Proposed S.L. cutbacks irk golf course workers
Despite fee hikes, 14 jobs would shift to seasonal
Now, if Mayor Rocky Anderson's proposed budget is approved, his job will become seasonal again.
"It feels terrible," Nielsen said. "I put in all these years with the city with that carrot at the end of the stick. It's a pretty hard pill to swallow."
The mayor's proposal would shift 14 full-time positions, including all 10 city groundskeepers, to seasonal jobs. City officials estimate the change would save the golf fund $364,624 annually in salaries and benefits. The plan also calls for $1 to $1.50 increases in green fees for nine-hole rounds at three of the city's eight courses starting in January 2007, bringing in about $70,000 more annually. The changes would affect the Forest Dale, Mountain Dell and Bonneville courses.
The proposals come as the City Council is in the process of hashing out the city's 2006-07 budget. The city's golf system receives no money from taxes. Instead, it runs entirely off the money it brings in from green fees, cart rentals, pro-shop merchandise sales and other revenue.
In addition to the new fees, the mayor's plan resurrects season passes for the courses. The passes were done away with several years ago, but season pass holders ended up going to other courses where they could still buy passes.
Under the new plan, several kinds of passes could be purchased, some limited on days of use and courses available, with more expensive, less-limited passes available. Under the old system only one pass was available, a Monday-through-Thursday pass good at every city course.
The fee increases don't seem to be raising the ire of too many golfers. Most approached by the Deseret Morning News on Wednesday said they would continue to use the city's courses even if prices rise.
"What's a couple bucks?" Scott Peters said after golfing Bonneville's back 9. "It's still better than a private course."
But the proposed staffing changes aren't being as well received. Nielsen said in addition to the hit he and the other employees would take, the change would "absolutely, no doubt about it" impact the courses' quality. Seasonal workers, he said, won't always be as dedicated as full-timers.
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