March 24/04 Report
9:30 pm

Meeting called to order at 9:34 a.m.

Present.

• Pearson
• McHattie
• Morelli
• Jackson
• McCarthy
• Whitehead
• Mitchell
• Powers
• Collins (arrived at 9:55)
  
• Principal staff person present: Bill Fenwick

1. MOTION TO GRANT DELEGATION STATUS TO LES HANSEN ON BEHALF OF A LOCAL "GOLF MANAGEMNT GROUP" AND ITS PARTNER TOTAL GOLF MANAGEMENT INC., WHICH OPERATES ROCKWOOD PARK GOLF COURSE IN SAINT JOHN, N.B. PASSED.

Principals: Les Hansen, Gerry Connolly, President, Total Golf Management Corp., "two local businessmen" and as a consultant Jim Connolly, a "highly respected golf professional" and Canadian Professional Golf Association (CPGA) past president.

They want to enter into a public-private partnership with city to manage its three municipally-run golf courses. They cite the municipal course in Saint John as an example of the benefits of a public-private partnership. Hansen, who gave the presentation, said use of the Saint John course had increased by 30 percent since TGMI became involved in 1995. He said some $700,000 capital improvements had been made to course since TGMI became involved.

Questions:

Councillor McHattie wanted a " sense of before and after" the partnership at the Saint John Course. How did it affect the fee structure, the membership numbers, the overall costs? And how much of the $700,000 came from TGMI? Hansen did not answer with specifics, except to say that during the first three years of the partnership TGMI had contributed $45,000 each year and the city of Saint John "had the opportunity to match" this amount. He said all increases in fees had to go through the city council.

McHattie, whose ward includes the Chedoke golf course and ski hill, asked Hansen if his group were interested in running the ski hill. He replied that they had no expertise in running a ski hill but would consider acquiring such expertise if they become involved with the city.

Councillor Whitehead wanted to know the salary range of employees at the Saint John golf club. Hansen could not answer this question. Coun. Whitehead asked about unionized workers at the same course and was told that they had been moved to "other city departments" in the transition to the public-private partnership.

Comments:

Councillor Powers : Said he didn't think the Council was "inclined" to accept such a proposal for a public-private partnership for its golf courses. He added that the Council had received from the Hamilton Regional Conservation Authority a "fair and equitable" proposal to take over management of the city's golf courses, including the ski hill at Chedoke.

Passed without discussion:

5.1 "That authorization be granted to transfer $115,961.66 to the Dundurn Castle Historic Landscape restoration Capital Account.from the Reserves for Various Museums -Dundurn Restoration.."

8.1 "That a 3% increase in Hamilton farmers' Market stall fees ($7.30 per stall) be authorized; and
That this increase be used for the purposed of advertising the Hamilton Farmers' Market under the direction of the Market Supervisor in consultation with the Hamilton Farmers' Market Stallholder's Association."

8.2 "That the Status Report with regards to the possible partnership with the YMCA at the South Mountain/Turner Park site, dated February 12, 2004 be received for information."

Adjournment: 10:30 (approx)