Latest Golf Imbroglio
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is moving quietly and swiftly - some would say too much so - to upgrade the Sag Harbor Golf Club.
Last week, the D.E.C. released a request for proposals for a new, long-term concession contract at the club. Bidders would be required to invest up to $750,000 in capital improvements and pay the state at least $25,000 annually for a 10-year deal or invest $1.2 million and pay the same annual fee for a 20-year deal. The D.E.C. would also seek to turn the management of the course over to the State Department of Parks and Recreation later this year.
"This is a new type of venture for the D.E.C.," said Mark Levanway of the department. "We don't want to shut it down. We're hoping to get some bids on this." He declined further comment on the proposal.
Bidders' Tour
Tomorrow, at 10:30 a.m., prospective bidders have been invited to the 50-acre course at Barcelona Neck to tour the facilities. Bidders are not likely to be the only ones present.
State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., charging the state has gotten things "ass backward" by seeking a concessionaire first without a well-thought-out plan, said he would attend. While the proposal does not specifically spell out what the state wants, it suggests that a new operator would be encouraged to build a bigger clubhouse and restaurant, install an irrigation system, hire a professional, raise greens fees, and possibly expand the course to 18 holes or add a driving range, he said.
And Marshall Garypie, president of the not-for-profit club which has operated the course on a year-to-year basis since the state acquired the property in 1989, said his members were "mobilizing" to fight the state's plans.
Modest Fees
The brewing battle is the latest in a series of contretemps over golf courses in recent months. Plans to build a course at the former Bridgehampton Race Circuit, expand the South Fork Country Club in Amagansett, and proceed with development of the Bistrians' Stony Hill Country Club have brought the environmental issues related to golf courses to the fore.
The Sag Harbor course, with its modest annual membership fee of $230 for an individual or $350 for a family and daily greens fees of between $10 and $15, is a favorite of senior citizens and other golfers who cannot afford to join a private club.
When the state first acquired the property, it announced it would close the course "and let it grow wild," said Mr. Garypie. Angry golfers, with Mr. Thiele's support, thwarted that effort.
Thiele "Suspicious"
Noting that the proposal was only released last week and carries a Feb. 18 deadline, Mr. Garypie said, "It looks like it may be some kind of an inside job, as often is the case with the state."
Mr. Thiele said he had been assured in a recent letter from John Cahill, acting D.E.C. Commissioner, that the state had low-key plans for the site. However, he became "suspicious" when he saw the 50-page proposal.
"Unless someone has been given inside information, no one can come in and give a fair proposal in that time," agreed Mr. Thiele. "It leads me to believe this process is tainted."
Mr. Thiele has written the state, asking it to extend the Sag Harbor club's permit another year, review the situation, and come up with a new proposal that "is more consistent" with what currently exists.
Possible Lawsuit
"If they don't do that, I see the likelihood of litigation and the likelihood that I would participate in it," he said.
Mr. Thiele said he had both environmental and social concerns with the state's plans. The golf course is part of the 341-acre Barcelona Neck preserve. "I don't want to see something that draws water for irrigation and increases the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers," he said. "I am particularly disturbed because there has been no environmental review."
According to Mr. Garypie, as part of its permit, the Sag Harbor club has agreed not to irrigate the course, clear trees, or use pesticides or fertilizers.
Mr. Thiele also cited social aspects. "This place has been a tradition in Sag Harbor for the better part of 50 years. This is where young kids learn; in fact, I learned to play on that course," he said. "This is where the seniors and working-class people go. This facility is going to be turned into just another state golf course."
No More Sand Greens
Mr. Garypie said the club, with a great deal of volunteer labor, has slowly made modest improvements to the course, replacing, for instance, sand greens - soaked with fuel oil to keep the surface compact - with grass ones.
"All the money we took in, we put back into the course," he said. "We did it all with a minimal amount of money and no bother to the state. I guess we did too good a job."