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Regular Session 1941 <br />December 6, 2004 <br /> <br />City Council action on these issues has been held over from the October 11, 2004, <br />meeting in order to allow members of Council full opportunity to review, study, tour and <br />get questions answered. City Councilmembers also requested a separate vote on the <br />new teaching facility prior to consideration of the full plan. If such consideration is <br />positive, then the City Manager recommended approval of the full plan so that we can <br />move ahead during the off season with implementation. <br /> <br />Mr. Ollendorff said this item is moot at this time in light of not approving the "teaching <br />center/driving range", so no action is in order at this time, but it is the prerogative of the <br />Council to decide. <br /> <br />Ms. Brot said improvements are needed at the golf course, for example drainage <br />repairs. Then she asked if golf cart paths could be repaired without the driving range <br />and was advised there is no revenue to pay for it. Ms. Brot commented that the golf <br />course appeared to pay its own way and asked if a revenue bond in the future could be <br />considered for making these needed repairs? Mr. Ollendorff said this suggestion could <br />be studied. Mr. Ollendorff said suggestions for improving the golf course could be <br />referred to the Park Commission. <br /> <br />Mr. Wagner said it was a "revelation" to learn that what "has been called the Master <br />Plan for Ruth Park" depends entirely upon passing funding for the driving range. He <br />suggested that this is a misnomer when the "whole idea is to have a driving range <br />integrated into Ruth Park." He supports completely the Master Plan for the park which <br />includes improvements for all parts of the park, not only the golf course, and he would <br />still like to see the Master Plan for Ruth Park which is not pivoting upon the addition of a <br />driving range. He said there must be other ways to provide funding for maintenance of <br />"our historic golf course." He asked Mr. Ollendorff to return to the Council with ideas <br />about how to fund this. <br /> <br />Ms. Brungardt said she was involved with Forest Park Forever since its inception and <br />maintained an informed relationship and a membership with them, observing first-hand <br />discussion and decisions for fund-raising in that organization and the management of an <br />exceptional overhaul of the golf course in Forest Park. She regards Ruth Park as much <br />of a "gem" as the golf course in Forest Park and wants to see its improvements <br />managed in a fiscally responsible way and one which respects the history and integrity <br />of Ruth Park golf course. <br /> <br />Mayor Adams stated his recollection of attending meetings at the Park Commission <br />where this issue was discussed, the teaching facility/driving range was considered one <br />of the ways to generate revenue for improvements cited in the Master Plan. He <br />regarded this as an integral part of the Master Plan and he regrets that other <br />Councilmembers were not cognizant of the fact or did not recognize it in the materials <br />presented to them. <br /> <br />Page 10 <br /> <br /> <br />