Residents speak out on future of Thunder Bayou

City officials held a public forum Thursday at the Blytheville High School Auditorium regarding the future of Thunder Bayou Golf Links with approximately 175 people in attendance. Mayor James Sanders presented his plan for repurposing the facility and then all that wished to address the gathering were allowed to speak. The entire meeting lasted about 90 minutes. Sanders' administrative assistant, J.T. Harris, moderated the forum.

"The purpose of this meeting, this public forum, is so that Mayor Sanders can present the plans regarding the repurposing of Thunder Bayou Golf Course. I would like to reiterate that this decision to be allowed to repurpose the golf course into a multi-faceted city park does not lie with our city officials. That decision is going to be made by the National Park Service," Harris said to open the meeting.

The entire public forum was scheduled to last "about an hour" with every person being given a packet that included the purpose, plan, rationale and critical assertions by the Mayor's Office regarding the repurposing as well as a diagram of the proposed park and a copy of Harris' business card.

Attendees were told speakers would be given two minutes to speak. Otherwise "written comments/questions can be submitted to J.T. Harris via email, mailed or dropped off at the Mayor's Office. All comments will be forwarded to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism."

Harris also pledged to all that send emails that he will "C.C." them when he forwards it to the state officials. "That way there will be no question as to whether your information is being forwarded to the state," he said.

Harris also prefaced the meeting by asking that speakers be respectful of others and said that the purpose of the evening was not a debate.

Mayor Sanders began his presentation by saying, "The reason for this is because the State of Arkansas has informed us that in order to repurpose any park that has used federal funding, we must hold a meeting to allow the public to be engaged and involved [in the process]... my reason for my wanting to repurpose it is a financial reason and not some emotional type deal."

Sanders said that he has been warning about finances and needed changes at Thunder Bayou since 2014. He also said that the public voted for the quarter cent sales tax, which generates approximately $700,000 annually.

"You have to understand that you the public have already voted for and passed a quarter cent sales tax. This quarter cent sales tax generates approximately $700,000 a year and ...when we put the numbers together we saw that there was a deficit of about $201,000. So we had to do something," Sanders added.

Sanders reminded attendees of previous attempts to save money at Thunder Bayou, including speaking with Cornerstone about managing the course for the city.

Sanders explained how the projected revenues for the golf course were computed.

"In looking at the proposed revenues, we took the quarter cent sales tax, along with the actuals of what was brought in by the golf course in that year, along with the money from our pool and also money from the interest on these accounts...we also noted that Thunder Bayou had used approximately 46 percent of that quarter cent sales tax".

Sanders said that a change was required.

"We are in a situation that we must do something to move in a different direction than we are going in...Now we want to maintain the integrity of Thunder Bayou, the ballfields and the entire area out there because Mayor Sanders' opinion of Thunder Bayou is not bad. Mayor Sanders' opinion of Thunder Bayou is that it's a great golf course. But my problem is financially I cannot afford it," Sanders said. "What we must do is come up with a plan to reduce the cost that is actually being spent there. To reduce that cost because I've heard the comments about you're not keeping up the other parks, well 46 percent of the sales tax is going there."

The mayor said his plan maintains the integrity of Thunder Bayou, "the existing parks at Thunder Bayou already have the trails in the them, that's the cart paths...why don't we just utilize what we already have? We have estimated...in the 2017 budget if this happens our estimated amount to take care of Bayou Park or whatever the name will be...is approximately $120,000."

Sanders said not only will it end the budgetary shortfall, but would create a $75,000 surplus which could be invested in other plans such as improving the swimming pool, bathrooms for the soccer fields and others.

"We can't go in and make this change because it's the federal government that has to make this decision. The Parks and Tourism part of the state of Arkansas has instructed us that we must have this meeting so that they can gather information to see what you guys want, so it's not Mayor Sanders is trying to take down Thunder Bayou. Mayor Sanders is trying to save the city's funds of $700,000 and provide a surplus of $75,000 within the Parks and Rec budget and stay within the means of what we are doing right now," the mayor said.

Sanders used visual graphics, the details of his proposed repurposing. The plan would include a splash pad, walking trails, bicycle trails, the baseball fields, pavilions, and more.

"The main thing that we're talking about is just coming together and understanding that there is leakage. There is leakage in our finances, and there is leakage at the golf course and we're losing funds. We need to do something different than we've always done. I think it was Einstein said that to continue to do the same thing and expect a different result is insanity. We can't continue to do the same thing...The funds are just not there," Sanders said.

He also said that if the course is not allowed to be repurposed then the city council will have to go back and find the money and the entire community will lose in the long run.

"Somebody is going to have to give up something in order to make this happen...it's clearly a financial situation that we've found ourselves in, and it will get worse and start affecting other things in the city...it's already affected the Police Department, the Fire Department and our sanitation workers. There are several issues at play here; this is just the one we are dealing with tonight." Sanders said.

Quite a few members of the community spoke and both sides were mostly fairly and passionately represented in the discussion.

Some of the issues brought up by the other speakers included:

-- potential lost revenues for the city and for city businesses as a result of Thunder Bayou's closure;

-- doubts that a new Bayou Park would be properly maintained;

-- concern of whether or not a new Bayou park would spread crime to areas such as the Sportsplex, Westminster and the park;

-- doubts about whether the closure is really for financial reasons;

-- the need for young people to "have something to do" with a few even saying that crime in Blytheville is because young people need something to do and somewhere to go;

-- many argued that the city did not need a sixth city park, especially with the condition the other five area kept in;

-- some insisted that it was not a matter of race, whatsoever, but asked whether the city wanted to continue to throw good money out the window.

-- some expressed that the golf course's survival is critical to recruiting and keeping industry because it demonstrates quality of life and entertainment value;

-- a few suggested consolidation of services, including implementing some of the features such as the splash pad at Walker Park;

-- some expressed their displeasure with cutting police, fire and sanitation jobs while keeping the course open.

William Masterson argued, "The quarter cent tax was voted upon by the citizens of Blytheville to maintain the Sportsplex which consists of the golf course, the soccer fields and the baseball fields...the tax was not designed to fully fund the parks and recreation system as it exists today. The parks, museum, the Ritz were later added with the understanding that even with the revenue generated by the golf course the city would still be liable for some of the budget required to run the parks and rec...[also] no parks system is designed to make money."

Denise Holdaway speaking for herself and for the ESA sorority said, "ESA would like to say we are not for repurposing the golf course." She also lamented the condition of the city's other parks and added, "The kids have parks...but the taxpaying adult citizens need things to do too."

John Mayberry told the audience, "When you look at the numbers $590,000 and the young lady said $247,000 was raised, it still leaves it three hundred and something thousand in the hole...I have supported with my taxes, I eat here, I buy here and I spend my money here and I have supported every program that has came; but enough is enough! If we keep throwing money out the window...there is going to be cuts everywhere else and it's time to look at the whole picture, and the whole picture is that we can't afford it anymore...it doesn't make sense, it doesn't make business sense...if it was your own personal money, it would have been shut down."

Dr. Tracy Duncan, Finance Director for the Thunder Bayou Golf Facilities Board, told the audience that the attempt to repurpose the golf course is not financially driven.

"I have some disputed facts with the mayor that he gave. What he did not tell the people...yes the budget was $547,000 last year, but we brought in $231,000 in revenue. So the city actually spent $316,000 on the golf course and with the other areas of the Parks and Recreation system they spent $514,000. I mean with just basic math that tells you that Thunder Bayou did not use 49 percent or whatever that number was of the parks and recreation budget. For the last year, out of the general fund, the city had to use $136,000 to support the entire parks and rec system. With the budget cuts that I was involved in this year and the cuts that we've made, the city of Blytheville was only going to have to spend $21,000 in 2016 to support the entire Parks and Rec system. That's less than $2,000 a month. I don't think that is a large amount to continue to fund the system that we already have. Another thing to think about is that in the last 10 years there has been 20,000 rounds of golf played at Thunder Bayou...To say that it's a financial issue is total bull! $21,000 is not too much money to spend for what we have now," Duncan said.

Mayor Sanders did say during his presentation that they added the golf course revenue ($231,000) into the projected revenues line item. Additionally, the City of Blytheville is having to spend more than just $21,000 in 2016 "to support the Parks and Rec Department" as it is now. Nevertheless, over and again the question was raised whether the mayor's numbers were correct or whether Duncan's numbers were.

Finance Director John Callens, when asked by one speaker if the mayor's numbers were correct said, "What we came down to at the very last, like I said that is where started with the $201,000 deficit. That is when the mayor said that we had to look at eliminating something. Now, after we talked to the council we were able to get it down by making some other cuts to $150,000. We were still $150,000 short."

Bruce Oberman suggested trying different things and even considering changing the management at the park, before closing the course.

"Ron, I love you, but who made you the best manager of the golf course? In other businesses if something fails they get somebody else. Before we close this course, we need to try things. Try another Ron. I'm not saying that Ron is doing bad, but I don't know that he's doing good. I just know that we're in a deficit," Oberman said.

Suggestions on increased revenue were made by numerous speakers. One idea was given to require Blytheville residents to purchase a city auto sticker for each vehicle. Another suggestion given by a few speakers was that of raising the hotel tax, with Rick Harrison projecting that revenue from the raise would generate "over $120,000."

Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Liz Smith, speaking as the official records keeper for the City Advertising and Promotion Commission, agreed to give the gathering some insight into whether an increase in the city's hotel tax to fund the golf course would even be legal.

"A hotel tax could not legally be used for the operation and maintenance of the golf course. Those taxes are called tourism taxes, and they are set up by the state to incentivize and promote tourism, not to pay maintenance and operations," Smith said.

Smith also said the new tax would "generate less than $90,000 in a good business year" and warned that raising the tax could cause the city to lose some business, while the hotel tax is supposed to promote more hotel guests.

Smith also pointed out that the city council couldn't direct the money, but that is the prerogative of the commission alone.

Lastly, she addressed the idea that locals wouldn't be paying the tax by saying that 70 percent of hotel business during the week is industry related, local business owners or people coming to Blytheville to work. Therefore, local people are not immune from the tax.

Immediate past president of Chamber of Commerce, Andy Weld, applauded "democracy in action" and said, "As the millennial generation comes of age" the city needs to join the ranks of forward thinking communities that open up recreational opportunities to enjoy nature, spend time together and that opens access to more people for exploring nature regardless of socio economic status. He said that studies even indicate that property values increase by as much as 6 percent as a result of changes like those being proposed.

There were also speakers that appealed to the best in Blytheville citizens, asking for unity and pride...asking, "Do you love Blytheville? I do!" Probably the most common theme that wove through the majority of the speakers was the love and concern for Blytheville that each speaker demonstrated.

thenry@blythevillecourier.com