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Local resident to manage town course By Diana Bowley, Of the NEWS Staff - DEXTER - The management of the Dexter Municipal Golf Course was changed officially on Thursday when the Town Council approved a three-year operating agreement with a private contractor. For the past few years, the golf course operated as a municipal department with a manager who was on the town payroll and with maintenance provided by the town. After Dexter Shoe Co. closed and membership declined, however, the council reassessed its operation, choosing instead to contract out the management, maintenance and operation of the course. "The primary goal of this undertaking is to ensure that a well-managed and maintained public golf course is provided to the residents and visitors to the region, while at the same time minimizing the financial burden to the taxpayers," Town Manager Robert Simpson said. As the contractor, Jim Costedio of Dexter will receive all fees collected at the course, and he will manage and pay course employees. He also will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the course. The town will spend about $15,000-$25,000 a year at the town-owned course, Simpson said Thursday. The town's responsibilities will include building maintenance and repairs, snow removal, course repairs from vandalism or weather, providing equipment, property and casualty insurance coverage, and materials to upgrade or maintain the course. In other business, 13 tax-acquired properties were reviewed by the council on Thursday for action. In most cases, the council provided the former property owners 30 days to pay the outstanding taxes to reclaim the property. If there is no response, the town will advertise the property. The town hall now will become the town's permanent polling place now that Dexter Day Care no longer is operating in the building. "The biggest advantage will be the fact that the town will no longer have to depend on an outside agency's cooperation for providing a polling location," Simpson said. Residents of the town used to vote at the local armory until a new ruling prohibited it. Voting then alternated between the VFW hall and the council chambers. Simpson also announced the town had received an $8,750 Gateway grant to construct a 16-by-24-foot gazebo in Wayside Park. The community project will cost about $13,000, some of which will be in-kind service. |
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