HomeMy WebLinkAboutBill 16-45 Special Elbel Advisory Committee RecomendationsFax: 574.235.9173
April 20, 2016
The South Bend Common Council
4t1i Floor County -City Building
South Bend, Indiana 46601
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The South Bend Common Council
41 Floor County -City Building
227 West Jefferson Boulevard
South Bend, Indiana 46601 -1830
274.235.9321
Re: Special Elbel Advisory Committee Recommendations
Dear Council Members:
TDD: 574.235.5567
The attached proposed Resolution sets forth the recommendations made by the Special Elbel Committee, which
was created by a Resolution of the Council to study and recommend to the Council, the Board of Park
Commissioners and the Mayor "all reasonable and viable options for the property known as the Elbel Golf Course
as a short and long term assets of the City of South Bend, Indiana ".
In the interest that requisite information be gathered, public engagement be valued, and due diligence continue
in the discernment of this unique City asset, we urge you to carefully review the recommendations so that they
may be discussed at next Monday's Parks, Recreation, Cultural Arts & Entertainment Committee, and then voted
favorably upon by the Common Council that evening.
Most sincerely,
6,13roden, 4th District
Common Council Member
,Randy Kelly, Yd District
Common Council Member
Attachment
Filed in Clerk's Office
APR 2 0 2016
KAREEMAH FOWLER
CITY CLERK, SOUTH REND, IN
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.
Resolution on Recommendations from the Elbel Advisory Committee
Page 2
Recommendation 4:
Park Department and Park Board, in conjunction with public input, update the City of South Bend 5 -year Park
Master Plan, Advisory or standing committees must be formed.
Recommendation 5:
Parks Department manage and maintain Elbel Golf Course throughout 2016 and funds be designated as such for
FY 2017. Future use decision is deferred at this time and will be contingent /informed by findings /outcomes of
Recommendations One (1) through Four (4). Public access must be guaranteed and ecological integrity assured.
Recommendation 6 (Oversight):
Monthly progress report updates on Recommendations one (1) through Five (5)) are to be integrated into the
public meeting agendas for both the Park Board and Common Council's Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture
Committee.
Section II. The Common Council hereby accepts and approves the recommendations set forth in Section 1,
recommended by the Special Advisory Committee on Elbel. The Council further thanks all of the members of
this special advisory committee for carrying out its duties and responsibilities in a fair, effective, transparent, and
inclusive manner. The Common Council thanks all of the members of the public who participated in the public
meetings or engaged in this issue and thereby helped bring about a deeper and robust exchange and consideration
of this asset's value to our community. Special gratitude is extended to the staff of the office of the City Clerk
who staffed the committee and effectively maintained all documentation in a highly accessible manner.
Section IV. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the Common Council
and approval by the Mayor.
Coun ember Jo Broden, 4th District Council Member
Council Member Randy Kelly, 3`a District Council Member
Council Member Karen L. White, Council Member at Large
Filed in Cleric's Office
APR 2 0 201
KAREEtAAH FOWLER
CITY CLERK, SOUTH BEND, IN