Sapulpa City Councilors agreed to go into debt to take on the expense of a $175,000 purchase of golf carts to replace the aging ones at the Sapulpa Municipal Golf Course.
The primary agenda item at Monday evening’s city council meeting was the purchase of 50 Yamaha golf carts. There were two bids and the council decided on Yamaha’s gas-powered carts for a total of $175,000.00, as the “lowest and most responsive” bid.
City Manager Riley asked if it would be more cost-effective to lease or to buy. She contended that the city would save $84,000 by leasing. Mayor Reg Green added that the city was getting trade-in value of $3,000 and that when we traded in again in 4-7 years, we would get a return on the trade-ins again in 4-7 years. Yamaha salesman Blake Bowman said, “How well they (the carts) are taken care of” determines their trade-in value, and that the carts have a 4-year warranty, whether leased or purchased. The main problem is that Sapulpa can’t afford to pay the full amount in cash and so the city would have to take out a loan.
The manager of the Golf Course, David McBride, wanted to buy them. Councilor Craig Henderson wanted to table it and discuss it further. Councilors Stinnett, Galloway, Naifeh, Martin, and Anderson, each had input and their own reservations or recommendations.
In the end, the council voted to buy the 50 gas golf carts and finance them through American Heritage Bank at a rate of 3.5 per cent for 4 years. The councilors also voted to amend the Capital Improvement Fund annual budget by increasing revenues and appropriations by the amount of $175,000 to purchase the carts.
Next was the approval regarding the Golf Course Concession License and Operating Agreement with El Valle, LLC, doing business as Senior Pablo’s and Juan Pablo Ascencio, for operation and management of the clubhouse concessions at the golf course. The City benefits by this by receiving 8 percent of gross receipts along with the city portion of taxes from purchases.
The minutes and claims in the amount of $998,459.96 were approved.
Fire Chief David Taylor explained to the council the use for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant from FEMA in the amount of $293,191. He said it would allow the purchase of training gear and Technical Rescue Training. Chief Taylor also said it was a 10 percent matching funds grants, so some money had to come out of his budget.
A request for a zoning change for property on East Gordon and South Water (owned by Wylie Smith) to change from Residential single Family to Multi-family was approved. Nikki White, Urban Development Director stated she had received a couple of negative responses to the zoning change, but one concerned making a “difficult turn left on Gordon” and one was concerning “40 extra people.” Since the change was to accommodate building 2 quadruplexes and later, perhaps another one, the traffic wouldn’t increase that much. The math suggests closer to 10-20 renters.
Another change was to an Ordinance for the city, concerning “Short Term Rental” to address the relatively new situation of “Airbnbs” and other rental of beds, couches, and parts of a home. Under the new ordinance there are 11 guidelines besides Fees for a Short-Term Rental license. The rental shall be for under 30 days, no more than 8 guests total, 2 to a bedroom, the license number shall be listed in all ads for the Airbnb and are allowed only in areas with public street access. This “hotly contested” guideline disallows individuals who rent inside a gated community, such as owners at The Lakes at Cross Timbers. All Councilors except Marty Cummins voted to approve this Ordinance.
The Youth Sports Complex added some awards approved by all voting members. The Earthworks and Site Grading was awarded to Ram Site Services, Electrical by Third Generation Electric, Masonry by Sun Valley Masonry and Rough Trusses and Carpentry to Bass Construction. The City approved Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement for Construction Management for the Youth Sports Complex with DC Bass at a cost of $33,725.77 for a guaranteed maximum price of $1,233, 278.64.
The City of Sapulpa and Uptown Sapulpa Action, Inc. (Sapulpa Main Street) entered into an agreement for the economic development programs in downtown Sapulpa for an amount not to exceed $30,000.
Mayor Reg Green praised the Director of the Library, Dr. Martha Stalker, saying, “She does a remarkable job!” after the council approved “recognizing grant funds” that the library received. This time the grant fund was for $6,92 for technological upgrades.
The city was also informed of an increase of .9 mils, which brings the total to 14.35 mills or $14.35 for every $1,000 of assessed value. For FY 2018-19, the total valuation is $151,832,504, which is 5.56 per cent increase over last year.
The councilors present on Monday evening were Hugo Naifeh, Wes Galloway, Vice Mayor Lou Martin, Jr., Craig Henderson, Mayor Reg Green, Carla Stinnett, and John Anderson. Bruce Bledsoe and Charles Stephens were absent.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend city council meetings, since this is where decisions are made to change ordinances, spend tax money, change zoning, and many other extremely local changes that affect you and your money!
What the golf course costs you
Pam Vann, City of Sapulpa Finance Director, told Sapul- pa Times that the Golf Course in in the budget every year and “supplemented by the SMA (Sapulpa Municipal Authority) every year, just like Parks and Library.” In Fiscal Year 2016-17, the Golf Course was supplemented “by $463,000 and in Fiscal Year 2017- 18, it was supplemented by $362,000.”
Rod Fulmer, Golf Course clerk, said the Green Fees were $19 per day and $12 for a Golf Cart, except on Wednesdays, when the $19 includes a golf cart. For one person, playing 5 days a week, Monday through Friday, with a golf cart each day, the price was $110.00 per month.
Fulmer also said that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Scramble is played and about 50 golfers play on the Greens on those days.
