Sartell Delays Vote On Golf Course Sale

(KNSI) – The potential Pine Ridge Golf Course sale caused a deep rift among the Sartell City Council, with the group voting to table the issue for two more weeks by a margin of 4-1 on Monday.

One of the supporters of accepting a purchase agreement with Three Tees LLC was Councilwoman Jill Smith. She says Sartell takes the lease revenue from operator Boulder Ridge and earmarks it for the Scheels Athletic Complex, leaving the city unprepared to fund improvements to the property.

“Since inception, the lease proceeds from the golf course have passed through the city to fund other projects. So, there’s never been any financial planning done to ensure the golf course can be operated into the future.”

The facility will need a new parking lot soon, as well as an irrigation system and the clubhouse does not currently meet building codes. City staff says it thinks the work could cost as much as $400,000 to complete.

Smith says she believes the purchase offer of roughly $425,000 for the 81-acre course is reasonable.

“Obviously, if we were to turn that property into something else the appraised value would be different. We committed as a council that we wanted to ensure we maintain that land as a golf course. For me personally, and from what I’ve heard from community residents, that golf course is a treasure for our children.”

Smith says golf in Minnesota means income for only about six months out of the year. Another potential problem for the land is that it is prone to flooding. It has spent much of the spring underwater. The proposed agreement is designed to keep the property a golf course for at least 30 years.

Mayor Ryan Fitzthum says he is looking for more information regarding a potential alternative to the two options city staff presented. He says it is more than a choice between signing an agreement with Three Tees LLC or preparing to raise taxes to help fund necessary repairs.

“There’s a third option, there. The third option would be to continue with the existing operator. We have a lease agreement in place today that covers the city that exists until 2033.”

Fitzthum says if they keep the deal, that would give Sartell 10 years to prepare to go it alone in running the nine-hole course, if necessary. Fitzthum says representatives with Boulder Ridge say they have lost money on the lease agreement overall, only becoming profitable on a consistent basis in recent years.

Another concern that Fitzthum has is the purchase agreement presented Monday by staff differs from what had been previously discussed.

“We would actually cancel the current operating lease in November, November 15th. Yet we wouldn’t close on the property until January and I don’t have clarity as to why January and not close now. Again, another question that will be brought forward.”

Fitzthum also wants to see more diligence done on the estimated cost for needed repairs at the course.

Two former mayors and several ex-council members penned a letter to the current group urging them to vote no. Fitzthum says he was persuaded by the note to make sure the group takes its time when deciding the issue.

___