Davidson town council has decided to donate $1,500 to the Davidson Golf Course this spring in an effort to help them cover their yearly operating expenses.
Davidson Mayor Clayton Schneider said the decision to help the course is unanimous among council members because they “all feel around the table” that the course is important to the town as a great service for resident’s recreation needs. Council reached this decision last Tuesday after a presentation by two members of the golf course executive at town council’s monthly meeting.
“They are trying to make up the difference for their extra costs, so they’re asking for help and we’d like to help them any way we can,” said Schneider. “This is important to us.”
Cliff Cross, president of the Davidson Golf Course board of executives, said he and golf course board member Ryan Shaw approached the town for funding due to their annual tax bill of $9,600. He said this bill is close to $5,000 more than what they used to pay in taxes thus putting them $5,000 in the hole with operating costs for the course.
This $9,600 bill is split with $3,000 in municipal taxes being paid to the Rural Municipality of Willner and $6,600 paid in annual school tax.
The course was originally facing $10,000 in annual municipal taxes to the RM on top of the school tax due to its classification as a commercial course, but an agreement between the RM and the course last month lowered these costs to the current bill with the course having to find ways themselves to make up the difference.
“We were asked by the (RM of Willner) to see if we could get funds from other existing organizations that use the golf course like other RMs, the town of Davidson and so on,” said Cross. “We got $1,000 from (the RM of McCraney) and now the town has given us $1,500.”
Cross said the course currently holds two fund-raisers during the year, but would try to hold a third one this year to try and make up the difference in expenses. He said as of now that has not been put in place yet.
Schneider said this $1,500 donation to the course is for this year only, but ongoing support “would be definitely looked at” if necessary. He said the town is also prepared to help the golf executives on their fund-raiser plan to try and raise more support for the course.
“It was mentioned (during council meeting) for fund-raising that they want to do some fund-raising,” he said. “The town would be willing to work with them on that.”