Closing golf course is a bad idea

To the Editor:

I'm sure everyone is aware by now of the Mayors proposal for a new park area by closing and repurposing our golf course. Closing the golf course is not the answer because the golf course increases our tax revenue by more that you realize. The Mayor's proposed park will cost more to maintain than he is estimating. The old oaks course is at least 50 acres, added to the 110 acres on the golf course and now you're talking about at least 160 acres to maintain.

If you maintain it at a level that allows people to just go out and sit around, it has to be cut very short. There are a lot of snakes, skunks, coyotes, and bobcats out there too. It may not be safe. Also, it's out of the way, secluded, and for someone out there walking alone, it's not safe. We have too many thugs in this town who would take advantage of its location. Emergency response to aid someone in trouble would be too late. Is the Mayor going to take full responsibility for everyone's safety?

The city can't afford to hire extra police officers to guard and protect this area. Remember that there was a lot of burglaries on the air base because the lighting was bad and there was no police presence. Also he speaks of movies at night and I can tell you from experience, that if you are out there after the sun goes down, the mosquitoes will carry you away. We will have a rash of people coming down with mosquito born viruses. It will become a health risk.

If he wants to keep the course and develop the old oaks course into a park, walking/bike trail and community center, I can see the benefits for all the city. He could ask for the one cent tax again and use half of it for police and fire salaries, a quarter of it for parks and Rec's and a quarter of it for the roads.

The Parks and Rec's has been over budget because Elroy Brown didn't put together a single budget. Each section was told to make out a budget and wasn't given a limit of what they could spend. You have to blame Mr. Brown and the Mayor for that. You should tell Elroy Brown to turn in one budget and stay within the amount of estimated revenue coming in. How simple is that? Combine the workforce, use seasonal workers, part time workers and provide the minimum donations to the Ritz and The Museum.

I know the people in this town are smart enough to see through the mayor's proposal. The fact is, our Parks and Rec's dept. hasn't been run efficiently. If it had, it wouldn't be over budget. So, why close something down when it can be managed better and can support itself. I say we hire a new Parks and Rec's Director before we hastily close this course. If you have a business that's being run poorly, you try hiring a new manager before you close its doors. It's time for the citizens to speak up.

The mayors proposal will not stay within budget because the same person will be overseeing its maintenance. You should remind yourself, he has not told you how much it's going to cost to accomplish his goals and where all that money will come from. The splash pad has to be considered a health hazard as well unless he can give details on how all that water can be sanitized at all times. I really don't see how his plan can be a viable solution to the delimma with Parks and Rec's, when the real problem is how they've been managed in the past.

Remember, the citizens went to the polls to pay for the construction of the golf course and sportsplex. The citizens also went to the polls to pay for the upkeep of the golf course and sportsplex. That means, the only way to get a true picture of what the citizens want to do with this golf course is to go back to the polls.

You can't trust the current administration to give you an accurate account of our desires. I've been to meetings and listened to our councilmen and have seen how the mayor has influenced their decision making. I've had them tell me one thing and do just the opposite when it's time for them to vote. We have to make sure we do everything possible before closing anything. Hire a new director and give him a budget to work with and you'll see that parks and Rec's can survive just fine as it is.

On a brighter note, some of the firefighters who are losing their jobs will be absorbed into the police dept. I think that was a great idea by the head of our police department and just wanted to thank him for that! I know some people think closing the golf course would save the firemen from losing their jobs but that's not the case.

They were two separate issues and one had nothing to do with the other. You should all call your councilman and express your opinion.

-- William Masterson

Blytheville