Minutes of the Golf Advisory Board
March 5, 2012
Chairman B. Conzemius called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm. Board Members present were Boyd Conzemius, John Knox representing the OMGA and Jennifer Stalley representing the HLGA. Absent were Bill Olander, Richard Schoessler, Craig Smith and Carin Hayn. Also attending were Commissioner Jeanne Goodman and Director Tom Farnsworth. There were three guests.
A quorum of board members was not present. Chairman Conzemius said reports and updates will be given but no official voting would take place. The minutes of the previous meeting, agenda and supporting documents were handed out to the board members and guests.
Conzemius introduced former City Commissioner Larry Weiss who presented a document to the board and guests outlining a new City project called Cities of Service. This program was started in New York and major metro areas in 2009 and expanded to smaller communities in 2010. Mayor Gill signed an agreement with Cities of Service and AARP in September of 2011 for Pierre to be a participating City and appointed Weiss to be the project service officer. Having signed on, AARP provides the City of Pierre with $5,000.00 as a recognition award for participating. The objective of the project/plan is to have an impact on volunteerism in the City. City staff member Scott Carbonneau assisted with the plan development. The final plan was agreed to by a citizen group convened to study ideas. Weiss explained the plan is to plant a minimum of 200 trees and renovate 100 acres of green space of our public land. The plan is also to train fifteen individuals as tree planting and care specialists with each to involve three more volunteers for a total of forty-five. Weiss encouraged the board to ask the golfing public to assist, be trained and help re-plant over 220 trees on the golf course this spring. The AARP funds plus other funds will be used to purchase trees and provide training. Target date for re-planting at the golf course is April 28 from 9:00 am to Noon. More information on the training dates will be forthcoming. Board members liked the idea and said they would ask for volunteers and felt they could get enough golfers to help out. Farnsworth stated this willingness to volunteer and help replant trees would be a great service to the course and to the staff trying to do the many other things to be done at this time of year. Farnsworth said Heymans and his staff will have some of the ground prep work done in advance of the planting. Weiss said plantings will continue in the fall and into 2013 as staff monitor trees and expect more to be removed. Other areas of the City will also have trees planted as part of this program. Conzemius thanked Weiss for the information.
Director Farnsworth updated the board on the golf manager position and stated the City is in negotiations with Carin Hayn to be the new PGA professional at Hillsview.
The board held a discussion on cart storage fees and the three board members present said, due to the flood, the cart storage fees for 2012 should remain the same as they were in 2011. Commissioner Goodman and Director Farnsworth will take this recommendation under advisement and send billing statements out to the customers with carts in the sheds.
The board discussed the summer youth golf program. John Knox said he is willing to assist with the second session youth golf program if needed. This typically starts around July 9 and runs for four weeks. It was thought by then the turf on the driving range would be recovered where it could be used in addition to the practice green areas. Knox also said he will be working with Heymans to determine areas that can be used for the girl’s golf team that begins practice next week.
Director Farnsworth told the board donations to the golf course recovery fund is at $4,900.00 and these funds would be used to help purchase trees for the course. Next Golf Advisory Board Meeting is April 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the clubhouse.
Meeting was adjourned at 6:30 PM
Respectively submitted,
Tom Farnsworth