HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-02-1986 Joint Public HearingA joint public hearing was held by the City Council/ Recreation Board
on October 2, 1986, at 7:00 P.M., Council Chamber, 161 N. Section St.
Present: Mayor James P. Nix; Councilmembers Mike Ford,
Jeanette Puckett, Roy White, Barney Shull
Recreation Board members: Barney Shull, Chairman;
members Roy Lloyd, Rae Jackson, Al Johnson
The Mayor stated the purpose of the meeting tonight being to give
the citizens of Fairhope an opportunity to express opinion as to whether or
not they wanted the City to pursue a chance to possibly get the
property to build a golf course. He said Barney would tell all 100
present what steps the Recreation Board has taken so far. Barney
explained to all present the programs and facilities the Recreation Board
has and services offered by all. He then told all where the money
comes from for the Recreation Board, the cigarette and beer tax .
He told them that projects of the future should be self-supporting
and golf definitely fell into self-supporting facility. He told of courses
in area and closest being Gulf Shores or Bay Minette. He cited a
survey that said we needed at least 40,000 patrons to support the.
golf course and that we had at least that. He told them that we
had a site and where it was located and that we wished to purchase
200 acres and that the extra acreage would be for future tennis courts,
softball fields, soccer fields, playground areas. He showed the concept
plans we have come up with so far. He went over cost of construction
and what projected as revenue for Ist year. He went over the steps
took up to this point and how he arrived at his figures. That now we
were looking for input from the public before making a recommendation
to the City Council as to whether or not we wished them to proceed in
obtaining money for buying land. He called for questions from the
audience and they ranged from buying carts or leasing, to annexing
the land, green fees cost, and having special memberships. After all
questions answere satisfactorily Mayor Nix told people present that
in order to purchase the land the City would in fact have to go out
on a bond issue, that he just wanted them to know this up front,
probably general obligation bonds. Final comments from audience
were theywere in favor of building course, let's get on with it.
There was no action taken at this meeting, Recreation Board will
recommend to City Council at October 13, 1986 meeting whether
or not they wish to proceed.