At the Property Owners Association Board work session Sept. 11, board members returned to the controversial topic of the Branchwood Golf Course and seemed to agree that a professional would be hired to help turn the nine-hole golf course into a multipurpose park.
Votes cannot be taken at a work session. The issue is expected to be on the agenda at Thursday's board meeting.
The course has been closed since it was flooded in August 2013 and was underused before that.
Earlier, the board had asked for volunteers with recreation experience to serve on a committee "aimed at developing a plan for the future of the Branchwood Golf Course land," according to a POA press release. Some board members said both time and money would be saved by having a professional designer working with the committee.
"We're going around in circles again," Joan Glubczynski, the newest board member, said as the discussion turned to the timing of the hire.
Mike Erixon argued that the committee should develop four options with cost estimates and let the board decide which ones to pursue, but John Nuttal said no committee could have the skills necessary to design a park.
Tommy Bailey, POA general manager, said the association needs to bring new people into the area. What's really needed, he said, is a strategic plan.
Answering a question from Glubczynski, he reminded the board that there had been attempts to develop a strategic plan in the past, but they were not successful. The board has never had a professional to help with a strategic plan, he said.
If the board intends to hire a professional to work with the new Branchwood committee, that should be in the motion, Bailey said, in order to pay the professional.
Erixon asked about the man-made pond near the Branchwood Clubhouse that has been leaking.
At the last board meeting, Bailey said it would cost the POA $3,000 a month to pump water into that pond and keep it full. That estimate came from the Golf Maintenance department, Bailey said, and because of that cost, the pond has been allowed to remain only partially full.
There's also a cost associated with treating the pond for weeds and algae, Bailey said.
The pond was probably built to help irrigate the golf course, he said, but it's never been used that way. It's too small to be used even for children's fishing, he added, and with Loch Lomond close by, a fishing pond isn't needed.
He said POA employees can fill in the pond at a minimal cost using materials they have available.
He promised to ask Mike Taggart, maintenance director, about how long that project would take and when it could be accomplished. Bailey will report back to the board at this week's meeting.
General News on 09/17/2014