City Amends Fairways Lease Agreement

An amended lease agreement regarding the  will give both the city and the property’s operators more leeway in the future, Council President Jon Snyder said at Monday night’s meeting.

Snyder said the new agreement makes it easier for the city to sell the property, while also making it easier for those leasing it — R&S Golf Properties, Inc. — to buy the property.

Under the present lease, the city couldn’t sell or lease the property for six years.

“It’s a win-win for us both,” Snyder said.

He said the property’s operators had breached the lease agreement by falling behind on property taxes.

Under the new agreement, if the city plans to sell the property, it must tell R&S before June 1, 2012, and June 1, 2013; and R&S could maintain operations there until Dec. 31 of each year. It also could buy the property for a cost not less than the golf course’s appraised value up until 2014.

After that, Snyder said R&S may manage the course for three more years, with a five-year option after 2017.

The Fairways Golf Course has been in the news this year and also because of that affects nearby residents.

In other business:

- Council appointed Doug Lane to the Civil Service Commission. Lane is the president of the . Council also appointed Pat DeOrio, former councilman, to the Income Tax Board of Review.

- Council had its first reading for and asked that residents come forward with any concerns now through the end of January, when council expects to take a final vote. Members also discussed posting information on the city’s website and including a Q&A with their utility bills.

- Council had its first reading for an ordinance that would allow the director of finance to establish a private-purpose trust fund — . The money would be used to help those residents affected by natural disasters such as . Councilman Mark Cerreta, who proposed the idea, said the next step is to form committees and then the committees will shape the rules of how the money is distributed.

- Snyder announced the formation of a special committee that will look at foreclosed and rental homes and propose changes to housing and zoning codes.

- Council members briefly discussed the increasing number of copper thefts from vacant homes throughout the city and what actions they could take to cut down on those crimes. Options included having banks notify the police when a home is foreclosed upon and neighbors keeping an eye on one another’s homes.

- Mayor David Held announced a blood drive happening Dec. 15 at the and asked city officials and residents to participate.

- Council announced its next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 9 inside City Hall.