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Municipal Update
TAKE THE LEDGES GOLF CLUB CLUBSHOUSE SURVEY!
AVAILABLE AT TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE, COUNCIL ON AGING,
LIBRARY AND LEDGES
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!
Or download the server online at:
http://64.182.36.230/artman/uploads/golf_survey1.pdf
NOVEMBER 1, 2005
Welcome to the first posting of the Town’s newest addition to its website: Municipal Update. This new feature models many others in use nationwide as communities employ technology as a resource to communicate directly with citizens. Thank you for “clicking in.” It is my hope that town residents will check in periodically to learn of things happening in and around Town Hall and town government in general.
The advantage of webpages such as this is their immediacy because information can be updated continually or as needed when time-sensitive events/issues occur. The how, why, when and where of varied but important subjects through a means of communication that is flexible, efficient and official will be a benefit. Often the vehicles that are available to communicate with residents and taxpayers are not controlled by the Town. The local newspapers are important players in the communications arena, but the decisions on what to print and how to present it are made by people outside the community and it is not something the Town is involved in. This webpage can help expand upon and/or clarify media reports when necessary and sometimes make information available even sooner. Many things happen in and around town that are never reported on solely because of the limitations of reporters who must choose to write on only one or two topics. By using web technology, the Town can make information available to citizens in a more timely way. Last week, a companion to this webpage, Town Meeting Member Corner, was launched to improve the level of information sharing with town meeting members. Anyone can click on this site to find out what is happening relative to past and upcoming town meeting items.
This webpage will be updated twice a month at a minimum and hopefully more frequently as various departments may request information to be communicated. I hope you enjoy the information and news provided in it.
Patricia A. Vinchesi
Town Administrator
Municipal Update May 23, 2006
SELECTBOARD INITIATES OPEN FORUM
The Selectboard has added a new feature to its regular meetings: Open Forum. Beginning June 6, 2006 the first 15 minutes of each Selectboard meeting will be reserved for any resident wishing to ask a question or register a concern directly with the Selectboard. While the Selectboard will not act on any matter that evening, it will endeavor to follow-up on any inquiry received. Complaints about individuals or issues involving litigation with the Town will not be permitted. For more information please call 538-5017.
Municipal Update April 3, 2006
From The Metro West Daily News:
Town-owned golf facilities struggle to turn a profit
By Tyler B. Reed/ Daily News Staff
Sunday, April 2, 2006 - Updated: 03:23 AM EST
They are places where kids learn to play an honorable game, where seniors meet every Thursday for a cheap nine holes, a hot dog and a Coke and where grass and trees can grow amid sprawling suburban development.
But municipal golf courses are often financial drains, costing towns thousands of dollars just to keep them open. Natick taxpayers, for instance, fork over more than $400,000 a year to pay off land debt as revenue from greens fees and memberships at Sassamon Trace Golf Course lags.
"There’s absolutely no way this course is going to make any money at least until that debt service is paid off," said Jeff Phillips, a former Natick Finance Committee member who has studied the course’s balance sheets. "There are a lot of people in this community who see the golf course as the primary example of what’s wrong with town government."
Of the three town-owned golf courses in MetroWest, only Westborough Country Club could consistently be considered a money-maker. However, the town does not bank the profits, which are reinvested into course improvements, according to Paula Covino, the club operating committee’s administrative assistant.
Holliston’s Pinecrest Golf Club lost money two out of the last four years, but is still profitable. In its contract with the company that manages it, Holliston gets a $235,000 payment each year, $60,000 of which goes into town coffers, with the rest going to improvements.
"I think we sort of hit the bottom," said Bill Harrison, president of Westwood-based New England Golf Corp., which manages Pinecrest and four other municipal courses. "Overall, it’s been a great investment for both the town and myself. Things have been somewhat slower in the last three or four years."
Harrison blamed the troubles of the last few years on a recent boom in golf course construction, a weak economy and people’s busy schedules.
Golf courses are good investments for towns if they pay a good price for the land, Harrison said. Holliston paid $1 million for the Prentice Street course in 1986 to avoid it being bought up by a residential developer.
"We’ve been operating it through contract ever since," Town Administrator Paul LeBeau said. "We’ve been fortunate."
Natick hasn’t been as lucky.
At Sassamon Trace, with town employees, revenues just about cover the operating expenses. But the fixed costs on the land add up to almost $400,000 per year.
The town has continued to keep it open because officials argue it would cost just as much to close it and the land debt would not disappear.
"This place will not be a money-maker for another 14 years," head pro Peter Meagher said.
However, for golfers and open space-lovers, the added cost is worth the price.
"It’s probably the most-used recreational facility in this town," Meagher said of the course built atop a capped landfill and land leased from a nearby apple orchard.
Golf courses are amenities that attract business and prevent developers from building homes.
"In a lot of cases, when people are looking to move into certain towns, they’re going to evaluate school systems and recreational amenities," said Thomas Landry, executive director of the Massachusetts Golf Association.
The high price of land in Massachusetts makes it difficult for new golf courses to make money. Most new public courses charge close to $100 per round.
"It’s difficult to deliver a price point of thirty or forty bucks," Landry said.
The golf season in Massachusetts is also far shorter than other parts of the country, meaning courses are open for business only part of the year.
With the economy on the rise, municipal course managers are hopeful they’ll see more golfers soon.
"We’re a niche," Meagher said. "If anyone’s going to succeed, we’re going to succeed."
(Tyler B. Reed can be reached at 508-626-4423 or treed@cnc.com.)
Municipal Update November 22, 2005
House for Sale
The Town is in the process of selling the house and property at 157 Ferry Street. This residence was acquired as part of the acquisition of the Bachelor Brook/Stony Brook Resource Area this past May. The Town has engaged a realtor, Abby Real Estate, to sell the property on the Town’s behalf. The deadline for quotes is December 21. Several open houses have been scheduled. Please call Abby Real Estate at 413-533-1286 for more information.
Advanced Life Support
The Selectboard has given its initial approval for having Fire Districts #1 and #2 perform advanced life support services as part of the Town’s ambulance service later in 2006 year. This vote came after many months of meetings with the districts, police chief and Ambulance Director to determine if such a service could work. While there are still many details to work out, offering in-town ALS service will improve rapid response.
Staff Profiles
Starting this week and continuing each week, a staff profile will be posted on southhadley.org under Announcements and Notices. In this way, residents can become familiar with the staff that works in Town Hall and other departments. The first staff member is Town Accountant, Bill Sutton. Hilary Meckel, a Mount Holyoke intern working in the Selectboard’s Office this year, is writing the weekly profiles.
Ledges Golf Club
At the November 8 town meeting, the Town once again needed to appropriate funds to close a year-end deficit at the golf course. The golf course and its finances continue to be a huge challenge for the Town. It is understandable that residents have questions and that the operation and management of the golf course be as transparent as possible to taxpayers. That said, there continues to be much disinformation about closing, selling, leasing or privately managing the course. Recently posted on this website is “LEDGES GOLF CLUB FAQ’s.” This Frequently Asked Questions webpage outlines many of the issues covered in a November 2004 letter to each town household. It also updates current management programs in place and other golf related issues.
One item discussed in the FAQ’s is the recent appointment by the Selectboard of an
Ad-Hoc Golf Clubhouse Lease Options Committee to explore possible alternatives to the clubhouse at Ledges. The lease on the current structure expires in January 2006
Personnel Officer
Much has been written about the newly created position of Personnel Officer/Chief Procurement Officer. Unfortunately, much of it is inaccurate. The Personnel Officer/CPO position was approved by a well over a majority vote at the May town meeting. There were numerous questions about the position on the floor of town meeting, but that is the purpose of town meeting: for elected voters to ask questions in order to make informed decisions about the management of the Town. Creation of the position was recommended unanimously by the Personnel Board and supported by the Appropriations Committee.
Much of the confusion has resulted because the actual role and duties of this position has largely gone unreported. The Personnel Officer is not an “assistant” to the Town Administrator. The Personnel Officer has not “lightened” the administrator’s workload either. The essential function the Personnel Officer is to administer the performance evaluation system for all exempt staff (adopted in 2004), coordinate or assist in the recruitment, selection and orientation of employees, administer the workers compensation, unemployment, and Employee Assistance Program of the Town and serve as a staff resource to the Personnel Board and Personnel Review Board. In addition, at some point, all the contract and bid processes for the Town will flow from the Human Resource Department. This is a 30-hour week position with an annual salary of $37,000. The Towns of Easthampton, Longmeadow, Wilbraham all have similar positions and have similar demographics to South Hadley.
Most of the tasks outlined above were not being performed to the best of the Town’s ability. Employment liability issues continue to increase at all levels of government and the Personnel Officer is responsible for insuring the Town in administering its personnel functions in a correct and legal manner. Personnel costs are approximately 80% of the town’s budget. Establishment of this position has been needed for awhile, but financial constraints in past years made consideration of it impossible until now.
Net Municipal Update: On or about January 4, 2006.
Municipal Update: November 2, 2005
Board of Selectmen Name Change
With the approval of the Town’s new general bylaws on October 12, 2005 the official name of the Town of South Hadley’s Chief Executives is now Selectboard and no longer Board of Selectmen. Members of the Board will now be referred to as Selectboard Members.
Flooding
At the October 18, 2005 Selectboard meeting, DPW Superintendent Gregory Kereakoglow provided members with an update on trouble areas during the recent rash of rain and flooding in our area. The Council on Aging roof located on Dayton Street resulted in damage to two rooms in the Senior Center. Certain areas also reported problems with overflowing manholes as a result of heavy rainfall and output from sump pumps in nearby residences. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency toured South Hadley on October 24 with Chief of Police David LaBrie and Mr. Kereakoglow to get estimates on damages to determine if costs are reimbursable should state and/or federal funds become available.
Emergency Preparedness
Incidents like the one above and recent hurricanes in New Orleans and Florida naturally lead one to think about how prepared their community is in case of any emergency. South Hadley, as do most communities, has a Local Emergency Preparedness Plan that documents critical information about the Town, involved personnel, medical information on certain residents with chronic conditions, and appropriate response plans. This plan is supplemented by annual “table-top” exercises that involve most town departments, District 1 and District 2, SHELD, and Mount Holyoke College. This year the tabletop also involved the Town of Granby. The School Department also has detailed emergency response plans. In addition, a number of regional agreements exist for mutual aid with other communities.
Along these same lines, the Board of Health has already done much pre-planning for any potential pandemics. This includes developing a detailed inoculation plan and designating inoculation sites and triage areas. A tabletop exercise involving area medical and emergency response personnel was conduct this past August with a proposal sceanario of inoculating all town residents within a 48-hour time frame.
Veterans Day Observance
John K. O’Connor, our Veterans Agent, is inviting town officials and residents to the annual Veterans Day Observance to be held on Friday, November 11. This year, for the first time ever, the Town will be honoring its “Veteran of the Year.” If you have some time to come to Town Hall at 11:00 a.m. to be a part of this event, it is always more than appreciated by our deserving veterans.
Town Commons Project Update
A brief narrative on what’s happening at the Town Commons will probably be a regular feature on this webpage for awhile. This is from Gregory Kereakoglow, DPW Superintendent:
Construction continues on the town common project. Caracas Construction is presently working on upgrades to the drainage system. They will be working on portions of Route. 47 Hadley Street, Route 116/College Street, Woodbridge Street, Amherst Road, Park Street, Church Street, Sycamore Knolls, Silver Street, Silverwood Terrace, and Meadow Lane throughout the fall and winter months. As of November 1, 2005 they are working in the vicinity of Fire Station # 2 and will be working on the drainage systems northward to Chaffee’s corner during the month of November. Depending on winter conditions, work may stop before the end of the year and re-commence in the spring. Caracas Construction will re-commence work on replacement of the drainage system underlying the roadway as well as replacement of the box culvert under Route 47.
Upon completion of the drainage system and other underground utilities, the contractor will begin full depth re-construction of the roadway. This will not begin until well into the 2006 construction season. South Hadley Electric Light is also performing work relative to replacement of electric systems, dropping of overhead utilities underground and other ancillary work. SHELD’s subcontractor, Langone Construction is performing this work.
The Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) has a resident engineer on site. They have set up a local office at 7 Hadley Street. to administer construction activity. MHD will have a representative on site and in the field at all times to monitor construction.
This is a complex and lengthy project. Minimal disruptions to traffic and services will be experienced. One lane of traffic will remain open at all times. The contractor provides police protection during the construction phase. During the construction of this project motorists are asked to be cautious of the construction activity. It is realized that there will be some disruption and appreciate residents patience over this duration of the project
Check the South Hadley web page at www.southhadley.org, cable access station, and the newspapers for periodic updates to residents on this project
If you have any questions or concerns pertaining to this project, contact the DPW at 538-5033,
The next Municipal Update will be on or about November 16, 2005. Thanks for reading!
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