder this apparent offer from the Tachis. They should reject it and instead consider an investment opportunity rather than an outright sale. Such a partnership would benefit the citizens of Lemoore as well as a major local business that provides a lot of jobs to Kings County’s residents.