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quantified. Maybe Elbel is losing a lot less than other parks that have no revenue income because <br />there is the financial benefit of golf. Michelle Worth commented on reports that a couple years <br />ago a bunch of the woods around Mud Lake were thinned and trees were taken down and the tree <br />nursery as well was defrosted and where are the costs of that allocated. <br />Committeemember Perri responded the tree nursery is designed to raise trees in a stable <br />environment and then when they reach a certain age the Parks Department moves them to parks <br />around the city. That is a continuous cycle where the City keeps about $70,000 worth of tree <br />inventory there at a given time. There were trees removed from Elbel Golf Course in 2012 and <br />2013 and some of them were diseased and dying and others were done strategically to enhance <br />play at the course. <br />Michelle Worth stated what she heard was just the trees were cut down and were stacked on the <br />side of the road. <br />Committeemember Perri responded that doesn't sound right but he would need more <br />information. <br />Jeff Botich, Granger, asked if a season pass is sold at Erskine does the money stay at Erskine <br />T.J. Mannen responded no it all goes into a pool of season pass money that then gets allocated to <br />the courses based on the rounds done at each course by season pass holders. <br />Mr. Botich thanked T.J. for the answer. He asked why they have not had an open house at Elbel <br />which would help build visibility of the course. He stated he buys the all- inclusive pass and will <br />continue to do so as long as Elbel is a public course. If Elbel is sold he stated his group of <br />twenty -five (25) guys will not go play at another city course. It's not that Erskine is bad it's just <br />every course has their own group of people and his group is the early morning group at Elbel. <br />Elbel belongs to those golfers who have been coming year after year not to South Bend. Mr. <br />Botich asked if the superintendent house is provided to the superintendent who works at Elbel. <br />T.J. Mannen responded no the house is currently vacant and not used by anyone. In the past the <br />superintendent at Elbel made less money than the superintendent at Erskine because a house was <br />provided to them. Now the structure is not used for anyone. <br />There were comments from the Committee that the property should be used for something now <br />to bring in revenue. <br />Kieth Carol, Fox Run South Bend, plays golf at Elbel regularly. It was his opinion that the city <br />has the right management right now to turn municipal golf around in South Bend and they should <br />be given a chance. Aaron Perri is an excellent organizer and will do a phenomenal job. T.J. <br />Mannen as Director of Golf is an excellent choice. Mr. Carol stated T.J. is the main reason his <br />group of guys goes to Elbel so regularly and he is the best golf pro in the area. No other course <br />around the area will treat golfers as well as T.J. treats them. With both of those gentleman in <br />their positions they will turn those numbers around which really aren't that bad to begin with. <br />Two dollars a round can easily be made up. <br />E <br />