City to own golf course

SANDUSKY — Officials needed to pay a sizable green fee to fully acquire a golf course the city oversees. During Monday's public meeting, city commissioners executed a purchase agreement — known as a "negotiated price," totaling $365,000 in local funds — with the Catholic Diocese of Toledo to buy out a lease impacting Mills Creek Golf Course. The city could spend an additional $15,000 on closing costs. After the diocese authorizes this deal, officials believe Sandusky can outright own all of Mills Creek Golf Course by May 31. The diocese possesses land overlapping holes three through seven on this nine-hole course. "While it may have once been a good deal for the city, the rent escalators have made this an expensive proposition," said city commissioner Dennis Murray Jr., who stressed he's long been concerned with this issue. Since 1999, the city's annual payments equaled about $35,000 in public funds. "Combine that with the fact that we did not have long-term site control, and it means that Mills Creek's future has always been in jeopardy, and it has limited what we can reasonably invest in the property," Murray added. "This purchase agreement obviously addresses both concerns." Mills Creek Golf Course officially opens for the summer season on April 1. Details on the deal Jonathan Holody, the city's community development director, touted the agreement's many advantages. "The purchase of this property will result in long-term cost savings for the city," Holody said. "It will also provide the city with the certainty of knowing that we own and control the golf course. That will put us in a better position to do capital improvements going forward." Holody offered up some more insight: • The negotiated price: "The negotiated price is the purchase price that has been agreed upon by the city and supported by Diocese staff for the 35 acres of leased land. The money is coming from the city's capital and recreation funds." — Note: The diocese intends to spend this money on sprucing up two cemeteries it owns in Sandusky. • The land: "The city leases roughly 35 acres of land for portions of holes three through seven from the Catholic church, which also owns the adjacent cemetery." — Note: Mills Creek Golf Course totals about 75 acres. The city already owned about 40 acres. • The history: "The city originally purchased the land it currently owns at Mills Creek in 1938. As far as our records show, the city has leased the adjacent 35 acres from the church since the 1940s. We have records of formal lease agreements that took place in 1979, 1984 and 1993 as well as the current lease which dates to 1999." • The payments: "Since 1999, the city has paid nearly $600,000 in rent payments for the leased land." • The timing: "Now is the right time for the city to purchase this property because the current lease is set to expire in May 2024, which could create uncertainty about the future of the golf course." • The benefit: "Owning the entire site provides stability for the golf course and certainty for the city. Once the land is purchased, the city will no longer need to make yearly lease payments, thereby saving the city money in the long run. Ownership also gives the city a better opportunity to make capital investments at the golf course." • The golfers: "There won't be any immediate changes that players will notice, however, in the longer term, owning the entirety of the golf course will allow the city to be comfortable with making comprehensive upgrades to the golf course. Mills Creek is an important city asset, and we want to ensure that it is well maintained into the future." Sounding off Several people taking part in this deal commented on its importance: • Sandusky ex officio mayor Dick Brady: We have negotiated a fair price for the purchase of this land that will now allow our city to both retain Mills Creek as a golf course as well as make much-needed improvements to this facility. Not many cities our size have a municipal golf course. This purchase ensures future generations of our residents the opportunity to continue a storied tradition while enjoying a round of golf. • The Rev. Monte Hoyles, pastor of the Catholic Parishes of Sandusky and director of the Catholic Cemeteries of Sandusky: For decades, the Catholic Cemeteries of Sandusky has had a great working relationship with the city of Sandusky. These years of neighborly cooperation have led us toward this transaction, which, we believe, will be of trust benefit for both our citizens and parishioners for many years to come. • Sandusky city commissioner Dave Waddington, who serves as the board's recreation department liaison and regularly golfs at this course: Mills Golf Course has always been known as the working man's course. I'm excited to see that Sandusky High School along with St. Mary Central Catholic will practice and have home events this coming season. Mills holds several golf outings along with city tournaments.