Golf course prominent, but not our only issue

By Bill Erin

Thursday, March 12, 2009 | 2:20 p.m.

To close or not to close? That is the question uppermost in the minds of many Boulder City voters. Whether 'tis nobler in the Boulder City mind to continue the Boulder Creek Golf Club with those hopes that spring eternal and suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous claims, or by opposing to close the course, end them?

Aye, there's the rub. For can that course be closed without great financial pain leaving behind a scar, a reminder of a long-ago mistake by a City Council now long gone, but not forgiven?

I apologize to Shakespeare fans. But that terrible paraphrasing of Hamlet's famous soliloquy sums up what is apparently one of the foremost areas of contention among the contestants in the upcoming municipal election. This was clearly demonstrated during the recent BC Facts debate among the nine candidates.

While most of the candidates ducked the issue by saying it should be left up to the voters in a ballot question, there were quotes such as, "It's the most divisive issue" and "the biggest issue." Only one candidate was outright in favor of closing it, claiming it was not paying its way as the city reported.

This was in answer to some candidates modifying their referral to the voters by saying if it were paying its own way, it should be left open.

If this is the biggest issue in the election, although in my opinion it certainly isn't the biggest issue that faces the City Council, then it behooves each of you, as a voter, to find out exactly where your candidates stand on this subject. If you get a chance to talk to them individually, pin them down on this and any other issues you feel are important.

In other words, make sure you know the candidate for whom you are voting and what that candidate stands for in addition to his character and ability to carry out the duties of steering Boulder City through a very difficult period. This is not a one-issue election.

We have dealt with the Boulder Creek Golf Course and its finances before in this column. I thought it would take a back seat to problems such as financing our share of the third intake from Lake Mead, balancing the budget, traffic problems with U.S. 93 when the Hoover Dam Bypass bridge opens and the divisiveness on the Boulder City Council.

The golf course seems to be stabilized on a path to ride out its indebtedness and one day be an asset to the city. So I thought people might let it remain in the background during this election. Apparently I was wrong.

There are people who still think the books are being cooked and the course is losing money. They attribute this to a city management they don't trust to tell them the truth about city finances in spite of audits and constant reports. It all stems from a council, now completely replaced, that built the golf course over voter objections and at an inflated price.

This mistrust was expressed by Councilwoman Linda Strickland at the last council meeting. In questioning Finance Director Tim Inch about a money figure, she slipped in the phrase, "after the figures are manipulated." Inch caught the innuendo and immediately answered, "First, the figures are not manipulated."

That little exchange illustrated, to me, the continuing mistrust of the voters. All because of an issue that should be left in the past and that surely a new council, with no members associated with the golf course construction, should finally be able to overcome.

So do your duty as voters. Investigate the candidates carefully, and let's work together to get us through these tough times.

Bill Erin is a Boulder City News columnist.