Bill 16-45 Special Elbel Advisory Committee Recomendations

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RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, APPROVING THE ADVISORY SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS ADDRESSING ELBEL GOLF COURSE AS A SHORT AND LONG-TERM ASSET OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA CXfmm� on February 8, 2016, the South Bend Common Council adopted Resolution No. 4530 -16 which established a 5- member advisory special committee whose mission was to "study and recommend all reasonable and viable options" for Elbel Golf Course; and G,iy ..� this special committee was able to gather much valuable data and information which was made available to the public, with access now being 24- hours, met as a committee in four (4) public meetings to hear from the public, as well as, golf course operations and management, land use, environmental, ecological, educational, recreation, park department and City staff, and other experts, and which prompted meaningful exchanges of ideas, considerations, complementary uses, options and alternatives; and c* on April 13, 2016, the Advisory Special Committee, whose membership consisted of Council Member Jo Broden, Council Member Karen L. White, Council Member Randy Kelly, Park Superintendent Aaron Perri, and Dan Farrell of the Board of Park Commissioners unanimously affirmed six (6) recommendations; and were subsequently approved unanimously by the Board of Park Commissioners on Monday, April 18, 2016, and thereby, are now forwarded to the South Bend Common Council for their review and action. Section I. The Common Council acknowledges that the Advisory Special Committee, which was created for the purposes of addressing Elbel Golf Course as a short and long term asset of the city, set forth six (6) recommendations which are as follows: Recommendation 1: Engage a Golf Course management Consulting Firm for all 3 Courses to assess: - Greens & turf management - Capital improvements - Rates & marketplace position analysis - Best management & financial practices - Marketing strategy - Complementary use plans & feasibility - Interviewing of users - Engage with local golf experts - Environmentally sustainable course maintenance - Staffing - Ecologically South Management Practices Recommendation 2: Engage Ecological Assessment Consultants to assist with the development of a park -wide Natural Resource Management Plan by June 2017. Recommendation 3: The existing work product of the Special Advisory Committee on Elbel, the ongoing engagement and collaboration of local experts, City Departments, key stakeholders, and the public must be integral /embedded in the contractual terms of City hired consultants.