New clash sets stage for golf course vote
The timing of tomorrow's scheduled Town Meeting vote on a new lease for the Needham Golf Club property has sparked renewed criticism of the use of public lands for the private operation. Some critics charge that town officials are trying to push approval through before the Finance Committee and others have a chance to fully vet bids for use of the town-owned land.
A request for proposals to take over the property was issued April 2, and the town gave potential bidders a month to respond. The deadline was 11 a.m. Friday; Town Meeting is to convene at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Newman Elementary.
"The current lease doesn't end until next year, so what's the rush?" said Richard Freedman, a 10-year Needham resident who noted that the town had only one full business day to review the bids. "They're only doing it to put enormous pressure on these committees."
The town's 10-year lease with the non profit Needham Golf Club, which has occupied the 58-acre property for more than 80 years, is set to expire in April 2009. Its renewal has been a point of contention for some residents, who point to the lack of public access to the property and the potential loss of revenue for the town. Proponents of the golf course say the club provides an amenity to Needham and takes care of the land, which the town cannot afford to do.
As of Tuesday, the golf club had not submitted its bid, said Paul Robey, the organization's president.
"We're hopeful," Robey said of Town Meeting giving its approval to go forward with the lease. "We get a general feeling that people want it to stay a golf course and people want to keep playing there."
This club's lease payment to the town this year is $269,000, Robey said.
For the new lease, the warrant article drafted by selectmen sets the minimum annual rental bid at $215,000, as part of a 20-year lease arrangement. Special Town Meeting voted March 3 to amend the bylaws to allow the longer term, a change requested by the club to provide more stability and make it easier to finance capital improvements. The warrant's Article 12 also notes that leasing the public land to a for-profit entity would require the approval of Beacon Hill.
Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick, who handled many of the details concerning the request for proposals, or RFP, was unavailable for comment last week.
However, Selectman John Bulian defended the timeline, saying there has been ample time to study the bid request.
"We've been talking about it every month," Bulian said. "There's been lots of discussion and there have been two public hearings trying to take into account the feedback of the community."
The short time frame doesn't sit well with some Finance Committee members, who said that they should see the actual proposals by any bidders before Town Meeting, when the panel is to announce its recommendation. Selectmen are recommending that the land be leased again as a golf course, the article states.
"I'm disappointed with the timetable that has unfolded," said Richard Creem, the Finance Committee's chairman.
"I would have preferred that the RFP come earlier so we could have a chance to see the bids that are put forth and have an opportunity to examine those bids . . . to make sure that we are comfortable that this makes sense for the town."
rising
falling 