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Weatherwax Employee Disappointed |
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Posted: Nov 25 2015 at 10:46am |
Posted: 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015 Employee disappointed Weatherwax sale imminent
By Rick McCrabb Staff Writer A
longtime employee at Weatherwax Golf Course recently attended a MetroParks of
Butler County board meeting on a “fact-finding mission.” He
didn’t like what he learned. Don
Hartness, a vocal advocate for Weatherwax, spoke to Kelly Barkley, senior
manager of community relations for MetroParks, then addressed the board during
its meeting last week. During public comments, Hartness called Weatherwax “a
gem in “What
resources do I have to stop this from happening?” Hartness asked the board
about the pending sale. While
board members said they were disappointed the City of Ed
Dwyer, board vice president, told Hartness the “last thing” the board wanted
was to shut down Weatherwax. But if the property was sold, he said, the board
wanted to seek the “next best use.” In
February 2014, the city received two offers for the golf course: $1.6 million
from Bowling, and $225,000 from MiddCities in Board
president Greg Amend said the city was losing $300,000 a year operating Weatherwax,
though it was paying $225,000 a year on a bond it used for major renovations in
1996. Funds
to purchase the land are coming from Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national
non-profit organization. Barkley said the Clean Ohio Fund was providing $2.3 million
for the purchase and that the federal Land/Water Conservation Fund was
providing $90,000 for restoration work to return the property to its natural
habitat. She said the MetroParks general fund would be contributing $10,000
toward the acquisition. No
financial terms of the agreement between Bowling and the buyer have been
announced, though board members agreed Bowling probably would make a
significant profit from his $1.6 million investment. The
grant funding used by MetroParks to purchase the land is only for passive
recreational purposes, and operating a golf course doesn’t fit that criteria,
the board members said. They said the property will provide opportunities for
thousands of Barkley
said after MetroParks takes ownership of the property, probably in December
2016, and after planned natural habitat restoration is complete, master
planning sessions will occur through a public process to determine what the
detailed usage plans will be on the newly combined Elk Creek MetroPark. But it
won’t be a golf course, board members stressed. Amend
said eventually Bowling will sell the golf carts and maintenance equipment. As
Hartness walked to his car, he shook his head. “This
is disappointing,” he said. “I guess there’s nothing I can do.” |
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Upper90
MUSA Resident Joined: May 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 73 |
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I hate this too but it is just a fact, a 36 hole golf course in that location in 2015 is not a viable business operation. When AK had 6,000 workers and Sorg et al were full steam ahead and the Manchester was open yada yada, sure, viable business. I remember weekends in the 1980's where it was laughable if you thought you were just showing up to play without a tee time. So if it is going to close, do you want a multi purpose park that everyone can use or potentially a gazillion homes on small lots or even apartments that put a strain on the roads, schools etc. I vote for the park if I can't have the course. No brainer. I am sorry for the workers there, rest assured that those of us that played there appreciated your work and the fun and challenging course.
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Here's the thing:
It's TAXPAYER's MONEY that will be used to buy this land at a profit, when it was owned by the taxpayers in the first place!!! |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Just another debacle by City Hall like the Thatcher Estate while others get rich...mercy
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Neil Barille
MUSA Resident Joined: Jul 07 2010 Status: Offline Points: 238 |
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Middletown getting the shaft again, no thanks to the county. This wouldn't have happened to Hamilton.
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John Beagle
MUSA Official Joined: Apr 23 2007 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1855 |
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I believe that is the very thing that grinds me. Why can't government be more responsible with public money. For shame.
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