Golf Commission

Commissioners Present:  Anne O’Connell (Chair), Carl Blanchard (Vice-Chair), Wyn Morton, Jeff Odell, Ed Pavlu, John Piemontese, and Judy McCarthy.

 

Others Present: Mark O’Brien (Director of Operations), Pete Ervin (Superintendent), Jerri Carlin (Women’s 9-Hole Assn.), Chris Hardy (Women’s 18-Hole Assn.), Ray DiPietro (CCMGA), Jackie Ferraguto, Cindy Bingham (Selectmen liaison), and Chuck DeVito (Finance Committee Liaison).

 

This meeting was held at the Brewster Town Hall and may be viewed at http://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerFlex.aspx?PGD=brewsterma&eID=1294

 

Call to Order: Anne O’Connell called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

 

Public Comment:  

 

•  Jerri Carlin reported the sign-up sheets for the Friends Tournament on June 4 are at the clubhouse.  It will be a shotgun at 12 noon on the Starboard course.  The fees are $50 for members and $90 for guests which includes golf, cart, hearty hors d’oeuvres, prizes and donations to the Friends.  Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres only will be $30. There will also be a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.
• The 9-holers have been getting new members; there are 64 or 65 members now.  Opening day was good, and everyone is looking forward to the new season.
• Chris Hardy from the 18-holers reported they now have over 60 members and are working hard to sign up two flights for the Captains member/member on the weekend of May 20.
• The women’s league helped fund a water well in Zambia, Africa.  Chris Hardy has gone to Africa and seen the well with Captains name on it.  The women’s leagues will be attending a fund-raising dinner at the Ridge Club on June 6 which hopefully will raise money for several more wells.
• Chris Hardy thanked those involved in the work on the bathrooms, a good part of which was funded by donations in memory of her husband, Bill Howe.

 

Correspondence and Suggestion Box:

 

• Judy Miller submitted a request for an update on the directional signs. Mark O’Brien reported that 5 signs were replaced. The remainder will be replaced in the next fiscal year.

 

Superintendent’s Report:

 

• Pete Ervin thanked the voting public for approving the budget at Town Meeting last week.
• In the past 30 days there has been 4 to 5 inches of rain causing the Martha White Tournament to be cancelled.
• The crew continues to groom the course.  Some of the holes are being expanded due to shrinkage which has occurred since the holes were originally built in 1985.  The roughs have been aerated to provide more green surface; those hitting from the roughs will have more opportunity to hit from grass.
•  Pete Ervin gave an overview of ongoing projects.

 

Director’s Report: 

 

• April has been a nice month with memberships and greens fees up.  May has not started out well due to all the rain, but a strong month is lined up.  Memberships are up $3,000 for the calendar year and $10,000 for the fiscal year.  Mark O’Brien gave a run-down of memberships in the various categories through April this year totaling 729 as compared to 756 members for the same period last year.  There are 50 new members so far this year to date—29 residents and 21 non-residents.  Discussion followed.
• Mark O’Brien reported the course looks fantastic.  He’s getting rave reviews from the players.

 

Website:

 

• Wyn Morton reported the Dennis golf app is very impressive and is being used for their website making their website look weaker. Our website is mobile functional.  Charlie Heller indicated an app is expensive and is generally used by members; daily fee players don’t usually download apps.  Discussion followed.

 

Electrical Efficiency Reports:

 

• Ed Pavlu reported meeting with T. J. Turner of Rise Engineering and referred the matter to Mark O’Brien who reported recommended lighting upgrades including fixtures and light bulbs etc. throughout the entire property total of $58,000 will be provided and installed at no cost to the golf course. Jeff Odell indicated that there would be a savings to the golf course of approximately $12,000.  Discussion followed.  There will be further evaluations in the fall.

 

Restaurant Issues:

 

• Anne O’Connell reported that the RFP is in good shape; needed updates will be done by Mark O’Brien.

The architect should have the first draft sometime next week. Discussion followed.

 

Follow Up:

 

• Back 9 Tee Times/Chelsea System:  the back 9 tee times are on the tee sheet and available through the month of May.  Discussion followed.
• Appreciation Item:  Mark O’Brien will email information to the commission.

 

Future Agenda Items: 

 

• Allocations.

 

Review and Approve 4/11/17 minutes:

 

• Judy McCarthy made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of 4/11/17 as amended, seconded by Carl Blanchard. Motion passed 7-0-0.

 

Topics the Chair did not reasonably anticipate:

 

• The golf course will offer a memorial bench to be placed on Port 12 tee in memory of Don Marino.

 

• Jeff Odell made a motion, seconded by Carl Blanchard to approve the placement of a bench in memory of Don Marino on 12 Port tee. Motion was approved unanimously.

 

Adjourn:

 

John Piemontese made a motion, seconded by Judy McCarthy, to adjourn the meeting. The motion was approved 6-0-1. Meeting adjourned at 5:18 p.m.

 

The next meeting of the Brewster Golf Commission will be held on June 13, 2017 at 4 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Dorothy Vesperman

Senior Clerk