By Betsy Finklea
The City of Dillon Municipal Golf Course was discussed at the Dillon City Council meeting recently.
Councilman Johnny Eller brought up the golf course during council member reports. He began by questioning whether $8,600 had been transferred from the hospitality fund to the golf course this month to offset costs. He was told it had been. As of June 30, $80,936.59 had been transferrd to the golf course from the hospitality fund. Eller said the golf course is “sucking the hospitality fund dry.”
Eller said he thought they needed to go back and re-evaluate. “How many hundreds of thousands of dollars are we going to throw at the golf course?,” Eller asked. Eller said he was tired of beating the issue up. He said he would like to have some money for the parks. Mayor Todd Davis said they were getting $20,000 for the parks in PARD (Parks and Recreation) money. Eller said $20,000 would not buy a merry-go-round. He said they need money for the parks.
Eller asked how much had been spent in advertising for the golf course.
Eller said he didn’t understand why other council members don’t bring this up. He said he guessed they were okay with it.
Wallace said several years ago they committed to improving the standard of living. He said they need to be “prudent” in how they use the funds. He said they don’t accumulate funds. Wallace said they are in the business of giving a good life.
Wallace said Eller should go out there on a Sunday afternoon and see the people playing golf, people in the pool, people fishing, and music playing.
Wallace said if you take away the golf course, you are stepping back. “It will be the first nail in the coffin of this town,” he said.
Eller said about two percent of the people are served by the golf course, and 98 percent can’t afford to play golf.
Wallace said it was 15 bucks to play. Eller said he can’t afford to play.
Eller said at Harmon Park, for example, the tennis courts look terrible. He said the parks need to be upgraded. He suggested putting in an area where families can have cookouts, etc.
Eller said the golf course serves a “select group.”
Davis said the council had a plan for the golf course, and Eller wanted to exit 12 months in.
