At Thursday's regular meeting, the Bella Vista Property Owners Association tackled two historical controversies with votes on the Branchwood Golf Course and overseeding golf courses.
Branchwood has been closed since flooding damaged the cart path and irrigation system a year ago. The cost of a round of nine holes at the course was lowered to $2 in 2011 because the course was underused. In 2009, the board considered closing the course but instead moved it from the Golf Division to the Recreation Division.
At a work session last week, the Joint Advisory Committee on Recreation recommended the course become a "comprehensive recreational outdoor park."
The cost of repairing flood damage and reopening Branchwood for golf was estimated at $500,000.
In addition, General Manager Tommy Bailey told the board the pond at Branchwood leaks and the association spends $3,000 a month keeping it full. The pond won't be needed if the golf course isn't re-opened, Bailey said.
Board member Bob Brooks compared the pond to a sinkhole.
"It's like pouring money into a hole," he said.
Bailey said the pond shouldn't be filled in until the board makes a final decision on golf at Branchwood.
Board member Mike Erixon pointed out voting to close Branchwood as a golf course might be premature because the board doesn't know how much the new purposes might cost. He said he wanted the numbers before he could vote on the issue.
The motion to close Branchwood was defeated and Charlie Teal, board chairman, suggested forming a committee of members and residents near Branchwood, as well as board members, to discuss possible uses of the course.
Overseeding golf courses also has been a controversial issue in the past.
In 2007, Bailey reminded the board, a decision was made to stop overseeding golf courses, but it was reversed quickly when members complained.
Fairways in Bella Vista consist of Bermuda grass, which is dormant during the winter months. Overseeding with hardier ryegrass serves two purposes: The fairways remain green most of the winter, and the ryegrass protects the dormant Bermuda so golf carts can be driven on the fairways.
Two courses haven't been overseeded in recent years because of issues with fairways. At the Country Club and the Highlands courses, golf carts have been restricted to paths during the winter.
But overseeding can hurt the Bermuda grass.
"It's the same as growing two plants with different life cycles and different management requirements in the same spot," Bailey said.
He had a collection of slides that showed sparse Bermuda grass on the fairways that had been overseeded next to healthier areas that were not overseeded.
When Ty McClellan of the U.S. Golf Association visited Bella Vista earlier this month, he said overseeding is no longer common in the region. Dormant Bermuda grass can tolerate some cart traffic, and it can be colored to be more attractive. The colorant helps the grass absorb sunlight and shortens the dormant season.
Keith Ihms, golf maintenance manager, recommended stopping overseeding and said a schedule could be developed, giving each course days where cart travel would be permitted and also periods of carts on paths to allow the grass to recover.
Bailey said seed and fertilizer to overseed four courses cost more than $80,000. The board agreed to stop overseeding.
In other business, the board voted to use $22,000 from the general manager's contingency fund to pay for the special assessment election. Ballots have been mailed to members and a meeting has been scheduled to announce results at 6 p.m. Sept. 18 in Riordan Hall.
The proposal is to increase assessments $6 per month on improved lots and $2 on unimproved lots. The last proposal, for a larger increase, wasn't passed by members in May.
Also, the board agreed to refinance a 2009 water bond at a lower interest rate, saving more than $1 million over the next 15 years.
General News on 08/27/2014