(Editor’s note: This is the letter that former Sartell City Council member Steve Hennes wanted to read aloud at the May 8 Sartell City Council meeting but was unable to because the golf-course sale discussion was not considered a “public hearing.” Three of the five council members requested not to change the rules for public input during what are not considered public hearings. The Newsleader also welcomes letters from those who are in favor of the land sale.)
by Steve Hennes
former Sartell City Council member
Here is some historical perspective from the purchase of the Pinecone Central parkland as I remember.
The City of Sartell had grown dramatically from the late 1990s into 2008-09, adding nearly 400 housing units per year until the recession took hold in 2009 when housing dropped to 40 units per year.
City residents had been using the few school district baseball, softball and soccer fields that existed. Parents also enrolled their children in other surrounding communities for sports activities.
The city began looking for land for an athletic and nature park. When the old golf course became available for sale in the center of our rapidly growing community, the city staff began negotiating. The land also allowed the city to build a valuable new east/west road connection.
The city recruited the owners of Boulder Ridge Golf to lease and operate a nine-hole golf course, which was a win/win for city taxpayers.
Local business person Gordy Meyer was recruited to fundraise (more than) $1 million in private investments for the athletic complex. The City of Sartell added Pinecone Central Boulevard, a dog park and a nine-hole golf course that the current operators want to continue to operate.
Today, the city of Sartell might look at using the lease money generated by the golf course to put into a park-maintenance fund for the golf course. Another possibility would be to put up for sale two or three acres of the current golf course land that borders on Pinecone Road for the development of a restaurant/golf course club house and continue to lease the golf course to Dan Dols and Ted Klein, co-owners of Boulder Ridge Golf.
I am concerned about Sartell getting involved in legal actions by other local businesses, similar to St. Cloud’s selling of parkland to Costco for a greatly reduced amount from the actual land value. Mostly, I am concerned about future Sartell residents losing control of land that will be needed for parks and trails.
