By an overwhelming majority certificate share holders
(members) of the Twin Village Golf Club (TVGC) have voted 63-6 in favor of the
Open Space Institute's (OSI) proposal to purchase from the club an easement
which requires that the course will remain a golf course in perpetuity (forever)
and will never be developed for other uses.
If the club ever ceases to be a golf course it will remain forever
an open and undeveloped space.
Certificate members were mailed a letter and a ballot on August 16
asking that the ballot be returned by mid October.
The letter pointed out that members know that the club "has had
increasing difficulty in the past few years making ends meet" and countless
volunteer hours from board and regular members in running fund-raisers and
tournaments along with other activities have been the deciding factors in
keeping the budget positive.
Dwindling membership and course play due to poor economy times
were becoming major management topics among owners and operators of this small
nine-hole golf courses and this prompted the TVGC to explore the $188,500
conservation easement offer from OSI.
OSI protects scenic, natural and historic landscapes to ensure
public enjoyment, conserve habitats and to sustain community character and
achieves its goals through land acquisition, conservation easements, regional
loan programs, fiscal sponsorship, creative partnerships and analytical
research.
OCI's work in New York is accomplished through a permanent fund
from Lila Acheson and DeWitt Wallace endowment in 2001.
All of OSI's work is directed by a consistent conservation strategy
that emphasizes permanent protection on a landscape-level scale and the program
since its inception in 2000 has made more than 70 loans and grants for nearly
$80 million to protect 1.6 million acres valued at over $530
million.
Under the proposed environmental easement TVGC would not be able to
develop the land or sub-divide it and they would be able to continue as a golf
course, ownership would not change, no fracking would be allowed, the club house
building could be expanded up to a total of 3,000 square feet, additions could
be made to the maintenance shop building, a golf cart protection shelter could
be added to the course and there would be no restrictions as to what the club
does within the club house.
The 29-acre nine-hole 2,045 yard par 32 TVGC is presently appraised
at $400,000 and would receive from OSI the total sum of approximately $188,000
but after paying taxes the total figure would be approximately $141,000. TVGC
could opt to received payments over a five-year period of about $32,000 per
year.
Board of Governors treasurer Chuck Husson pointed out that the
$32,000 per year for five years would help the club purchase needed maintenance
equipment, help with club house improvements, add new sand and upgrade the sand
traps and allow the purchase of additional golf carts. He added that the only
way the club has been able to stay out of the red is money received from the
annual year-end fund raiser but that there was never enough funds to make needed
club improvements. He added that the club could not continue to depend on the
end of the year fund raiser to keep it out of the red.
Husson said that with the easement the club could make needed
improvements and be financially sound for at least 10 years.
At a June 24 informational meeting 24 certificate members attended
with 18 voting in favor of exploring the offer from OSI and agreed that
consideration should be given to hiring an attorney with environmental easement
legal background to examine the OSI easement proposal.
The clubs Board of Governors at that time agreed to send a ballot
to all certificate members. Club rules required a two-thirds
majority.
OSI will now conduct a survey of the property that will determine
the specifics of the easement and the TVGC has obtained a lawyer who will review
the proposal protecting the interest of the golf club.
No definite time table has been set as to when this easement will
go into effect.
The present Board of Governors who will oversee this proposal
include Mary Austin, Dan Baldo, Treasurer Chuck Husson, Chuck Husson Jr., Vice
President Ralph Kirchner, Secretary Bill Knipscher, Frank McGreevy, President
Ron Schulte and Sally Shea.
Identification of above photo
The present Roscoe Twin Village Golf Club clubhouse could be expanded
and improved under the Open Space Institute easement proposal. Construction of a
golf cart shed and improvements and expansion of the club's maintenance facility
would also be approved under the easement proposal.
No comments:
Post a Comment