WPCNR SOUTH END TIMES. By John F. Bailey. October 26,2010 UPDATED 2:14: A.M. E.D.T. October 27, 2010 KEY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SHOWN:
A city management team of Albert Moroni, Acting Commissioner of Parks and Recreation and Commissioner of Parking, Michael Genito, Commissioner of Finance and Mayor’s Chief of Staff John Callahan, with Mr. Moroni presenting, introduced an overflow Council Chamber to “conceptual” plans for a city acquisition of Ridgeway Country Club and transform it into a public recreation facility last night.
A set of financials provided the media show the city covering all debt service and expenses and breaking even in 2013 on revenues of $4.5 Million.
The Common Council may be presented with a resolution to vote on whether or not to authorize the Mayor to make an offer for the club may come at any time, according to Mayor Adam Bradley. Bradley told WPCNR “time was of the essence,” to make an offer to the club. The approximate amount of possible bonding for purchase of the club and improvements was not disclosed in the presentation.
The new Ridgeway Conceptual Plan — presented the Council October 4.Shown last night. New pools are shown in center of picture. New parking slightly left of clubhouse. New 11th green would be located on present driving range, Upper left.
The city plan for the club, as reported previously by the CitizeNetReporter October 5, expands club appeal to the general public by constructing a new lap pool, a wading pool and waterplay facility, and constructing additional parking to raise the parking capacity of the club to 350 parking spaces from the present 180.
The parking would be placed on the existing 11th hole green and on the abandoned tennis court closest Ridgeway Avenue. Pools would be created on the interior of the club where the back parking lot is now located. The city would hire 54 employees to run the club.
A 36-page financial report distributed to the media after the meeting and prepared for the city by Greenwich Golf Group of Fairfield Connecticut shows the city projected to cover annual operating expenses and all debt service in connection with acquiring the club in the year 2013. The actual amount of the loan the city envisions for the property is not disclosed in the Golf Group report.
Councilman David Buchwald after the presentation, questioned Mr.Genito on when finances would be made available to the general public. Mr. Genito referred that question to the Mayor. Mr. Buchwald pressed the Mayor as to when the information would be available. The Mayor said he would have the financial report placed on the city website Wednesday.
The report was distributed to the media on request after the meeting ended at 9:20 P.M.
The Outlook: City Breaks Even in 2013–
According to the report, Debt service to acquire the club is estimated at $1.1 Million a year; city expenses of operating the club $3.3 Million a year; Operating Income at $4.47 Million a year. Concessions of the club are planned to be contracted out for roughly $250,000 a year. (This appears to include banquet facility and snack bars.) It is unclear whether the city will also obtain a cut of the profits from concessions.
The consulting group estimates 33,906 rounds of golf will be played at the club in a typical year as a public course with 75% by residents.
Annual Memberships for White Plain Residents for Golf are set at $2,000, non-residents,$5,500. Annual Golf-Tennis-Pool Memberships are seen as costin $3,500 for White Plains residents and $6,000 for non-residents.
Greens fees are placed for residents are at $65 weekends in A.M.; $50,weekend afternoons,and non-residents, $85. In the afternoon on weekends, the fees lower to $50 and $75.
During the week, AM $55 and $75 and respectively and $40 and $60 in the afternoon.
There is no comparison on first reading, as to how many rounds of golf are played now at Ridgeway as a private club.
(Membership was said to be down to 100 members by a former President of the golf club who spoke last night. If they played three times a week for 10 months, 40 weeks would only play 12,000 rounds means the rounds would virtually triple according to the Grenwich Golf Group figures.)
The Mayor told WPCNR that the council would be asked to make a decision soon on whether the city would make an offer on the club.
Councilman Buchwald told WPCNR the Mayor could ask the council for approval to make the offer with a 4 to 3 majority required, and make the super majority decision (requiring a 5 to 2 vote) at a different date.
Asked if the council would be presented with a resolution to authorize a bona fide offer for the club at the November 1 (Monday) Council meeting, the Mayor did not rule it out and said that “time was of the essence.”
No offer yet. No deadline.
John Callahan, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff said the city has not made an offer. Asked if the country club management had given the city a deadline to make an offer, Callahan said the city had not. The Mayor chimed in, saying, again, “time is of the essence.”
8-10-5 Division of Comments.
In the one hour and 40 minute public hearing which included Mr. Moroni’s 15-minute presentation, 29 people had signed up to speak. Unofficially, WPCNR finds that eight spoke strongly in favor of the city buying the club, 10 spoke strongly against purchasing the club, maintaining it either should be continued as a private club with another entity buying it, with no development. Five persons maintained neutral positions, depending how the city numbers.
In the presentation, Mr. Moroni did not state how much the city intended to borrow. He described the opportunity as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This was also echoed by former city Commissioner of Planning, Ed Steinberg.
Jack Harrington, longtime advocate of open space, surprised all by speaking in favor it appeared of buying the club as an opportunity to secure open space outright.
Robert Stackpole, who a few weeks ago seemed strongly against the city acquiring the club, took a position that the city had carefully weigh the financial details of how it acquired the club. He did not speak out one way or another.
Many neighbors of the club spoke strongly in favor of keeping it as a club with no expansion. Terence Guerriere, President of the Gedney Farms Association, said his neighbors would not support expansion of the club and that “was not acceptable.”
Dan Seidel, who lives on
Other residents spoke of their concern for flooding the town of
After Mr. Moroni’s presentation, Council President Thomas Roach turned to the audience, saying, “No decision has been by the Common Council” on the project. Councilperson Milagros Lecouna also said that financials had just been received by the Common Council.
After the meeting, WPCNR learned from the Mayor that the impression given by the statement on the financials that the council just received the financials was misleading.
Mayor Bradley said the council had the financials prior to the Council meeting. He said it “irritated him” when the council says they do not have things, “when they have them.”
One council member, speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed to WPCNR that they received the financials (provided the press) three days ago (providing time for review). The council also heard extensively about the city plans for acquiring the club, the Mayor said, very prior to the meeting.
WPCNR recalls observing charts showing the plans for the pools and parking lots (shown last night), on display October 4 in the Mayor’s Executive Conference Room when an Executive Session was called to discuss the possibility of the sale of land.
For 22 Days, the Common Council has not taken any positions on whether the acquisition of the club by the city should be undertaken or not.
